June 26, 2003

BMI Dominates Downbeat Critics Poll

BMI congratulates our 2003 Downbeat Critics Poll winners, who won more than 85% of the awards announced recently by Downbeat magazine, the voice of jazz since 1934. BMI jazz great Wayne Shorter won an impressive six awards, including Best Jazz Artist, Best Jazz Album, Best Acoustic Group, Best Soprano Saxophone, Best Composer and the Hall of Fame award. In addition, more than 30 other BMI jazz composers and artists were recognized in various categories ranging from the Rising Star Female Vocalist award to Grammy Award-winning songstress Norah Jones, to Best Blues Album awarded to legendary bluesman Solomon Burke, to Rising Star Arranger to pianist/keyboardist Uri Caine, who was also named Rising Star Electric Keyboard-Synthesizer.

BMI's 2003 Downbeat Critics Poll Winners:

Best Reissue
John Coltrane
A Love Supreme: Deluxe Edition

Best Electric Group
Medeski Martin & Wood

Best Big Band
Dave Holland Big Band

Best Alto Saxophone
Lee Konitz

Best Tenor Saxophone
Joe Lovano

Best Baritone Saxophone
James Carter

Best Clarinet
Don Byron

Best Trumpet
Dave Douglas

Best Trombone
Steve Turre

Best Guitar
John Scofield

Best Piano
Keith Jarrett

Best Drums
Roy Haynes

Best Percussion
Ray Barretto

Best Bass
Dave Holland

Best Electric Bass
Steve Swallow

Best Electric Keyboards/Synthesizer
Joe Zawinul

Best Vibes
Bobby Hutcherson

Best Harmonica
Toots Thielemans

Best Male Vocalist
Kurt Elling

Best Blues Artist
Buddy Guy

Best Blues Album
Solomon Burke

Best Beyond Artist/Group
The Roots

Best Beyond Album
Ry Cooper

Rising Star Female Vocalist
Rising Star Beyond Group-Artist
Norah Jones

Rising Star Acoustic Jazz Group
The Bad Plus

Rising Star Electric Group
Soulive

Rising Star Big Band
Either/Orchestra

Rising Star Alto Saxophone
Antonio Hart

Rising Star Arranger
Rising Star Electric Keyboard-Synthesizer
Uri Caine

Rising Star Producer
Matt Balitsaris

Rising Star Blues Artist
Derek Trucks

Rising Star Tenor Saxophone
Chris Potter

Rising Star Trombone
Josh Roseman