Maria Schneider, who serves as Artistic Director of the Frost School’s Henry Mancini Institute was voted by readers as their #1 Composer and #1 Arranger of 2020. A 5-time GRAMMY® winner and NEA Jazz Master, she also received high honors in the categories of Big Band and Jazz Artist.
Alumni Pat Metheny, who at 18 became the school’s youngest faculty member received top honors as #1 Guitarist and #1 Jazz Album for From This Place. Pat Metheny has received 20 GRAMMY® Awards in 12 categories. He was also named by Downbeat readers in three additional categories--Jazz Artist, Jazz Group, and Composer.
Brian Lynch, Frost Professor of Jazz Trumpet, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Frost Studio Music and Jazz Lecturer and alumni Bobby Watson (B.M. ’75), Emmet Cohen (B.M. ’12) and Veronica Swift (B.M. ’16) were also acknowledged by readers this year.
“To be included in the annual Downbeat Readers Poll is a tremendous honor and coveted recognition that jazz artists strive for. To be voted #1 is a remarkable achievement,” stated Dean Shelton G. Berg. “Congratulations to Christian McBride, Maria Schneider, and Pat Metheny for receiving top honors and to our faculty and alumni who were ranked among the top 25 in the world by readers in the 85th Annual Poll. We are so proud.”
85TH ANNUAL DOWNBEAT READER’S POLL
Christian McBride
#1 Jazz Artist
#1 Bass
#4 Electric Bass
#4 Arranger
#7 Jazz Album: The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons
#11 Composer
#12 Jazz Group: Christian McBride New Jawn
Maria Schneider
#1 Composer
#1 Arranger
#2 Big Band - Maria Schneider Orchestra
#19 Jazz Artist
Pat Metheny
#1 Jazz Album (From This Place)
#1 Guitarist
#3 Jazz Group
#4 Jazz Artist
#5 Composer
Bobby Watson
#12 Alto Saxophone
Brian Lynch
#20 Trumpet
#23 Jazz Album: Big Band (The Omni American Book Club: My Journey through Literature in Music)
Gonzalo Rubalcaba
#12 Keyboard
Emmet Cohen
#11 Piano
Veronica Swift
#8 Female Vocalist
