Downbeat Magazine

Left: Ahmad Jamal 
Right: Esperanza Spalding © Johann Sauty

Downbeat Magazine has just released its top picks and Annual Readers Poll. High on the lists are many artists familiar to Center audiences through the Jazz Series and special engagements. Diana Krall was named Downbeat's Female Artist of the Year. Esperanza Spalding is there for No. 1 Jazz Artists and Jazz Album. No. 2 album is Blue Moon, by Ahmad Jamal, who just last weekend performed in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Also in the top 10 are other series veterans including Tony Bennett, Brad Mehldau, Arturo Sandoval, Sonny Rollins and Chick Corea.

Note: As Ahmad Jamal was leaving the concert hall, greeting guests and encouraging enthusiastic young fans and musicians, the Center's Senior Director, Music Programming Aaron Egigian asked him if he had enjoyed playing in the Renée and Henry. His response was immediate, "Oh yes, this is a wonderful hall, one of the five best halls in the world."