Wex jazz favorites top NPR Best of 2015 list

Rudresh Mahanthappa tops NPR's 2015 Jazz Critics Poll

Fans of jazz at the Wex woke up to a lot of familiar faces (and sounds) on NPR’s Best of 2015 Jazz Critics Poll. Over dozen artists who have either graced the Wex stage or who will grace the stage made the list, including Mary Halvorson, Julian Lage, The Bad Plus, Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Vijay Iyer, Fred Hersch, and more, including a pair of artists who will join us in February.

Says Charles Helm, our Director of Performing Arts, "Great to see some our favorites on NPR’s year end list, including the chart-topping Rudresh Mahanthappa who will be with us soon. We look forward to sharing more great jazz with Columbus in 2016, too."

Rudresh Mahanthappa does indeed top the list with Bird Calls, his glorious collection of original compositions taking on the legacy of bebop icon Charlie “Bird” Parker. Rudresh is no stranger to a perch at the top, having also been tapped by Downbeat for not just Jazz Album of the Year, but Alto Saxophonist of the Year and Rising Star Best Composer of the Year.

Charles Lloyd and Friends. Lloyd made NPR's 2015 Jazz Critics Poll

A few spots down the chart, the transcendent sounds of Charles Lloyd’s Wild Man Dance finds a home. The innovative saxman pays Columbus a visit on February 6 when he’ll be joined by a crack combo featuring Bill Frisell, Eric Harland, and Reuben Rogers.

Tickets are onsale now for both Mahanthappa and Lloyd, as well as other 2016 jazz shows.