26.06.2012
Vijay Iyer is five time winner of the 2012 DownBeat Critics Poll / Rudresh Mahanthappa wins Alto Saxophonist of the Year

Vijay Iyer - © ACT / Jimmy Katz
Pianist Vijay Iyer has won in an unprecedented five categories of the 60th Annual DownBeat International Critics Poll, taking honors for Jazz Artist of the Year and top Jazz Album, for his trio’s 2012 disc, “Accelerando” (ACT 9524-2). Iyer also was voted the top Pianist, his trio was named the top Jazz Group, and he took honors for Rising Star Composer.

Moreover, Rudresh Mahanthappa was voted Alto Saxophonist of the Year for the second time in a row for his current ACT album “Samdhi” (ACT 9513-2).

The DownBeat Critics Poll is the most important and comprehensive poll in the jazz world. 186 critics from around the globe voted for over 1000 nominiees in 62 categories.

For Vijay Iyer these critical successes come in the wake of April's news that Iyer was chosen as one of the inaugural recipients of the Doris Duke Artist Award, alongside veteran musicians Bill Frisell, Don Byron, and Meredith Monk. A new initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, this honor includes an unrestricted multi-year cash grant of $225,000, plus additional targeted support for retirement savings and audience development. Earlier this year Iyer was also named the winner of the Greenfield Prize, a $30,000 multidisciplinary award previously bestowed on visual artist Sanford Biggers and celebrated playwright John Guare.

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