Ambrose Akinmusire wins DownBeat Magazine critics poll in trumpet category

USC Thornton Jazz Studies alum Ambrose Akinmusire (MM ’07) was voted top trumpeter in DownBeat Magazine’s 2020 Critics Poll. Each year, Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll recognizes the top jazz musicians and artists in the music world and names rising stars within the jazz community.

The recognition comes after the acclaimed musician released a new album this summer, on the tender spot of every calloused moment. Following the announcement of his DownBeat title, Akinmusire spoke about the album and his band in an interview with the Brooklyn Rail.

“I really like this idea of returning to something, this object, so this album, I thought a lot about landmarks. And how these things stay put, but we’re the ones that are actually changing, so we see the thing a little bit differently,” Akinmusire said. Read the full interview here.