The nominees for this year's much-anticipated JAZZ FM awards, due to take place on International Jazz Day, on Thursday April 30th in London's Shoreditch Town Hall, have just been announced and recognise the idiom's rising stars and its contemporary trendsetters as well as the iconic trailblazers.
Those nominated range from true giants, like jazz legend John Coltrane, whose album 'Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album,' stormed into the UK Top 40 album charts last year, and octogenarian saxophone guru, Wayne Shorter, whose 'Emanon' album - a contender in the Album Of The Year category - has just picked up a Grammy award. Also nominated from the USA are saxophonist Kamasi Washington, veteran blues maven, Eric Bibb, jazz sage, Charles Lloyd, soul singers, Leon Bridges and Jose James, and rising drummer/composer, Makaya McCraven.
As always, the Jazz FM Awards, despite being international in its scope , also has a strong British flavour, reflected by the presence of Biriths jazz acts, Sons Of Kemet along with Nubya Garcia, Emma Jean-Thackray, Joe Armon-Jones, Moses Boyd, Camilla George, Cassie Kinoshi, Ian Shaw and Rob Luft.
Hosting the Awards Ceremony with Jez Nelson is Jazz FM’s Head of Music and broadcaster, Chris Philips, who says:“This year’s Jazz FM Award nominees list reflects another tremendous year of growth and interest in the music. In particular it’s fantastic to see some of our formerly recognised emerging talent like Nubya Garcia and Shabaka Hutchings sharing nominations with some of the world’s best, testament indeed to a vibrant and strengthening jazz community and industry here in the UK.”
You can have your say by taking part in the public vote here - www.jazzfmawards.com - but you'll have to hurry because the closing date is on Monday 12th March 2019.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2019 16:42