It has been announced that the iconic Blue Note record label and its current CEO, Grammy-winning producer Don Was, will be the recipients of the PPL Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Jazz FM Awards.
Co-founded in 1939 by German-Jewish émigré, Alfred Lion, New York-based Blue Note Records rose to become one of the most important labels in jazz and this award coincides with its 80th birthday, which has been marked by an ongoing series of vinyl reissues. Don Was, who has been at the helm of the imprint since 2012, said: “I’m incredibly grateful to Jazz FM for recognizing me and Blue Note Records with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Jazz is what inspired me to become a musician many years ago, and it is incredibly rewarding and humbling to serve as the caretaker for this historic and hugely important label. It’s a responsibility I welcome and one that I take very seriously. This honour is especially meaningful coming from Jazz FM, who not only keeps the jazz legacy alive but carries the torch forward by recognizing and supporting the great jazz that is being created today .”
The 2019 Jazz FM Awards will also pay special tribute to the recently departed Aretha Franklin with a performance by UK soulstress, Beverley Knight.
The Jazz FM Awards ceremony is due to be held on International Jazz Day – Tuesday April 30th – at Shoreditch Town Hall with Chris Phillips and Jez Nelson hosting.