The nominees for the 2022 Jazz FM Awards have just been announced and, in keeping with the event’s ethos since its launch back in 2013, they consist of musicians whose music spans the jazz, soul, and blues idioms; from rising newcomers and contemporary stars to well-established figures and bona fide legends.
Among the big names in contention for a gong at this year’s awards, which will be held on October 20th at Shoreditch Town Hall, is Memphis soul legend, the volcanic-voiced Mavis Staples, together with the ex-Band singer/songwriter, Levon Helm; the multi-Grammy winning keyboardist, Robert Glasper; the Roots’ drummer and producer Questlove; the New Orleans horn maestro, Trombone Shorty; the mysterious soul-jazz chanteuse Lady Blackbird; and the much-loved UK soul veteran, Omar.
Several rising stars are also in the mix for awards; they include the tenor saxophone sensation Chelsea Carmichael and singer/songwriter Mica Miller, who are both vying for the Breakthrough Act of the Year; jazztronica duo Blue Lab Beats, who find themselves nominated in three categories; the multi-instrumentalist and producer Emma-Jean Thackray; and the critically acclaimed Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie.
The recipients of this year’s special awards will be announced in due course.
Votes can be submitted via www.jazzfmawards.com and, for the very first time, via Amazon smart speakers by using the command “Alexa, vote for the Jazz FM Awards”.
Scroll down for the full list of nominees.
JAZZ FM AWARDS 2022 with PPL and PRS for Music: NOMINEES
BREAKTHROUGH ACT OF THE YEAR
Chelsea Carmichael
Jasmin Myra
Mica Millar
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR
Lady Blackbird
Theo Croker
Trombone Shorty
SOUL ACT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Boisdale of Canary Wharf
Alex Isley
Cleo Sol
Mica Millar
BLUES ACT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Imagine Cruising
Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram
Joanne Taylor Shaw
Mavis Staples and Levon Helm
VOCALIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Hampstead Jazz Club and Lateralize Records
Brigitte Beraha
Georgia Cecile
Omar
INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Emma Rawicz
Fergus McCreadie
Mark Kavuma
THE DIGITAL AWARD
jazzed
Summer of Soul
We Out Here
INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by Mishcon de Reya
Blue Lab Beats
Café OTO
Jazz Is Dead
PUBLIC VOTE: UK JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR
Blue Lab Beats
KOKOROKO
Georgia Cecile
PUBLIC VOTE: ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Cleo Sol –Mother
Blue Lab Beats – Motherland
Emma-Jean Thackray – Yellow
Fergus McCreadie – Forest Floor
Kurt Elling – SuperBlue
Robert Glasper – Black Radio III
GIFTED AWARD CATEGORIES
GOLD AWARD
TBA
IMPACT AWARD
TBA
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
TBA
Public voting is open now at www.jazzfmawards.com and via Alexa and will close on Monday 26th September at 6pm.
