12 February 2019
2019 Jazz FM Awards nominations announced
Sons of Kemet, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Nubya Garcia, Poppy Ajudha, Leon Bridges, Makaya McCraven, Louis Cole, Eric Bibb, and Steam Down Collective amongst nominated acts for the annual Jazz FM Awards.
The nominations for the Jazz FM Awards 2019 have been announced this evening. Taking place at Shoreditch Town Hall on International Jazz Day (April 30th), the Awards recognise the best emerging new artists, contemporary icons and established stars from across the worlds of jazz, soul and blues. This year’s list features the likes of titan saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Mercury Prize-shortlisted Sons of Kemet, trailblazing Chicago jazz drummer Makaya McCraven, popular neo-soul singer and producer Leon Bridges, and blues star Eric Bibb.
Once again, the UK’s celebrated emerging jazz scene features in full force with Nubya Garcia, Emma Jean-Thackray, Joe Armon-Jones, Moses Boyd, and hotly-tipped neo-soulstress Poppy Ajudha nominated alongside South London collective Steam Down, whose weekly residency in Deptford and spell-binding live shows have become hugely influential in redefining the parameters of jazz for new audiences. Kamasi Washington’s impromptu performance at the residency has also been nominated for the Live Experience of the Year Award.
John Coltrane’s posthumous Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album, which charted in the top 20 of the Official Album Charts last year, is up for ‘Album of the Year’ with stiff competition from the likes of Sons of Kemet’s Mercury-shortlisted Your Queen Is A Reptile, Brownswood’s We Out Here compilation, and US saxophonist Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams for Vanished Gardens. The category, in addition to UK Jazz Act of the Year and Live Experience of the Year, will be decided by public vote.
The night will also feature special performances from a host of celebrated artists, still to be revealed.
Jazz FM’s Head of Music and broadcaster Chris Philips will be hosting the Awards Ceremony with Jez Nelson once again. Of the nominations list this year, Chris said:
“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.”
The PPL Lifetime Achievement Award, PRS For Music Gold Award and Impact Award recipients will be announced ahead of the ceremony. Previous winners of these special awards have included the likes of George Benson, Dame Cleo Laine, Quincy Jones, Gregory Porter, Oscar-winning film director Damien Chazelle and the late Hugh Masekela.
Public voting is open now at www.jazzfmawards.com and will close on Monday 12th March 2019
The Jazz FM Awards 2019 is a partnership between Jazz FM and Serious and is made possible with the support of PRS for Music, PPL, Shoreditch Town Hall, Mishcon de Reya, Lateralize, Cambridge Audio, British Airways, Arqiva, Oanda, Warsteiner, Savile Row Gin, Denbies and Yamaha UK.
Highlights from the 2018 Jazz FM Awards can be found at www.jazzfmawards.com
Full list of 2019 Nominees:
Breakthrough Act
Cassie Kinoshi
Emma-Jean Thackray
Sarah Tandy
The Digital Award with Oanda
Blue Lab Beats
Louis Cole
Moses Boyd – 1Xtra Residency
The Innovation Award with Mishcon de Reya
Orphy Robinson – Freedom Sessions at Vortex
Steam Down
Tomorrow’s Warriors
Instrumentalist of the Year
Camilla George
Jean Toussaint
Rob Luft
International Jazz Act of the Year with Lateralize
Jamie Branch
Makaya McCraven
Wayne Shorter
Soul Act of the Year
José James
Leon Bridges
Poppy Ajudha
Blues Act of the Year
Eric Bibb
Errol Linton
Roosevelt Collier
Vocalist of the Year
Cherise Adams-Burnett
Ian Shaw
Judi Jackson
UK Jazz Act of the Year (Public Vote) with Cambridge Audio
Jason Yarde
Joe Armon-Jones
Nubya Garcia
Album of the Year (Public Vote) with Arqiva
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams – Vanished Gardens
Jean Toussaint Allstar 6Tet – Brother Raymond
John Coltrane – Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album
Sons of Kemet – Your Queen Is A Reptile
Various Artists – We Out Here
Wayne Shorter – Emanon
Live Experience of the Year (Public Vote)
Jason Moran: The Harlem Hellfighters – Tour
Jazz Re:Fest 2018: Brighton Edition
Makaya McCraven and Nubya Garcia – EFG London Jazz Festival
Orphy Robinson presents Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks – Tour
Steam Down featuring Kamasi Washington
The Cookers – Church of Sound
Impact Award
TBA
PRS Gold Award
TBA
PPL Lifetime Achievement Award
TBA
ENDS
For more information, please contact Joe Baxter or Natasha Thomas
joe@baxterpr.com / natasha@baxterpr.com / +44 (0)207 636 9562
Notes to Editors:
About Jazz FM:
Jazz FM is the largest commercial jazz station in the world, celebrating the complete spectrum of Jazz in all its colourful forms since 1990. Jazz FM broadcasters, producers and team are true devotees, with a deep love and understanding of their particular Jazz shade, their passion is vivid, their enthusiasm infectious, sharing the finest jazz with everyone. As the UK’s only dedicated Jazz broadcaster, Jazz FM is on a mission to entertain, promote and celebrate all that’s great about Jazz. Involvement with national festivals and awards is part of this – setting the bar high for live performance, recognising outstanding talent and strengthening the Jazz community.
No matter how people tune-in they always listen in colour.
About Bauer Media UK:
Bauer Media UK reaches over 25 million UK consumers through a portfolio of world-class, multi-platform media and entertainment brands including heat, KISS, Grazia, Empire, Magic, Absolute Radio and the Hits Radio Network. These brands offer commercial partners access to highly engaged audiences, with creative solutions underpinned by insight and instinct. Bauer Media UK is part of the Bauer Media Group, one of the world’s largest privately-owned media businesses with media assets all over the globe.
About Serious:
Serious is a producer of live jazz and international and contemporary music. Working with artists and partners from the UK and internationally, Serious creates and produces a diverse range of concerts, tours, festivals and live events. Serious creates and produces the EFG London Jazz Festival, which celebrated its 25th year in 2017.
In addition, Serious is Associate Producer at London’s Barbican. Serious provides Talent Development opportunities for emerging and established artists and delivers an extensive learning and participation programme.
