The shortlists for the Parliamentary Jazz Awards have been announced. And modesty does not prevent me from declaring an interest: just over a year since inception, LondonJazz has been shortlisted for Publication of the Year.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the Terrace Pavilion of the House of Commons on 19th May. Interesting timing, just after the General Election…
Click read more for the full list of nominees:
JAZZ MUSICIAN
Gwilym Simcock
Mark Lockheart
Sebastian Rochford
JAZZ CD
Janette Mason ‘Alien Left Hand’
Liam Noble Trio ‘Brubeck’
The Gareth Lockrane Septet ‘No Messin’’
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Nigel Price Organ Trio
Phronesis
The Printmakers featuring Nikki Iles & Norma Winstone
trioVD
JAZZ VENUE
Café Oto (London)
Jazz Bar (Edinburgh)
Old Fruit Market (Glasgow)
Spice of Life (London)
Vortex (London)
Wakefield Jazz (Yorkshire)
JAZZ JOURNALIST
Daniel Spicer
John Fordham
Mike Flynn
JAZZ BROADCASTER
Alyn Shipton
Helen Mayhew
Jez Nelson
JAZZ PUBLICATION
Jazz UK
Jazzwise
LondonJazz.blogspot.com
JAZZ EDUCATOR
Gary Crosby
Kathy Dyson
Nick Smart
SERVICES TO JAZZ
Brian Blain
Tommy Smith
Tony Dudley Evans
The Awards are organized by Jazz Services and the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group, and sponsored by PPL. The full press release is here
Illustration: Claude Monet (oil on canvas)…
Categories: miscellaneous
Well done Seb for all your single-handed hard work and despite no strong support.
Overall a list which celebrates a lot of well-deserved people who struggle in a sector that is undermanned and underfunded to bring the music to the public which is stronger and stronger than ever.
Of course I have my biases. I've known Mark Lockheart (and played with him) since 1984. An undersung hero of the scene. Seb Rochford, because of the Babel releases of Polar Bear (and the Mercury nomination of Held On The Tips of Fingers). TrioVD, whose new release I am proud to have on Babel. Liam's album is extraordinary.
And needless to say the Vortex. Where, despite a lot of obstacles, we are managing to run a club with 350 gigs a year. I am always amazed by the influence that it has had on kickstarting a lot of bands, be it Empirical, Led Bib or Polar Bear and proud about how many in the UK scene feel at home there; and on somehow bringing to London a number of musicians who are important to be heard both looking West (such as Tim Berne and Craig Taborn) or looking East such as Peter Brotzmann with Hairy Bones, Marc Ducret and Bobo Stenson.
So everybody nominated, and particularly those who win, deserve to be celebrated.
My only gripe. Why no celebration of the labels too? Notwithstanding my own self-interest, what about 33, Trio, Basho, Edition, Slam? And especially Leo Feigin's Leo Records which is now 30 years old and has released over 500 (!) albums. All the labels invest in recordings and bring them out with no direct support and usually just one or two people. It is through them that so many of the artists are heard about.
So glad to see Tony Dudley Evans on the list a real supporter of Jazz.
Well done. Fingers cross that you'll win, Sebastian!
That's great – to be in contention really puts the site on the map as a major player in communicating jazz in depth – uniquely broad coverage, often reporting and commenting where no other …; right up to the minute – often ahead of the game – and as the primary communicator who never ceases to ask those sometimes uncomfortable questions, scratching the itch! And the site looks great – crisp, clean, clear. Just what we need – an intelligent, passionate and focused jazz afficionado's site that has, in a short space of time, become an essential part of the fabric of music 'superhighway' and has that bit of extra about it. Good luck!
Hear hear…. fantastic well deserved news
Why didnt anyone nominate Alex Hutton Trio? i'm very surprised as he is phenominal and really inspiring.
I agree Kate! Also, I would put the Bull's Head far above the Spice of Life?
Can we see the results online yet does anyone know?