Congrats to all. Here are the category winners in the 2011 British Jazz Awards organized by Big Bear Music, and voted for by the public:
Trumpet BRUCE ADAMS
Trombone MARK NIGHTINGALE
Clarinet ALAN BARNES
Alto Sax ALAN BARNES
Tenor Sax SIMON SPILLETT
Piano DAVE NEWTON
Guitar MARTIN TAYLOR
Bass DAVE GREEN
Drums STEVE BROWN
Misc Instrument ALAN BARNES [BARITONE SAX]
Vocals VAL WISEMAN
Big Band BACK TO BASIE
Small Group DIGBY FAIRWEATHER’S HALF DOZEN
Rising Star AMY ROBERTS
CD of the Year BATEMAN BROTHERS BAND: NOW YOU HAS JAZZ (LAKE)
Peter Bacon has done a typically thorough job reproduced the full list of winners and runners-up
Trumpet BRUCE ADAMS
Trombone MARK NIGHTINGALE
Clarinet ALAN BARNES
Alto Sax ALAN BARNES
Tenor Sax SIMON SPILLETT
Piano DAVE NEWTON
Guitar MARTIN TAYLOR
Bass DAVE GREEN
Drums STEVE BROWN
Misc Instrument ALAN BARNES [BARITONE SAX]
Vocals VAL WISEMAN
Big Band BACK TO BASIE
Small Group DIGBY FAIRWEATHER’S HALF DOZEN
Rising Star AMY ROBERTS
CD of the Year BATEMAN BROTHERS BAND: NOW YOU HAS JAZZ (LAKE)
Peter Bacon has done a typically thorough job reproduced the full list of winners and runners-up
Categories: miscellaneous
Wow what a boring list of musicians. Who are the “judges” making these awful decisions?! Whilst these guys are all great, they have been accepted now for so long and there is so much talent in the UK that hasn't even made the runner up lists. What has the UK jazz scene got to loose by giving some light to the underdogs? The young generation are the people pushing the music to new exciting places, this is an essential prerequisite in jazz that most of these “winners” do not understand and it's a shame that it's come to this. These judges seriously need to question their negligent influence on the UK and worldwide jazz scene, not to mention their square, old time, out of date musical taste.
Ask any important exponent of jazz music who's contributing towards the cause it's not, and probably ever has been, most of the winners in this list. That fact is indisputable, and anyone who argues to the contrary clearly must be in an isolated and ignorant position. I'd love to put a name to this post, but the fact is that it's awards like these that create a schism and keep younger musicians out of work. Eventually, if headed in its current direction this so called award will do nothing but to discredit it's own importance to mean even less to the young jazz musician than it does already. Time to grow up old timers!
Anonymous you make good points, and I mostly agree with you
A couple of points though
– I probably should have mentioned that these awards are not the result of “judges” casting votes, but – according to the organizers – derived from a “public vote”, which I believe is taken partly by audiences at their gigs and partly online.
I also depart from the fallacies either that there are a fixed number of gigs out there, or that there can only be a fixed amount of potential exposure, and therefore can't accept that if older musicians get gigs they “keep younger musicians out of work.”
Thanks for making good points though.
Surely this has to be a joke??? Alan Barnes 3 times?? Does no one else play the saxophone or clarinet?! Digby Fairweather-lovely guy, but are there not any other small bands out there creating innovative, imaginative music who deserve that title?
As usual it's the same old names.
This list shows you exactly why the scene is as it is with a generally ageing, dwindling audience. The declining interest in jazz doesn't surprise me in the least as for many years the scene has been hijacked by male technicians: players who demonstrate, often remarkable skill, but who are tedious to listen to. As someone who is regularly at jazz gigs, I notice the vast majority of the audiences are male. It would seem that most women (including myself) don't enjoy listening to male technicians.
Surely the Britsh Jazz Awards should be about celebrating original and creative projects and jazz musicians who have their own voice?
These musicians are far from boring! They represent the British jazz scene as it is today and it is a good representation.
These musicians are the ones trudging around Europe 'for the cause', struggling to make a living without the Arts Council support that often finds it's way into fringe jazz 'projects' that so often come to nothing.
There is nothing square or old-fashioned about any of these fine musicians and bands. How can you call any of these jazzers square??!! Basie would turn in his grave! There are some relatively new names on the winners list – Amy Roberts, Simon Spillett and the Bateman Brothers, all drawing decent audiences around the UK and Europe.
I'd say to any jazz musician or band; these awards are voted for by the jazz public and as such are the best indicator of who is at the top of their game at the moment. If you want a piece of this action, don't rely on grants, get out there and pay your dues and play jazz music that people want to listen to … and call yourself a band, not a project.
As for jazz audiences being predominantly male, what rubbish!! Where do you go to listen to your jazz?? I have been a pro jazz musician for 35 years, I think I would have spotted that one by now!!
I do agree that there are some amazing young jazz musicians coming through and we must encourage them. I came through NYJO and as soon as I turned 'Pro' I was up against the 'Old Pals Act'. It has since taken over 30 years to finally get some recognition through these awards and it means far more to me because, unlike the relatively meaningless parliamentary jazz awards (find a familiar name on that list!), the jazz public (the people that matter) have voted.
The British Jazz Awards have a best newcomer category. I would suggest that young/new jazz musicians get promoting themselves to the organisers long before Summer 2012. Get amongst these nominees on merit!
I too am staying anonymous, it's a small world!
i called the judges / audience of this competition square, which they are, neglecting it seems, most of the new talent. Perhaps I should also add that they are innocently ignorant, as they may not even know of most of the young talent thats out there. These musicians who won or were nominated are all great players, my argument is that everyone knows that and has known that for years, so why not move on?
Self promotion for a young player becomes and issue (and will always be one) when the toplist of award winners are consistently old musicians. Old musicians have all the accolades to ensure successful hustling for gigs, but young people dont. Mainly because they are young, but also mainly because there is a blatant negligence for awards like these to feature young players. It seems the point you raised is now irrelevant.
As far as voting for this competition, I dont recall ever seeing a ballot for this and judging by the list of musicians nominated it seems that where ever these votes were cast were in very select places (meaning venues that favor a particular, and I mean old, style of music), with little to no young music coming through for them to know any better.
Most young musicians I know do play in 'bands' that work very hard at promoting themselves and more importantly, push the music so they are not just playing the same old tried and trusted style that everyone knows and loves. I should remind you that Count Basie was an innovator as a instrumentalist, musician and composer, unlike alot of names here on the list that are simply good at playing their instruments in twee, out-of date irrelevant styles that only seem to resonate and have an audience with +50yr olds. Thats not what jazz is! I can imagine that you're employed by some of these people hence the undertone to your post, in which case I should remind you that your job is to work out from the tradition and not just to preserve it. peace
That is the last anonymous comment I am going to take on this post. Let me put the two of you in touch with each other and you can continue this discussion where it should be. In private.