Flo Moore (bass), WCOM finalist,  with Francesco Petreno – Photo Credit: Melody McLaren

UPDATE 9th September – The winner is LAURA JURD

The finalists for the Worshipful Company of Musicians Young Jazz Artist competition have been announced. The final takes place at Pizza Ezpress Dean Street on Sunday September 9th. The winner is chosen by audience secret ballot. Can it ever have happened before that 50% of the finalists in a jazz competition are female?  Here’s the list:

Laura Jurd – trumpet

Nadim Teimoori – tenor sax

Rachael Cohen – alto sax

Andy Bunting – piano

Flo Moore – bass

Jonathan Desbruslais – drums

We have previoously written up the 2011 competition won by Lewis Wright, the 2009 competition won by Shane Forbes. We have also considered the WCOM’s unique audience-vote selection procedure