Jazz FM Awards – The Winners

By ljazzn on 1 February 2013 • ( 1 Comment )

Ahmad Jamal and Ramsey Lewis at the Jazz FM Awards

Last night (31st January 2013) saw the first ever Jazz FM Awards at One Marylebone sponsored by Kliptsch. Winners – in bold – below. Rob Edgar writes

The London Youth Gospel Choir sang a fine set upstairs at the drinks reception before leading us down to our tables where the Ross Stanley Trio were already setting up for their first set of the night, played a lovely Bill Evans – style rendition of Young and Foolish and provided pretty much all the background music throughout the night.

After a rollicking, bluesy set from Cerys Matthews host Ian Shaw stepped up to the podium to announce first award.

Instead of making long speeches, the musicians often prefer to play. When Ramsey Lewis was presented with his Gold Award For Outstanding Contribution To Jazz , he launched into a fluid, impressionistic and almost worshipful version of Coltrane’s Dear Lord before presenting us with an angular and almost Thelonious Monk-esque Body and Soul.

Carleen Anderson sang a soulful version of Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis (and the sheer vocal range of the woman was enough to silence the hall) when presented with her award for UK Vocalist Of The Year.

The night was brought to an end by Ahmad Jamal who, after receiving his award for for Lifetime Achievement, played a set that was simply excellent, subtle and the product of a lifetime of living in music.

The full list of noninees, with the winners in bold, is below:

UK Jazz Artist of the Year (Public Vote)

Neil Cowley Trio
Jamie Cullum
Troyka

International Jazz Artist

Kurt Elling (ACCEPTANCE SPEECH HERE)
Brad Mehldau
Sonny Rollins

Cutting Edge Award for Jazz Innovation

Django Bates
Robert Glasper (ACCEPTANCE SPEECH HERE)
Troyka

Album of the Year

Robert Glasper Experiment: Black Radio
Keith Jarrett: Sleeper
Pat Metheny: Unity Band
Gregory Porter: Be Good
John Surman: Saltash Bells
Ryan Truesdell: Centennial (Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans)

Jazz Media

AllAboutJazz.com (website)
Do The Math (website of Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus)
Jazzwise (magazine)

Best UK Newcomer

Beats & Pieces Big Band
Josh Arcoleo
Roller Trio

UK Vocalist of the year

Carleen Anderson
Liane Carroll
Ian Shaw

UK Instrumentalist of the Year

Nathaniel Facey (saxophonist with Empirical)
Ivo Neame (pianist with Phronesis)
Phil Robson

Live UK Shows of the Year

Phronesis
Gregory Porter (ACCEPTANCE SPEECH HERE)
PB Underground

Best UK Jazz Venue

Band on the Wall
Café Oto
Ronnie Scott’s