The nominations have just been announced for Germany’s main jazz awards of the year, the Echo Jazz Prizes, organised by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie in Berlin. The awards ceremony will be in Hamburg at the Elbjazz Festival on May 28th in the Blohm + Voss shipyard hall. (Echo Jazz website)

Ensemble of the Year Germany

Hans Lüdemann Trio Ivoire – “Timbuktu”
Michael Wollny Trio – “Weltentraum”
Rainer Böhm Quartet – “Familia”

Ensemble of the Year – International

Hildegard lernt fliegen – “The Fundamental Rhythm of Unpolished Brains”
Pat Metheny Unity Group – “Kin”
Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien – “Belle Époque”

Vocalist of the Year – Germany

Johanna Borchert – “FMbiography”
Tobias Christl – “Wildern”
Ulita Knaus – “The Moon On My Doorstep”

Vocalist of the Year – International

Rebekka Bakken -“Little Drop Of Poison ”
Andreas Schaerer – “The Fundamental Rhythm of Unpolished Brains ”
Somi – “The Lagos Music Salon ”

Instrumentalist of the Year Germany  – Piano/Keyboards

Rainer Böhm – “Familia”
Julia Kadel – “Im Vertrauen”
Michael Wollny – “Weltentraum”

Instrumentalist of the Year International  – Piano/Keyboards

Stefano Bollani – “Sheik Yer Zappa”
Chick Corea – “Solo Piano Portraits”
Brad Mehldau – “Mehliana: Taming The Dragon”

Instrumentalist of the Year Germany – Saxophone/Woodwinds

Niels Klein – “Tubes And Wires”
Christof Lauer “Petite Fleur”
Max Merseny – “Everlasting”

Instrumentalist of the Year International  – Saxophone/Woodwinds

Branford Marsalis – “In My Solitude: Live in Concert at Grace Cathedral”
Emile Parisien – “Spezial Snack”
Joshua Redman – “Trios Live”

Instrumentalist of the Year Germany  – Drums/Percussion

Eva Klesse – “Xenon”
Diego Pinera – “Strange Ways”
Eric Schaefer – “Weltentraum”

Instrumentalist of the Year International  – Drums/Percussion

Jeff Ballard – “Time’s Tales”
Brian Blade – “Landmarks”
Manu Katché – “Live in Concert”

Instrumentalist of the Year Germany  – Bass/Bass guitar

Eva Kruse – “In Water”
Robert Landfermann – “Tiefgang”
Omar Rodriguez Calvo – “Beat”

Instrumentalist o the Year International  – Bass/Bass guitar

Lars Danielsson – “Liberetto II”
Dave Holland – “The Art Of Conversation”
Steve Swallow – “Simple Songs” (with Christian Muthspiel)

Instrumentalist of the Year Germany  – Brass

Till Brönner – “The Movie Album”
Sebastian Studnitzky – “KY The String Project”
Reiner Winterschladen – “Rio Bravo”

Instrumentalist of the Year I nternational  – Brass

Ambrose Akinmusire – “The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint”
Theo Croker – “Afro Physicist”
Nils Petter Molvaer – “Switch”

Instrumentalist of the Year Germany  – Guitar

Hanno Busch – “Absent”
Tobias Hoffmann – “11 Famous Songs Tenderly Messed Up”
Peter Meyer – “Hymnolia”

Instrumentalist of the Year International  – Guitar 

Bill Frisell – “Guitar In The Space Age”
Nguyên Lê – “Celebrating The Dark Side Of The Moon”
Pat Metheny – “Kin”

Instrumentalist of the Year – Other instruments

Adam Bałdych (Violin) – “The New Tradition”
Regina Carter (Violin) – “Southern Comfort”
Vincent Peirani (Accordion) – “Belle Époque”

Newcomer of the Year

Eva Klesse Quartett – “Xenon”
Tobias Hoffmann – “11 Famous Songs Tenderly Messed Up”
Julia Kadel Trio – “Im Vertrauen”

Big-Band Album of the Year

Rebekka Bakken & hr-Bigband – “Little Drop Of Poison”
Alan Broadbent & NDR Bigband – “America the Beautiful”
Christof Lauer & NDR Bigband – “Petite Fleur”