Help Musicians UK (formerly the Musicians Benvolent Fund, has announced that Helena Kay is the winner of the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award 2017, and will receive  £5,000. Saxophonist Kay, originally from Perth, Scotland won Young Scottish Jazz Musician Of The Year in 2015 (report). She is currently an artist fellow at Guildhall School. She will use the money to fund the costs of a debut album.

Development Awards went to Birmingham-based pianist  Olly Chalk, Newcastle based saxophonist Faye MacCalman (Archipelago) and Jasmine Whalley , saxophonist of the Leeds-based 8-piece Tȇtes De Pois).

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Helena Kay’s KIM Trio, Jasmine Whalley’s Tȇtes De Pois and Laura Jurd will be performing at an HMUK-curated by HMUK gig at the 100 Club on Sunday 4 February.

The judging panel consisted of Zoe Rahman, Geoff Gascoyne, Issie Barratt and Noel Langley plus Peter Whittingham’s son-in-law Clive Shelton.

LINKS : Helena Kay website 
Olly Chalk website
Jasmine Whalley on Soundcloud
Faye McCalman website