2012 JJA Jazz Awards

Since its creation in 1987 in Chicago the Jazz Journalists Association has documented, promulgated and appreciated jazz. As for today, this non-profit corporation includes approximately 300 members – professional journalists, students, industry associates and supporting institutions – and it has been trying to achieve its main goals: to promote high standards and respect for the association’s works, to create a professional network, and to increase general interest in jazz.

In ’97 the association founded the Jazz Award, a prize for excellence in both music and journalism. The winners of the 2012 JJA Jazz Awards were announced at a ceremony on June 20th, at New York City’s Blue Note Jazz Club.

Here follows a list of the nominees and winners in jazz music:

• Lifetime Achievement in Jazz: Muhal Richard Abrams, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver (WINNER)

• Musician of the Year: Ambrose Akinmusire, Vijay Iyer, Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, Sonny Rollins (WINNER)

• Composer/Arranger of the Year: John Hollenbeck, Guillermo Klein, Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider (WINNER)

• Up and Coming Artist of the Year: Chris Dingman, Tyshawn Sorey, Ben Williams (WINNER), Warren Wolf

• Record of the Year: James Farm (Nonesuch), Rio – Keith Jarrett (ECM), The Good Feeling – Christian McBride’s Big Band (Mack Avenue Records), Road Shows Vol. 2 – Sonny Rollins (Doxy Records – WINNER), Heart’s Reflections – Wadada Leo Smith’s Organic (Cuneiform Records), Avenging Angel – Craig Taborn (ECM), Alma Adentro – The Puerto  Rican Songbook – Miguel Zenon (Marsalis Music)

• Best Historical or Boxed Set: Bootleg Sessions, Vol. 1, Quintet Live in Europe 1967 – Miles Davis (Columbia Legacy – WINNER), Dogon A.D. – Julius Hemphill (Mbira/Freedom-International Phonograph), Intents and Purposes – Bill Dixon (RCA Victor-International Phonograph), Before There Was Sound – Roscoe Mitchell (Nessa), The Complete Jimmie Linceford Decca Sessions (Mosaic)

• Label of the Year: Clean Feed, ECM (WINNER), Pi Records, Sunnyside Records

• Large Ensemble: John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Mingus Big Band (WINNER), Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

• Small Ensemble: James Farm, Jason Moran & Bandwagon, Joe Lovano Us Five (WINNER), SF Jazz Collective

• Male Singer of the Year: Freddy Cole, Kurt Elling (WINNER), Giacomo Gates, Gregory Porter

• Female Singer of the Year: Karrin Allyson, Rene Marie, Gretchen Parlato (WINNER), Tierney Sutton

• Trumpeter of the Year: Ambrose Akinmusire (WINNER), Tom Harrell, Brian Lynch, Wadada Leo Smith

• Trombonist of the Year: Steve Davis, Robin Eubanks, Wycliffe Gordon (WINNER), Steve Turre

• Multi-reeds Player of the Year: James Carter, Anat Cohen (WINNER), Roscoe Mitchell, Ted Nash, Scott Robinson

• Alto Saxophonist of the Year: Lee Konitz, Rudresh Mahanthappa (WINNER), Phil Woods, Miguel Zenon

• Tenor Saxophonist of the Year: J.D. Allen, Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Sonny Rollins (WINNER)

• Baritone Saxophonist of the Year: James Carter, Ronnie Cuber, Claire Daly, Gary Smulyan (WINNER)

• Soprano Saxophonist of the Year: Jane Ira Bloom (WINNER), Dave Liebman, Brandon Marsalis, Wayne Shorter

• Flutist of the Year: Jamie Baum, Nicole Mitchell (WINNER), Lew Tabackin

• Clarinetist of the Year: Don Byron, Evan Christopher, Anat Cohen (WINNER), Ken Peplowski

• Guitarist of the Year: Mary Halvorson, Bill Frisell (WINNER), Pat Metheny, John Scofield

• Pianist of the Year: Vijay Iyer (WINNER), Keith Jarrett, Matthew Shipp, Craig Taborn

• Keyboards Player of the Year: Joey DeFrancesco, Larry Goldings, Mike LeDonne, Gary Versace (WINNER)

• Bassist of the Year: Ben Allison, Ron Carter, Christian McBride (WINNER), William Parker, Esperanza Spalding

• Violinist/Violist/Cellist of the Year: Billy Bang, Regina Carter (WINNER), Mark Feldman, Jenny Scheinman

• Percussionist of the Year: Cyro Baptista, Hamid Drake, Sammy Figueroa, Marilyn Mazur, Adam Rudolph, Poncho Sanchez (WINNER)

• Mallets Instrumentalist of the Year: Gary Burton (WINNER), Stefon Harris, Joe Locke, Warren Wolf

• Traps Drummer of the Year: Jack DeJohnette, Eric Harland, Roy Haynes (WINNER), Paul Motian, Matt Wilson

• Player of Instruments Rare in Jazz: Edmar Castaneda/harp, Gregoire Maret/harmonica, Toots Thielemans/harmonica (WINNER), Gary Versace/accordion

This list is definitely the place to start from if you are looking for new  jazz artists and albums!