The Jazz Journalists Association has announced the nominees for the 2018 JJA Jazz Awards, which celebrate excellence in music and music journalism in thirty-nine awards categories. Topping the list are Benny Golson, Charles Lloyd and Ahmad Jamal for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz and Will Friedwald, Ben Ratliff and Patricia Willard for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism. Complete nominee list.
JJA Professional Journalist members are voting now for 2018 Jazz Awards winners, who will be announced online at JJAJazzAwards on May 7; most will receive their engraved statuettes publicly at their summer performances across the U.S. A Jazz Awards party has been scheduled for June 12, 2018, to be held at Arnold Hall of the Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, space generously provided by the School of Jazz at The New School NYC. Mark your calendar now-- details coming soon.
Saxophonists Golson and Lloyd and pianist Jamal are revered for their compositions, improvisations and ensemble leadership as well as their instrumental works. Friedwald, an author and widely published journalist, is best known as an expert in American popular song; Ratliff, also an author, was jazz and pop critic for the New York Times for 20 years and continues freelancing articles; Willard, Duke Ellington’s editorial hand for 25 years, started publishing articles and liner notes in 1950 and has consulted with government agencies as well as serving as an oral historian.
Also notable about the JJA’s 2018 finalists ballot:
Women are receiving increased acknowledgement for their contributions to jazz, as all three nominees for “Up and Coming Musician of the Year” are women, and Patricia Willard is the first ever woman to be nominated for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism.
The Jazz Journalists Association is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit association with an international membership of professional writers, broadcasters photographers, videographers and online content creators, plus their supporters.
