2017 Nominees

These are the finalist nominees for the 2017 JJA Jazz Awards. Nominees in most categories were chosen by the votes of the Professional Journalist Members of the Jazz Journalists Association. Nominations were made on the basis of work done in calendar year 2016, with the exception of Lifetime Achievement Awards categories, in which nominations are for a lifetime body of work. Members and others were able to submit their own work for consideration in the Photo of the Year category; a committee of JJA Members chose the nominees in that category from among the submissions.

Winners of the 2017 JJA Jazz Awards in all categories will be determined by the votes of JJA Professional Journalist Members; winners will be announced here on jjajazzawards.org on May 15.
For further information about the Awards or becoming an Awards sponsor email jazzawards@jazzjournalists.org'



2017 NOMINEES FOR JAZZ MUSIC/RECORDING AWARDS





Note: We ask that you  DO NOT cut-and-paste or copy the nominee list into your own blog or site, please link to this page instead. We, of course, welcome coverage and commentary on the list that includes some nominee names. If you blog about or report on the nominees we will be happy to link back to you; please send the URL of your blog post or report to admin@jazzjournalists.org

Lifetime Achievement in Jazz
Muhal Richard Abrams
Benny Golson
Ahmad Jamal
Charles Lloyd
McCoy Tyner

Jazz Musician of the Year
Chick Corea
Fred Hersch
Charles Lloyd
Wadada Leo Smith
Henry Threadgill

Up and Coming Musician of the Year
Joey Alexander
Jerome Jennings
Adam O’Farrill

Composer of the Year
Darcy James Argue
Ted Nash
Maria Schneider
Tyshawn Sorey
Henry Threadgill

Arranger of the Year
Maria Schneider
Darcy James Argue
Carla Bley
Arturo O'Farrill
Henry Threadgill
John Beasley

Record of the Year
A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke (ECM Records), Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith
Madera Latino - A Latin Jazz Perspective on the Music of Woody Shaw (Hollistic MusicWorks), Brian Lynch
Old Locks and Irregular Verbs (Pi Recordings), Henry Threadgill Ensemble Double Up
Sunday Night at the Vanguard (Palmetto), The Fred Hersch Trio
Time/Life (Songs for the Whales and Other Beings (Impulse!), Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra

Historical Record of the Year
All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Resonance Records), Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra
Classic Savoy Be-Bop Sessions 1945 - 1949 (Mosaic), Various Artists
Classic 1936-1947 Count Basie & Lester Young Studio Sessions, (Mosaic)
Some Other Time: The Lost Session from The Black Forest (Resonance Records), Bill Evans
In Paris: The ORTF Recordings (Resonance Records), Larry Young

Record Label of the Year
ECM Records
Mack Avenue Records
Motema Music
Pi Recordings
Resonance Records

Male Vocalist of the Year
Theo Bleckmann
Kurt Elling
Allan Harris
José James
Gregory Porter

Female Vocalist of the Year
Cyrille Aimée
René Marie
Catherine Russell
Cécile McLorin Salvant

Large Ensemble of the Year
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Midsized Ensemble of the Year
Mary Halvorson Octet
Charles Lloyd and the Marvels
Pat Metheny Unity Band
Henry Threadgill Ensemble Double Up

Duo or Trio of the Year
Kenny Barron Trio
Bill Charlap Trio
Fred Hersch Trio
Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith
Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau

Trumpeter of the Year
Dave Douglas
Jonathan Finlayson
Brian Lynch
Jeremy Pelt
Wadada Leo Smith
Terell Stafford

Trombonist of the Year
Steve Davis
Michael Dease
Wycliffe Gordon
Conrad Herwig
Ryan Keberle
Steve Turre

Multi-Reeds Player of the Year
James Carter
Anat Cohen
Henry Threadgill
Chris Potter
Scott Robinson
Steve Wilson

Alto Saxophonist of the Year
Gary Bartz
Steve Coleman
Kenny Garrett
Rudresh Mahanthappa
Steve Wilson
Miguel Zenon

Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
Eric Alexander
JD Allen
Harry Allen
Charles Lloyd
Joe Lovano
Donny McCaslin

Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
James Carter
Claire Daly
Brian Landrus
Gary Smulyan
Scott Robinson

Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
Jane Ira Bloom
Jane Bunnett
Dave Liebman
Wayne Shorter

Flutist of the Year
Jane Bunnett
Nicole Mitchell
Elena Pinderhughes
Henry Threadgill

Clarinetist of the Year
Evan Christopher
Anat Cohen
Ben Goldberg
Ken Peplowski

Guitarist of the Year
Bill Frisell
Mary Halvorson
Julian Lage
Russell Malone
John Scofield

Pianist of the Year
Kenny Barron
Bill Charlap
Fred Hersch
Vijay Iyer

Keyboardist of the Year
Chick Corea
Joey De Francesco
Robert Glasper
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Craig Taborn

Bassist of the Year
Ron Carter
John Hébert
Dave Holland
Christian McBride
Linda Oh

Violinist-Violist-Cellist of the Year
Regina Carter
Akua Dixon
Christian Howes
Tomeka Reid

Percussionist of the Year
Zakir Hussain
Pedrito Martinez
Little Johnny Rivero
John Santos

Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year
Gary Burton
Stefon Harris
Joe Locke
Steve Nelson
Warren Wolf

Traps Drummer of the Year
Brian Blade
Andrew Cyrille
Jack DeJohnette
Eric Harland
Billy Hart
Roy Haynes
Tyshawn Sorey

Player of the Year of Instruments Rare in Jazz
Gregoire Maret (harmonica)
Scott Robinson (various)
Gary Versace (accordion)
Brandee Younger (harp)

Electronics Player of the Year
Robert Glasper
Jason Lindner
Ikue Mori
Craig Taborn

Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism
Will Friedwald
Ted Gioia
Ben Ratliff
John Szwed
Kevin Whitehead

Print Periodical/Website of the Year
Allaboutjazz.com
DownBeat
Hot House
JazzTimes
Jazziz
The New York City Jazz Record
The New York Times


Blog of the Year
Do The Math, by Ethan Iverson
Jazz Lives, by Michael Steinman
Jazz Wax, by Marc Myers
Rifftides, by Doug Ramsey


Book of the Year About Jazz
Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits that Changed Rock, R&B and Pop (Grove Press), by Marc Myers
Better Git It in Your Soul: An Interpretive Biography of Charles Mingus (University of California Press), by Krin Gabbard
How to Listen to Jazz (Basic Books), by Ted Gioia
Stan Levey: Jazz Heavyweight (Santa Monica Press), by Frank R. Hayde


The Helen Dance - Robert Palmer Award for Excellence in Writing in 2016
Marc Myers
Nate Chinen
Ashley Kahn
Larry Blumenfeld

The Marian McPartland-Willis Conover Award for Career Excellence in Broadcasting
Rusty Hassan (host of "Late Night Jazz" on WPFW, Washington, D.C.)
Awilda Rivera (host Evening Jazz, Latin Jazz Cruise on WBGO, Newark)
Mark Ruffin (program director of jazz at SiriusXM, host "Real Jazz with Mark Ruffin")


The Lona Foote-Bob Parent Award for Career Excellence in Photography
Richard Conde
Peter Gannushkin
Frank Stewart

Album Art of the Year


Jill DeGroff for Boss Level (ZOHO), Arturo O'Farrill's Sextet

Andres Chaparro for Dream Deferred (Onyx Music), Ralph Peterson Aggregate Prime
Rasmus Meisler for DUO (ILK Music), Dawda Jobarteh and Stefan Pasborg



Francine Turk for Everything's Beautiful (Columbia/Legacy), Miles Davis & Robert Glasper


Takao Fujioka for Moments in Time (Resonance Records), Stan Getz

David Cowles for Notes from New York (Impulse!), Bill Charlap Trio


Roland Nicol for San Jose Suite (Culture Shock Music), Etienne Charles

Photo of the Year
click link or image to view full size photo and more info

Photographer:Manolo Nebot Rochera Subject:Cecile McLorin Salvant 

Photographer: Antonio Porcar Cano Subject: Charles Gayle

Photographer:Marion Tisserand Subject: Les Monstroplantes









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