Congratulations to the 2016 Winners for Jazz Performance and Recordings, of the annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards. Professional journalist members of the JJA made open nominations in a first-selection round; those who received the most nominations advanced to the finalists’ ballot, and JJA’s professional members voted on them to arrive at these honorees.
Our congratulations, of course, to all the 2016 Nominees for Performance Performance & Recording in all categories. And please click the photos to expand them — some wonderful images here reward much larger presentation.
Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz
HENRY THREADGILL
Pullitzer Prize winner, saxophonist, flutist, composter
Photo by Nhumi Threadgill
Nominees: Bucky Pizzarelli, Charles Lloyd, Chick Corea, Bobby Hutcherson
Musician of the Year
MARIA SCHNEIDER
Composer, orchestra leader
Nominees: Charles Lloyd, Vijay Iyer
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
KAMASI WASHINGTON
Saxophonist
Nominees: Joey Alexander, Tomeka Reid
Composer of the Year
MARIA SCHNEIDER
Composer, orchestra leader
Photo by Briene Lermitte Schneider
Nominees: Henry Threadgill, Rudresh Mahanthappa
Arranger of the Year
MARIA SCHNEIDER
NEA Jazz Master, composer, orchestra leader
Nominees: Arturo O’Farrill, Ryan Truesdell
Record of the Year
THE THOMPSON FIELDS
Maria Schneider Orchestra (ArtistShare)
Nominees: Bird Calls, by Rudresh Mahanthappa (ACT Music); Break Stuffby Vijay Iyer Trio;
The Epic, by Kamasi Washington (Brainfeeder)
Historical Record of the Year
THE COMPLETE CONCERT BY THE SEA
Erroll Garner (Columbia/Legacy)
Nominees: A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters, by John Coltrane (Impulse-Verve); Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol.4 (Sony Legacy); Swingin’ On The Korner: Live At Keystone Korner, by Red Garland Trio (Elemental Music)
Male Vocalist of the Year
GREGORY PORTER
Singer, songwriter, actor
Nominees: José James; Kurt Elling
Female Vocalist of the Year
CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT
Vocalist, songwriter
Photo by Hector Perez
Nominees: Cassandra Wilson, Cyrille Aimée
Large Ensemble of the Year
MARIA SCHNEIDER ORCHESTRA
Photo by Dina Regine
Nominees: Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Mid-Size Ensemble of the Year
MID-SIZE ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR
Myra Melford, Stomu Takeishi, Liberty Ellman, Ron Miles, Tyshawn Sorey
Nominees: Charles Lloyd New Quartet, Henry Threadgill Zooid, Kamasi Washington Band, Rudresh Mahanthappa Bird Calls Quintet
Duo or Trio of the Year
VIJAY IYER TRIO
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Christian McBride Trio, Fred Hersch Trio, Kenny Barron Trio, Matthew Shipp Trio
Trumpeter of the Year
WADADA LEO SMITH
Trumpeter, composer
Michael Jackson
Nominees: Dave Douglas, Terell Stafford, Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell
Trombonist of the Year
WYCLIFFE GORDON
Jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, educator
Nominees: Conrad Herwig, Marshall Gilke, Robin Eubanks, Steve Turre
Multiple Reeds Player of the Year
ANAT COHEN
Clarinetist, saxophonist, bandleader
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Charles Lloyd, Scott Robinson
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA
Saxophonist, composer
Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Steve Coleman; Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
CHARLES LLOYD
NEA Jazz Master, saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist
Nominees: Chris Potter, Joe Lovano
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
GARY SMULYAN
Multi-instrumentalist, saxophonist
Nominees: Claire Daly, Joe Temperley, Ronnie Cuber
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
JANE IRA BLOOM
Jazz saxophonist, composer
Photo by Bridget Lacombe
Nominees: Dave Liebman; Jane Bunnett; Sam Newsome
Flutist of the Year
NICOLE MITCHELL
Jazz flutiest, composer, educator
Photo by Kristi Sutton Elais
Nominees: Charles Lloyd; Henry Threadgill
Clarinetist of the Year
ANAT COHEN
Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, bandleader
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Ken Peplowski, Paquito D’Rivera
Pianist of the Year
FRED HERSCH
Pianist, educator, activist
Vincent Soyez
Nominees: Jason Moran, Matthew Shipp, Vijay Iyer
Keyboardist of the Year
CRAIG TABORN
Pianist, organist, keyboardist, composer
Photo by Sue Sakayama
Nominees: Jason Lindner; Marc Cary; Robert Glasper
Guitarist of the Year
MARY HALVORSON
Jazz guitarist
Photo by Peter Gannushkin
Nominees: Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Julian Lage
Bassist of the Year
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE
Bassist, composer, arranger, producer educator
Chi Modu
Nominees: Linda Oh; Michael Formanek
Strings Player of the Year
REGINA CARTER
Violist
Photo by David Katzenstein
Nominees: Jenny Scheinman; Tomeka Reid
Percussionist of the Year
PEDRITO MARTINEZ
Percussionist, drummer, singer, dancer, bandleader, songwriter, composer, educator
Photo by Michael Weintrob
Nominees: Poncho Sanchez; Zakir Hussain
Mallet Player of the Year
JOE LOCKE
Vibraphonist
Nominees: Stefon Harris; Warren Wolf
Drummer of the Year
JACK DEJOHNETTE
Jazz drummer, pianist, composer
Nominees: Brian Blade; Eric Harland; Matt Wilson; Rudy Royston
Player of Instruments Rare in Jazz
SCOTT ROBINSON
Jazz multi-instrumentalist
Nominees: Gregoire Maret (harmonica); Hendrik Meurkens (harmonica)
Electronics Player of the Year
JASON LINDNER
American pianist, keyboardist, synthesist, sound designer, composer, arranger, producer
Nominees: Ikue Mori, Mark Guiliana
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