These are the finalist nominees for the 2018 Nominees for Performance and Recordings for the 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 2017 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. Nominees for the Book of the Year and Album Art categories were also chosen by committees.
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Lifetime Achievement in Jazz
Benny Golson
Ahmad Jamal
Charles Lloyd
Jazz Musician of the Year
Nicole Mitchell
Tyshawn Sorey
Matt Wilson
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
Jaimie Branch
Maria Grand
Jazzmeia Horn
Composer of the Year
Ben Allison
Darcy James Argue
Roscoe Mitchell
Maria Schneider
Tyshawn Sorey
Arranger of the Year
John Beasley
Alan Broadbent
Vince Mendoza
Maria Schneider
Record of the Year
Honey and Salt: Music Inspired by the Poetry of Carl Sandburg, Matt Wilson (Palmetto)
Passin’ Thru, Charles Lloyd New Quartet (Blue Note)
Bells for the South Side, Roscoe Mitchell (ECM)
Morphogenesis, Steve Coleman’s Natal Eclipse (Pi Recordings)
Historical Record of the Year
Another Time, by Bill Evans(The Hilversum Concert) (Resonance)
Smokin’ In Seattle: Live at the Penthouse, by Wynton Kelly Trio/Wes Montgomery (Resonance)
Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960, by Thelonious Monk (Sam/Saga)
Truth, Liberty & Soul (Live in NYC), by Jaco Pastorius (Resonance)
Record Label of the Year
Resonance Records
Sunnyside Records
Male Vocalist of the Year
Giacomo Gates
Female Vocalist of the Year
Jazzmeia Horn
René Marie
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Large Ensemble of the Year
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Christian McBride Big Band
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Jazz Band of the Year
Vijay Iyer Sextet
Miguel Zenón Quartet
Steve Coleman and Five Elements
John McLaughlin and 4th Dimension
Trumpeter of the Year
Tom Harrell
Wynton Marsalis
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Wadada Leo Smith
Trombonist of the Year
Michael Dease
Wycliffe Gordon
Roswell Rudd
Muli-Reeds Player of the Year
Roscoe Mitchell
Scott Robinson
Mars Williams
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
Steve Coleman
Rudresh Mahanthappa
Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
Harry Allen
Charles Lloyd
Joe Lovano
Houston Person
Chris Potter
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
Ronnie Cuber
Claire Daly
Gary Smulyan
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
Sam Newsome
Flutest of the Year
Jamie Baum
Nicole Mitchell
Elena Pinderhughes
Clarinetist of the Year
Ken Peplowski
Guitarist of the Year
Bill Frisell
Mary Halvorson
Julian Lage
John McLaughlin
Pianist of the Year
Fred Hersch
Vijay Iyer
Myra Melford
Keyboardists of the Year
Brian Charette
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Gary Versace
Bassist of the Year
Linda May Han Oh
Dave Holland
Christian McBride
Thomas Morgan
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello or Harp Player of the Year
Sarah Caswell
Akua Dixon
Tomeka Reid
Percussionist of the Year
Rogerio Boccato
Zakir Hussain
Pedrito Martinez
Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year
Joe Locke
Steve Nelson
Warren Wolf
Drummer of the Year
Brian Blade
Jack DeJohnette
Eric Harland
Matt Wilson
Player of the Year of Instruments Rare in Jazz
Jose Davila (tuba)
Grégoire Marêt(harmonica)
Scott Robinson (various)
Jason Stein (bass clarinet)
Gary Versace (accordion)
Winners of the 2018 JJA Jazz Awards in all categories will be determined by the votes of JJA Professional Journalist Members; winners will be announced on May 7.
For further information about the Awards or becoming an Awards sponsor email jazzawards@jazzjournalists.org
If you are a 2019 Nominee, or a 2019 Voter, and would like a “badge” to display on your website, email Admin@jazzjournalists.org.
Image: 2018 Historical Album of the Year nominee, Smokin’ In Seattle: Live at the Penthouse, by Wynton Kelly Trio/Wes Montgomery (Resonance)
