Congratulations to the 2020 Winners for Jazz Performance and Recordings, of the 24th 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.
Topping the list of awards recipients are Carla Bley for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz, Terri Lyne Carrington for Musician of the Year, Lakecia Benjamin for Up and Coming Artist of the Year, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul by the Branford Marsalis Quartet as Record of the Year, Kurt Elling for Male Vocalist of the Year, and Cécile McLorin Salvant for Female Vocalist of the Year.
Our congratulations, of course, to all the 2020 Nominees for Performance Performance & Recording in all categories. And please click the photos to expand them — some wonderful images here reward much larger presentation.
The 2020 JJA Jazz Awards was made possible with support from Blue Note Jazz Club, Joyce & George Wein Foundation, Jazz Foundation of America, ECM, Century Media Partners LLC, Carolyn McClair Public Relations, Jazz Promo Services, and Hot House Global.
Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz
CARLA BLEY
Composer, pianist, organist, bandleader
Photo by Caterina Di Perri
Nominees: Jimmy Cobb, Chick Corea, Charles Lloyd, Roscoe Mitchell, Eddie Palmieri
Musician of the Year
TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON
Drummer, composer, producer, educator
Nominees: Kris Davis, Charles Lloyd, Christian McBride, Roscoe Mitchell
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
LAKECIA BENJAMIN
Saxophonist, bandleader
Nominees: Jaimie Branch, James Brandon Lewis, Joel Ross, Brandee Younger
Composer of the Year
KRIS DAVIS
Pianist, composer
Nominees: Miho Hazama, Guillermo Klein, Roscoe Mitchell
Arranger of the Year
MIGUEL ZENÓN
Saxophonist, composer, bandleader, producer, educator
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Michael Leonhart, Brian Lynch, Ted Nash
Record of the Year
THE SECRET BETWEEN THE SHADOW AND THE SOUL
Branford Marsalis Quartet (Okeh)
Nominees: Sonero – The Music of Ismael Rivera, by Miguel Zenón (Miel Music); Diatom Ribbons, by Kris Davis (Pyroclastic Records); Glitter Wolf, by Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom (Royal Potato Family); We Are On the Edge – 50th Anniversary Celebration, by the Art Ensemble of Chicago (Pi Recordings)
Historical Record of the Year
MUSICAL PROPHET: THE EXPANDED 1963 NEW YORK STUDIO SESSIONS
Eric Dolphy (Resonance Records)
Nominees: Evans in England, by Bill Evans (Resonance Records); Back on Indiana Avenue: The Carroll DeCamp Recordings, by Wes Montgomery (Resonance Records); The Music Never Stops, by Betty Carter (Blue Engine Records); Blue World, by John Coltrane (Verve); Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early Years (1936 – 1943), by Nat King Cole (Resonance Records)
Record Label of the Year
ECM
Nominees: High Note/Savant, Pi Recordings, Resonance Records, Smoke Sessions Records
Male Vocalist of the Year
KURT ELLING
Jazz vocalist, songwriter
Photo by Anna Webber
Nominees: Giacomo Gates, José James, Gregory Porter
Female Vocalist of the Year
CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT
Vocalist, composer, visual artist
Photo by Mark Fitton
Nominees: Sara Gazarek, Jazzmeia Horn, Catherine Russell, Veronica Swift
Large Ensemble of the Year
THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Photo by Marc PoKempner
Nominees: Anat Cohen Tentet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band, Sun Ra Arkestra
Mid-Size Ensemble of the Year
ALLISON MILLER'S BOOM TIC BOOM
From left: Jeff Lederer, bass clarinet; Kirk Knufke, trumpet; Jenny Scheinman, violin; Myra Melford, piano; Todd Sickafoose, bass; Miller, drums
Photo by Marc PoKempner
Nominees: Branford Marsalis Quartet, Harriet Tubman, Miguel Zenón Quartet, Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret
Trumpeter of the Year
CHRISTIAN SCOTT ATUNDE ADJUAH
Trumpeter, composer, producer
Nominees: Dave Douglas, Brian Lynch, Wynton Marsalis, Jeremy Pelt, Wadada Leo Smith
Trombonist of the Year
WYCLIFFE GORDON
Jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, educator
Nominees: Michael Dease, Ryan Keberle, Steve Swell
Multiple Reeds Player of the Year
JOE LOVANO
Jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flutist, drummer
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: James Carter, Roscoe Mitchell, Scott Robinson
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
MIGUEL ZENÓN
Saxophonist, composer, bandleader, producer, educator
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Gary Bartz, Steve Coleman, Steve Lehman, Matana Roberts, Bobby Watson
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
CHRIS POTTER
Saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist
Photo by Dave Stapleton
Nominees: Melissa Aldana, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
LAUREN SEVIAN
Jazz saxophonist
Nominees: James Carter, Ronnie Cuber, Claire Daly, Scott Robinson, Gary Smulyan
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
JANE IRA BLOOM
Jazz saxophonist, composer
Photo by Kristine Larsen
Nominees: Dave Liebman, Branford Marsalis, Sam Newsome
Flutist of the Year
NICOLE MITCHELL
Jazz flutiest, composer, educator
Photo by Kristi Sutton Elais
Nominees: Jamie Baum, Charles Lloyd, Elena Pinderhughes
Clarinetist of the Year
ANAT COHEN
Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, bandleader
Photo by Gabriele Lugli
Nominees: Don Byron, Ben Goldberg, Ken Peplowski
Guitarist of the Year
BILL FRISELL
Guitarist, composer, arranger
Nominees: Mary Halvorson, Julian Lage, Miles Okazaki, John Scofield
Pianist of the Year
KRIS DAVIS
Pianist, composer
Nominees: Gerald Clayton, Chick Corea, Myra Melford, Matthew Shipp
Keyboardist of the Year
HERBIE HANCOCK
Pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, composer, actor
Douglas Kirkland
Nominees: Brian Charette, Craig Taborn, Akiko Tsuruga
Bassist of the Year
LINDA MAY HAN OH
Bassist, composer
Nominees: Ron Carter, Dave Holland, Christian McBride, Thomas Morgan, William Parker, Reggie Workman
Strings Player of the Year
TOMEKA REID
Jazz cellist, composer, educator
Photo by John Sturdy
Nominees: Jenny Scheinman, Brandee Younger
Percussionist of the Year
ZAKIR HUSSAIN
Tabla virtuoso, composer, percussionist
Photo by Jim McGuire
Nominees: Cyro Baptista, Pedrito Martinez, Adam Rudolph
Mallet Player of the Year
JOEL ROSS
Vibraphonist, composer
Photo by Lauren Desberg
Nominees: Stefon Harris, Joe Locke, Warren Wolf
Drummer of the Year
TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON
Drummer, composer, producer, educator
Nominees: Brian Blade, Andrew Cyrille, Allison Miller, Tyshawn Sorey
Player of Instruments Rare in Jazz
BRRANDEE YOUNGER
Harpist
Nominees: Theon Cross (tuba), Susan Alcorn (pedal steel guitar},Grégoire Maret (harmonica), Scott Robinson (reeds, brass and more), Gary Versace (accordion)
2020 AWARDSSPONSORS
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