These are the finalist nominees for Performance and Recordings for the 2022 JJA Jazz Awards.
Finalists are those who get the most nominations from professional journalist members of the Jazz Journalists Association in a process that highlights excellence of hundreds of musicians, worldwide.
The nominations are based on work done in calendar year 2021, with the exception of Lifetime Achievement Awards categories, in which nominations are in recognition of a lifetime of music. These Jazz Awards represent a numerical consensus of personal evaluations of voting members of the JJA.
Nominees
Lifetime Achievement in Jazz
Marshall Allen
Toshiko Akyoshi
Sheila Jordan
Charles Lloyd
Roscoe Mitchell
William Parker
Wadada Leo Smith
Jazz Musician of the Year
Jon Batiste
James Brandon Lewis
Pat Metheny
William Parker
Wadada Leo Smith
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
Melissa Aldana
Samara Joy
James Brandon Lewis
Immanuel Wilkins
Composer of the Year
Terence Blanchard
James Brandon Lewis
Wadada Leo Smith
Henry Threadgill
Arranger of the Year
John Beasley
Miho Hazama
Jihve Lee
Arturo O’Farrill
Maria Schneider
Anna Webber
Record of the Year
Jesup Wagon – James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet (TAO Forms)
Trencadis – A Selection from Migration of Silence Into and Out of The Tone World – William Parker (Centering Records)
The Chicago Symphonies – Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet (Tum)
Sounds from the Ancestors – Kenny Garrett (Mack Avenue Records)
Tone Poem – Charles Lloyd and the Marvels (Blue Note Records)
Dear Love – Jazzmeia Horn and her Noble Force (Empress Legacy)
Historical Record of the Year
A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle, John Coltrane (Impulse)
Understanding, Roy Brooks (Reel to Real)
Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album, Hasaan Ibn Ali (Omnivore)
In Harmony, Roy Hargrove/Mulgrew Miller (Resonance)
The Complete Live at the Lighthouse, Lee Morgan (Blue Note)
Record Label of the Year
Blue Note Records
International Anthem
Mack Avenue Records
Pi Recordings
Sunnyside Records
Male Vocalist of the Year
Kurt Elling
Giacamo Gates
Gregory Porter
Michael Stephenson
Female Vocalist of the Year
Samara Joy
Jazzmeia Horn
Catherine Russell
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Vocal Group of the Year
The Royal Bopsters
Manhattan Transfer
Duchess
Large Ensemble of the Year
Orrin Evans Captain Black Orchestra
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Sun Ra Arkestra
Midsize Ensemble of the Year
(Trio to Octet)
Artifacts Trio
Irreversible Entanglements
James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels
Sons of Kemet
Duo of the Year
Archie Shepp and Jason Moran
Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson
Fred Hersch and Enrico Rava
Jane Ira Bloom and Mark Helias
Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo
Trumpeter of the Year
Terence Blanchard
Ron Miles
Jeremy Pelt
Wadada Leo Smith
Trombonist of the Year
Steve Davis
Michael Dease
Wycliffe Gordon
Ryan Keberle
Brass Specialist of the Year
Theon Cross
Jose Davila
Marcus Rojas
Scott Robinson
Steven Bernstein
Muli-Reeds Player of the Year
Anthony Braxton
Joe Lovano
Roscoe Mitchell
Chris Potter
Scott Robinson
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
Darius Jones
Kenny Garrett
Henry Threadgill
Immanuel Wilkins
Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
Melissa Aldana
JD Allen
James Brandon Lewis
Charles Lloyd
Joe Lovano
Chris Potter
Camille Thurman
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
Claire Daly
Scott Robinson
Gary Smulyan
Josh Sinton
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
Jane Ira Bloom
Jane Bunnett
Dave Liebman
Roscoe Mitchell
Sam Newsome
Clarinetist of the Year
Anat Cohen
Marty Ehrlich
Ben Goldberg
Doreen Ketchens
Ken Peplowski
Flutist of the Year
Robert Dick
Charles Lloyd
Nicole Mitchell
Henry Threadgill
Jamie Baum
Guitarist of the Year
Peter Bernstein
Bill Frisell
Mary Halvorson
Julian Lage
Pat Metheny
Bassist of the Year
Ron Carter
Christian McBride
Linda May Han Oh
William Parker
Michael Formanek
Electric Bassist of the Year
Melvin Gibbs
Marcus Miller
John Patitucci
Steve Swallow
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello or Harp Player of the Year
Zach Brock
Charles Burnham
Mark Feldman
Tomeka Reid
Brandee Younger
Pianist of the Year
Kris Davis
Vijay Iyer
Matthew Shipp
Craig Taborn
Keyboardists of the Year
James Francies
Herbie Hancock
John Medeski
Craig Taborn
Percussionist of the Year
Hamid Drake
Zakir Hussain
Pedrito Martinez
Ches Smith
Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year
Patricia Brennan
Stefon Harris
Joe Locke
Joel Ross
Warren Wolf
Drummer of the Year
Johnathan Blake
Jack DeJohnette
Hamid Drake
Tyshawn Sorey
Player of the Year of Instruments Rare in Jazz
Rhiannon Giddens, banjo
Grégoire Maret, harmonica
Sara Schoenbeck, bassoon
Brandee Younger, harp
NEW!Electronics Specialist of the Year
Val Jeanty
Ikue Mori
If you are a 2022 Nominee, or a 2022 Voter, and would like a “badge” to display on your website, email Admin@jazzjournalists.org.
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 welcome coverage and commentary on the list, of course, 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
MORE 2022 NOMINEES
2022 Nominees for Journalism and Media
These are the finalist nominees for Journalism the 2022 JJA Jazz Awards. Nominees in most categories were chosen by the votes...
Read more
