These are the finalist nominees for Performance and Recordings for the 2023 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 2022, 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
George Coleman
Keith Jarrett
Charles Lloyd
Wadada Leo Smith
Jazz Musician of the Year
Terri Lyne Carrington
Mary Halvorson
Charles Lloyd
Miguel Zenón
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
Zoh Amba
Isaiah Collier
Samara Joy
Immanuel Wilkins
Composer of the Year
Mary Halvorson
Wadada Leo Smith
Tyshawn Sorey
Miguel Zenón
Arranger of the Year
John Beasley
Steven Bernstein
Terri Lyne Carrington
Jim McNeely
Maria Schneider
Miguel Zenón
Record of the Year
Ghost Song — Cécile McLorin Salvant (Nonesuch)
Música De Las Américas — Miguel Zenón (Miel Music)
New Standards Vol. 1 — Terri Lyne Carrington (Candid)
Mesmerism — Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Yeros7 Music)
Historical Record of the Year
The Lost Album from Ronnie Scott’s — Charles Mingus (Resonance)
Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse — Ahmad Jamal (Elemental Music)
Revival (Live At Pookie’s Pub) — Elvin Jones (Blue Note)
That’s What Happened (1982-1985): The Bootleg Series, Vol.7 — Miles Davis (Legacy Recordings)
Record Label of the Year
Blue Note
ECM
Pi Recordings
Pyroclastic
Smoke Sessions
Recordings Producer of the Year
David Breskin
Terri Lyne Carrington
Zev Feldman
Matt Pierson
Male Vocalist of the Year
Kurt Elling
Giacomo Gates
José James
Gregory Porter
Female Vocalist of the Year
Samara Joy
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Catherine Russell
Veronica Swift
Vocal Group of the Year
Duchess
The Manhattan Transfer
The Royal Bopsters
Large Ensemble of the Year
Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Sun Ra Arkestra
Midsize Ensemble of the Year (Trio to Octet)
Bill Frisell Four
Charles Lloyd Trio
Christian McBride’s New Jawn
Redman Mehldau McBride Blade
Tyshawn Sorey Trio
Miguel Zenón Quartet
Duo of the Year
Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding
Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Aymée Nuviola
Kaja Draksler and Susana Santos Silva
Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini
Jane Ira Bloom and Mark Helias
Trumpeter of the Year
Ambrose Akinmusire
Tom Harrell
Wynton Marsalis
Jeremy Pelt
Wadada Leo Smith
Trombonist of the Year
Michael Dease
Marshall Gilkes
Wycliffe Gordon
Ryan Keberle
Steve Turre
Brass Specialist of the Year
Bob Stewart (tuba)
Marcus Rojas (tuba)
Theon Cross (tuba)
Steven Bernstein (slide trumpet, trumpet)
Muli-Reeds Player of the Year
Scott Robinson (tenor saxophonist adept across winds, reeds and brass, rare instrument specialist)
Roscoe Mitchell (alto, tenor, soprano, sopranino and bass saxophonist, percussionist, painter)
Chris Potter (tenor and all saxophones, flutes, clarinets, piano, percussion, samples)
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
Kenny Garrett
Bobby Watson
Immanuel Wilkins
Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
Melissa Aldana
Charles Lloyd
Chris Potter
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
James Carter
Brian Landrus
Scott Robinson
Lauren Sevian
Gary Smulyan
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
Jane Ira Bloom
Dave Liebman
Branford Marsalis
Sam Newsome
Clarinetist of the Year
Anat Cohen
Ben Goldberg
Todd Marcus
Ken Peplowski
Jason Stein
Flutist of the Year
Jamie Baum
Charles Lloyd
Nicole Mitchell
Guitarist of the Year
Bill Frisell
Julian Lage
Mary Halvorson
Bassist of the Year
Ron Carter
Linda May Han Oh
Christian McBride
William Parker
Electric Bassist of the Year
Stanley Clarke
Melvin Gibbs
John Patitucci
Esperanza Spalding
Steve Swallow
Victor Wooten
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello or Harp Player of the Year
Regina Carter
Sara Caswell
Mark Feldman
Tomeka Reid
Pianist of the Year
Kenny Barron
Emmet Cohen
Kris Davis
Brad Mehldau
Gonzala Rubalcaba
Keyboardists of the Year
Brian Charette
James Francies
Robert Glasper
John Medeski
Craig Taborn
Percussionist of the Year
Rogerio Boccato
Kahil El’Zabar
Zakir Hussain
Pedrito Martinez
Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year
Sasha Berliner
Patricia Brennan
Joe Locke
Joel Ross
Drummer of the Year
Brian Blade
Johnathan Blake
Terri Lyne Carrington
Rudy Royston
Tyshawn Sorey
Jeff “Tain” Watts
Player of the Year of Instruments Rare in Jazz
Grégoire Maret, harmonica
Scott Robinson, various
Brandee Younger, harp
Electronics Specialist of the Year
Hardedge
Val Jeanty
Ikue Mori
Moor Mother
If you are a 2023 Nominee, or a 2023 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
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These are the finalist nominees for Performance and Recordings for the 2022 JJA Jazz Awards. Nominees in most categories were chosen...
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