These are the finalist nominees for the 2019 JJA Jazz Awards for Performance and Recordings. 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 2018, with the exception of Lifetime Achievement Awards categories, in which nominations are for a lifetime body of work.
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, of course, welcome coverage and commentary on the list 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
Lifetime Achievement in Jazz
Ron Carter
Chick Corea
Ahmad Jamal
Harold Mabern
Pharoah Sanders
Jazz Musician of the Year
Mary Halvorson
Christian McBride
Cecile McLorin Salvant
Wayne Shorter
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
James Brandon Lewis
Makaya McCraven
Linda May Han Oh
Joel Ross
Christian Sands
Composer of the Year
Satoko Fujii
Myra Melford
Maria Schneider
Wadada Leo Smith
Wayne Shorter
Arranger of the Year
Miho Hazama
Michael Leonhart
Jim McNeely
Maria Schneider
Record of the Year
Sonic Creed by Stefon Harris and Blackout (Motema)
Vanished Gardens by Charles Lloyd and the Marvels with Lucinda Williams (Blue Note Records)
Universal Beings by Makaya McCraven (International Anthem )
The Window by Cécile McLorin Salvant (Mack Avenue Records)
West Side Story Reimagined by Bobby Sanabria (Jazzheads)
Emanon by Wayne Shorter (Blue Note Records)
Historical Record of the Year
Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album by John Coltrane (Impulse Records/Verve)
The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 by Miles Davis and John Coltrane (Columbia/Legacy)
Musical Prophet by Eric Dolphy (Resonance Records)
Record Label of the Year
HighNote/Savant Records
Pi Recordings
Resonance Records
Sunnyside Records
Male Vocalist of the Year
Gregory Porter
Female Vocalist of the Year
Cyrille Aimee
Jazzmeia Horn
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Large Ensemble of the Year
Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
Darcy James Argue Secret Society
DIVA Jazz Orchestra
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band
Midsize Ensemble of the Year
Fred Hersch Trio
Charles Lloyd and the Marvels
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Thumbscrew
Trumpeter of the Year
Ambrose Akinmusire
Terence Blanchard
Dave Douglas
Ingrid Jensen
Kirk Knuffke
Jeremy Pelt
Wadada Leo Smith
Trombonist of the Year
Michael Dease
Marshall Gilkes
Steve Turre
Muli-Reeds Player of the Year
Anthony Braxton
James Carter
Roscoe Mitchell
Scott Robinson
Steve Wilson
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
Steve Coleman
Tia Fuller
Steve Wilson
Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
Chris Potter
Wayne Shorter
Mark Turner
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
Ronnie Cuber
Lisa Parrott
Scott Robinson
Lauren Sevian
Gary Smulyan
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
Dave Liebman
Wayne Shorter
Flutest of the Year
Jamie Baum
Andrea Brachfeld
Charles Lloyd
Nicole Mitchell
Clarinetist of the Year
Don Byron
Anat Cohen
Eddie Daniels
Ben Goldberg
Ken Peplowski
Guitarist of the Year
Bill Frisell
Mary Halvorson
Julian Lage
Miles Okazaki
John Scofield
Pianist of the Year
Kenny Barron
Fred Hersch
Myra Melford
Christian Sands
Craig Taborn
Keyboardists of the Year
Chick Corea
Joey DeFrancesco
Herbie Hancock
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Bassist of the Year
Dave Holland
Christian McBride
Linda May Han Oh
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello or Harp Player of the Year
Regina Carter
Tomeka Reid
Jenny Scheinman
Percussionist of the Year
Cyro Baptista
Zakir Hussain
Pedrito Martinez
Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year
Stefon Harris
Joe Locke
Warren Wolf
Drummer of the Year
Brian Blade
Andrew Cyrille
Jack DeJohnette
Eric Harland
Roy Haynes
Antonio Sánchez
Player of the Year of Instruments Rare in Jazz
Greg Leisz (dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel )
Grégoire Maret(harmonica)
Hendrik Meurkens (harmonica)
Scott Robinson (various)
Brandee Younger (harp)
Winners of the 2019 JJA Jazz Awards in all categories will be determined by the votes of JJA Professional Journalist Members; winners will be announced in May.
Visit the Jazz Journalists Association website for information how to participate as a voting member or a sponsor.
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: 2019 Historical Album of the Year nominee The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 by Miles Davis and John Coltrane (Columbia/Legacy)
