Congratulations to the 2024 Winners for Jazz Performance and Recordings, of the 29th 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.
Our congratulations, of course, to all the 2024 Nominees for Performance & Recording in all categories. And please click the photos to expand them — some wonderful images here reward much larger presentation.
Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz
JACK DeJOHNETTE
NEA Jazz Master, Drummer, Pianist, Composer
Photo by John Abbott
Nominees: Terri Lyne Carrington, George Coleman, John McLaughlin, Charles McPherson, Roscoe Mitchell
Musician of the Year
CHRISTIAN McBRIDE
Bassist, composer, arranger, educator
Photo by Melanie Mor
Nominees: Kris Davis, Samara Joy, Myra Melford, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Henry Threadgill
Up & Coming Musician of the Year
ISAIAH J. THOMPSON
Pianist, composer
Photo by Paolo Soriani
Nominees: Zoh Amba, Isaiah Collier, Champian Fulton, Micah Thomas
Composer of the Year
BILLY CHILDS
Composer, pianist, arranger
Photo by Raj Naik
Nominees: Darcy James Argue, Maria Schneider, Henry Threadgill
Arranger of the Year
DARCY JAMES ARGUE
Composer, large ensemble leader
Nominees: Billy Childs, Steve Lehman, Maria Schneider
Record of the Year
WHERE ARE WE
Joshua Redman (Blue Note Records)
Nominees: Dynamic Maximum Tension — Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society (Nonesuch Records); The Winds of Change — Billy Childs (Mack Avenue Records); Diatom Ribbons Live at Village Vanguard — Kris Davis (Pyroclastic Records); The Omnichord Real Book — Meshell Ndegeocello (Blue Note Records); Uncle John’s Band — John Scofield (ECM); Melusine — Cécile McLorin Salvant (Nonesuch Records)
Historical Record of the Year
EVENINGS AT THE VILLAGE GATE
John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy (Impulse! Records)
Nominees: Miles Davis in Concert at the Olympia Paris 1957 (Fresh Sounds Records); Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968, Ahmad Jamal (Anagram/Elemental Music); The Complete Maiden Voyage Recordings, Art Pepper (Omnivore Recordings); You’ve Got to Learn, Nina Simone (Verve Records)
Record Label of the Year
BLUE NOTE RECORDS
Nominees: Cellar Music Group; ECM; High Note/Savant Records; Mack Avenue Records; Origin Records; Pi Recordings; Pyroclastic Records
Recordings Producer of the Year
ZEV FELDMAN
Co-President of Resonance Records, consulting producer of archival and historical recordings for Blue Note Records, Elemental Music and founder of Deep Digs Label Group/Jazz Detective.
Nominees: Dave Douglas, Don Was, Cory Weeds
Male Vocalist of the Year
KURT ELLING
Vocalist, songwriter
Nominees: Allan Harris, José James, Gregory Porter
Female Vocalist of the Year
CÉCILE McLORIN SALVANT
Vocalist, songwriter Nominees: Samara Joy, Champian Fulton, Veronica Swift, Nicole Zuraitis
Duo of the Year
FRED HERSCH, piano, and ESPERANZA SPALDING, vocals
Nominees: Geri Allen-Kurt Rosenwinkel; Miguel Zenón-Luis Perdomo; Ivo Perelman-Matt Shipp
Mid-Size Ensemble of the Year
ARTEMIS
Renee Rosnes, Ingrid Jensen, Nicole Glover, Noriko Ueda, Allison Miller
Nominees: Billy Childs Quartet; Julian Lage Trio with Bill Frisell; Oded Tzur Quartet; John Scofield Trio; Tyshawn Sorey Trio
Large Ensemble of the Year
SUN RA ARKESTRA
Marshall Allen, Michael Ray, Fred Adams, Knoel Scott, Vincent Chancey, Cecil Brooks
Abshalom Ben Shlomo, Rey Scott, Dave Davis, Elson Nascimento, D. Hotep, Kash Killion, Tyler Mitchell, Farid Abdul-Bari Barron, James Stewart, Craig Harris, Wayne Anthony Smith Jr., Tara Middleton, Robert Stringer
Nominees: Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, Mingus Big Band, Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band, Angelica Sanchez Nonet, Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, WDR Big Band
Trumpeter of the Year
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
Trumpeter, composer
Nominees: Dave Douglas, Eddie Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Jeremy Pelt, Terell Stafford
Trombonist of the Year
TROMBONE SHORTY
Trombonist
Nominees: Michael Dease, Jacob Garchik, Marshall Gilkes, Jennifer Wharton
Brass Specialist of the Year
MARCUS ROJAS
Tuba player, educator
Nominees: Bob Stewart (tuba), Theon Cross (tuba)
Alto Saxophonist of the Year
LAKECIA BENJAMIN
Saxophonist, bandleader Nominees: Kenny Garrett, Vincent Herring, Charles McPherson, Immanuel WIlkins, Miguel Zenón
Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
JOSHUA REDMAN
Saxophonist, composer
Nominees: Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Walter Smith III
Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
CLAIRE DALY
Saxophonist, educator
Nominees: James Carter, Scott Robinson, Gary Smulyan
Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
BRANFORD MARSALIS
Saxophonist, composer, bandleader
Nominees: Jane Ira Bloom, Jane Bunnett, Dave Liebman, Sam Newsome
Multiple Reeds Player of the Year
JAMES CARTER
Saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist and more; composer, bandleader
Photo by Vincent Soyez
Nominees: Jeff Coffin, Roscoe Mitchell, Scott Robinson
Clarinetist of the Year
ANAT COHEN
Clarinetist, saxophonist, bandleader
Photo by Melanie Mor
Nominees: Don Byron, Ben Goldberg, Ken Peplowski
Flutist of the Year
NICOLE MITCHELL
Flutist, composer, educator
Nominees: Jamie Baum, Charles Lloyd, Elena Pinderhughes
Guitarist of the Year
MARY HALVORSON
Guitarist, composer, ensemble leader
Photo by Melanie Mor
Nominees: Peter Bernstein, Gilad Hekselman, Julian Lage, Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel, John Scofield
Strings Player of the Year
TOMEKA REID
Cellist, composer, educator
Photo by Tony Smith
Nominees: Zach Brock, Regina Carter, Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Michiyo Yagi, Brandee Younger
Pianist of the Year
KENNY BARRON
Pianist, composer, bandleader
Photo by Jimmy Katz
Nominees: Emmet Cohen, Kris Davis, Aaron Diehl, Sullivan Fortner, Jason Moran
Keyboardist of the Year
HERBIE HANCOCK
Pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, composer, educator, chairman of Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Photo by Douglas Kirkland
Nominees: Pat Bianchi, Brian Charette, John Medeski, Tony Monaco
Bassist of the Year
LINDA MAY HAN OH
Bassist, composer, educator
Photo by Shervin Lainez
Nominees: Ron Carter, Luques Curtis, Dave Holland, Christian McBride
Electric Bassist of the Year
ESPERANZA SPALDING
Bassist, singer, songwriter, composer, duet partner
Nominees: Stanley Clarke, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller
Percussionist of the Year
KAHIL EL'ZABAR
Percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, ensemble leader
Nominees: Hamid Drake, Giovanni Hidalgo, Adam Rudolph
Mallet Percussionist
JOEL ROSS
Vibraphonist, composer
Nominees: Jason Adasiewicz, Chris Dingman, Joe Locke, Cecilia Smith
Drummer of the Year
BRIAN BLADE
Drummer, composer, singer-songwriter
Nominees: Johnathan Blake, Terri Lyne Carrington, Rudy Royston, Tyshawn Sorey, Jeff “Tain” Watts
Player of Instruments Rare in Jazz
BÉLA FLECK
Banjo player, composer, arranger
Photo by Jeremy Cowart
Nominees: Susan Alcorn (pedal steel guitar); Grégoire Maret (harmonica); Scott Robinson (multiple instruments)
2024 AWARDSFOR JOURNALISM & MEDIA
2024 Winners in Jazz Journalism
Congratulations to the 2024 Winners in Jazz Journalism of the 29th annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards for Jazz Journalism.
Read moreVisit Jazz Journalists Association to participate as a future voting member or as a sponsor.
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