Kurt Elling: Nominee for International Jazz Artist in the first Jazz FM Awards (UK)

With three months to go until the first Jazz FM Awards Powered by Klipsch, the nominations were announced on October 22, 2012.
The 34 nominations recognise and commend those who have made exceptional contributions to jazz this year. The awards see new talent and legends up for the coveted gongs and the public will have the opportunity to get involved too with a public vote for the UK Jazz Artist of the Year. The public voting will begin on 1st November 2012.

The nominations were chosen by a 13-strong panel of experts which included jazz journalists Clive Davis, Mike Hobart, Rob Adams, Stuart Nicholson and Seb Scotney; the live jazz promoters Steve Rubie (the 606 Club), Paul Pace (Ronnie Scott’s) and Ross Dines (Pizza Express); and international commentators including John Kelman (editor of AllAboutJazz .com), chair of the US Jazz Journalists Association Howard Mandel and Peter Schulze of the German jazz expo Jazzahead.

The winners will be named at the awards ceremony on January 31st at Number One Marylebone and will be selected by an expert panel of judges including: John Cumming, Director of Serious Productions, Tony Dudley-Evans, Artistic Director of Birmingham Jazz and of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Alex Webb, Songwriter, Musician and Journalist.

The Jazz FM Awards Nominees are:

International Jazz Artist
Kurt Elling
Brad Mehldau
Sonny Rollins

Cutting Edge Award for Jazz Innovation
Django Bates
Robert Glasper
Troyka

Album Of The Year
Robert Glasper: Black Radio
Keith Jarrett: Sleeper
Pat Metheny: Unity Band
Gregory Porter: Be Good
John Surman: Saltash Bells
Ryan Truesdell: Centenial (Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans)

Jazz Media
AllAboutJazz.com (website)
Do The Math (website of Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus)
Jazzwise (magazine)

Best UK Newcomer
Josh Arcoleo
Roller Trio
Troyka feat. Kit Downes

UK Jazz Artist of the Year
Neil Cowley Trio
Jamie Cullum
Troyka

UK Vocalist of the year
Carleen Anderson
Liane Carroll
Ian Shaw

UK Instrumentalist of the year
Nathaniel Facey (saxophonist with Empirical)
Ivo Neame (pianist with Phronesis)
Phil Robson

Live UK shows of the year
Phronesis
Gregory Porter
PB Underground

Best UK Jazz Venue
Band on the Wall
Café Oto
Ronnie Scott's

Congratulations to all the nominees, and especially to Kurt!