2018 British Jazz Awards Results

 

2018 British Jazz Awards results announced

 

Many thanks to the 5500 people who voted in this year’s British Jazz Awards. As the only awards that take the pulse of the nation’s jazz fans in deciding the outstanding musicians, bands and album releases over the last twelve months, these provide a valuable form of recognition for the best in the UK’s jazz scene.

 

The four nominations in each of the 16 categories were selected by a group of respected figures within the Jazz community, a list of whom is included below. In addition, voters had the chance to vote for any musicians not nominate who they considered worthy of a placing as a ‘write-in’ vote – the highest placed of these from each category are included in the final listings

 

Despite the continued brilliance of all of the nominees over years (and in some cases, decades), a majority of last year’s winners failed to make it two in a row, with Winston Clifford topping the polls in the Drums category for the first time while Kansas Smitty’s House Band and The Gareth Lockrane Big Band making debut wins in the Small Group and Big Band categories. In addition, it was third time lucky for young trumpet star Alexandra Ridout, who walked away with the hotly contested Rising Star award, given to the best up and coming musician under 25.

 

So without further ado, the results of the 2018 British Jazz Awards are (with winners at number 1, runners up 2-5): 

 

  Trumpet
1 Enrico Tomasso
2 Bruce Adams
3 Freddie Gavita
4 Henry Lowther
5 James Copus
   
  Trombone
1 Mark Nightingale
2 Dennis Rollins
3 Mark Bassey
4 Ian Bateman
5 Annie Whitehead
   
  Clarinet
1 Alan Barnes
2 Adrian Cox
3 Pete Long
4 Julian Marc Stringle
5 Mark Crooks
   
  Alto Sax
1 Alan Barnes
2 Soweto Kinch
3 Sam Mayne
4 Paul Towndrow
5 Mike Chillingworth
   
  Tenor Sax
1 Karen Sharp
2 Dave O’Higgins
3 Art Themen
4 Robert Fowler
5 John Hallam
   
  Piano
1 Dave Newton
2 Nikki Iles
3 Gareth Williams
4 Nikki Yeoh
5 Craig Milverton
   
  Guitar
1 Jim Mullen
2 Martin Taylor
3 John Etheridge
4 Nigel Price
5 Dominic Ashworth
   
  Double Bass
1 Dave Green
2 Alison Rayner
3 Arnie Somogyi
4 Andrew Cleyndert
5 Calum Gourlay
   
   
  Drums
1 Winston Clifford
2 James Maddren
3 Steve Brown
4 Sebastiaan De Krom
5 Clark Tracey
   
  Vocals
1 Claire Martin
2 Clare Teal
3 Tina May
4 Georgia Mancio  
5 Sarah Dowling
   
  Miscellaneous Instrument
1 Courtney Pine (soprano sax)
2 Ross Stanley (organ)
3 Emma Fisk (violin)
4 Andy Panayi (flute)
5 Ben Holder (violin)
   
  Rising Star
1 Alexandra Ridout
2 Nubya Garcia
3 Nadim Teimoori
4 Daniel Casimir
5 Alex Clarke
   
  Small Group
1 Kansas Smitty’s House Band
2 Nigel Price Organ Trio
3 Digby Fairweather’s Half Dozen
4 Tipitina
5 Alison Rayner Quintet
   
  Big Band
1 Gareth Lockrane Big Band
2 NYJO
3 Scottish National Jazz Orchestra
4 Beats & Pieces
5 Calum Gourlay Big Band
   
  Best New Album
1 Woodville Records: “Ask Me Now”- Alan Barnes & Dave Newton
2 ECM Records: “The Study of Touch” – Django Bates Beloved
3 ART Records: “The Tour Continues” – Art Themen’s New Directions Quintet
4 Lake Records: “Thanks For The Melody” – Jeff Barnhart & Spats Langham
5 33 Jazz Records for “Risky Furniture” by Paul Jolly and Mike Adcock
   
  Best Re-issue Album
1 Upbeat Recordings: “Sir Humph’s Delight” – Humphrey Lyttelton
2 Esoteric Recordings: “Where Fortune Smiles” – McLaughlin, Surman, Berger, Holland And Martin
3 Jazz Crusade: “It Looks Like A Big Time Tonight” – Johnny Parker
4 Lake Records: “My Tiny Band Is Chosen” – Freddy Randall
5 Gearbox Records: “Monk” – Thelonious Monk

 

With many thanks to our nominations panel:

 

Chris Hodgkins Musician and broadcaster
David Nathan National Jazz Archive
Denny Ilett Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival
Gill Wilde Grimsby Jazz
Ian Darrington Wigan Jazz Festival
Jill Roger Glasgow Jazz Festival
John Billett JBGB Events
Lance Liddle Bebop Spoken Here
Laurie Burnette Jazz London Radio
Roger Cotterrell Jazz Writer
Ron Simpson The Jazz Rag