News

Multi-million-selling British pianist, singer and broadcaster will receive this year’s Impact Award at the ceremony at KOKO in London on April 24th 2025

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Ben Bailey Smith (AKA Doc Brown)

2025 nominees include Ezra Collective, Michael Kiwanuka, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka, Meshell Ndegeocello, Samara Joy, Jalen Ngonda and many more.

British musician and broadcaster Jamie Cullum is to receive the Impact Award at the 2025 Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music. The prestigious accolade will be presented at the ceremony at KOKO in London, which takes place on Thursday April 24 2025 and will be hosted by musician, actor, and comedian Ben Bailey Smith (AKA Doc Brown).

The Jazz FM Impact Award, sponsored by luxury Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil Genève, celebrates visionaries who have played a pivotal role in bringing jazz into the mainstream. It recognises those whose groundbreaking contributions – whether through performance, education, or media – have made the genre more accessible to audiences around the world. Previous recipients of the Impact Award include Grammy-winning Norah Jones, legendary guitarist and vocalist George Benson, Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle, acclaimed jazz vocalist Gregory Porter, renowned broadcaster and pianist Jools Holland, and the influential music education organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors.

Jamie Cullum’s career, which spans more than two decades, has been defined by his innovative approach to jazz, blending traditional styles with contemporary influences. Having sold over 10 million albums, the pianist and singer is the best-selling British jazz artist of all time. Beyond his work as a performer and recording artist, Cullum has made a significant impact as a broadcaster and his long-running BBC Radio show has become a platform for showcasing the ever-evolving world of jazz, helping to introduce new audiences to the genre while celebrating its roots.

“Jazz has been a constant source of inspiration and joy in my life, and to be recognised in this way by Jazz FM – an essential radio station that has championed the genre for so long – is a real honour. It’s a privilege to be part of such a rich and evolving musical tradition.”

Nick Pitts, Content Director of Jazz FM and Magic Classical:

“Jamie Cullum’s impact on jazz is both profound and far-reaching. He’s helped elevate the genre, making it accessible and appealing to many generations, and we’re delighted to recognise his contribution with this year’s Jazz FM Impact Award.”

The Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music will also this year honour the internationally renowned US vocalist Melody Gardot with the Gold Award, celebrating her extraordinary and sustained contributions to the world of music.

The 2025 nominees feature a dynamic mix of pioneering artists and rising stars including UK trailblazers Ezra Collective, British sax star Nubya Garcia, celebrated singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, one of the world’s great jazz vocalists Samara Joy, the pioneering UK multi-instrumentalist Shabaka, rising contemporary soul sensation Jalen Ngonda, multi-talented singer and ECM recording artist Alice Zawadzki, and the Mercury-nominated corto.alto. Full list below.

Jazz FM Awards 2025 with PPL and PRS for Music

Nominees List

UK JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC VOTE
Sponsored by: Rathbones

corto.alto
Ezra Collective
Nubya Garcia

ALBUM OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC VOTE
Sponsored by: Rayo

Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado – Za Górami
Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching
Meshell Ndegeocello – No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin
Nubya Garcia – Odyssey
Samara Joy – Portrait
Shabaka – Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace

BREAKTHROUGH ACT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by: Arts Council England

Mama Terra
Ni Maxine
Sultan Stevenson

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by: Saint Lucia Tourism Authority

Lakecia Benjamin
Meshell Ndegeocello
Samara Joy

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by: Sounds from Spain by ICEX

Alice Zawadzki
Bryony Jarman-Pinto
Lucy-Anne Daniels

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by: Yamaha

corto.alto
Emma Rawicz
Mark Kavuma

SOUL ACT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by: Oanda

Allysha Joy
Jalen Ngonda
Michael Kiwanuka

BLUES ACT OF THE YEAR

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Shemekia Copeland
Toby Lee

THE INNOVATION AWARD
Sponsored by: Mishcon de Reya

corto.alto
Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band
Orii

THE COLLABORATION AWARD – NEW FOR 2025
Sponsored by: Cash for Kids

Queer Jazz
Take Five by Serious
Women in Jazz