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The nominations for the Jazz FM Awards 2019 have been unveiled. Taking place at Shoreditch Town Hall on International Jazz Day (April 30th), the Awards recognise the best emerging new artists, contemporary icons and established stars from across the worlds of jazz, soul and blues. This year’s list features the likes of titan saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Mercury Prize-shortlisted Sons of Kemet, trailblazing Chicago jazz drummer Makaya McCraven, and blues star Eric Bibb.

Once again, the UK’s celebrated emerging jazz scene features in full force with Nubya Garcia, Emma Jean-Thackray, Joe Armon-Jones, Moses Boyd, and hotly-tipped neo-soulstress Poppy Ajudha nominated alongside South London collective Steam Down, whose weekly residency in Deptford and spell-binding live shows have become hugely influential in redefining the parameters of jazz for new audiences.

John Coltrane’s posthumous Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album, which charted in the top 20 last year, is up for ‘Album of the Year’ with stiff competition from the likes of Sons of Kemet’s Mercury-shortlisted Your Queen Is A Reptile, Brownswood’s We Out Here compilation, and US saxophonist Charles Lloyd & The Marvels and Lucinda Williams for Vanished Gardens. The category, in addition to UK Jazz Act of the Year and Live Experience of the Year, will be decided by public vote. Public voting is open now at www.jazzfmawards.com and will close on Monday 12th March 2019.

The night will also feature special performances from a host of celebrated artists, to be revealed in due course. The PPL Lifetime Achievement Award, PRS For Music Gold Award and Impact Award recipients will be announced ahead of the ceremony. Previous winners of these special awards have included the likes of George Benson, Dame Cleo Laine, Quincy Jones, Gregory Porter, Oscar-winning film director Damien Chazelle and the late Hugh Masekela.

The Jazz FM Awards 2019 is a partnership between Jazz FM and Serious and is made possible with the support of PRS for Music, PPL, Shoreditch Town Hall, Mishcon de Reya, Lateralize, Cambridge Audio, British Airways, Arqiva, Oanda, Warsteiner, Savile Row Gin, Denbies and Yamaha UK.

Here’s the full list of 2019 Nominees:

Breakthrough Act

Cassie Kinoshi
Emma-Jean Thackray
Sarah Tandy

The Digital Award with Oanda

Blue Lab Beats
Louis Cole
Moses Boyd – 1Xtra Residency

The Innovation Award with Mishcon de Reya

Orphy Robinson – Freedom Sessions at Vortex
Steam Down
Tomorrow’s Warriors

Instrumentalist of the Year

Camilla George
Jean Toussaint
Rob Luft

International Jazz Act of the Year with Lateralize

Jamie Branch
Makaya McCraven
Wayne Shorter

Soul Act of the Year

José James
Leon Bridges
Poppy Ajudha

Blues Act of the Year

Eric Bibb
Errol Linton
Roosevelt Collier

Vocalist of the Year

Cherise Adams-Burnett
Ian Shaw
Judi Jackson

UK Jazz Act of the Year (Public Vote) with Cambridge Audio

Jason Yarde
Joe Armon-Jones
Nubya Garcia

Album of the Year (Public Vote) with Arqiva

Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams – Vanished Gardens
Jean Toussaint Allstar 6Tet – Brother Raymond
John Coltrane – Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album
Sons of Kemet – Your Queen Is A Reptile
Various Artists – We Out Here
Wayne Shorter – Emanon

Live Experience of the Year (Public Vote)

Jason Moran: The Harlem Hellfighters – Tour
Jazz Re:Fest 2018: Brighton Edition
Makaya McCraven and Nubya Garcia – EFG London Jazz Festival
Orphy Robinson presents Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks – Tour
Steam Down featuring Kamasi Washington
The Cookers – Church of Sound

Impact Award, PRS Gold Award and PPL Lifetime Achievement Award