News

Stars from across the international music scene descended on Grade II listed Shoreditch Town Hall in East London this evening for the return of the Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music. Hosted by US actor Clarke Peters, and featuring a dazzling array of live performances, the ceremony once again recognised a varied selection of up-and-coming talent, contemporary icons and legendary figures from across the jazz, soul and blues spectrum.

A roll call of esteemed music industry personalities were in attendance including Hugh Laurie, who presented pianist and broadcaster Jools Holland with this year’s Impact Award, Level 42’s Mark King, who presented fellow bassist Marcus Miller with the Gold Award, Marcus Brigstocke, who presented fast-rising LA-based singer Lady Blackbird with the award for this year’s International Jazz Act Of The Year, and Tom Watson, who was on hand to give Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie his Instrumentalist Of The Year award.

Jools Holland OBE:
“I’m honoured to have received Jazz FM’s Impact Award. Their radio station and my “Later with…” TV show have been aligned for 30 years; spreading the word about jazz, blues and improvised music, breaking new artists and bringing them to a wider audience. As well as being a regular listener to the station I’ve also been an occasional presenter for them over the years, so I’m delighted to be a part of their awards show alongside some truly incredible talent.”

The annual celebration, which since its inception in 2013 has become one of the most anticipated events in the UK jazz calendar, featured performances from this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner Norma Winstone, who was accompanied by guitarist John Parricelli for a version of Ladies in Mercedes, Soul Act Of The Year Mica Millar, Fergus McCreadie, who scooped this year’s Instrumentalist Of The Year, and Jools Holland, who teamed up with Blues Artist Of The Year Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and brought the evening to a rip-roaring close.

A selection of the UK scene’s most exciting young artists were also recognised this year with awards going to tenor saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael, Scottish singer Georgia Cécile, jazztronica duo Blue Lab Beats, and multi-instrumentalist and producer Emma-Jean Thackray.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Norma Winstone

GOLD AWARD

Marcus Miller

IMPACT AWARD

Jools Holland

BREAKTHROUGH ACT OF THE YEAR

Chelsea Carmichael

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR

Lady Blackbird

SOUL ACT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Boisdale

Mica Millar

BLUES ACT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Imagine Cruising

Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram

VOCALIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Hampstead Jazz Club and Lateralize Records

Georgia Cecile

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Fergus McCreadie

THE DIGITAL AWARD

Summer of Soul

INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by Mishcon de Reya

Blue Lab Beats

UK JAZZ ACT OF THE YEAR

Georgia Cecile

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Emma-Jean Thackray – Yellow

The Jazz FM Awards 2022 is made possible with the support of its sponsors PPL and PRS for Music, Mishcon De Reya, Imagine Cruising, Boisdale, Hampstead Jazz Club, Lateralize, Rathbones and Yamaha, plus additional partners including Denbies, Lotus, Mama Shelter, Savile Row Gin and Shoreditch Town Hall.

Nick Pitts, Content Director, Jazz FM:
“Not only am I proud of all the winners and what they have and will continue to achieve, but I am also incredibly proud of the entire Jazz FM team who have worked so incredibly hard to pull this year’s event together. We’ve succeeded once again in bringing the jazz community together to celebrate its incredibly varied and diverse scene and to honour these artists who continue to bring joy to all of our lives through the wonderful music they make.”

Peter Leathem, Chief Executive Officer, PPL:
“PPL has supported the Jazz FM Awards for many years and each year is an impressive showcase of the talent present in UK jazz. It is a pleasure to help recognise and celebrate these artists and organisations and we hope tonight acts as a catalyst for further success for the winners, nominees and the sector as a whole.”

Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO, PRS for Music:
“Our warmest congratulations to the winners of the Jazz FM Awards. We are proud to support, acknowledge and recognise the quality of songwriting and performances that we have seen from the Jazz community over the past year. We hope that these accolades help to shine a light on the remarkable musicians and works of those honoured.”