The Jazz FM Awards, produced by Serious, has announced legendary US composer, producer and musical pioneer Quincy Jones will be the recipient of this year’s PPL Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’s award ceremony will take place at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London on Tuesday 26th April and will be hosted by British personality, broadcaster and comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli.
One of the most prestigious events in the jazz calendar, the Awards shine a light on the broad range of talent that the worlds of jazz, blues and soul have to offer. The evening will once again feature performances from a selection of acclaimed artists with special appearances to be revealed on the night.
This year’s event will honour Grammy award-winning vocalist and songwriter Gregory Porter with the Impact Award, and once again, the Jazz FM team will present an hour of highlights straight after the event featuring music and interviews with nominees and winners. Listeners will have a chance to hear whether the artists they voted for in the Album of the Year, UK Jazz Act of the Year and Live Experience of the Year categories will take home the acclaimed prizes.
Hardeep Singh Kohli on hosting the 2016 Jazz FM Awards:
“Jazz is where all modern music started. Hundreds of years ago. I am old enough to have been there when it started. I'm lucky enough to be here now to host these awards.”
Following in the footsteps of last year’s winner Hugh Masekela, iconic composer, arranger, producer and humanitarian Quincy Jones will be awarded with the PPL Lifetime Achievement Award, an accolade that recognizes his prolific contribution to the music industry throughout the course of a career that has spanned over six decades and seen him garner a record 79 Grammy Award nominations and 28 Grammys. Quincy’s work has shuffled pop, soul, hip-hop, jazz, classical, African and Brazilian music into many dazzling fusions, traversing virtually every medium, including records, live performance, movies and television, successfully bringing jazz to the attention of the mainstream.
Quincy Jones on being honoured with the PPL Lifetime Achievement Award:
“What can I say Jazz FM? I’m so moved… To be so young and receive an award like this it’s astounding; I’m only 83 man!”
The Jazz FM Awards 2016 will present the following awards on the night:
- Breakthrough Act Of The year
- Instrumentalist Of The Year
- Album Of The Year
- Jazz Innovation Of The Year
- Live Experience Of The Year
- UK Jazz Act Of The Year
- International Jazz Artist Of The Year
- Soul Artist Of The Year
- Vocalist Of The Year
- Blues Artist Of The Year
- Digital Initiative Of The Year
- Jazz Impact Award – to be presented to Gregory Porter
- PPL Lifetime Achievement Award – to be presented to Quincy Jones
The Digital Initiative Award, a new award for this year, has been created to recognise a musician who has harnessed the power of technology to engage with audiences and to take their music or performance to another dimension.
www.jazzfmawards.com
For more information, please contact Sheela Bates at AirMTM Sheela@airmtm.com / 020 7386 1600
Notes to Editors:
The Jazz FM Awards 2016 is a partnership between Jazz FM and Serious and is made possible with the support of the Grange Hotels, Mishcon De Reya, PPL, RCS, 7digital, Yamaha, Arqiva and Denbies Wine Estate.
About Jazz FM
Jazz FM is the largest commercial jazz radio station in the world, playing a unique mix of new music from cutting edge musicians alongside well-known pieces by the legends of jazz, blues and soul. Since 1990, Jazz FM has provided exceptional music programmes hosted by presenters who are experts in their fields, such as the legendary Dinner Jazz. Jazz FM co-founded Love Supreme, the widely acclaimed greenfield 3-day Jazz Festival, which takes place at Glynde Place on 1-3 July 2016. Jazz FM was the first commercial radio station to collaborate with the BBC in creating BBC Music Jazz in Autumn 2015 – a national pop up digital radio station.
Jazz FM is available across the UK on DAB, DTV, online, on smart phone and tablet.
About Serious
Serious is a producer of live jazz and international and contemporary music. Working with artists and partners from the UK and internationally, Serious creates and produces a diverse range of concerts, tours, festivals and live events. Serious is the producer behind the annual EFG London Jazz Festival, now in its 24th year.
In addition, Serious is Associate Producer at London’s Barbican, co-programmer for Sage Gateshead’s annual International Jazz Festival and are programme consultants for Love Supreme Jazz Festival. Committed to the future of the music industry, Serious provides professional development opportunities for young and emerging artists and delivers an extensive learning and participation programme.
Full list of 2016 NOMINEES:
Breakthrough Act Of The Year
- Binker & Moses
- Nérija
- Jacob Collier
Digital Initiative Of The Year
(Sponsored by 7digital)
- Jacob Collier
- Tin Men and the Telephone
- Chassol ‘Big Sun’
International Jazz Artist Of The Year
(Sponsored by Yamaha)
- Kamasi Washington
- Marcus Miller
- Maria Schneider
Blues Artist Of The Year
- Alabama Shakes
- Buddy Guy
- Gary Clark Jr.
Album Of The Year (Public Vote)
(Sponsored by Arqiva)
- Kamasi Washington ‘The Epic’
- Maria Schneider ‘The Thompson Fields’
- Charenee Wade ‘Offering’
- Hiatus Kaiyote ‘Choose Your Weapon’
- Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah ‘Stretch Music’
- Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest ‘Sylva’
Live Experience Of The Year (Public Vote)
- Ice-T and Ron McCurdy – The Langston Hughes Project at the Barbican
- Maria Schneider at Symphony Hall Birmingham
- Taylor McFerrin at Rio Club Glasgow Jazz Festival
UK Jazz Act Of The Year (Public Vote)
(Sponsored by Grange Hotels)
- Binker & Moses
- Sons of Kemet
- Matthew Halsall
Soul Artist Of The Year
(Sponsored by RCS)
- Jill Scott
- Leon Bridges
- Lizz Wright
Instrumentalist Of The Year
- Mark Lockheart
- Zoe Rahman
- Theon Cross
Jazz Innovation Of The Year
(Sponsored by Mishcon de Reya)
- Black Top
- Christan Scott aTunde Adjuah
- David Virelles
Vocalist Of The Year