Jazz FM Award winners revealed

The landmark fifth Jazz FM Awards at Shoreditch Town Hall and hosted by Chris Philips and Jez Nelson saw a star-studded list of winners come to the stage to collect their awards.

Taking place on UNESCO’s International Jazz Day, the evening also provided performances from an all-female, cross-generational line-up of established acts and rising stars. Celebrated US vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant delivered a spellbinding performance following her International Jazz Artist of the Year win, while multi-Grammy award-winning US bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, who won Digital Initiative Of The Year, and 26-year old London-based saxophonist Nubya Garcia, who was named as the Breakthrough Act of the Year, electrified the audience with their exclusive performances, accompanied by British pianist and the evening’s Musical Director Ashley Henry.

The matriarch of British vocal jazz, Dame Cleo Laine DBE brought the evening to a fitting finale as she collected the prestigious PPL Lifetime Achievement Award, which she followed with a surprise rendition of “I’ve Got A Crush On You”.

Legendary guitarist and singer-songwriter George Benson was presented with the Impact Award by founding Jackson 5 member Tito Jack**son whilst million-selling jazz guitarist Pat Metheny was in town to collect the PRS for Music Gold Award in recognition of his exceptional contribution to jazz performance, composition and education. Musician and DJ Goldie,** a self-proclaimed jazz enthusiast, was on hand to congratulate Metheny:

“I’m really happy you’re getting this award; you’ve been a massive inspiration to people around the world, and especially to me. Who would have thought… Goldie's drum and bass music, all my arrangements, all my ideas were looking at your music over the years and listening… The whole world of you Pat has been amazing. God bless and keep going man!”

International winners on the night included genre-defying bassist Thundercat, whose critically acclaimed Drunk was voted Album of the Year, Robert Cray for International Blues Artist Of The Year and Moonchild for International Soul Artist Of The Year.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Breakthrough Act of the Year Sponsored by Yamaha

Nubya Garcia

International Soul Artist of the Year Sponsored by RCS 

Moonchild

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

Ezra Collective

Digital Initiative of the Year Sponsored by Oanda

Esperanza Spalding: Exposure

Instrumentalist of the Year Sponsored by Grange Hotels

Evan Parker

International Blues Artist of the Year Sponsored by British Airways

Robert Cray

Jazz Innovation of the Year Sponsored by Mishcon de Reya

Shabaka Hutchings: Multiple projects

Vocalist of the Year Sponsored by Lateralize

Zara McFarlane

International Jazz Artist of the Year Sponsored by Oris Watches

Cécile McLorin Salvant

Album of the Year (Public Vote) Sponsored by Arqiva

Thundercat – Drunk

Live Experience of the Year (Public Vote) Sponsored by Rathbones

Ronnie Scott’s presents Ezra Collective – EFG London Jazz Festival at Islington Assembly Hall   

PPL Lifetime Achievement Award

Recipient: Dame Cleo Laine 

Impact Award Sponsored by MediaCom

Recipient: George Benson

PRS for Music Gold Award

Recipient: Pat Metheny