Kenny Barron, Jason Moran and Randy Weston are among the winners at the 2015 Jazz Journalists Association awards. Selma composer Moran was named musician of the year while The Art of Conversation, by Dave Holland and Kenny Barron, was named album of the year. Pianist and composer Randy Weston is honoured for lifetime achievement in jazz.

Barron was also named pianist of the year and won his third 2015 JJA award for duo of the year with Holland. Released last September what’s on The Art of Conversation are originals and standards, four of Holland’s compositions, including a sumptuous waltz dedicated to Kenny Wheeler, and three of Barron’s plus a very jaunty take on Monk’s ‘In Walked Bud’, Bird’s ‘Segment’, where Barron himself practically takes flight, Holland tucking himself in tidily in the slipstream, and the Ellington/Strayhorn tune ‘Daydream’ just gorgeous.

A list of more 2015 JJA winners, plus those mentioned above, can be found here

Kenny Barron, above. Photo: Verve