Public voting in three categories begins today for the 2016 Jazz FM Awards.
New this year is a Digital Initiative Award aimed at musicians who best harness new audiences via new technology.
Kamasi Washington, nominated for album of the year and international jazz artist of the year; Christian Scott, nominated for album of the year and jazz innovation of the year; and Jacob Collier nominated for breakthrough act of the year and the new digital initiative award, each receive two nominations.
In soul artist of the year Jill Scott, Leon Bridges and Lizz Wright, are nominated; in blues, nominees are Alabama Shakes, Buddy Guy and Gary Clark Jr. For UK jazz act of the year Matthew Halsall, Binker & Moses and Sons of Kemet are in the frame.
Lizz Wright, above
The full list of 2016 nominees:
Breakthrough act of the year
Binker & Moses, Jacob Collier, Nérija
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
Soul artist of the year
Jill Scott, Leon Bridges, Lizz Wright
Instrumentalist of the year (sponsored by Arqiva)
Mark Lockheart, Theon Cross, Zoe Rahman
Vocalist of the year
Eska, Lauren Kinsella, Liane Carroll
Jazz innovation of the year (sponsored by Mishcon de Reya)
Black Top, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, David Virelles
Digital initiative of the year (sponsored by 7digital)
Chassol, Jacob Collier, Tin Men and the Telephone
Album of the year (public vote)
Christian Scott Stretch Music, Hiatus Kiayote Choose Your Weapon, Kamasi Washington The Epic, Maria Schneider The Thompson Fields, Charenée Wade Offering, Snarky Puppy Sylva
UK jazz act of the year (public Vote) (sponsored by Grange Hotels)
Binker & Moses, Matthew Halsall, Sons of Kemet
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
Lifetime achievement (sponsored by PPL)
To be announced
The awards take place at London’s Bloomsbury Ballroom on 26 April and feature a performance by Grammy-winning Gregory Porter who is to receive a jazz impact award. Last year’s equivalent event, the second, after the glitzy inaugural awards in Marylebone two years earlier, were held near London Bridge and are reported about here