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 fitting close with a rip-roaring blues.
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.
JAZZ FM AWARDS 2022 with PPL and PRS for Music
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Norma Winstone
IMPACT AWARD
Jools Holland
GOLD AWARD
Marcus Miller
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 Cécile
INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Yamaha
Fergus McCreadie
THE DIGITAL AWARD sponsored by Rathbones
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