Nearly 300 jazz musicians, journalists and media makers, recordings, books, documentaries, podcasts and photographs were nominated for the 2022 Jazz Awards. The winners were announced May 3.
Among the winners, 93-year-old singer Sheila Jordan was honored for her lifetime achievement in jazz.
Grammy Award-winner and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" bandleader Jon Batiste was selected musician of the year, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana as up-and-coming musician of the year, and saxophonist Kenny Garrett’s album "Sounds from the Ancestors" was voted record of the year.
John Coltrane’s "A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle" won best historical record.
Awards received by musicians will be presented to the winners at their live performances throughout the summer.
The JJA Jazz Awards also recognize journalistic achievements in jazz.
Greg Tate, the author, columnist, critic, lecturer, founder of the Black Rock Coalition received a posthumous lifetime achievement in jazz journalism. Tate died at age 63 on December 7, 2021.
Writer-bloggerTed Gioia, Washington, D.C. radio program host Rusty Hassan and photographer Carol Friedman also won JJA awards this year.
Two books received awards: "Mary Lou Williams: Music for the Soul" by Deanna Witkowski won the biography and autobiography category, and "She Raised Her Voice! 50 Black Women who Sang Their Way into Musical History" by Jordannah Elizabeth with illustrations by Briana Dengoue, won book of the year about jazz.
See JJAJazzAwards.org for the entire list of winners across 47 categories. Award winners will participate in an online event, tentatively scheduled for mid-July.
JJA members Mark Ruffin and Neil Tesser discuss the choices of the professional voting members of the JJA in the third episode of The Buzz: The Jazz Journalists Association Podcast, produced by Rick Mitchell and Jeffrey Siegel, available now.
