As usual, a jazz-related album features among the nominations for the pop-dominated Mercury Prize 2022, namely Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie’s Forest Floor, reviewed here in Jazz Journal.
The prize, now sponsored by the ride-hailing app Free Now, sets out to “celebrate and promote the best of British and Irish music, recognising artistic achievement across a range of contemporary music genres”. The shortlist was chosen by an “independent judging panel” and published 26 July 2022.
This year’s judging panel includes jazz-fan Jamie Cullum along with the head of music at the BBC’s 6 Music and Radio 2, journalists from Kerrang, Mojo and The Times, and various DJs and broadcasters.
The judges described the nominated music as “covering everything from imaginative pop to pioneering rap to Cornish language folk-rock and constituting “12 amazing albums”.
The winner will be announced on 8 September at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith and the show will include live performances from shortlisted artists. The awards night will be covered on BBC TV, BBC Radio 6 Music, online and on social media.
