Jazz FM, the London-based radio station, this year resumes its jazz awards scheme, with categories including soul and blues acts of the year. Nick Pitts, Jazz FM content director, says of the awards, launched in 2013 and last held in 2022, that they have been “a benchmark of excellence in the jazz community”.
Jazz FM describes itself as “celebrating the complete spectrum of Jazz in all its colourful forms since 1990”. Its main playlists for the week commencing 17 February featured Kandace Springs, Jeff Goldblum, Lois Levin, Toby Lee, Tom Misch, Ife Ogunjobi, Rita Satch, Tanika Charles, Close Counters, Chris Bangs, Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Georgia Cecile, Hot 8 Brass Band, Eve Buckley, Projective, Joe Armon Jones, Okonski, Lewis Daniel, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble and Marshall Allen.
A taste of Jazz FM’s “complete spectrum of jazz” can be seen at hellorayo.co.uk/jazz-fm/playlist, which displays the latest tracks played on the station. Towards midday today music played included Smokey Robinson, St Germain, Funkadelic, The O’Jays, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind & Fire, Patrice Rushen and The Stylistics among items by Oscar Peterson, Louis Armstrong, Quincy Jones and Freddie Hubbard and Mel Tormé.
The nominees for the Jazz FM awards 2025 will be announced on 6 March, with the awards ceremony at Koko in Camden on 24 April. The full list of categories is: Lifetime Achievement Award, Gold Award, Impact Award, Innovation Award, Breakthrough Act, Vocalist, International Jazz Act, Instrumentalist, Soul Act, Blues Act, Album, UK Jazz Act and Collaboration Award.
Jazz FM says its presenters and producers are “true devotees, with a deep love and understanding of their particular jazz shade”. It adds that it’s “on a mission to entertain, promote and celebrate all that’s great about Jazz”.
