2012 JJA Jazz Awards – winners

The Jazz Journalists Association held their 16th annual JJA Jazz Awards in New York on Wednesday evening.

The renowned tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins was the big winner, taking Musician of the Year for the second year in a row. He won for Record of the Year with his live album Road Shows, Vol. 2, and was named Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. In addition, the liner notes for Road Shows, Vol. 2 by Francis Davis won for Liner notes of the Year.

The only other multiple prize-winner was the Israeli clarinettist/saxophonist/bandleader Anat Cohen who won both Multi-reeds Player of the Year and Clarinetist of the Year.

Pianist/composer Horace Silver was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, winning out over Muhal Richard Abrams, Ron Carter and Wayne Shorter.

Nominees list for the 16th annual JJA Jazz Awards


Music winners for the 16th annual JJA Jazz Awards

Lifetime Achievement in Jazz
Horace Silver

Musician of the Year
Sonny Rollins

Composer-Arranger of the Year
Maria Schneider

Up and Coming Artist of the Year
Ben Williams

Record of the Year
Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 2 (Doxy Records)

Best Historic Recording/Boxed Set
Miles Davis, Bootleg Sessions, Vol. 1, Quintet Live in Europe 1967 (Columbia Legacy)

Record Label of the Year
ECM

Large Ensemble of the Year
Mingus Big Band

Small Ensemble of the Year
Joe Lovano Us Five

Best Male Vocalist
Kurt Elling

Best Female Vocalist
Gretchen Parlato

Trumpeter of the Year
Ambrose Akinmusire

Trombonist of the Year
Wycliffe Gordon

Multi-reeds Player of the Year
Anat Cohen

Alto Saxophonist of the Year
Rudresh Mahanthappa

Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
Sonny Rollins

Baritone Saxophonist of the Year
Gary Smulyan

Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
Jane Ira Bloom

Flutist of the Year
Nicole Mitchell

Clarinetist of the Year
Anat Cohen

Guitarist of the Year
Bill Frisell

Pianist of the Year
Vijay Iyer

Keyboard player of the Year
Gary Versace

Bassist of the Year
Christian McBride

Violinist of the Year
Regina Carter

Percussionist of the Year
Poncho Sanchez

Mallets Instrumentalist of the Year
Gary Burton

Drummer of the Year
Roy Haynes

Player of Instruments Rare in Jazz of the Year
Toots Thielemans, harmonica

For more, click here
http://www.jjajazzawards.org/2012/06/2012-jja-jazz-awards-winners.html