The nominations have today been announced for the UK 2023 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. We are thrilled to see some of our team nominated and wish a huge congratulations to Monika S. Jakubowska and Tatiana Gorilovsky for their nominations for Jazz Photographer Award and to Hannah Horton for two nominations – Jazz Newcomer and the Jazz Education for her incredible work with J Steps. Go team!

We would also like to shout out to some incredible women and organisations we support nominated across the awards including Amy Gadiaga Danielle White Jo Harrop Camilla George Janine Irons and Tomorrows Warriors!

The full press release is below:

The Awards, organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) with the support of PizzaExpress Live. The recipients of the 2023 Parliamentary Jazz Awards will be announced on Tuesday 4th July 2023. The Parliamentary Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, breadth and talent of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom. 

The award categories reflect the ever-increasing scope of talent from within the UK’s jazz scene: Jazz Vocalist of the Year; Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year; Jazz Album of the Year; Jazz Ensemble of the Year; Jazz Newcomer of the Year; Jazz Venue of the Year; Jazz Media Award; Jazz Education Award; and the Services to Jazz Award with a new category this year – the PizzaExpress Live Photographer of the Year Award

Following the online public vote for the Awards, the shortlist was then voted upon by a selection panel, that represent a broad cross-section of backgrounds united in their passion and knowledge of jazz. The winners, chosen by judging members of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG), will be announced on Tuesday 4th July 2022.

John Spellar MP, Co-Chair of APPJG, said: "These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and energies of the great musicians, educators, promoters, record labels, jazz organisations, blogs, jazz magazines and journalists who helped kept jazz flourishing.  These shortlists demonstrate the wealth of talent and commitment that exists in the British jazz scene. Now in its 18th year, the Parliamentary Jazz Awards honour the best of British jazz. MPs and Peers in the All Party Group are grateful to PizzaExpress Live for supporting the event.”

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Jazz Vocalist of the Year
Emma Smith
Jo Harrop
Georgia Cécile
Elaine Delmar

Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
Alcyona Mick
Art Themen
Camilla George
Gary Husband

Jazz Album of the Year
Ubunye: ‘Ubunye’
Trish Clowes: ‘A View with a Room’
Jo Harrop and Paul Edis: ‘When Winter Turns To Spring’

Jazz Ensemble of the Year
Ubunye
Alex Hitchcock and Ant Law Quartet
Julian Siegel Big Band

Jazz Newcomer of the Year
Sultan Stevenson
Amy Gadiaga
Hannah Horton

Jazz Venue of the Year
The Verdict, Brighton
Jazz at the Blue Lamp, Aberdeen
Magy’s Farm, Dromara, County Down, NI

Jazz Media Award
Kevin Le Gendre
Jazzwise Magazine
The Jazz Rag

Jazz Education Award
Tomorrows Warriors
Hanna Horton: J Steps, Saffron Centre For Young Musicians, Saffron Walden
Karen Gourlay: Head of Leeds Junior Conservatoire

Jazz Photographer Award
Monika S. Jakubowska
William Ellis
Tatiana Gorilovsky

Services to Jazz Award
Janine Irons
Danielle White
Tony Haynes and the Grand Union Orchestra

The All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) currently has over 110 members from the House of Commons and House of Lords across all political parties. Their aim is to encourage wider and deeper enjoyment of jazz, to increase Parliamentarians’ understanding of the jazz industry and issues surrounding it, to promote jazz as a musical form and to raise its profile inside and outside Parliament. The Group’s officers as at the Annual General Meeting on 15th March 2023 are Co-Chairs, John Spellar MP and Lord Mann, Secretary, Sir Greg Knight MP, Vice Chairs, Alison Thewless MP, Chi Onwurah MP, Lord McNicol and Patrick Grady MP, the Treasurer is Ian Paisley MP. Officers are Lord Alton and Sarah Champion MP.