2024 JJA Jazz Awards Nominees Announced – 29th Annual Celebrating 48 Categories Of Excellence In Music And Music Media

The Jazz Journalists Association, the international organization of writers, photographers, broadcasters and other media professionals covering jazz, has posted finalist nominees for its 2024 JJA Jazz Awards, the 29th annual celebration of excellence in music and music journalism.

Active members of the JJA are currently voting for winners of Awards in 48 categories for recordings and performances (including record labels and producers, ensembles, composers, vocalists and instrumentalists), and journalism and media (publications, books, blogs, album art, photos and podcasts.

Composer-arranger-ensemble leader Darcy James Argue, pianist-composer Billy Childs, pianist-composer-record producer Kris Davis, bassist Christian McBride, vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, multi-reeds composer and painter Roscoe Mitchell and saxophonist Joshua Redman are among artists receiving multiple nominations.

Nominees for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz include Terri Lyne Carrington, George Coleman, Jack DeJohnette, John McLaughlin, Charles McPherson and Roscoe Mitchell—nominees for Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz Journalism are Nate Chinen (writer and WRTI content director), Will Friedwald, writer and producer), Robin D.G. Kelley (scholar and biographer of Thelonious Monk) and John Litweiler (author, biographer of Ornette Coleman and chronicler of Chicago’s AACM).

The JJA Jazz Awards were established in 1996, originally in conjunction with the Knitting Factory, and for years were presented at gala events in New York City venues including B.B. King’s Blue Bar and Grill, Birdland, the Blue Note Jazz Club, City Winery, the Jazz Standard and the New School. Since 2018 the Awards have been conducted solely online with innovative events highlighting international accessibility and interactivity. Plans are being made for such a 2024 manifestation.

Awards winners will be announced on May 8 on jjajazzawards.org, For further information about the JJA Jazz Awards and/or the JJA, contact Howard Mandel.