The nominees for the Scottish Jazz Awards were revealed today with the public vote opening at 12 noon on Thursday 31 October, to determine the winners from Scotland’s vibrant jazz community, ahead of the awards ceremony.
The Scottish Jazz Awards, which will celebrate Scotland’s exceptional jazz talent, will be held on Thursday 28 November at The Savings Bank in Glasgow. With categories including Best Vocalist, Best Band, Best Album and many more, nominees and guests will join singer and actress, Suzanne Bonnar as she hosts a night which will celebrate the country’s thriving jazz scene.
A panel of industry specialists, including media, press, and promoters from across the UK, came together earlier in the year to curate the thoughtfully selected shortlist. Last year's winners were also invited to participate in the selection process. The public now has the opportunity to vote for the acts they believe should be crowned winners.
From 12 noon on 31 October until 5pm on Thursday 14 November, the public will be able to vote for their favourite vocalist, band, instrumentalist, and more by visiting www.jazzfest.co.uk/awards and registering their votes.
Jill Rodger, Director of Glasgow Jazz Festival and Producer of the Scottish Jazz Awards, said: “The Scottish Jazz Awards are a calendar highlight for the Jazz community in Scotland, celebrating the abundance of talent in the scene. I’d like to congratulate all the deserving nominees and hand over to the public to discover and vote for their favourite artists in the coming weeks. I can’t wait to celebrate the best of Scottish jazz talent at the Awards on 28th November!”
Clare Hewitt, Music Officer at Creative Scotland said: "The Scottish Jazz Awards showcase the collective vitality of the country's incredible jazz scene and the way it connects with audiences. This year's nominations shortlist recognises the creativity and imagination of so many talented artists, all deserving of the spotlight as the public vote opens."
Nominated for the 2024 Scottish Jazz Awards are:
Rising Star Award, sponsored by Musicians’ Union
- Chun-Wei Kang
- Laura Oghagbon
- Roan Anderson
- Simon Herberholz
- Timmy Allan
Best Instrumentalist Award, sponsored by ESP Music Rentals
- Ben Shankland
- Fergus McCreadie
- Helena Kay
- Norman Willmore
- Noushy
The Fionna Duncan Best Vocalist Award, sponsored by Whighams Jazz Club
- Gaia Jeannot
- kitti
- Niki King
- Rachel Lightbody
- Seonaid Aitken
Best Band Award, sponsored by S.M. Lighting (Scotland) Ltd
- Azamiah
- Mama Terra
- Matt Carmichael Quintet
- Modern Vikings
- Secret Path Trio
Best Album Award, sponsored by Rightsbridge & EmuBands
- Atlantic Road Trip - ONE
- corto.alto - Bad With Names
- Dan Brown - Nomad
- Fergus McCreadie - Stream
- Modern Vikings - Tales from the Skald
A Critics’ Choice Award sponsored by Inhouse Event Productions will also be awarded at the ceremony.
The Scottish Jazz Awards are produced as an independent event by the organisers of Glasgow Jazz Festival and supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Background
Albums released between 1 October 2023 – 30 September 2024 were eligible to be nominated in the Best Album category. Last year’s winners were not eligible to be nominated in the same category this year.
Nominating Panel for Scottish Jazz Awards 2024
- Brodie & Emilie, Jazz at the Glad
- Fiona Alexander, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
- Fiona Shepard, Freelance Music Journalist
- Gerard Mehigan, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
- Grace Black, Langtoun Jazz Festival
- Graeme Knox, Whighams Jazz Club
- Jill Rodger, Glasgow Jazz Festival
- Jim Gilchrist, The Scotsman
- Joe Rattary, Freelance Promoter
- Keith MacRae, Jazz Scotland
- Richy Muirhead, Scottish Alternative Music Awards
- Ros Rigby, Jazz Promotion Network
- Sushil Dade, BBC Radio Scotland
- UK Jazz News
2023’s winners
Glasgow Jazz Festival
The Glasgow International Jazz Festival was founded in 1987, when Glasgow was bidding to become the European City of Culture for 1990. The city had studied the competition and worked out that all major cities in Europe had a jazz festival. If they had one, then so should Glasgow.
From the very beginning, the Glasgow International Jazz Festival brought some of the biggest names of jazz to the City –1987’s programme included singer Sarah Vaughan, Chick Corea, Taj Mahal, Benny Carter and Carol Kidd. Other top headliners include Miles Davis (during the European City of Culture year 1990), Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Guy, Michael Brecker and Tony Bennett. This year’s festival was hosted online. Follow @GlasgowJazzFest for further information.
Creative Scotland
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
Media contacts
For interviews, images and further information please contact Aarti Joshi at [email protected].