Jazz Music Awards set to launch in 2022 – Billboard
Rushion McDonald, who produced the Steve harvey The daytime talk show from 2012 to 2017, will spearhead the production of the inaugural Jazz Music Awards: Celebrating the Spirit of Jazz on October 22, 2022 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.
Presented by Jazz 91.9 WCLK, the Jazz Music Awards recognize “a wide range of creators from the world of national and international jazz, traditional and contemporary musicians, singers and major groups, to composers, to individual songs and to complete albums”. according to a statement from the station.
WCLK’s program director David Linton approached McDonald’s with the task of running the show. In addition to producing the awards ceremony, McDonald’s 3815 Media is set to host the ceremony red carpet event as well as the show’s global live broadcast.
Jazz musician and three-time Grammy winner Terri Lyne Carrington is expected to lead the show’s musical direction and act as a consultant. Carrington won two Grammys for Best Vocal Jazz Album (The mosaic project, 2011, and Beautiful life, 2014) and one for best jazz instrumental album (Money Jungle: Provocative in blue, 2013). In addition, Carrington is on the Board of Directors of the Recording Academy.
The categories for the next awards show include best mainstream artist, best contemporary artist, best duo, group or big band, best new jazz artist (contemporary or mainstream), best jazz singer, best international artist (contemporary or general public), the best general public album. , best contemporary album, jazz innovator of the year, composer of the year, educator of the year, jazz heritage award and song of the year voted by fans.
Ahead of the awards ceremony, WCLK is expected to host an on-campus event for students at Clark Atlanta University, a historically black college and university. The program will include interactive learning sessions between students and top jazz musicians.
“As soon as COVID was lifted you saw the performers on the road again and the jazz festivals were back,” said Wendy Williams, who has worked at the station for 27 years and is currently managing director of WCLK. “Now it’s a collective way to have them all on one stage loved, celebrated the same way we see it at other music awards. We need to.
The WCLK Jazz Awards are just one of the awards show that honors top talent in the genre. Other notable jazz awards include the BBC Jazz Awards, NEA Jazz Masters, and the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Awards.
The submission window is from January 1 to March 31, 2022. Visit wclk.com to learn more.
