My thanks to Chris Hodgkins and the Pizza Express Live team for the invitation to attend the 2017 Parliamentary Jazz Awards in High Holborn this evening. The event, which for many years has been seen as the premier awards ceremony for the jazz community, moved this year from the Terrace at the House of Commons to the club environment in the basement of the latest Pizza Express venue.
Ross Dines was our compere and host, alongside Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins and Lord Colwyn, who is one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords. It was a pleasure to catch up with bassist Gary Crosby and his partner Janine Irons, pianist Alex Webb, guitarist Deirdre Cartwright, as well as the band for the night, which consisted of Max Brittain, Alison Rayner, Henry Lowther, Cheryl Allen and Camilla George. My congratulations go to all the winners:
Jazz Vocalist of the Year: Cleveland Watkiss
Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year: Shabaka Hutchings
Jazz Album of the Year: Dinosaur (Together As One)
Jazz Ensemble of the Year: Phronesis
Jazz Newcomer of the Year: Nerija
Jazz Venue of the Year : Scarborough Jazz Festival
Jazz Media Award: Chris Philips
Jazz Education Award: Tomorrows’ Warriors
Services to Jazz Award: Tony Dudley-Evans
Special APPJAG Award: Jim Mullen
