The inaugural German Jazz Awards were held on 3 June 2021. The full list of winners across the thirty-one categories is below our report.
This doesn’t happen in many countries: Germany has a Culture Minister Monika Grütters (and also the country’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier) who really “get” jazz. Both are genuine fans. Grütters’ introductory speech for these awards, being held for the first time, made it clear WHY they were happening: because, as she said quite unambiguously, jazz can easily be overlooked; and because it shouldn’t be. She also expressed the personal wish, as a regular visitor to A-Trane in Berlin, to be back in the audience a club and to have the very experience again that proximity with other audience members and with musicians can give. It was powerful as an official position, and yet it was also personal.
The extent of the engagement of the national government and of the para-statal Initiative Musik also meant that there was significant public money behind the venture to get it off the ground. The prizes, for example, included substantial amounts of cash.
The awards were professionally presented by TV anchor Pinar Atalay, who had the role of providing seamless continuity as the event was screened from four different German cities – see screenshot below. She had been impressively diligent with her research, even citing at one moment things she had learned from exchanges with one of the musicians whom she had met earlier in the ladies’ loo.
Thery first prizewinner of the evening Lucia Cadotsch was clearly very moved to receive her award.
Towards the end came one intervention which certainly took me by surprise. Whereas there were repeated references to the quality and the (unusual) level of transparency in the jury’s processes, the live show also gave a platform to a group of musicians who wanted to express doubts and criticism of the way in which the awards have been structured, and to put the case for greater diversity. Elias Stemeseder spoke on their behalf. (A link to the video is below)
FULL LISTING OF THE AWARD WINNERS
Artists national
1. Vocals: Lucia Cadotsch (picture above)
2. Woodwinds: Daniel Erdmann
3. Brass Instruments: Markus Stockhausen
4. Piano/Keyboards: Aki Takase
5. Guitar: Ronny Graupe
6. Bass: Eva Kruse
7. Drums/Percussion: Christian Lillinger (picture above)
8. Special Instruments: Christopher Dell (picture above)
9. Artist of the Year: Christian Lillinger (picture above)
10. Band of the Year: Philipp Gropper’s PHILM
11. Large Ensemble of the Year: Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra
Artists international
12. Wind Instruments International: Jaimie Branch
13. Piano/Keyboards International: Tigran Hamasyan
14. String Instruments International: Wolfgang Muthspiel
15. Drums/Percussion International: Brian Blade
16. Artist of the Year International: Tigran Hamasyan
17. Band of the Year International: Shake Stew
Recording / Production
18. Instrumental Album of the Year: Julia Hülsmann Quartet – Not Far From Here (Picture above)
19. Vocal Album of the Year: Masaa – Irade
20. Debut Album of the Year: Mirna Bogdanović – Confrontation
21. Broadcast Production of the Year: Bill Laurance & WDR Big Band Cologne
Recording / Production International
22. Instrumental Album of the Year International: Carla Bley – Life Goes On
23. Vocal Album of the Year International: Kandace Springs – The Women Who Raised Me
24. Debut Album of the Year International: Joel Ross – KingMaker
Live
25. Club of the Year: LOFT
26. Festival of the Year: 44. Leipziger Jazztage Transitions
Composition / Arrangement
27. Composition of the Year: Florian Ross – Streamwalk
28. Arrangement of the Year: Fabia Mantwill – Ophelia
Special Prizes
29. Journalistic Achievement: Günther Huesmann – Bird Lives (Zum 100. Geburtstag von Charlie Parker)
30. Lifetime Achievement: Karsten Jahnke – presented by Herbie Hancock (above)
31. Special Prize of the Jury: Jazzclub Unterfahrt (team pictured above)
(Elias Stemeseder’s speech on behalf of Musicians For is at [3:26:30])
