The staff is back at Rifftides world headquarters after joining other Jazz Journalists Association members for the JJA’s 2011 award event. We assembled on Saturday at Egan’s Ballard Jam House in Seattle to watch the ceremony by satellite feed from New York. It was one of several satellite parties around the country. John Gilbreath of Earshot Jazz was among us and received one of the nine Jazz Hero awards, a new category this year. Applause, shouts and whistles for John were as deafening as our mighty handful could make them.
These are the winners of a few of the top awards:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN JAZZ: Jimmy Heath
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR: Sonny Rollins
COMPOSER OF THE YEAR: Jason Moran
ARRANGER Of The Year: Bill Holman
UP AND COMING ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Ambrose Akinmusire
RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Bird Songs /Joe Lovano Us Five
(Blue Note)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN JAZZ JOURNALISM: Bill Milkowski
BLOG OF THE YEAR: Patrick Jarenwattanon.
The Rifftides staff sends hearty congratulations to Patrick for his excellent A Blog Supreme.
For the complete list of winners, go here.