Nominations announced for the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2026

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Jazz Vocalist of the Year

Heidi Vogel; Lucy-Anne Daniels; Marvin Muoneke

Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year

Joe Webb; Yazz Ahmed; Deschanel Gordon

 

Jazz Album of the Year

“The Shieling” - Fergus McCredie; ‘Sema4’ - ARQ;  “Alleviate” - Donovan Haffner; “Riversphere Vol. 1” – Iain Ballamy

 

Jazz Ensemble of the Year

Knats; Tom Smith Big Band; Donovan Haffner Band

 

Jazz Newcomer of the Year

Olivia Cuttill; Sylvie Noble; Ursula Harrison

 

Jazz Venue of the Year

World Heart Beat (London); The Sound Cellar (Poole); Church of Sound (London); Jazz Stroud (The Goods Shed); The Bear Club (Luton)

 

Jazz Media Award

UK Jazz News; One Jazz; Richard Williams (The Blue Moment)

 

Jazz Education Award

Jazz at Leeds Conservatoire (Celebrating 60 years); Julian Joseph Jazz Academy; New Generation Jazz  -  Jazz Futures

 

Services to Jazz Award

Nikki Illes; Paul Jolly; Jean Toussaint

The Awards, are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) and supported by the Musicians’ Union, the Royal Society of Musicians and  UK Music. The recipients of the 2026 Parliamentary Jazz Awards will be announced on Tuesday 13th October 2026 at the World Heart Beat The Parliamentary Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, breadth and talent of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom.

 

The award categories reflect the ever-increasing scope of talent from within the UK’s jazz scene: Jazz Vocalist of the Year; Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year; Jazz Album of the Year; Jazz Ensemble of the Year; Jazz Newcomer of the Year; Jazz Venue of the Year; Jazz Media Award; Jazz Education Award; and the Services to Jazz Award. The Martin Hummel Award to commemorate the life and work of Martin Hummel the CEO of Ubuntu Music will be announced on the night.

 

The Musicians’ Union is supporting the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2026 and in particular a new award to celebrate the work of Music Hubs and Schools Music Services. This new award is being organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group with assistance of Music Mark and  SoundStorm.

 

Following the online public vote for the Awards, the shortlist was then voted upon by a selection panel, representing a broad cross-section of backgrounds united in their passion and knowledge of jazz. The winners, chosen by  members of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG), will be announced on Tuesday 13th October 2026.

 

Dame Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of APPJG, said: "These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and energies of the great musicians, educators, promoters, record labels, jazz organisations, blogs, jazz magazines and journalists who help keep jazz flourishing.  These shortlists demonstrate the wealth of talent and commitment that exists in the British jazz scene. Now in its 21st year, the Parliamentary Jazz Awards honour the best of British jazz. MPs and Peers in the All Party Group are grateful to the Musicians’ Union and UK Music for supporting the event.”

 

“The Musicians’ Union is proud to support the 2026 Parliamentary Jazz Awards,” said Naomi Pohl, General Secretary of the MU. “This year’s shortlist showcases the phenomenal jazz talent thriving across the UK, as well as the vibrant communities that support them in every nation and region. Congratulations to all the nominees on their well-deserved recognition. Furthermore the MU is pleased to support the new award for music hubs at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Music hubs play a crucial role in the development of young talent and it is fantastic to see this work formally recognised”.

 

Charlotte Penton-Smith CEO of the Royal Society of Musicians said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the 2026 Parliamentary Jazz Awards for the first time and getting to play a part in recognising the finest jazz talent across the UK. Congratulations to all the nominees, we look forward to finding out who the winners are on the night from such a talented field.”

 

Tom Kiehl  Chief Executive of UK Music said: "UK Music is delighted to again support the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. It is a fantastic celebration of Jazz's contribution to our £8 billion music industry, and all the great achievements from the community over the past year." 

 

The Awards are supported by the Musicians’ Union who are a community of over 36,000 musicians working to protect their members' rights and campaign for a fairer music industry. With additional support from the Royal Society of Musicians which provides vital financial assistance, advice and guidance to music professionals across the UK who have been impacted by physical or mental ill health. Our support is open to all professionals whether working as performers, teachers, technicians or anything in between. Further support is provided by UK Music which is the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry. They represent all sectors of the UK music industry – bringing them together to collaborate, campaign, and champion music.