Written by The Jazz FM Awards have announced the nominees for their 2026 edition, revealing a line-up that underlines just how broadly jazz, soul and blues are speaking to audiences right now. The official announcement confirms that the ceremony will once again return to KOKO in Camden on Thursday 16 April, with PPL and PRS for Music continuing their long-standing collaboration with the awards. Since their launch in 2013, the Jazz FM Awards have grown into one of the key dates in the UK and international jazz calendar, and this year’s list of names balances breakthrough talent with established artists.
At the heart of the announcement is a slate of nominees that reflects the increasingly porous borders between jazz and the broader world of contemporary music. UK trailblazers Ezra Collective, still riding the momentum of their rise into the mainstream, sit alongside British singer-songwriter Raye, whose work has brought elements of jazz harmony and phrasing into current pop and R&B. Soul and gospel icon Mavis Staples appears in the Blues Act of the Year category, a reminder of her enduring influence across generations, while multi-award-winning US vocalist Samara Joy continues her rapid ascent as one of the defining jazz voices of her generation. Elsewhere, Emma-Jean Thackray, Omar, Shabaka Hutchings, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Snarky Puppy all feature, each representing a different facet of where the music is heading.
Samara Joy
As in previous years, two of the night’s most closely watched categories – Album of the Year and UK Jazz Act of the Year – will be decided by public vote. On the album side, the shortlist encompasses a wide range of approaches: Ambrose Akinmusire’s honey from a winter stone, Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Oh Snap, Emma-Jean Thackray’s Weirdo, Fergus McCreadie’s The Shieling, Terri Lyne Carrington and Christie Dashiell’s We Insist 2025! and Tyreek McDole’s Open Up Your Senses. Between them, these records move from exploratory trumpet-led soundworlds and Scottish piano-trio lyricism to vocal-led reimagining’s of protest repertoire and groove-heavy, forward-looking ensembles. The UK Jazz Act of the Year vote, meanwhile, pits Emma Rawicz, Kokoroko and Tom Skinner against each other – three acts that, in different ways, embody the current vitality of the UK scene.
Emma-Rawic | Photo by Gregor Hohenberg
Speaking about this year’s list, Jazz FM and Magic Classical Content Director Nick Pitts emphasized how far the music has travelled in the last 12 months. For him, the 2026 nominees “perfectly capture the breadth of today’s thriving jazz landscape,” noting that jazz has not only continued to innovate on its own terms but has also “heavily influenced the mainstream music world” through artists like Ezra Collective and Raye. He also highlighted the role of the awards’ judging panel in bringing together emerging names and established figures who are “making a massive impact across the community,” before offering his congratulations to all the shortlisted artists.
Raye | Photo by Aliyah Otchere
Beyond the headline categories, the breakdown of this year’s nominations gives a snapshot of a scene that is both honouring tradition and pushing outward. The Breakthrough Act of the Year category shines a light on the next wave, with Donovan Haffner, Earth-o-Naut and Poppy Daniels all recognised for their recent work. International Jazz Act of the Year is contested by Linda May Han Oh, Nate Smith and Samara Joy, underscoring the global reach of the awards and their ongoing commitment to artists working well beyond UK borders. On the blues side, Alice Armstrong and Gary Clark Jr. join Mavis Staples, while the Soul Act of the Year shortlist (sponsored by Oanda) brings together Omar, Raye and Young Gun Silver Fox.
Instrumentalist of the Year features Joe Webb, Laura Jurd and Shabaka – three very different musicians whose work spans piano-led swing, brass-fronted compositional projects and exploratory multi-instrumentalism. Vocalist of the Year highlights Brigitte Beraha, Marvin Muoneké and Yazmin Lacey, each bringing a distinct voice and approach to the current vocal landscape. The Innovation Award, sponsored by Mishcon de Reya, recognises artists who are expanding the language and context of jazz, with Emma-Jean Thackray, Ezra Collective and Theon Cross all nominated. The Collaboration Award, meanwhile, underlines the importance of cross-border and cross-genre partnerships: Balimaya Project meets Discos Pacifico All-Stars for Calima, Snarky Puppy and the Metropole Orkest for SOMNI, and The Jazz Social’s joint work with the EFG London Jazz Festival all make the list.
While the competitive categories naturally draw attention, the Jazz FM Awards have always been equally defined by their special honours. This year’s recipients of the non-competitive awards – including the Lifetime Achievement, Gold and Impact Awards – will be announced in the coming weeks, continuing a tradition that has previously recognised figures such as Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Dame Cleo Laine, Tony Bennett, George Benson, Pat Methen and Ahmad Jamal to name just a few.
With the nominees now confirmed and the public vote set to open, attention turns to KOKO on 16 April, when artists, industry and audiences will come together to celebrate another year of creative risk-taking and musical achievement. If the 2026 shortlists are any indication, the Jazz FM Awards will once again offer a snapshot of a scene that refuses to stand still – rooted in history, open to collaboration and continually finding new ways to be heard.
Last modified: February 26, 2026
