Jazz FM Awards: Emma Rawicz and Ezra Collective Among Major Winners

The Jazz FM Awards 2026, held on Thursday evening at the iconic KOKO venue in London, delivered one of the most memorable nights in the event’s thirteen-year history. With Sir Van Morrison, Chaka Khan, and Ezra Collective among the headline winners, and Verve Records celebrated in their 70th anniversary year, the ceremony confirmed its place as one of the premier events in the international jazz calendar.

When we covered the nominees back in February, there was plenty to be excited about — and the night itself did not disappoint. Hosted by comedian and rapper Doc Brown, the ceremony brought together leading figures from across jazz, soul and blues for an evening that balanced genuine celebration of the music’s past with an equally clear-eyed recognition of where it is heading.

The most resonant moment of the evening came with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Van Morrison, delivered by Jools Holland. It is an honour that needs little justification — more than six decades of music-making, and a body of work that has drawn as deeply from jazz and blues as from anywhere else. Morrison performed on the night, delivering a special rendition of “Snatch It Back and Hold It” with the Van Morrison Alumni Band, and his acceptance was characteristically direct: “Jazz and blues have always been at the heart of the music I love and the music I make. I’ve been fortunate to spend my life doing what I believe in, and it’s an honour to receive this recognition from Jazz FM.”

The Impact Award went to Chaka Khan, presented by Sarah Jane Morris — a fitting recognition of an artist whose influence across jazz, soul and R&B has been felt for half a century. Ezra Collective received a brand-new award, the Outstanding Contribution to UK Jazz, presented by Courtney Pine. The Mercury Prize-winning London collective have done as much as any group of the past decade to bring new audiences to jazz, and the creation of a specific award to recognise that contribution feels well earned.

The Gold Award of the evening was reserved for Verve Records, celebrating the label’s 70th anniversary. Founded in 1956, Verve’s catalogue represents some of the most important recorded jazz ever made, and the tribute — introduced by author Nick Hornby and accompanied by a congratulatory video message from Jamie Cullum — was warmly received. The award was collected on the night by Fontana Records President Tom Lewis.

Elsewhere across the winners’ list, there were few real surprises and several very deserving outcomes. Fergus McCreadie took Album of the Year via public vote for The Shieling, a richly detailed and deeply personal record that has been turning heads since its release — presented by Katie Melua. Samara Joy claimed International Jazz Act of the Year for the second consecutive year, confirming her position as one of the most talked-about voices in contemporary jazz. Emma Rawicz won UK Jazz Act of the Year — presented by Martin Freeman — and readers of this magazine will know her work well: she featured on the cover of our Spring 2026 edition, and it is gratifying, if not entirely surprising, to see that recognition now reflected on one of the UK’s most prominent jazz stages.

Emma Rawicz | UK Jazz Act of the Year

Emma-Jean Thackray took the Innovation Award, Yazmin Lacey was named Vocalist of the Year, and Joe Webb claimed Instrumentalist of the Year — three wins that together paint a picture of a UK jazz scene in genuinely good health. The Collaboration Award went to the Balimaya Project meets Discos Pacifico All-Stars for Calima, a cross-cultural project that exemplifies the kind of genre-crossing ambition the jazz world does well when it is at its best. Mavis Staples won Blues Act of the Year, Omar took Soul Act of the Year, and Donovan Haffner was named Breakthrough Act of the Year — a name to watch in the months ahead.

Nick Pitts, Content Director of Jazz FM, summed up the mood of the evening well: “There was a real sense of excitement and warmth in the room tonight. This year’s winners reflect the creativity and energy that continue to make jazz one of the most vibrant forms of music in the world.”

Ezra Collective | Outstanding Contribution to UK

It is hard to disagree. The Jazz FM Awards have grown steadily in stature since their inception in 2013, and this year’s ceremony felt like a particularly strong edition — broad in its reach, generous in its recognition of both legacy and new talent, and alive to the fact that jazz in 2026 is a wide and vital thing. Congratulations to all the winners.

Jazz FM Awards 2026 — Full Winners List

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