Nomination ballots for the 23rd Annual Jazz Journalists Association Awards are in the “mail” (actually, posted at Survey Monkey) and professional Journalist members of the JJA have commenced posting their picks for 2018 awards in 39 categories of jazz music, recording, media and journalism.
Those candidates who are nominated by the most members in each category will become finalists. The finalists ballot will be posted for members’ voting and viewing by the general public in mid-April. Awards winners will be announced online at the JJA Jazz Awards site on Tuesday, May 1.
Local jazz communities in 19 U.S. cities have already made their nominations for 2018 Jazz Heroes — advocates, activists, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant local impact. Jazz Hero honorees will be announced in early April.
The earliest sponsors of the Awards, supporting also the JJA’s Jazz Heroes initiative, have announced themselves: the Jazz Foundation of America, Berklee College of Music, the HSL Properties Tucson Jazz Festival, Motéma Music and Scott Thompson Public Relations. Century Media Partners is also returning with support, in the form of a half-page ad in Billboard, saluting the 36th annual National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters program in the name of the JJA.
