Nominations Announced for the 2012 Australian Jazz Bell Awards

The 2012 Australian Jazz Bell Awards are pleased to announce this year’s nominations with winners to be announced at a glittering ceremony, hosted by Tracey Curro, at the beautiful Regent Theatre Ballroom on Thursday 3 May.

Jazz fans can expect a truly unique experience on the night with the presentation of 8 award categories, live performances and a special presentation to the winner of this year’s Graeme Bell Hall of Fame inductee.

Featuring some of the brightest talent in the Australian Jazz Scene, the nominees for 2012 Australian Jazz Bell Awards are:

In the category of Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album the final nominees are:

- Briana Cowlishaw, When Fiction Comes to Life
- Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove
Mothership Orchestra
- Lisa Young Quartet, The Eternal Pulse

In the NEW Category of Most Original Australian Jazz Album the final nominees are:

- Chiri, The Return of Spring
- Peter Knight, Fish Boast of Fishing
- Sandy Evans Sextet, When the Sky Cries Rainbows

In the category of Best Australian Contemporary Jazz Album, the final nominees are:

- Allan Browne, Marc Hannaford, Sam Anning, Shreveport Stomp
- Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove
Mothership Orchestra
- Nick Haywood Quartet, 1234

In the category of Best Australian Traditional Jazz Album the final nominees are:

- Allan Browne, Collected Works Volume II: Fifty Years of New Orleans Jazz
- Daniel Weltlinger, Souvenirs
- The Syncopaters, Hook Line and Sinker

In the category of Best Australian Jazz Song of the Year the final nominees are:

- Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, Mr Jackson, Kristin Berardi Meets The
Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra
- Daniel Gassin Sextet, Banff Song, Daniel Gassin Sextet
- Luke Howard & Janos Bruneel, Spir, Open Road

In the category of Best Australian Jazz Ensemble the final nominees are:

- Andrea Keller Quartet
- Matt Keegan Trio
- Sandy Evans Sextet

In the category of Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year the final nominees are:

- Alex Boneham
- Ken Allars
- Sarah McKenzie

The winner of the Graeme Bell Hall of Fame – in recognition of an outstanding career – will be announced on the night.

The coveted Australian Jazz Bell Awards - better known as ‘The Bells’ – honour one of the greats of Australian jazz – Graeme Bell MBE AO, with the Graeme Bell Hall of Fame award and was established to recognise and encourage excellence in the performance, recording and presentation of jazz in Australia.

Albert Dadon AM, Chairman of the Australian Jazz Awards, says: ‘This year’s Jazz Bell Awards has introduced a new award category to ensure that the full variety of Jazz artists in Australia can be recognised.’’

The annual awards are a great opportunity for all artists to be recognised in the vibrant Australian Jazz scene for achievements across all categories of jazz.

INFO: www.bellawards.org