2012 JJA Jazz Awards Winners Announced

The Jazz Journalist Association announced the winners of their annual JJA Jazz Awards during a gala event held at the Blue Note in New York City on Tuesday, June 20.

Sonny Rollins was the big winner, taking home three awards for Musician of the Year, Album of the Year (Road Shows Vol. 2) and he was named tenor saxophonist of the year. Horace Silver, now 84, was given a Lifetime Achievement award in jazz while the lifetime achievement award for jazz journalism was given to author Amiri Baraka.

Other winners in the music categories include:

- Kurt Elling for best male vocalist
- Ben Williams for Up and Coming Artist of the year
- Christian McBride for best bassist
- Bill Frisell for best guitarist

Winners from the journalism categories include

- Marc Myers and JazzWax for best blog
- Herb Snitzer who won the Lona Foote-Bob Parent Award for Photography
- Francis Davis for liner notes of the year (Road Shows Vol. 2)

For a complete list of winners visit the JJA website HERE.