jazz-news
Yazz Ahmed, Knats and Heidi Vogel Among Winners at 2026 Parliamentary Jazz Awards
The 2026 All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards were presented in London on Oct. 13. Winners include Yazz Ahmed, Heidi Vogel, Knats and Iain Ballamy, along with the first recipient of a new award for music hubs and school music services.
Trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, vocalist Heidi Vogel and the band Knats were among the winners of the 2026 All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The winners were announced on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at a ceremony at World Heart Beat in London, UK Jazz News and Jazzwise reported.
The awards are organized by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) and supported by the Musicians' Union, the Royal Society of Musicians and UK Music. Jazzwise reported that the shortlists were compiled by a selection panel after an online public vote, with APPJG members choosing the final winners.
The 2026 winners, as published by UK Jazz News and Jazzwise:
Jazz Vocalist of the Year: Heidi Vogel
Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year: Yazz Ahmed
Jazz Album of the Year: Iain Ballamy, Riversphere Vol. 1
Jazz Ensemble of the Year: Knats
Jazz Newcomer of the Year: Olivia Cuttill
Jazz Venue of the Year: SoundCellar (Poole)
The Martin Hummel Endeavour Award: Donovan Haffner
Jazz Media Award: Richard Williams (The Blue Moment)
Musicians' Union Music Hubs and Schools Music Services Award: Hampshire Music Education Hub
Jazz Education Award: Jazz at Leeds Conservatoire
Services to Jazz Award: Jean Toussaint
The Musicians' Union Music Hubs and Schools Music Services Award was introduced this year, with assistance from Music Mark and SoundStorm, according to UK Jazz News.
"These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and energies of the great musicians, educators, promoters, record labels, jazz organisations, blogs, jazz magazines and journalists who help keep jazz flourishing," said Dame Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the APPJG, as quoted by Jazzwise.
Four special APPJG awards marked contributions to the UK scene that have continued for fifty years. They went to the 606 Club; musicians Alison Rayner and Deirdre Cartwright; Geoff Wright, for his work with Derby Jazz, EMJazz (East Midlands Jazz) and Jazz Services; and Birmingham Jazz, in recognition of its 50 years.
According to UK Jazz News, Chris Hodgkins served as MC for the evening. Speakers and presenters included representatives of Leeds Jazz, UK Music, World Heart Beat, the Royal Society of Musicians, the Musicians' Union, Music Mark, PPL and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, along with parliamentarians Neil Duncan-Jordan MP, Lord Mann and Chi Onwurah MP. The house band included pianist Andrea Vicari, bassist Alison Rayner, trumpeter Henry Lowther and drummer Wilf Cameron Marples, according to both publications.
Media award winner Richard Williams, who writes the music blog The Blue Moment, posted on X on Oct. 14 that he was "honoured" to be among this year's recipients. UK Music also congratulated the winners in a post on X.