The ECHO Jazz 2017 Award nominations have been announced by the German Recording Academy, and among the nominees are Nonesuch Records releases from Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Brad Mehldau Trio, and Pat Metheny.

Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau are nominated for International Ensemble of the Year for their debut duo album, Nearness, with Redman up for International Saxophone Instrumentalist of the Year and Mehldau up for International Piano Instrumentalist of the Year for the same. "Both are extraordinary, scintillating improvisers bursting with energy," exclaims BBC Music Magazine, "yet they have great ears for one another." Brad Mehldau Trio drummer Jeff Ballard is nominated for International Drums Instrumentalist of the Year for the Trio's latest album, Blues and Ballads, which MOJO calls "spellbinding ... sublime stuff."

Antonio Sánchez is also up for the ECHO Jazz Award for International Drums Instrumentalist of the Year, for the Pat Metheny Unity Group album The Unity Sessions, which the Times of London calls "brilliant." Another Metheny collaborator, longtime Pat Metheny Group trumpeter Cuong Vu, is nominated for International Brass Instrumentalist of the Year for the album Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny, which "is a complete success," exclaims All About Jazz.

This year's ECHO Jazz Awards ceremony, broadcast on NDR, will take place at Blohm + Voss in Hamburg on June 1, 2017. For additional details and the complete list of nominees, visit echojazz.de.