Congratulations to Cécile McLorin Salvant and Mary Halvorson, who have won the Jazz Journalists Association's 2022 JJA Jazz Awards.

Cécile McLorin Salvant has been named Female Vocalist of the Year. She made her Nonesuch Records debut with the release of her new album, Ghost Song, in March of this year. The New York Times calls it "her most revealing and rewarding album yet." Uncut says she is "one of the most daring and resourceful vocalists in jazz—or any other genre, for that matter." The Arts Desk exclaims: "The treasure trove of marvels that is Ghost Song exceeds all expectations." Nonesuch Store LP and CD orders include an exclusive, limited edition signed artwork by Salvant while they last. Cécile McLorin Salvant will give the album its New York premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater on May 12 and 13.

Mary Halvorson has been named Guitarist of the Year. The Brooklyn-based guitarist, composer, and MacArthur fellow makes her Nonesuch debut with two albums, Amaryllis and Belladonna, due later this month. The two suites, which Halvorson describes as “modular and interlocking,” come in a two-LP vinyl set or as two separate CDs and digital albums, produced and mixed by John Dieterich. Amaryllis is a six-song suite performed by a newly formed sextet of master improvisers; the Mivos string quartet joins for three of the songs, making this the largest ensemble for which Halvorson has written to date. Belladonna is a set of five compositions written for Halvorson on guitar plus the Mivos Quartet, whose parts are through-composed and augmented by Halvorson’s guitar improvisations. Other nominees in this category include Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny. Halvorson was also been nominated for Duo of the Year for her work with pianist Sylvie Courvoisier. Halvorson will perform music from Amaryllis and Belladonna at National Sawdust in Brooklyn on May 18.

Another name familiar to Nonesuch Journal readers, Christian McBride, has been named Bassist of the Year. McBride reunited with his fellow members of the original Joshua Redman Quartet—Redman (saxophone), Brad Mehldau (piano), and Brian Blade (drums)—for the 2020 album RoundAgain, the group’s first recording since 1994’s MoodSwing. The album features seven newly composed songs: three from Redman, two from Mehldau, and one each from McBride and Blade. "A flawless effort," exclaims NPR. "Each one of them is at the very top of his game now." The Quartet recently toured the US with songs from both albums and will return to the road together this fall.

Also nominated this year was Rhiannon Giddens, as Player of the Year of Instruments Rare in Jazz for her banjo performance, including on her Grammy Award–winning album They’re Calling Me Home, and International Anthem , with whom Nonesuch has partnered to release a number of albums including recent works by Jeff Parker, Ben LaMar Gay, and Rob Mazurek, for Record Label of the Year.

Winners were chosen by the votes of the Professional Journalist Members of the Jazz Journalists Association. For more information and to see the complete list of winners and nominees, visit jjajazzawards.org.