Jazz FM Awards 2025 - Winners Announced.

Monday, April 28, 2025

The 2025 Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music took place at KOKO, London on April 24th 2025. Winners included Ezra Collective, corto.alto, Alice Zawadzki, Jalen Ngonda, Lakecia Benjamin and more.

We have received the following press release;

Jazz FM Awards 2025

Global Jazz Talent Honoured At Star-Studded London Ceremony

Jamie Cullum, Melody Gardot and Billy Cobham honoured with special recognition awards

Winners include Ezra Collective, corto.alto, Alice Zawadzki, Jalen Ngonda, Lakecia Benjamin and more

London, April 25th 2025 – The 2025 Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music took place at KOKO in London yesterday evening, celebrating the very best in jazz, soul, and blues. Introduced by Gregory Porter and hosted by musician, actor and comedian Ben Bailey Smith (AKA Doc Brown), the ceremony offered a powerful reminder of the richness, diversity and ongoing evolution of jazz, and shined a spotlight on both heritage and innovation across the musical landscape.

One of the evening’s standout winners was corto.alto, the genre-blurring Scottish ensemble led by trombonist Liam Shortall, who took home two awards: UK Jazz Act of the Year and The Innovation Award. Ezra Collective cemented their position at the forefront of the UK’s vibrant jazz scene by winning the coveted Album of the Year for their acclaimed release Dance, No One’s Watching, and New York-based saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin was named International Jazz Act of the Year.

Ezra Collective:
“It’s such an honour to receive this recognition and to be welcomed by the jazz community. It means the absolute most. Thank you so, so much.”

The award for Breakthrough Act of the Year went to Ni Maxine, Alice Zawadzki was named Vocalist of the Year, while Mark Kavuma earned Instrumentalist of the Year. Jalen Ngonda won Soul Act of the Year, and powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland was honoured as Blues Act of the Year for her continued innovation in the genre. The Collaboration Award went to Women in Jazz, recognising their collective efforts to champion and support underrepresented talent across the scene.

The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Billy Cobham, the legendary drummer and jazz fusion pioneer whose career has spanned nearly six decades. Cobham, widely regarded as one of the great drummers of modern times, joins the ranks of previous Lifetime recipients such as Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett and Dame Cleo Laine.

Billy Cobham:
“It’s been a long, long journey – almost 60 years – and so I’m deeply honoured that I have been recognised in any way, shape or form for my contributions to the musical fabric of the jazz community”.

The evening also saw special recognition awards for Jamie Cullum, who was presented with the Impact Award for his influence on the genre and contribution to music broadcasting, while Melody Gardot was presented with the Gold Award, to recognise her artistry and global acclaim.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Jazz FM Awards 2025 with PPL and PRS for Music

Lifetime Achievement Award
Billy Cobham

Impact Award
Sponsored by: Raymond Weil Genève
Jamie Cullum

Gold Award
Melody Gardot

UK Jazz Act of the Year – PUBLIC VOTE
Sponsored by: Rathbones
corto.alto

Album of the Year – PUBLIC VOTE
Sponsored by: Rayo
Ezra Collective - Dance, No One’s Watching

Breakthrough Act of the Year
Sponsored by: Arts Council England
Ni Maxine

International Jazz Act of the Year
Sponsored by: Saint Lucia Tourism Authority
Lakecia Benjamin

Vocalist of the Year
Sponsored by: Sounds from Spain by ICEX
Alice Zawadzki

Instrumentalist of the Year
Sponsored by: Yamaha UK
Mark Kavuma

Soul Act of the Year
Sponsored by: Oanda
Jalen Ngonda

Blues Act of the Year
Shemekia Copeland

The Innovation Award
Sponsored by: Mishcon de Reya
corto.alto

The Collaboration Award
Sponsored by: Cash For Kids
Women in Jazz