April 30th is an important day in the jazz calendar, marking International Jazz Day, as well as the annual Jazz FM Awards. In it’s sixth year, the Jazz FM Awards recognise the best of international and home-grown talent in jazz, soul and blues, and this year Tomorrow’s Warriors were nominated for the Innovation Award.
Although we did not win the award in the end (it went to some of our TW family), our alumni cleaned up on the night, taking home 6 of the possible 8 awards in the jazz categories.
“The loudest cheer of the night by a country mile was reserved for Janine Irons and Gary Crosby, the couple behind Tomorrow’s Warriors, the development agency, producer, music educator and consultancy which – for almost three decades – has helped nurture aspiring young jazz artists in their early careers.” Peter Quinn, Arts Desk
Here’s a full list of all the Warriors who went home with an award (or two), and many more were nominated:
Nubya Garcia – UK Jazz Act of the Year (public vote)
Cassie Kinoshi – Breakthrough Act of the Year
Cherise Adams-Burnette – Vocalist of the Year
Sons of Kemet, Your Queen Is A Reptile – Album of the Year (public vote)
Steam Down – Live Experience of the Year (public vote) & Innovation
Cassie Kinoshi
Cassie Kinoshi (Breakthrough Act of the Year) had this to say about Tomorrow’s Warriors:
“Tomorrow’s Warriors has always been a fundamental part of cultivating the UK’s jazz scene and remains supportive at every stage of your career. For me, it is the foundation of the family spirit found in the London jazz community and I feel extremely lucky to have grown up as a part of it.”
It really does go to show how important Tomorrow’s Warriors is to the UK and the international jazz scene. 63% of the nominees for British jazz categories were Warriors or in bands made up predominantly of Warriors, and 6 of the total 13 awards went to Warriors alumni. They continue to lead the field in jazz, and we’re so proud of them all. Big up the Warriors!
TOMORROW'S WARRIORS 