Diana Krall has won two awards in the inaugural German ECHO Jazz awards. The ceremony has 31 categories and will be staged on May 8.
The German Phono Academy, the cultural institution of BVMI, announced the winners, revealing that Krall has won for bestseller of the year for "Quiet Nights" (Verve/Universal) and DVD of the Year for "Live In Rio."
The award ceremony will be held in the Jahrhunderthalle in Bochum. The West German TV station in Cologne will be broadcasting the event at 10.30 pm on May 8.
Other winners include the Tingvall Trio (Skip Records) for national ensemble of the year for their album "Vattensaga"; the Vijay Iyer Trio (Act) for international ensemble of the year" for "Historicity"; and Theo Bleckmann (Winter & Winter) for national male singer of the year.
Curtis Stigers (Concord/Universal) has been honored by the recording Academy as international male singer of the year" for "Lost In Dreams," and Melody Gardot (Decca/Universal) was named international female singer of the year for "My One And Only Thrill."
Celine Rudolph (Enja Records) won the national female category with "Metamorflores."
The full list of winners is available here.
There is a chance to vote on the winners in two categories: the ECHO for the jazz label of the year and for the live act of the year is chosen on www.jazzthing.de.
Academy CEO, Prof. Dieter Gorny said in Berlin: "In view of the musical development of jazz, the BVMI has decided to honor jazz with its own awards gala. Today jazz music is an elementary component of pop music and is enjoying growing popularity. Its status has grown in all age groups."
The ECHO Jazz is awarded by a jury that bases its verdict on both artistic quality and popular success.
"The ECHO Jazz award thus reflects not only the opinion of critics, but recognition by the buyers of music," said Gorny.
By Wolfgang Spahr, Berlin - billboard.biz
