The German Jazz Prize 2025 will be awarded in 22 categories. The prize winners will be announce during the award ceremony on April 25, 2026 in Bremen. Below you will find an overview of all nominees for the German Jazz Prize 2026.
The nominees and award winners of previous editions can be found here.
ARTISTS
1
Vocal
Almut Kühne
Christina Wheeler
Theo Bleckmann
Zuza Jasinska
2
Woodwinds
Camila Nebbia
Peter Ehwald
Regis Molina
Tobias Delius
3
Brass Instruments
Carina Khorkhordina
Lina Allemano
Matthias Lindermayr
Sebastian Studnitzky
4
Piano/Keyboard Instruments
Masako Ohta
Olga Reznichenko
Svetlana Marinchenko
Szabolcs Bognár (Àbáse)
5
String Instruments
Emily Wittbrodt
Maria Reich
Robert Lucaciu
Roman Klobe
6
Drums/Percussion
Evi Filippou
Ludwig Wandinger
Lukas Akintaya (Adeolu)
Mariá Portugal
7
Artist of the Year
In this award category, one artist will be selected from the nominees in the national award categories 1–6, 8, 11–13, 17 and 19. For group projects, the bandleader is taken into account. In addition, each expert jury can propose an artist for this award category who has not already been nominated.
Rebekka Salomea (SALOMEA)
8
Large Ensemble of the Year
Fabia Mantwill Orchestra
Gellért Szabó’s Ideal Orchestra
Luise Volkmann & Été Large
MEMENTO ODESA
9
Artist of the Year International
In the category Artist of the Year International, one international artist will be selected from the nominees in the international award categories 14–15 and 18. In addition, each expert jury can propose an artist for this award category who has not already been nominated.
Sullivan Fortner
10
Large Ensemble of the Year International
Maria Faust Sacrum Facere
Martin Streule Orchestra
Metropole Orkest
Webber/Morris Big Band
RECORDING/
PRODUCTION
11
Album of the Year
A Reflection Distorts Over Water – Camila Nebbia ft. Marilyn Crispell & Lesley Mok
IN.SIGHT – Fabia Mantwill Orchestra
Bring A Friend – Phil Donkin
Start/Stop – Tobias Hoffmann Trio
12
Debut Album of the Year
Zen Garden – Max Treutner
MYT – Moses Yoofee Trio
Causes Of Imagination – Shogo Seifert’s RAUKE
Untold Stories – YÆLLEE
13
Broadcast Production of the Year
Beata Viscera – Daniel García Trio & NDR Vokalensemble
Jonas Sorgenfrei Quintet Live
The Stories We Tell – Luise Volkmann & Été Large
Enso: On the withered tree a flower blooms – Stefan Schönegg
14
Album of the Year International
Gadabout Season – Brandee Younger
Nilam – ganavya
My Life Matters – Johnathan Blake
Angel Falls – Sylvie Courvoisier & Wadada Leo Smith
15
Debut Album of the Year International
Foureign Language – Maurice Storrer
Bringer of Light – Omrum
City Suite – Rin Seo Collective
Invisible Worker – yonglee & the DOLTANG
LIVE
16
Festival of the Year
54. moers festival
62. jazzwerkstatt Peitz
A-Minor Festival
Jazzfest Berlin
17
Live Act of the Year
ENEMY
Filippou & Lucaciu
Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq
hilde
18
Live Act of the Year International
Johnathan Blake
Kris Davis Trio
Sullivan Fortner
Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith Duo
COMPOSITION/
ARRANGEMENT
19
Composition/Arrangement of the Year
Square Root of a Dream – Anne Mette Iversen
Das Summen meiner Teile – Max Andrzejewski
We Spin Dizzily – Sebastian Gramss
For Alice – Sophia Göken
SPECIAL-
PRIZES
20
Journalistic Achievement
“Being Hipp – First Lady of European Jazz” – Anna Schmidt
“Radikale Vielfalt: Das Trickster Orchestra” – Babette Michel
“Folge 8: Make Jazz im Pott great again – mit Matthias Spruch” – Christin Latniak, Nadia Aboulwafi
“Musik, die denkt und sich widerspricht – Lesley Mok im Porträt” – Sophie Emilie Beha
21
Lifetime Achievement
There are no nominees in this award category. The main jury selects an award winner directly on the basis of the proposals previously submitted by the expert and main jury.
Aki Takase
22
Music Mediation
Groove Inclusion
Jazz Girls Days
Offene Jazz Haus Schule
YOUNG JAZZ 2025 (Ingolstädter Jazztage)