ECHO Jazz 2015 in Hamburg
It was a smooth show last night at the Blohm & Voss shipyards in Hamburg. The ECHO Jazz Awards 2015 were hosted by Gregory Porter (who also won one trophy and performed “Liquid Spirit” and “Brown Grass”) and Roger Cicero. Entertaining, no awkward lenghts, very good live performances, and short acceptance speeches from all winners involved.
Other than Gregory, live performances included a majestically beautiful saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis on “Stardust”, a nice rendition of Stacey Kent‘s “The Changing Lights”, Klaus Doldinger with his current Passport, an impromptu improvisation by Michael Wollny and Vincent Peirani, and a grooving piece by Nils Wülker featuring Niels Klein at the end of the ceremony.
At the aftershow party where almost all artists showed up, some of the conversations were already directed into the future, the next show (this had been the sixth so far) and hopes for additional categories, like a producer of the year, or arranger of the year category.
Siggi Loch received a special award for his Young German Jazz series on his own ACT label which is now in its 10th year and has opened up the careers of many artists. Congratulations to all winners.
