Pianist Emile Hinton announced as winner of Musicians’ Company Tina May Young Jazz Musician Award

Music charity, The Musicians’ Company, has announced the recipient of this year’s Musicians’ Company Tina May Young Jazz Musician Award, with pianist Emile Hinton being voted the winner. The competition nominations for the final were made by many of the UK’s leading jazz musicians, music conservatoires and universities and the Company’s Jazz Committee selected six of these to perform during Sunday’s final at Pizza Express Soho Jazz Club.

The finalists consisted of Emile Hinton (piano), Mathew Holmes (drums), Chris Adsett (saxophone), Dan Lockheart (Saxophone), James Wade-Sired (trombone) and Menelik Claffey (double bass). With the help of the audience’s vote, the winner was selected for the award at the end of the evening and the Master of The Musicians Company, Jeff Kelly, presented Emile Hinton with the winner’s medal. He will also receive a £1,000 prize and a further £600 for the chance to perform with his band as part of the Company’s jazz programme during the coming year.

The award was renamed in memory of the late Tina May, one of the UK’s most revered jazz vocalists, who passed away in 2022 and was the first winner of the Young Jazz Musician in 1992. Emile Hinton is an emerging jazz pianist and composer now in his final year at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire. He’s studied with leading musicians on the UK scene including Tony Kofi, Steve Williamson, Byron Wallen, Elliot Galvin and Bruno Heinen. Other important mentors include Julian Joseph and Orphy Robinson. He has played extensively in venues in London and around the UK, most notably at Ronnie Scott’s with The National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

For more info visit wcom.org.uk