Xhosa Cole and Lara Jones among Peter Whittingham Award Winners

The 2020 Peter Whittingham Award winners have been announced and include BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year (2018) saxophonist Xhosa Cole. He receives a £5,000 prize to compose six new duets for saxophone and a variety of master percussionists from around the world. Other winners include fearless saxophonist/soundscaper Lara Jones who also receives £5,000 which will go towards completing her new album, Flow, which explores the concepts of “interruptions, challenging ideas of silence, inner voices, sexism and technological singularity” – Jones will also be mentored in music production techniques by Leeds-based guitarist/tech innovator/producer Chris Sharkey.

Two further prize winners are guitarist Liam De Tar and his 5-piece band Yaatri who receive £5,000 to record a 47-minute, 8 track rock/jazz/world LP – while acclaimed Nérija guitarist Shirley Tetteh, has been awarded a development grant of £2,500 to to record a collection of music largely inspired by the work of Cameroonian drummer Brice Wassy with her band Nardeydey, which features drummer Patrick Boyle, and double bassist Rio Kai.

The Peter Whittingham Award has been supporting emerging musical talents for the last 30 years and has supported numerous leading jazz musicians, including Help Musicians Ambassador Soweto Kinch, Errollyn Wallen MBE, Dave O’Higgins, Gwilym Simcock and Roller Trio among many others.

For more info visit www.helpmusicians.org.uk