Jazz breaking news: Reuben Fowler wins Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Trumpeter and composer Reuben Fowler (pictured) has scooped this year’s prestigious Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize, awarded by Edition Records and the Royal Academy of Music for excellence in both performance and composition.
He was selected from the latest batch of Royal Academy jazz graduates by a formidable panel made up of Edition Records boss Dave Stapleton, academician Nick Smart, and saxophonist Evan Parker, who praised the rising star’s "extraordinary combination of abilities that are entirely appropriate for this prize in Kenny’s name: great composer, masterful orchestration, commanding soloist."
Fowler began his jazz career at 15 with the Doncaster Jazz Association, moving on to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and has since played with the likes of Stan Sulzmann, Jim Hart, the Gareth Lockrane Big Band and Troyk-estra (in which he wowed the audience at Jazzwise’s 15th birthday bash at Ronnie Scott's in March this year). He will now start work on his debut album, to be released by Edition in 2013.
– Orlando Bird