Kellylee Evans Wins 2011 JUNO Award

Kellylee Evans has won Canada’s 2011 Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. The album, entitled Nina (Plus Loin Music), is a tribute to jazz great Nina Simone. Other nominees for the 2011 award included Emilie-Claire Barlow, Nikki Yanofsky, Laila Biali and the late Jeff Healey. This was the Ottawa-based singer-songwriter’s second Juno Award nomination and first win.

“It was an honour to be nominated alongside such talented artists,” said Evans. “And I am extremely grateful to have won the award with an album that pays tribute to Nina Simone.”

Evans recorded Nina in France in November, 2009. French label Plus Loin Music had invited Evans to spend two days in their studio. Shortly after its release, Nina reached the top of the iTunes Jazz charts. The album received critical acclaim and soon Evans was earning accolades for her charismatic performances as she toured the album. In February 2011, Evans was nominated for 2011 Juno Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. She is at work planning her follow-up release slated for 2012.

Evans, who in 2010 also released an alt-soul album of originals titled The Good Girl, was a 2007Juno and Gemini nominee and was awarded second place in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocals Competition in 2004 by judges Quincy Jones and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Evans has toured North America and France opening for such luminaries as Tony Bennett, George Benson, Maceo Parker, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Chris Botti and Derek Trucks.

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2011 JUNO Nominees for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year with Video

Emilie-Claire Barlow – The Beat Goes On

Jeff Healey – Last Call

Kellylee Evans – Nina

Laila Biali – Tracing Light

Nikki Yanofsky – Nikki

2011 JUNO Nominees in the Jazz, Blues and World Music Categories

The list of 2011 JUNO nominees has been announced. Included in the nominees are several 2010 Wreckhouse International Jazz and Blues Festival performers. Kellylee Evans has been nominated for her album ‘Nina’ as has Owen Howard for ‘Drum Lore’. Creaking Tree String Quartet is also nominated in the Roots and Traditional Album of the year.

Below are the nominees in the categories of Jazz, Blues and World Music.

VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CRYSTAL SENSATIONS)

• Emilie-Claire Barlow – The Beat Goes On
• Jeff Healey – Last Call
• Kellylee Evans – Nina (Winner)
• Laila Biali – Tracing Light
• Nikki Yanofsky – Nikki

Click here to watch video of the nominees for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY WORLD VISION ARTIST ASSOCIATES)

• Adrean Farrugia – Ricochet
• Chet Doxas – Big Sky
• Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra – Treelines (Winner)
• Kelly Jefferson Quartet – Next Exit
• Matt Herskowitz -Jerusalem Trilogy

Click here to watch videos of the nominees for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year

TRADITIONAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Earl MacDonald – Re: Visions, Works for Jazz Orchestra
• Félix Stüssi 5 & Ray Anderson – Hieronymus
• John MacLeod’s Rex Hotel Orchestra – Our First Set (Winner)
• Kirk MacDonald Quartet – Songbook Vol.2
• Owen Howard – Drum Lore

Click here to watch video of the nominees for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year

BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• FATHEAD – Where’s The Blues Taking Me
• Harry Manx – Bread And Buddha
• Jim Byrnes – Everywhere West (Winner)
• The Johnny Max Band – It’s A Long Road
• The Sojourners – The Sojourners

Click here to watch video of this years Blues album of the year nominees

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS)

• Élage Diouf – Aksil (Winner)
• Jesse Cook – The Rumba Foundation
• Mighty Popo – Gakondo
• Pacifika – Supermagique
• Roberto López Project – Soy Panamericano

Click here to watch video of this years World Music Nominees

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JUNO Category of Vocal Jazz Album of the Year 2010.

The five nominees for the category of Vocal Jazz Album of the Year are  Carol Welsman, Diana Krall, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Michael Kaeshammer and Ranee Lee. Below is a brief bio of each artist and an example of their nominated album.

Carol Welsman – I Like Men

This is the fifth JUNO nomination for Carol. Previous nominations were in the categories, Best Female Jazz Vocalist (1996 & 2000), Best Contemporary Jazz Album (1998) and Best Vocal Jazz Album ( 2004). She has received numerous other accolades and performed across the globe with jazz greats such as Herbie Hancock.

Diana Krall – Quiet Nights

Diana Krall is nominated in Three JUNO categories in 2010 (Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Vocal Jazz Album of the Year). The JUNO and Grammy award winner has cemented her reputation worldwide as one of the premiere Jazz artists performing today. Quiet Nights is the Nanaimo natives 12th album.

Emilie-Claire Barlow – Haven’t We Met

‘Haven’t We Met’ is Emilie-Clare Barlow’s seventh album. This is not the first JUNO nomination for Toronto born Emilie,  she was nominated in 2001 and 2008 in this category. Emilie is also an accomplished voice actor, providing the voices on several popular children’s animation shows.

Michael Kaeshammer – Lovelight

This will be Michael’s fourth JUNO nomination with his last nomination coming in 2007. ‘Lovelight’ is  Kaeshammers sixth album, his first ‘Blue Keys’ being released in 1996. German born Kaeshammer who is now based in Toronto, is well known for his engaging and lively stage shows.

Ranee Lee – Ranee Lee Lives Upstairs

Ranee Lee was awarded honor of The Order of Canada as a member in 2006 for her contributions to music in her long and distinguished career. Ranee has also won awards for her acting and is an accomplished writer of children’s books. This is Ranee fifth JUNO nomination.