The Académie du jazz (English: Jazz Academy) is a non-profit French association created in 1954, which annually awards the best artists and the best musical productions in the world of jazz. The founding president was violinist André Hodeir followed by journalist Maurice Cullaz, radio producer Claude Carrière, and currently François Lacharme. Honorary presidents have included novelist

Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the s ...

, composers

Georges Auric Georges Auric (; 15 February 1899 – 23 July 1983) was a French composer, born in Lodève, Hérault, France. He was considered one of ''Les Six'', a group of artists informally associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie. Before he turned 20 he ...

and

Henri Sauguet Henri-Pierre Sauguet-Poupard (18 May 1901 – 22 June 1989) was a French composer. Born in Bordeaux, he adopted his mother's maiden name as part of his professional pseudonym. His output includes operas, ballets, four symphonies (1945, 1949 ...

, music critic

Charles Delaunay Charles Delaunay (18 January 1911 – 16 February 1988) was a French author, jazz expert, co-founder and long-term leader of the Hot Club de France. Biography Born in Vineuil-Saint-Firmin, Oise, the son of painters Robert Delaunay and Sonia D ...

, violinist

Stéphane Grappelli Stéphane Grappelli (; 26 January 1908 – 1 December 1997, born Stefano Grappelli) was a French jazz violinist. He is best known as a founder of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the fi ...

, pianist

Martial Solal Martial Solal (born August 23, 1927) is a French jazz pianist and composer. Biography Solal was born in Algiers, French Algeria, to Algerian Jewish parents. He was persuaded to study clarinet, saxophone, and piano by his mother, who was an oper ...

and Frédéric Charbaut, co-founder of the Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Award categories

The Oscar Prize awarded from 1954 to 1975 for best jazz album of the year. Prix Django Reinhardt * Prize awarded since 1955 for the

French jazz Jazz music has been popular in France since the 1920s. Its international popularity peaked in the 1930s, and it has been continually enjoyed since. History Following World War I, a number of American expatriates settled in Paris and began to bu ...

musician of the year. It is named after French musician

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...

. Prix Sidney Bechet * Prize awarded between 1969 and 2002 for the best French jazz musician in traditional style. It was named after jazz musician

Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Armstrong. His erratic tempe ...

. Grand Prix de l'Académie du jazz * Prize awarded since 1972 for the best jazz album of the year. Prix Boris Vian or Prix du Disque Français * Prize awarded for the best jazz album of the year by a French musician. It is originally named after French writer Boris Vian in 1972. In 2004, it was replaced by the Prix du Disque Français. Prix Bill Coleman or Prix du Jazz Classique * Prize awarded for the best

classical jazz 20th-century classical music describes art music that was written nominally from 1901 to 2000, inclusive. Musical style diverged during the 20th century as it never had previously. So this century was without a dominant style. Modernism, impressio ...

album from 1973 to 1988. It was originally called the Prix du meilleur disque de Jazz Classique. It was renamed after American jazz trumpeter Bill Coleman in 1980, and is now known as Prix du Jazz Classique. Prix Fats Waller or Prix de la Meilleure Réédition ou du Meilleur Inédit * Prize awarded since 1993 for the best reissue or new release of previously unpublished jazz recordings. It was originally named after American jazz pianist Fats Waller from 1958 to 1992. In 1993 and 1994, it was awarded the productions of the classical and traditional jazz. From 2000 to 2006, it was named Prix Maurice Cullaz after French jazz critic Maurice Cullaz. Prix Billie Holiday or Prix du Jazz Vocal * Prize awarded since 1973 for the best vocal jazz album. It was originally named after American jazz singer

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

until 2004. Prix Mahalia Jackson * Prize awarded for the best gospel album from 1972 to 2002. It was named after American gospel singer

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to ...

. Prix Big Bill Broonzy or Prix Blues * Prize awarded since 1967 for the best blues album. It was originally named after American blues musician

Big Bill Broonzy Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African American audiences. In the 1930s ...

until 2004. Prix Otis Redding or Prix Soul * Prize awarded since 1967 for the best R&B/Soul album. It was originally named after American soul singer

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

until 2004. Prix Bobby Jaspar or Prix du Musicien Européen * Prize awarded for best European jazz musician. It was originally named after Belgian saxophonist

Bobby Jasper Bobby Jaspar (20 February 1926 – 28 February 1963) was a Belgian cool jazz and hard bop saxophonist, flautist and composer. Early life Born in Liège, Belgium, Jaspar learned to play piano and clarinet at a young age. Later, he took up the ...

. Prix Charles Delaunay or Prix du Livre de Jazz * Prize awarded since 1985 for the best jazz book. It was originally called Le Prix du Livre de Jazz. It was renamed after French jazz critic Charles Delaunay from 1988 to 2004. In Memoriam * Prize previously awarded for posthumous releases.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Academie du Jazz Jazz organizations 1955 establishments in France Music organizations based in France