German jazz musicians including trumpet player Till Brönner, pianist Joachim Kühn and singer and guitarist Peter Fessler were honored with ECHO Jazz awards at a gala in Hamburg on Thursday evening, May 22. Stars from the US such as vocalist Gregory Porter and Pat Metheny also received ECHO Jazz trophies.

Further prize-winners include saxophonist Heinz Sauer and pianist Michael Wollny, who have been named German Ensemble of the Year and performed together at the ceremony. The American musician Joshua Redman played last year's ECHO Jazz gala, and this time around, he can chalk up a win in the Best International Saxophonist category. The jury also honored British musician Dave Holland in the category Best International Bass or Bass Guitarist.

Newcomer of the Year went to the German singer, guitarist and big band leader Monika Roscher. She founded the Monika Roscher Bigband in 2010 at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich.

In total, winners in 19 of the 21 categories were announced. Those who will take the honors for Bestseller of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award remain unknown to the public. The ECHO Jazz awards are conferred by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie, a German cultural institution associated with the National Music Industry Association. The organization has handed out the ECHO Music awards annually since 1992 and the ECHO Classic awards since 1994. The ECHO Jazz prizes are the latest addition, having launched in 2010.

jb / gsw / rf (dpa)