Dixon Nacey and Jake Baxendale take out this year's Tuis.

Dixon Nacey

Today, on RNZ’s Music 101 show it was announced - the winners of the Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist and the APRA Best Jazz Composition.

Dixon Nacey won the Best Jazz Artist Tui for his 2019 album The Edge of Chaos and Jake Baxendale took out the the APRA Best Jazz Composition award for piece called ‘Tui’. Normally these awards are presented during the Wellington Jazz Festival. 

However, as the festival have been postponed until November due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the winners were announced by presenter Charlotte Ryan live on Radio New Zealand’s Music 101.

Dixon Nacey’s 2019 album 'The Edge of Chaos' features a raft of talent including himself on guitar, jazz stalwarts Roger Manins (saxophone), Kevin Field (piano), Olivier Holland (bass) and outstanding drummer Andy Keegan pumping in their magic across a truly memorable seven track album.

APRA Best Jazz Composition- Jake Baxendale is no stranger to the Jazz Awards, and is well known around the traps. As a saxophonist and composer for hire, those who frequently attend jazz gigs will know his name as a member of two ensembles – Antipodes, and The Jac. And he’s been a finalist in both categories multiple times. In 2020 he’s recognised for his composition ‘Tui’, a track from the Jac’s new album ‘The Gathering’, released this week. It’s a bold, seductive, rhythmic work for the luminary 8-piece ensemble, which in this case includes Matthew Allison on trombone, Shaun Anderson on drums, Alexis French on trumpet, RNZ’s Nick Tipping on bass, Chris Buckland on sax, Daniel Millward on piano, Callum Allardice playing guitar, and Jake Baxendale, himself on saxophones.

Recorded Music CEO Damian Vaughan says: “Every year, the calibre of our finalists for Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa continues to impress. Safe to say, this year’s winner Dixon has paved an impressive career so far and I’m excited to see what he tackles next.”

APRA AMCOS Head of New Zealand Operations Ant Healey says: “The incredible craft and imagination on display in this year’s finalists and winners is continued testament to the quiet hard work of the composers and musicians in our jazz community. The range, expansive vision, and joyful expression in Jake Baxendale’s composition deserves to be celebrated.”

Wellington Jazz Festival Creative Director Marnie Karmelita said: “Congratulations to all the nominees for this year’s awards and in particular the winners Dixon Nacey and Jake Baxendale. “We are devastated that the impact of Covid-19 necessitated the postponement of the 2020 Wellington Jazz Festival to November but we know how important an event it is for our local musicians and our music and hospitality venues. We can’t wait to come together again to experience and celebrate our incredible Aotearoa-New Zealand jazz musicians and composers.”

Other finalists for the Recorded Music NZ Best Jazz Artist were ALCHEMY, and Michal Martyniuk, while Callum Allardice and Myele Manzanza were the finalists for the APRA Best Jazz Composition award.