The Winners Of 5th Annual BBC Radio Jazz Awards

LONDON, UK (BBC Radio 2) - BBC Radios 2 and 3 came together to present the fifth annual BBC Jazz Awards at The Mermaid Theatre in London.

Hosted by writer and authority on music Paul Gamabaccini, it was an impressive event celebrating the spectrum of the jazz genre.

The ceremony featured award presentations by Michael Parkinson, Mica Paris, John Dankworth, Stan Tracey and Chris Barber to name but a few.

Other jazz-loving celebrities attended to watch performances by a host of jazz stars old and new.

Saturday night's awards opened with a routine by the Jazzcotech Dancers followed by this year's BBC Jazz Awards big band led by Britain's premiere trumpeter, Guy Barker.

Acoustic Ladyland, who have captured the attention of the jazz world, were the first to receive an award given by Julian Joseph for Best Band.

There were two winners who unfortunately could not be present on the night so a film clip was shown of Gwilym Simcock being presented his Rising Star Award by the legendary Stan Tracey.

The Artist of the Year Award, one of four awards voted by the public, was given to multi-platinum selling artist Jamie Cullum.

A special award introduced this year was The Gold Award which Chris Barber presented to Acker Bilk.

The event climaxed with a performance by the internationally renowned Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, who was handed his Lifetime Achievement Award by jazz lover Michael Parkinson.

For the first time there will be a BBC Jazz Awards CD which will include music from the nominated artists of 2005.

The award presenters and winners were:

Best Band
Acoustic Ladyland

Jazz On 3 Innovation
Huw Warren

Rising Star
Gwilym Simcock

Best Instrumentalist
Peter King

Best Vocalist
Liane Carroll

Radio 3 Jazz Line-up Album
Tony Kofi

Radio 2 Jazz Artist of the Year
Jamie Cullum

Best of Jazz Award
Liane Carroll

Gold Award
Acker Bilk

Services to Jazz
John Cumming

Lifetime Achievement
Oscar Peterson