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The Golden Ear Awards 2017

Award recipients (bottom row) D’Vonne Lewis, Dawn Clement, Patty Padden, Greg Ruby
(top row) Kenny Mandell, Skerik, Marina Christopher, Erik Hanson, Evan Woodle, Haley Freedlund. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame

Patty Padden
Skerik

NW Recording of the Year

Greg Ruby and the Rhythm Runners, Syncopated Classic

NW Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year

Pearl Django

Alternative Jazz Group of the Year

Rik Wright’s Fundamental Forces

NW Concert of the Year

Industrial Revelation Plays Björk, The Neptune, December 20

NW Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year

Dawn Clement, pianist

Emerging Artist of the Year

Marina Christopher

NW Vocalist of the Year

LaVon Hardison

Special Awards

Racer Sessions at Café Racer

Kenny Mandell at Couth Buzzard

Erik Hanson at Jazz Night School

In recognition of their dedication to the enrichment of the Seattle jazz community

Past Winners

2019201820172016 2015 20142013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • Hall of Fame


The 2017 Golden Ear Awards, celebrating the contributions and achievements in Seattle jazz, were presented at The Royal Room on April 2, 2018. The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (Delvon Lamarr on Hammond B3 organ, Jimmy James on guitar, David McGraw on drums) opened the evening, and jazz radio broadcaster Jim Wilke emceed the award ceremony.

Each year, the Golden Ear awards give jazz fans an opportunity to vote for the outstanding musicians, community members and events of the previous year. A call for nominations goes out in January, with a public ballot then distributed by the Earshot Jazz website and publication.

We congratulate all the nominees in this annual look at the region’s vibrant jazz ecology, and thank you, Golden Ear voters, for your participation in recognizing and celebrating all of the incredible talent in the Northwest.

Industrial Revelation founder and drummer D’Vonne Lewis accepts the award for Concert of the Year from Board member Ruby Love. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

“If I could cut this out and pass it to all the nominees I would,” said Dawn Clement as she accepted the award for Instrumentalist of the Year. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Greg Ruby of Greg Ruby and the Rhythm Runners accepts the award for Northwest Recording of the Year. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Bassist and Vocalist Marina Christopher accepts the award for Emerging Artist of the Year. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Haley Freedlund accepts a special award on behalf of Racer Sessions at Café Racer. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Kenny Mandell accepts a special award for his work with Couth Buzzard. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Skerik accepts his award for Jazz Hall of Fame after a moving induction speech by Wayne Horvitz. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Erik Hanson accepting a special award for his work with Jazz Night School. Photo by Daniel Sheehan.

Jazz drummer Patty Padden on being inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame by Jim Wilke, “This is a pleasant surprise. Sometimes surprises aren’t so pleasant.” Photo by Daniel Sheehan.


About the Golden Ear Awards

Earshot Jazz initiated the Golden Ear Awards in 1990 to recognize the accomplishments of Seattle jazz artists over the previous year, and to induct significant members of the jazz community into the local Jazz Hall of Fame. Over the years, the award categories have shifted slighty, but the essence of the process has remained the same.

Have someone you’d like to nominate for the next Golden Ear Awards?

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