Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
In Memoriam: John Hammond Jr., 1942–2026
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
The London International Jazz Competition (LIJC) for vocalists will take place from March 18 – 26, hitting some of the city’s premier jazz venues along the way.
Twelve finalists have been selected from 107 entries from 25 countries. Sitting in judgement are well-known vocalists, including Ian Shaw, Lee Gibson, Tina May, Ursula Malewski and Pete Churchill, the executive director of the competition. Others on the panel include Adam Sieff, a jazz consultant with Sony BMG Music International, Dune Records and DDE Records. Humphrey Lyttelton, a bandleader, musician, and broadcaster will also be involved in the competition.
Six finalists will perform for the LIJC award at Chelsea’s Cadogan Hall, one of London’s most prestigious concert venues. The concert will be presented by saxophonist Alan Barnes and recorded for broadcasting.
The winner will not only receive the LIJC Jazz Vocalist 2006 award, but also a cash prize and future engagements to be held on March 23 and 26. An additional prize, The Gibson May Award, will be presented for the Most Impressive Performance of an individual song by either a semi-finalist or finalist. The winner will be able to open up the shows for the winner.
Hammond came to the blues through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
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