Austrian Jazz Award 2026: The Winners are …!
The Austrian Jazz Award Academy, comprising 203 experts, selected a total of 34 nominees from 175 submissions in the categories “Newcomer 2026,” “Album 2026,” and “Live Act 2026.” A five-member jury of music industry experts then selected the three winners, as well as the second- and third-place finalists in each category.
The annual Austrian Jazz Award, an initiative of the Austrian Music Council (ÖMR), mica – music austria, IG World Music, Ö1, and Porgy & Bess, serves as an important platform for raising the profile of and supporting Austria’s vibrant jazz and global music scene, both nationally and internationally.
For 2026, the Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport, the City of Graz, Graz Tourism, Steiermärkische Sparkasse, AKM/austromechana, and JAM MUSIC LAB Private University Vienna have joined as funding partners. Stockwerk Jazz Graz and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) are supporting the award as cooperation partners. The award is accompanied by media partners Ö1, ORF, Kleine Zeitung, and Concerto Magazine.
The Winners of the Austrian Jazz Award 2026
Newcomer 2026: Lorenz Widauer
Jury Statement
The young trumpeter from Salzburg impresses not only with his exceptional and comprehensive command of his instrument as both a performer and improviser, but above all with the stylistic diversity of his various band projects. With his ensemble Chez Fría, he builds bridges to classical music (LP Die Kunst der Fuge), while as a sideman in Yvonne Moriel’s Sweetlife band, he navigates lush dub grooves with remarkable ease. In 2025/26, he released two albums: Until We Meet Again, together with Iranian-born oud player Avin Ahmadi, and Bangers and Ballads, featuring guitarist Philipp Schiepek. His impressive musical range and infectious enthusiasm for performing extend from the stage music of Salzburg’s Jedermann to major Austrian and European ensembles such as ORJAZZTRA VIENNA, Shake Stew, and the Focusyear Band under the direction of Wolfgang Muthspiel.
2nd Place: Elena Schäfer 3rd Place: Avin Ahmadi
Album 2026: Peter Rom – “Wanting Machine II”
Jury Statement
Five years after Wanting Machine (2021), guitarist Peter Rom, together with bassist Manu Mayr, composed and produced another outstanding example of highly original contemporary musical artistry. What makes the album’s nine tracks so distinctive is the seemingly effortless combination of Klangfarbenmelodie (tone-colour melody) with elements of the African American jazz tradition. Additional highlights within the intricately textured, subtly grooving soundscapes are provided by guest musicians including Lukas König and Valentin Duit (drums), Pamelia Stickney (theremin), Matthew Halpin (saxophone and flute), Benny Omerzell (piano), Martin Eberle (trumpet), Clemens Lendl (violin), David Müller (musical saw and Hammond organ), and Vincent Pongracz (clarinet). The result is a “desire-driven machine” that appeals not only to the mind, but also to the heart – and gets the body moving.
2nd Place: Georg Vogel – Ogilsd Vobi 3rd Place: Purple Is The Color – Unbemanntes Raumschiff
Live Act 2026: Mel*E
Jury Statement
Three musicians, each well known to audiences through numerous other projects, have come together to form a unique, egalitarian female trio: Judith Ferstl (double bass and bass synthesizer), Judith Schwarz (extended drum set), and Viola Hammer (keyboards and synthesizers). On stage, and increasingly through their videos, they unleash a veritable explosion of energetic music that does not shy away from raw, powerful passages. Their 2026 album Proud perfectly captures their artistic vision: “We all felt like doing something loud and danceable for a change,” the members of Mel* E explained in an interview with mica. Their music embodies the idea of confronting the many challenges of our time with pride and creative strength, while drawing inspiration from the energy of protest. This vision is brought to life with extraordinary virtuosity. Equality between instruments, genders, and forms of artistic expression!
2nd Place: Jazzorchester Vorarlberg 3rd Place: Tsombanis 4
High Impact Award 2026: Michael Mantler
The High Impact Award honours outstanding artists whose exceptional contributions have significantly shaped the development and international recognition of the Austrian jazz scene. In 2026, this prestigious distinction is awarded to Michael Mantler.
Statement by the Austrian Jazz Award Committee
Born in Vienna in 1943 and raised in St. Pölten, Michael Mantler first established himself in the avant-garde free jazz scene after moving to the United States in 1962. Together with Carla Bley, he founded the Jazz Composers Orchestra and collaborated with such influential musicians as Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders, Larry Coryell, Gato Barbieri, Leroy Jenkins, Charlie Haden, and many others. In 1972, he released Escalator over the Hill, one of the most remarkable concept albums in jazz history. He subsequently turned his attention to the British art rock scene, collaborating with artists such as Jack Bruce, Marianne Faithfull, and Robert Wyatt. Mantler went on to compose for a wide variety of large and medium-sized ensembles throughout Europe, frequently exploring the synthesis of poetry and music as a central element of his artistic work. Since 2012, he has found an exceptionally compatible creative partner in Christoph Cech and his ensembles, resulting in numerous world premieres across Europe.
Award Ceremony – November 28, 2026, Graz The Austrian Jazz Award 2026 ceremony, featuring live performances by the award winners, will take place on November 28, 2026, at Dom im Berg in Graz, starting at 7:30 PM.
The ceremony will be broadcast live on Ö1 and streamed on ORF ON.
Press materials and photos of the nominees are available here: https://www.jazzpreis.at/de/downloads