The 2022 Best Jazz Awards winners have been announced with Myele Manzanza taking the Tūī for Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist for his album ‘Crisis and Opportunity Vol.1’, while Lauren Ellis won the APRA Best Jazz Composition for Papatūānuku.

After making her mark on the Te Whanganui-a-Tara jazz scene Lauren Ellis has moved to LA, there becoming active as an educator, performer, and composer. 

Born out of the necessity to direct his creative energy in a productive direction and maintain his growth as an artist during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, Myele Manzanza recorded his album ‘Crisis and Opportunity Vol.1’ as a reflection of the challenging times.