"Golden Ear" awards honor area's jazz scene

Earshot Jazz, the Seattle nonprofit arts organization best known for its fall jazz festival, announced its "Golden Ear" awards Monday.

The awards are presented for excellence in Northwest jazz in 2006.

Here are the results:

Northwest recording of the year: Victor Noriega, "Alay."

Northwest acoustic jazz ensemble: Bill Anschell Trio.

Northwest "outside" jazz group: The Reptet.

Northwest instrumentalist of the year: Victor Noriega (piano).

Emerging artist or group: D'Vonne Lewis (drums).

Northwest vocalist of the year: James Caddell.

Jazz concert of the year: Monktail Creative Music Concern, "The Raymond Scott Project."

Seattle jazz hall of fame: Jim Knapp (trumpet, composer) and radio station KPLU-FM (88.5).

Special award: Greg Williamson and Pony Boy Records for the annual Jazz Picnic.

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247 or pdebarros@seattletimes.com