Very exciting and a privilege that I have been nominated for a BBC Jazz Award for services to jazz. Also it's good that I can vote for some of those nominated as part of an "industry panel" But...
The voting form says that "you are NOT allowed to vote for artists in whom you have a professional or personal interest". So I have had to leave the whole form blank!! Of course, I can't vote for myself or Christine Tobin as best vocalist since Babel has funded her album. However, I also feel that, as a Vortex director and creditor, it is impossible for me to vote for musicians who play at the Vortex regularly. Since if they perform and are successful then it helps the club to repay my loan. Indeed all those nominated for Rising Star, Best Instrumentalist and other for Best Vocalist are regulars at the Vortex.
Clearly the BBC is nervous about any voting nowadays, with all the shenanigans over phone votes. But they should surely be a bit more flexible for the voting for other people.
Or am I being too cautious?
My voting form is about to go up on the Babel web site, so you can see that I have not compromised my integrity.
