Award ceremony of the Echo Jazz 2018 canceled
After the Echo Awards were discontinued following the scandal surrounding anti-Semitic lyrics by two Echo Pop award-winning rappers, the German Music Industry Association has decided not to hold a ceremony for the 2018 Echo Jazz award winners who have already been announced. Swiss projects are also affected.
The project Andreas Schaerer & Hildegard Lernt Fliegen meets the Orchestra of the Lucerne Festival Academy would have been honored in the Large Ensemble category. Andreas Schaerer could also have received an Echo Jazz in the Ensemble International category together with Emile Parisien, Vincent Peirani and Michael Wollny.
After the scandal, the plan was to hold the Echo Jazz on May 31 in a small circle and without a TV broadcast. This ceremony will now also not take place. The award winners chosen by Echo Jazz in March will receive their awards in person if they wish. The Federal Association writes that the Echo brand has been so badly damaged that a completely new start is necessary, which will also entail a reorganization of Echo Klassik and Echo Jazz.