BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020 named as Deschanel Gordon from Hackney

Pianist Deschanel Gordon, 22, performing before he was announced as the winner of BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020 during the filming of the competition's final at Cadogan Hall.
Pianist Deschanel Gordon, 22, performing before he was announced as the winner of BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020

A 22-year-old pianist from east London has been named the BBC Young Jazz Musician for 2020.

Deschanel Gordon, who was born in Hackney won the title after five finalists performed 15-minute sets.

Gordon said: “I had an amazing time playing and hearing the other musicians in the finals.

“Especially in a year where live music has been stifled, any opportunity to play is very special to me.”

The judging panel included British instrumentalists such as Orphy Robinson, who said Gordon “displayed a wonderful mature sound and approach”.

The finalists had to play their own renditions of music from the standard jazz repertoire, and at least one piece of their own arrangement or composition.

Pianist Deschanel Gordon

Gordon graduated from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London this year and has collaborated with Mercury Prize-nominated SEED ensemble and Mark Kavuma’s The Banger Factory, and also has his own trio.

The other finalists were saxophonists Alex Clarke and Matt Carmichael, bassist Kielan Sheard and guitarist Ralph Porrett.