It is just over a week away to the official announcement of the nominations for this year’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize. The winner will be announced in September. The Mercury is one of the few opportunities for jazz and improv artists to reach wider exposure.

The prize is seen as credible although the jazz group selected has little hope of winning and in the history of the prize first awarded to Primal Scream for Screamadelica in 1992 no jazz musician or group has won it so far. However, those who have been nominated – last year it was the free jazz group Led Bib for Sensible Shoes and the year before hang minimalists Portico Quartet for Knee Deep in The North Sea – have gone on to tour extensively, sell more records and build their fan base.

Portico Quartet are in the running again this year for the award, having released their John Leckie-produced critically acclaimed album Isla last October. Selwyn Harris in Jazzwise wrote at the time, “this highly atmospheric album stands on its own merits” and it picked up four star reviews across the music press.

Polar Bear, also previously nominated, returned in February with Peepers, their debut for Leeds label Leaf and they are also strongly tipped. Noted on jazzwisemagazine.com for its “anthemic skittishly bittersweet” melodic flourish and new guitar character, the album was an early highlight of 2010 and is a strong contender.

While the organisers of the award remain tight lipped about how many jazz entries there are, some of the other leading contenders are Empirical’s debut for Naim records, Out ’n’ In. A sophisticated Eric Dolphy tribute which featured the new line-up of the band helmed by alto saxophonist Nathaniel Facey, bassist Tom Farmer and drummer Shaney Forbes. Empirical ought to have received the nod for their outstanding eponymous debut album on Courtney Pine’s Destin-e records in 2007. It went on to win both Jazzwise album of the year and Mojo jazz album of the year.

The other main contender in a strong field is trioVD’s Fill It Up With Ghosts which appeared on Babel records. Skronky, full on, the post-punk trio has a coiled aggression given cathartic release by Christophe de Bezenac’s anarchic saxophone, Chris Sharkey’s snarling electric bass and Chris Bussey’s mesmerisingly choppy drums.

Further albums that could be in with a shout include Django Bates’ Charlie Parker-themed album Belovèd Bird, Phronesis pianist Ivo Neame’s Caught In The Light of Day, Christine Tobin and Liam Noble’s Carole King songbook album Tapestry Unravelled and the cerebral Golden Age of Steam album, Raspberry Tongue.

– Stephen Graham