Simon Oslender from Aachen receives the WDR Jazz Prize 2025. The 26-year-old pianist, organist, keyboardist, and composer impressed the jury with his extraordinary artistic development, his international stage presence, and his significance for the jazz scene in NRW. Oslender has already collaborated with jazz greats like Bill Evans and Wolfgang Haffner, as well as the WDR Big Band in his young years. He has released his current album together with drumming legend Steve Gadd. Furthermore, the jury honors his contributions to the Hammond organ, which he makes accessible to a young generation with a new sound. The WDR Jazz Prize is endowed with 10,000 euros and is associated with a joint production of the WDR Big Band.

The award for his lifetime achievement goes to Götz Alsmann. For 40 years, he has shaped the WDR and the German music scene as a musician, entertainer, and presenter with infectious passion for jazz. With charm and a distinctive style, he not only preserves the tradition of jazz, but also brings it closer to a broad audience on stages and screens.