THE TREWS, Winner, Hard Rock/Metal Song, "Hold Me In Your Arms"

Hometown= Antigonish,Nova-Scotia, Canada

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

--- The band's first big break came in 2002, when they won CHTZ-FM Rock Search, an annual high profile contest from Southern Ontario's rock radio station. Soon after, they signed with Sony BMG Canada.

--- In 2003, "Not Ready to Go," their first single, hit number one on Canadian rock radio and was the most played song of 2004 in that format. The band was nomminated as New Group of the Year at the 2004 Juno Awards and "Not Ready to Go" was nomminated as Single of the Year in 2005. The album, House Of Ill Fame, has been certified gold in Canada. In the past three years the band have racked up six Top 10 rock radio singles, including two chart-toppers.

---Fast forward to 2008 The Trews release No Time for Later on Bumstead Recording, Universal Music Canada. The video for IMA Winning song "Paranoid Freak" lands on MuchMusic.

WATCH THE TREWS' VIDEO FOR "HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS":

NIKLAS SIVELOV, Winner, Contemporary Classical Album, Improvisational 1

Hometown=Sweeden

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

--- A triple threat,(he's a pianist, composer and teacher)Sivelov studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm where he made his debut in 1991 as soloist, performing Bartok Second Piano Concerto with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. He's also studied in Helsinki, Bucharest and London.

---His performance collaborations with conductors include, among others, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Leif Segerstam, Thomas Dausgaard, Jukka Pekka Saraste, Kees Bakels, Alan Gilbert, Paavo Berglund, and Kazufumi Yamashita.

--Sivelöv has performed all over the world and given master classes in Spain, Finland, Portugal, Great Britain and the United States.

---His many awards include a Cannes nomination for best 20th century recording (Eina Englund’s Piano Concerto No.1).

WATCH Niklas Sivelöv playng "Skrjabin":

SWEATSHOP UNION, Winner, Rap/Hip-Hop Song, "Oh My"

Hometown=Vancouver,Canada

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

----Sweatshop Union's blend of conscious lyrics, highly musical beats and dedicated tour schedule, which included hitting 100+ North American cities in four months, has been a formula for success--the group has sold thousands of albums to date.

--- During Canadian tours, Sweatshop Union has shared the stage with Jurassic 5 and Blackalicious, as well as then-labelmates Swollen Members and Abstract Rude. Other tours have included gig with Black Eyed Peas.

---Nominations for a Juno Award (the Canadian Grammy), a MuchMusic Video Award, Canadian Radio Music Awards, and more were just the beginning of Sweatshop Unions notoriety and award wins.

--- Chart Attack hails “Solid beats and conscious lyrics. A powerful antidote for vacant pop-rap,” in a review of the group.

WATCH SWEATSHOP UNION'S VIDEO FOR "THING ABOUT IT"

JOHN RICCI, Winner, Jazz Song, "Mode Time"

Hometown= Jacksonville, FL

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Ricci's mother performed opera at Argentina's Teatro Colon as a teenager. His father and brothers were equally musical.

---Ricci began playing the piano when he was 7 years old and by 11 was improvising everything from Jobim to the Beatles on the saxophone.

---Continuing on to study music, he attended the exclusive jazz studies program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There, he was mentored directly by world renown jazz pedagogue and saxophonist Jerry Coker. He also had the opportunity study closely with internationally recognized pianist-composer and former Jazz Messenger Donald Brown. With a new vision and quest to become a strong a communicator of the idiom as well as a performer, he was awarded a teaching assistantship at the Florida State University School of Music jazz studies and contemporary media program. In that time he performed with Blue Note recording artist trumpeter Marcus Printup, performed at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, received outstanding soloist awards at the 1994 and 1995 Mobile National Jazz Festival, won an outstanding performance in the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival, and won the combo division of the 1995 Down Beat Collegiate Music Awards.

MUZA (SOL ARAVENA), Winner, Cover Song, “Besame Mucho”

Home= New Mexico


READ CD Baby's Review of MUZA:

Imagine Massive Attack doing a Latin jazz album, or better yet, imagine Bebel Gilberto with a trip-hop band. Somewhere near those intersections, you'll find Muza's "Terciopelo". Yes, the vocals are velvety, as the English translation of the title implies, but the music is rich and textured as well. Electronic beats and synths decorate the traditional bolero songs here, while tremolo guitars during a song slowly grooving at 80 beats per minute can't help but remind the listener of old Portishead, such as on the song "Cruel". Many of the songs here are downtempo/chill/trip hop; call it what you will, the songs are a delectable mix of upright bass, slow and subtle beats, a variety of traditional Latin instruments, and, perhaps most importantly, the sensuous lead vocals of the singer who calls herself Muza. It seems she's responsible for the arrangements here, and God bless her for that. The tasteful vibes on a song like "Oh Luna Nueva" are so perfectly sparse and set a wonderfully delicate framework for the muted trumpet lead in between the verses. Even if you don't understand Spanish (as all the lyrics are in Spanish), the lovely melodies and rich, evocative production of songs come through to make this is an album perfect for cocktail hour or a romantic dinner for two.

WATCH A MESSAGE FROM MUZA:

APRIL SMITH, Winner, Pop/Rock Song, “Colors”

Home= Brooklyn, New York

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---April hits the road in a veggie-oil fueled tour bus, Mr. Belvedere.

----Her band is called The Great Picture show.

----Perez Hilton is a fan

WATCH APRIL’S VIDEO FOR “BRIGHT WHITE JACKETS”:

SELASEE, Winner, World Fusion Song, “Agba Yei”

Home= Ghana (now residing in Boulder, Colorado)

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

-----Selasee performed at The Africa and International Friends Inaugural Ball on January 20th at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington DC. He shared the stage with Keith Sweat, Angelique Kidjo, Lady Black Mambazo, Maxi Priest, Patti La Belle, Raheem DeVaughn and The O'Jays.

----In addition to his IMA, Selasee has received awards from Billboard, The International Songwriting Competition and The John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

----He is inspired by Bob Marley and Nat King Cole.


WATCH SELASEE’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “RUN”:

LEERONE, Winner, Music Video, “Care for Some Whiskey”

Home= Los Angeles, CA

File Under: Indie/Folk Rock/ Experimental

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

----Leerone is inspired by the following:
The smell of things. Freckles. Vonnegut. Hymns and spirituals. Motherless Child sung by Mahalia Jackson. Awkward moments made better by a contagious smile. Wish you were here. Summertime. Harold and Maude. Cats with sagging bellies that you can play with (Luna Bella Noche). The first time I heard Blue by Joni Mitchell and had to stop in my tracks. The Dreaming. Do what you gotta do sung by Roberta Flack, Chapter Two. The bird-like chirps of Joan Baez. Listening to Beatles songs with Rebecca on the bus and sharing headphones. Maimonides. Gelato.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “CARE FOR SOME WHISKEY”:

THE PASCHALL BROTHERS, Winner, Gospel Album, On the Road Right Now

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---- The Paschall Brothers have followed in the footsteps of their father, Reverend Frank Paschall Sr. who led them both philosophically and musically by example. After being widowed he raised eleven children alone.

---The brothers emulate their father by performing the Tidewater style of a cappella gospel, which has virtually disappeared since 1960.

WATCH THE PASCHALL BROTHERS PEFORM LIVE AT VHF RADIO STUDIOS:

FACES OF MARCH, Winner, Hard Rock/Metal Album, Confessions

Home= Miami, FL

Faces of March are also Finalists in the Ringtone category this year for their ‘tone “Broken.”

Ringtone Winners will be chosen based on the number of downloads each song receives on Myxer.com.

Download all the IMA Ringtone finalists FOR FREE now:
http://www.musiciansatlas.com/imafinalist/RingtoneFinalists.aspx?yr=2009#tp

LISTEN TO “CONFESSIONS” FROM FACES OF MARCH:

MAD DRAGON RECORDS, Winner, College Label

Drexel University's Mad Dragon Records won an 8th Annual IMA for its release of The Red Wall's album.




BEHIND THE LABEL:

MAD Dragon Records is a student-staffed and faculty-administered record label based out of Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. MAD Dragon focuses on artist development and creates strategic alliances with professionals in the music industry to maximize the potential for each of its releases. MAD DragonRecords was formed in 2003 with the debut release of Unleashed, a compilation CD featuring nine tracks from artists based in the Mid-Atlantic region. In the following months, MAD Dragon was featured in hundreds of publications throughout the U.S. including a cover feature in CMJ.

THE REDWALLS:



The Redwalls’ MAD Dragon self-titled debut follows up the critically acclaimed album, DE NOVA, which caught the attention of many, including MTV, who featured the band as a “You Heard It First” artist. In support of DE NOVA, the band toured the world with Oasis, Keane, Kaiser Chiefs, Rooney and OK GO among others and performed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

WATCH THE REDWALLS PERFORM "THANK YOU"

ROB RUSSELL, Winner, Country Album

Hometown= Canada


BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Not much thought was given to a music career, but receiving a guitar from his wife Christmas of '01 changed Rob's life forever. It wasn’t long before he taught himself the six-string and began to play at parties and around campfires for his family, and friends.

---In 2006, with the Canadian Country Music Awards in Saint John, New Brunswick, Rob was selected by a national jury as one of ten artists to showcase his talents. This coveted honor puts Rob in the top 5% of Canadian Country Artists to grace this stage.

---Rob Russell received recognition for his sophomore album, Turnin' Heads with an East Coast Music Award nomination for Country Recording of the Year. This is Russell's second Country Album of the Year nomination, receiving the same recognition last month with the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards.

WATCH ROB RUSSELL PERFORM "GOOD BOOTS" ACOUSTIC:

VELVET CODE, Winner, Dance/Electronica Song, “Say You Love Me”

Hometown: New York City

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Perez Hilton blogged about Velvet Code recently

--- The band has appeared on Fearless Music four times this past year and made an appearance on the Canadian reality show, Fifteen Minutes, in November.

--Listen for Velvet Code’s tunes on MTV in Jan. 2009 and check them out when they hit the road this coming March.

WATCH VELVET CODE PERFORM “SAY YOU LOVE ME” ON FEARLESS MUSIC TV:

MANA POLY ALL-STARS, Winner, Social Action Song, “Gun Shots”

Hometown: Utah & California

File Under: Reggae, R&B

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---- The band’s members have 20+ years of music industry experience, which includes retail & radio success including numerous “Number 1 Hits” on Polynesian radio stations along the west coast, the Polynesian triangle, Guam, Saipan, and the Micro and Melanesian islands.

--- The band was selected for the Puma Fragrances “Puma Flowing” campaign in October 2008, licensing by Warren Miller Entertainment for Ford Motor Company and shared the stage with national reggae artist Morgan Heritage in 2007.

--- Mana Poly… have toured with Wayne Wonder, Ky-Mani Marley & Shinehead.

WATCH MANA POLY ALL-STARS PERFORM LIVE:

DAN ZANES, Winner, Children’s Album, Nueva York

Home= Brooklyn, NY

File Under- Folk

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---- Dan Zanes was a member of the popular 1980s band, The Del Fuegos. In 1984, Rolling Stone named them “Best New Band.”

--He is currently the front man of the Grammy winning group Dan Zanes and Friends.

--- Debbie Harry, Susanne Vega, Nick Cave, Lou Reed, Sheryl Crow, Natalie Merchant, The Five Blind Boys, Sister Carol and Bob Weir have all performed with Nick and his band mates.

---- Get your album now from Festival Five Records.

WATCH THE DAN ZANES MUSIC VIDEO FOR “JUMP UP”:

THE WILDERS, Winner, Alt. Country Album, Someone’s Got to Pay

Home= Kansas City, MO

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---"...a frantic combination of old-timey string band and vintage honky tonk music with a lot of joyful style and high energy... Their playing was like an old Buick sliding around a sharp mountain on two wheels. These guys must be seen to be believed." ---freighttrainboogie.com

---The Wilders have performed at festivals and concerts, on radio, television, and independent film soundtracks.

--- In 2006, The Wilders were selected to perform at the Famous Spiegeltent at Edinburgh Festival Fringe; the show sold out and the band was honored for its performance with a coveted Herald Angel Award.

WATCH THE WILDERS PERFORM LIVE:

Watch IMA artists on www.theStream.tv

Raw Rhythms - Shawn Harris

Watch This Episode on www.theStream.tv

the Matches frontman, Shawn Harris, discusses the band's two 8th Annual IMA nominations (Music Video & Band Web Site).



Vote for the Matches in the 8th Annual IMA Vox Populi now.
Click here to vote for the band's "Yankee in a Chip Shop" music video.
Click here to vote for the Matches in our Band Web Site category.

ARCHIVE:
7th Annual IMA Music Video Winner, Val Emmich, on The Stream:

LIVE! From the Future...with Stuart Paap! - Musician Val Emmich

Watch This Episode on www.theStream.tv



Val Emmich won the 7th Annual IMA for Music Video. He's a finalists again this year for "Get On With It."
Click Here to Vote for Val in the 8th Annual IMA Vox Populi.

*** IMA Winners and Finalists receive year-long promotion through radio, print & online media and performance opportunities- just like these!

SUBMIT for the 9th Annual IMAs NOW. Click Here.

Stay tuned for more IMA artists on www.theStream.tv

Winners of the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards Announced

Jeff Healey, Martin Sexton, Dan Zanes, Jamie Lidell
Lucy Wainwright and Tony Trischka Among Those
Honored by the Awards Program for the ‘Indie Revolution’

A diverse group of independent musicians and creative designers have been named winners of the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards (IMA).

Winners in more than 50 album, song and design categories were selected from thousands of submissions from around the globe and range from established and emerging talent including Martin Sexton, whose career-spanning retrospective Solo won in the Live Performance Album category; multi-genre virtuoso, Dan Zanes took top honors in the Children’s Album category with Nueva York; Tony Trischka, whose banjo wizardry has inspired a generation of players and won best Americana Album for Territory; and the late Blues great,Jeff Healey, won posthumously for his 2008 release, Mess of Blues.

Rising indie stars are also well represented in the 8th IMAs. The UK’s soulful crooner Jamie Lidell earned top honors for his breakthrough Pop/Rock album, Jim; the polyglot Dengue Fever’s cultural mash up, Venus on Earth won best World Fusion album; Denmark’s A Kid Hereafter took the Punk song category with "Defenders of the Faith"; Folk/Singer-Songwriter album went to Rebecca Martin’s latest release, The Growing Season, and Lucy Wainwright Roche’s track "Snare Drum" earned top honors in the Folk/Singer-Songwriter song category.

A judging panel comprised of influential artists and industry,including
Peter Gabriel, Roger Daltrey, George Jones, Suzanne Vega, Buddy Guy, Keith Urban, James “Blood” Ulmer, Butch Walker, Paquito D’Rivera, Lee Ritenour, Zakk Wylde, Anthony DeCurtis and Bob Ludwig,among others, determined this years’ winners.

“Anyone who follows the music industry knows that the most exciting and diverse new music is being created by independent artists,” said IMA Director, Martin Folkman. “IMA winners and finalists truly represent the range of today’s vibrant indie scene and include artists who previously recorded for major labels, artist currently on indie labels and self-released talent in a wide spectrum of genres from Contemporary Classical to Heavy Metal and everything in between.”

The IMAs support artists and releases traditionally underserved by mass media and big box retailers, with yearlong marketing, distribution and performance initiatives that place them in front of more than 15 million music fans and industry gatekeepers.

The IMAs are produced by Music Resource Group, publisher of the popular industry print and online contact databases, The Musician’s Atlas and AtlasOnline, & co-sponsors that include online retailers eMusic and PureVolume.com; radio promotion firm The Planetary Group; radio tracking service, MediaGuide; HD radio station eRockster.com; Myxer Ringtones; online digital broadcast network maniaTV & www.theStream.tv; PunkNews.org; CMJ Music Marathon; online music community Sound Click; Venus Zine; LIFEbeat; SESAC and Rock the Vote.

A multi-page spread in the 2009 edition of the annual best-selling
Musician’s Atlas featuring IMA winners and finalists (available on newsstands nationwide on January 15) will launch the 2009 marketing campaign.

The “Now Hear This” Winners CD compilation will be promoted to more than 800 US & Canadian radio stations in the first quarter and be distributed to 5,000 music fans and industry movers and shakers at SXSW, CMJ, Folk Alliance and other influential music events throughout the year.

Past IMA Winners and Finalists credit the program for boosting their profile with talent buyers, distributors, publishers, radio programmers, record label A&R, film & TV music supervisors and fans.

Previous winners include: Apples In Stereo, Koko Taylor, Lacuna Coil, Richard Julian, Joan As Policewoman, Miguel Migs, Sugarcult, Speech, Hoots & Hellmouth, Bitter:Sweet, Jennifer Nettles, God Forbid, Mary Gauthier, Eleni Mandell, Girl In A Coma, The Mooney Suzuki, Phil Roy, Miko Marks and Kristy Kruger.

Fan Favorites To Be Determined At the Vox Populi Jukebox

As in previous years, thousands of music fans around the world will select their favorites and cast their votes at the IMA Vox Populi Jukebox for all music, design and video categories through February 2009. Once determined, these IMA “peoples choice” winners will also benefit from yearlong print, online, broadcast, live performance and event promotions alongside formal IMA Winners.

9th Annual Independent Music Awards

Submissions for the 9th Indie Music Awards will be accepted until August 2009.

New categories have been added to an already broad spectrum of album and song categories include Love Song, Story Song, Concept Album, Eclectic Album and Long Form Music Video.


The Winners of the 8th annual Independent Music Awards program are...

ALBUM CATEGORIES

ALT. COUNTRY - The Wilders, “Someone's Got To Pay;” AMERICANA - Tony Trischka, “Territory;” BLUES - Jeff Healey, “Mess Of Blues;” CHILDREN’S – Dan Zanes, “Nueva York:” COLLEGE LABEL RELEASE - The Redwalls, “The Redwalls;” CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN – The Ride, “The Story Of People;” CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL - Niklas Sivelov, “Improvisational 1;” COUNTRY - Rob Russell, “Turnin' Heads;” DANCE/ELECTRONICA - Torpedo Boyz, “Cum On Feel The Boyz;” FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER - Rebecca Martin, “The Growing Season;” GOSPEL - The Paschall Brothers, “On the Right Road Now;” HARD ROCK/METAL - Faces Of March, “Confessions;” JAZZ - Lafayette Gilchrist, “Soul Progressin';” LATIN - Pulpo, “Hot Bread;” LIVE PERFORMANCE - Martin Sexton, “Solo;” NEW AGE - Paul Baker, “The Quiet Path;” POP/ROCK - Jamie Lidell, “Jim;” PUNK - The Cute Lepers, “Modern Music;” R&B – Brentley, “Hand Written;” RAP/HIP-HOP - Common Market, “Tobacco Road;” WORLD FUSION - Dengue Fever, “Venus On Earth;” WORLD TRADITIONAL - Ala-Tan-Ch-Chi-Ge & Zha-Ge-DaSu-Rong, “The Mongolian Folk Long-Song”

SONG CATEGORIES

ALT. COUNTRY - Unknown Hinson, "Torture Town;" AMERICANA - Kelleigh McKenzie, "Gin;" BLUES - Meagan Tubb, "Let Me Believe;" CHILDREN'S - Kaleidoscope, "Kangaroo!;" CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN - Jade Ambroze, "More;" COUNTRY - Ridley Bent, "Nine Inch Nails;" COVER SONG - Muza(Sol Aravena), "Besame Mucho;" DANCE/ELECTRONICA - Velvet Code, "Say You Love Me;" FILM/TV/GAMING - Zeitlet X-emble, "Theme From Pasprefut;" FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER - Lucy Wainwright Roche, "Snare Drum;" GOSPEL - Eddie Cunningham, "Jesus Is More Than A Name;" HARD ROCK/METAL - The Trews, "Hold Me In Your Arms;" HOLY HIP-HOP - Joeldavessel, "I See;" JAZZ - John Ricci, "Mode Time;" LATIN - Latin Giants of Jazz, "Cuero Na'Ma;" NEW AGE -Paul Baker, "Heart's Gate;" POP/ROCK - April Smith, “Colors;" PUNK - A Kid Hereafter, "Defenders Of The Faith;" R&B - Intervision, "Live Out Loud;" RAP/HIP-HOP - Sweatshop Union, "Oh My;" SOCIAL ACTION - Mana Poly All-Stars, "Gunshots;" WORLD FUSION - Selasee, "Agba Yei;" WORLD TRADITIONAL - Mamadou and Vanessa, "Ay Masilan"

DESIGN CATEGORIES

Album Packaging – Designer: Arsineh Khachikian & Rostom Kouyoumdijian, Artist: Bet Williams & John Hodian, “Epiphany Project;” Album Photography – Photographer: Geir Dokken, Artist: Unni Lovlid, “Rite;” Artist/Band Publicity Photo - Photographer: Jody Domingue, Aritst: 33 Degree, Band Website – Designer: Ether Design Studio, Artist: Eli Black, Website: www.eliblack.net; Band/Venue Poster – Designer: Jeff Wood, Drowning Creek Studio, “Rothbury Music Festival Poster;” Concert/Performance Photo – Photographer: Jon Leidel, Artist: The New Familiars; Indie Label Website – Designer: Dirty Bandits, Label: Balckheart Records, Website: www.blackheart.com; Music Business Website – Madison And Fifth, Company: Noisy Planet, Website: www.noisyplanet.net; Music Video – Director: Hank Friedman, Artist: Leerone, Video: “Care For Some Whiskey;” Swag – Designer: Blue Ajay, Band Merchandise: Booze Monkey Poker Chips

MARCELO KRASILIC, Finalist, Album Photography, The Biggest Piano In Town (Leo Tardin, ObliqSound)

About the Artist: Photographer Marcelo Krasilcic was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil and currently resides in New York.

BEHIND THE ART:
---At New York University, this shutterbug directed shoots. However, he also works his own poses away from the lens--through yoga.

---Purple, Dazed and Confused, Self-Service and Visionaire magazines helped launch his career when they featured his work.

---Marcelo has directed music videos and even co-directed a movie.



CLICK HERE TO VOTE for Marcello Krasilcic in the 8th Annual IMA Vox Populi Poll.

MASSIMO BIOLCATI, Finalist, Jazz Album, Persona (Obliq Sound)

BEHIND THE MUSIC:
---Growing up, Massimo lived in his birthplace of Stockholm, Sweeden and Tornio, Italy. He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.

---At age 21, Massimo returned to Sweden to study at the Royal Music Academy of Stockholm. Two years later, he accepted a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and moved to Boston. Then, it was off to Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at the University of Southern California. After auditioning infront of Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Terence Blanchard, Massimo was accepted into the program. He was the only bass player selected among hundreds of applicants worldwide.

---Massimo has performed/recorded with legends including Dave Holland, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Barron, John Scofield, Christian McBride, Lewis Nash, Mark Turner George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Hal Crook, Mick Goodrick and Bob Moses.


CLICK HERE TO VOTE for Massimo Biolcati in the 8th Annual IMA Vox Populi Poll.