Brently Tops MySpace Charts!

8th Annual IMA R&B Album Winner Brentley made it to #9 on the MySpace Video charts.



He's also got a new song out so be sure to check it out!

Acoustic Performance from IMA Winner April Smith

9th Annual IMA sponsors Venus Zine and On the Verge have teamed up to bring you an IMA edition of the show.

Here's a special acoustic performance ("Drop Dead Gorgeous") from 8th Annual IMA Pop/Rock Song Winner April Smith. There's another on the way, along with an interview, so stay tuned!

RIP IMA Winner, Maura Fogarty

We just learned that Maura Fogarty, 5th Annual IMA Americana Album Winner, tragically died on March 11th of an asthma attack at the age of 43.

We send our condolences to her family and friends.

Born & raised in NYC, Maura attended the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. Not only a gifted singers, she also played accordion, guitar, keyboards and violin. She was well known in NYC's Irish music scene and was emerging in Nashville's country music scene as well.




http://www.maurafogarty.com

Velvet Code Tour Recap

Here's the latest from IMA Dance/Electronica Winners, Velvet Code, while on tour with Mindless Self Indulgence!

March 26th Velvet Code Tour Update

Today is my birthday!!! There's no other place that I want to be than with my band mates, Ryan and Nick, living the dream! Performing in Edmonton to a packed house at the Edmonton Events Centre was one of the great thrills of my life. Before the show, I asked two of my idols to join me in spirit: Freddie Mercury and Elvis Presley. I believe they both showed up and provided the support I needed for a fantastic show. At one point, I could even hear Freddie hit a note with me...you know, the high note in the bridge of Trust Fund Girl? Haven't heard it? Go get it now!



Having just come from other Canadian cities (Regina and Winnipeg), we were well rested for the Edmonton show. Of course, the birthday party afterwards with Hollowboy and my fellow Velvet Coders was the best birthday celebration I've had in years. It sure beat the last 4 years of disappointments!





Speaking of the previous few shows, Winnipeg was a hoot. Hecklers were there, ready and armed with their verbal abuse. Considering that the hecklers grew as the night went on, I decided to single one out. He came to the front of the stage, only to be refused entry to the stage. I took that moment embarrass the poor sucker and watch as he got ejected for unncessary roughness. Better luck next time!



Regina was an interesting venue. It felt like I was performing back at my high school. Nonetheless, the fans had amazing energy, even though 99% of them had no idea who we were!

Now on to Calgary tomorrow! Hopefully my birthday celebration won't inhibit a great show tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Cheerz ma deers
Marlon


March 31st - FINAL SHOW in Seattle

This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Words can't describe how I feel right now...but let's back up a bit to Calgary and Vancouver....

So Calgary was a recovery show for me after being out all night with the boys...I know, I know! Not necessarily the best judgement in the world, but we were already working on 3-4 hours sleep a night. Nonetheless, I guess the fear of failing helped me focus. And what a show it was! Calgary was definitely one of favorite cities to perform in! It was also the most successful merch and CD sale night of the entire tour for us.

I felt terrible about the technical glitches that Hollowboy had. They are some of my favorite people in the world, and I just couldn't believe some of the bad luck they had over the past few shows. However, it is all about bouncing back, right? And they sure did in Vancouver!! Way to rock it out boys!



Playing Vancouver was another monumental moment for me because I spent a year living there. Some of my friends came out to see me perform, some of them, for the first time. When the show was over, we spent a few hours signing autographs and giving away all of our accessories (even my socks! crazy kids were all excited about that!).

Then it was off to an old local hangout for me and a Vancouver friend. Again, I couldn't help myself and was out until the wee hours of the night. Then it was off to Seattle for our final show!

And what a show it was. I finally took some advice to heart and spent the afternoon lying down and resting. I didn't allow anyone to distract me from the task at hand which was to pull off the greatest show of the tour (and my career). That night, we all synched up perfectly and had a flawless show! It was the most incredible rush of my life!





Fast forward to April 2

The most difficult thing I've ever had to experience is leaving the tour. Now that it's over, the big question is can we all return to ourselves without losing touch with reality? I find myself still feeling like I need to know when sound check is or when we have to be at the venue to load in. I keep wondering where Rick (our sound guy) is and why he hasn't asked us to run through a song for him. I miss hearing the Hollowboys sing the melody to "Say You Love Me".

But I do believe that if we can recover from the short bout of emptiness and reflect on the past month, I think we'll be well prepared for our next adventure, hopefully in Europe :)

Marlon
Velvet Code

8th Annual IMA Ringtone Winner Announced

For this year's IMA program, we teamed up with Myxer.com to introduce a Ringtone component.
Winners were determined based on the number of free downloads each finalist received from the IMA/Myxer.com widget.

And the most downloaded Ringtone is.....

RIGAMAROLL BY BILL CHAMPITO!



Here's a live performance of the tune:




Click here to check out the IMAs on Myxer.

In Memoriam: Travis Criscola of Cute Lepers (1985-2009)

Our condolences go out to 8th Annual IMA Punk Album Winning band, The Cute Lepers. The band's guitarist, Travis Criscola, passed away Saturday, March 28th.

The Cute Lepers posted this:

"Early the morning of March 28, in Cincinnati our friend and band-mate Travis Criscola passed away in his sleep. He was 24. Travis was guitarist in the Cute Lepers for the last six months. We're gonna really miss him. We feel that it's appropriate and absolutely not in bad taste to disclose the cause of death of our friend. Travis combined alcohol and pills, then went to sleep and never woke up. It was an accident.

Travis was not any kind of a habitual drug user. I'm a man who has left drugs and alcohol alone for over a decade and I just wont work with people who are mixed up with narcotics. It is rare to find a rock n' roll musician in his early twenties who doesn't get caught up in hitting the bars and going to parties on tour, and Trav was just one of those ones who made a really bad decision. He naively took some type of pills on top of the beer he was drinking and that's it."

---Steve E. Nix (Guitar, Lead Vox)

DENGUE FEVER, Winner, World Fusion Album, Venus on Earth

Home= Los Angeles, California

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---The band describes its sound as "A Cambodian Pop Rock Psychedelic dance party"

-- Denogue Fever made the documentary, Sleepwalking Through The Mekongem. It chronicles the journey taken by lead singer Chhom Nimol’s in her native Cambodia during the 2005 Water Festival. The band’s performances there marked the first time a Western band had performed classic 1960s and ‘70s Cambodian rock ‘n’ roll in the country where it was created and nearly erased from existence by the brutal Pol Pot regime.

---More than a rockumentary, the film serves up a portrait of modern Cambodia as the band tours through Phnom Penh and beyond, crossing a great cultural chasm with the same spirit of Cambodia’s original rock pioneers. The film has screened at a diverse number of festivals and museums including The Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival, The Hawaiian International Film Festival, Roskilde Festival, The Istanbul Museum of Fine Art and the Museum of Fine Art in Boston.

--- Nimol sang regularly for the King and Queen of Cambodia.

---The band’s music has been featured in a number of film and television shows including CITY OF GHOSTS, MUST LOVE DOGS, BROKEN FLOWERS, HBO’s hit series TRUE BLOOD and twice on Showtime’s, WEEDS.

WATCH DENGUE FEVER:

IMA Winners, Velvet Code, Embark on Tour With Mindless Self Indulgence And Report On It for You!

THIS IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF VELVET CODE'S TOUR DIARY FOR THE IMAs. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES & RECAPS FROM THE ROAD!

DAY ONE:

Hey y'all...it's Marlon from Velvet Code...what's poppin??

The countdown has begun; T-Minus 5 now til we hit the stage in our first North American tour, with Mindless Self Indulgence. After a series of nerve wracking rehearsals (something didn't work at each rehearsal!) I think we're finally sorted. Two more to go..Now to the question: What are we supposed to wear on this thing??? Do we even have time to shop? I'm not convinced that father time will be in our corner on this one. So today it's all about looking through our closets and finding stuff that we'll wear. Money's tight anyway, so I think it's the only solution for us.

I just got a chill down my spine..just the thought of performing in some of the places I grew up in like Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver all get my uber excited. I have history there, and Velvet Code's about to add to it!! Every day in a different city...this is what we've been dreaming of...what we've been working so hard for...we're right around the corner...

I'll be back tomorrow, and each day...so make sure to check us out on myspace: www.myspace.com/velvetcodeband and follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/velvetcode

Til tomorrow y'all.
Marlon
Velvet Code

DAY TWO:


I couldn't sleep last night. The official announcement was made and I was up sending emails, updating myspace, facebook etc etc. and couldn't get myself to fall asleep until 3:30. On top of that, I was having crazy dreams of being on stage, without any clothes! Talk about major anxiety!

We're 4 days away (3 and a half to be exact) until we hit the stage for our first show in Worcester MA. Here's our schedule for those who haven't seen it yet:

Mar 13 2009 6:00P - The Palladium - Worcester, Massachusetts
Mar 14 2009 6:00P - Le National - Montreal, Quebec
Mar 15 2009 6:00P - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario
Mar 16 2009 6:00P - Cowboy’s Ranch - London, Ontario
Mar 18 2009 6:00P - Clutch Cargos - Detroit, Michigan
Mar 19 2009 6:00P - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, Ohio
Mar 20 2009 6:00P - House of Blues - Chicago, Illinois
Mar 21 2009 6:00P - First Avenue - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mar 23 2009 6:00P - Garrick Centre - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Mar 24 2009 6:00P - Riddel Center (University of Regina) - Regina, Saskatchewan
Mar 26 2009 6:00P - Edmonton Events Centre - Edmonton, Alberta
Mar 27 2009 6:00P - MacEwan Hall Ballroom - Calgary, Alberta
Mar 29 2009 6:00P - Vogue Theatre - Vancouver, British Columbia
Mar 30 2009 6:00P - The Showbox - Seattle, Washington

They will be joined by their friends at HollowBoy.

To purchase tickets, you can go to: http://www.mindlessselfindulgence.com/tour.html

The question of the day is how am I going to get to sleep tonight? For one thing, I really have to stop eating so late and hit the gym at night. That'll be the plan for the next few days.

Ok, off to rehearsal....

Marlon
Velvet Code

COMMON MARKET, Winner, Rap/Hip-Hop Album

Home= Seattle, WA

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Common Market, aka Sabzi and RA Scion, bring a political and spiritual approach to Hip-Hop.

--An advance copy of their debut caught the ear of KRS-One, who praised the album and RA Scion for “spitting in the Tradition of the conscious Hiphop movement.” The Blastmaster then flew up to rock Common Market’s album release party in Seattle, then taking the duo on the road with him on the Temple of Hip-hop tour. The duo has also played with Zion I, Ghostface Killah and The Coup.

---At the core of Common Market’s music is a critical, unapologetic world view that change is not only necessary, it is inevitable, and can only come about through having love for and serving the people.

WATCH COMMON MARKET'S VIDEO FOR "TROUBLE IS":

LAFAYETTE GILCHRIST, Winner, Jazz Album

Home= Baltimore, MD

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Entertainment Weekly calls Gilchrist "...the heir to Thelonious Monk.”

---This pianist is a member of Jazz legend David Murray’s Black Saint Quartet.

---With his own band The New Volcanoes, Gilchrist leads an octet that's equally inspired by D.C. go-go, old school Soul, hard Funk and progressive Hip-Hop.

---His fourth & IMA winning album, Soul Progressin', was released this year on Hyena Records.

WATCH LAFAYETTE GILCHRIST & THE NEW VOLCANOES PERFORM:

INTERVISION, Winner, R&B Song, "Live Out Loud"

Home= Portland,Oregon

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---The group, which combines elements of Soul, Rock, Jazz and Pop, has been compared to Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder and Jamiroquai.

--It has toured with Lifehouse and The Neville Brothers, and played to a sold out Aladdin Theater in Portland (620+) on more than one occasion.

--- Intervision has received television song placement on The Oxygen Network.

--The Oregonian’s Pop Music Critic, Luciana Lopez says, “Sweet, mellow, jazzy and soulful…the disc is laid-back and danceable, and man, does it ever get in your head (and I mean that in a good way).

WATCH INTERVISION:

Zeitlet X-Emble, Winner, Film & TV Song, Theme From Pasprefut

Home= Italy

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---ZeitLet is an Italian orchestral rock band which aims to create an original production that could merge and organize different musical idioms, as well as to combine writing procedures and improvisation within one collective.

Instrumentation:


> Costanza Alegiani: Voice.
> Marco Anzellotti: Cello.
> Gabriele Buonasorte: Alto sax.
> Roberto Cippitelli: Electric Bass.
> Lorenzo Gabriele: Flauto
> Andrea Mancianti: Live electronics, guitar, composing and conducting.
> Giulio Maschio: Drums and percussions.
> Paolo Petrocelli: Violin
> Giovanni Piccardi: Elettric and acoustic guitars
> Francesco Snoriguzzi: Clarinet, tenor sax.
> Francesca Venturi Ferriolo: Viola.

RIDLEY BENT, Winner, Country Song,

Home= British Columbia, Canada

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

--- Bent uses his songs as a platform to tell stories of love, betrayal, cowboy adventures, hope, glory, the old west and pop culture.

---This past year, he was nominated for nine British Columbia Country Music Awards:
Fans' Choice
Entertainer of the Year
Male Vocalist
Ray Mcauley Horizon Award
Single of the Year (Heartland Heartbreak)
Album of the Year (Buckles and Boots)
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year
Website of the Year
Roots/Canadiana Award

---Bent spent his youth as an army brat traversing across the vast expanses of Canada.

-- He pursued music against his mother's wishes.


WATCH RIDLEY BENT: span>

IMA Artists Recognized By Billboard Song Contest

Since earning top honors in the Independent Music Awards Contemporary Christian Song category, Jade Ambroze has just been recognized in the Billboard Song Contest, where she placed second in the CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN / GOSPEL category.



Former IMA Winner and Finalist, Rachel Sage, also placed in this year's Billboard Song Contest. She pulled in third place in the DANCE category for her song, “Angel In My View.”

BLACKHEART RECORDS, Winner, Indie Record Label Web Site

Designer: Dirty Bandits

BEHIND THE DESIGNERS:

---Dirty Bandits also created Joan Jett's Web site, which was an 8th Annual IMA Finalist for Artist Web Site.




---Business advice from Dirty Bandits "Your digital domicile should be the complete embodiment of you and your business, and should address immediate concerns. Dirty Bandits is constantly up on the latest styles and technologies, and can build you an online space that’ll make you wanna charge rent."

---Services include printing, packaging, logos, branding and creative consulting.

JEFF HEALEY, Winner, Blues Album, Mess of Blues

BEHIND THE MUSIC

--- Jeff Healey (born Norman Jeffrey Healey, March 25, 1966 – March 2, 2008) was a blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock guitarist and vocalist.

---When he was eight months old, Healey lost his sight to retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the eyes. His eyes had to be surgically removed, and he was given artificial replacements. After living cancer-free for 38 years, he developed sarcoma in his legs. Despite surgery for this, the sarcoma spread to his lungs and ultimately was the cause of his death.

---After being signed to Arista Records in 1988, his band released the album See The Light, featuring the hit single "Angel Eyes" and the song "Hideaway", which was nominated for a "Best Instrumental" Grammy Award. While the band was recording See The Light, they were also filming (and recording for the soundtrack of) the Patrick Swayze film Road House. In 1990, the band won the "Entertainer of the Year" Juno Award. The albums Hell to Pay and Feel This gave Healey 10 charting singles in Canada between 1990 and 1994, including a cover of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" which featured George Harrison and Jeff Lynne on backing vocals and acoustic guitar.

--- Though known primarily as a guitarist, Healey also played trumpet during live performances.

--- Over the years he toured and sat-in with many legendary performers, including, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, BB King, ZZ Top, Steve Lukather, Eric Clapton and many, many more. In 2006, Healey appeared on Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan's CD/DVD Gillan's Inn.

WATCH JEFF HEALEY PERFORM "ANGEL EYES":

NOISY PLANET, Winner, Music Business Web Site

Designer: Sean McDonough

Home= Los Angeles, California

BEHIND THE ART:

--McDonough's works full-time in construction, home improvement/tile work.

--He's also a musician whoe loves hard hitting guitar riffs and dark melodic vocal arrangements.


BEHIND THE BUSINESS:

---Noisy Planet is an online music community helping artists in every corner of the world to connect with fans and colleagues.

---The company is dedicated to creating the easiest way for independent artists and bands to post and sell music on the worldwide Web.

---It offers paid downloads to consumers and quarterly royalty checks to its recording artists.

---Every artist that joins Noisy Planet receives a dedicated online space at Noisy Planet along with a personalized URL so that fans can easily find them. They also get a supply of personalized 4”x6” postcards that can be handed out at work, school, or at gigs to help promote the artists’ presence on the site.

BRENTLEY, Winner, R&B Album

Home= BRENTLEY (Cortell-Willis) originated from Dallas and resides near Chicago.

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---He discovered his love of music while in his 6th grade school’s choir.

-- Of his second album, Hand Written, Brentley says "h some of Today’s Biggest talent (For Instance: Beyonce, Brandy, Shawna, & so on…) “This album will show more of my Young-Adult outlook on life and extreme thoughts."

WATCH BRENTLEY:

THE CUTE LEPERS, Winner, Punk Album, Can't Stand Modern Music

Home= Seattle,Washington

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---The band is influenced by first wave punk, mod-revival, power pop and occasional hints of doo-wop and early 60's rock'n'roll.

--- The debut album, Can't Stand Modern Music,
was released on Damaged Goods in the UK and Europe and Joan Jett's Blackheart Records in the USA.

--- The Cute Lepers recently toured Spain with the Buzzcocks.

---Don't miss The Cute Lepers on their USA tour through April.

WATCH THE CUTE LEPERS VIDEO FOR "Terminal Boredom":

MARTIN SEXTON, Winner, Live Performance Album, Solo

Home=Massachusetts

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Sexton began his career as a street performer in Harvard Square in Cambridge. He sold 20,000 copies of his 1992 demo, In the Journey, out of his guitar case.

---His strong live performances won him a Boston Music Award for "Best New Artist" and led to his being named "Artist of the Year" by the National Academy of Songwriters in 1994.

---In 1996, he celebrated his first major label (Atlantic) release. Following his 2002 departure from Atlantic, he formed his own independent label, Kitchen Table Records.

--- Acoustic Guitar magazine says: "Most impressive is the fact that he’s usually singing over the entire circus act. It isn’t just lyrics, either. If you didn’t know better, you’d swear there was a lead guitarist and string section onstage occasionally. Nope, it’s just Sexton and his primary instrument – his voice – creating a whole new sound that’s both human and electric."

WATCH MARTIN SEXTON'S VLOG:

KELLEIGH MCKENZIE, Winner, Americana Song, "Gin"

Home= Rosendale, New York by way or Oregon

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Her acclaimed debut, CHANCES, is about to be released nationally. It received three Independent Music Award nominations and won the Best Americana Song award for "Gin."

---Kelleigh was also named a winner in last fall’s Mountain Stage NewSong Contest and she'll be making her national live radio debut on NPR’s Mountain Stage in April.

--Songs from her debut album are starting to pop up on AAA and Americana radio stations nationwide...

WATCH KELLEIGH MCKENZINE PERFORM HER VERSION OF "ACCORDINGLY" BY IMA WINNER WINNER, CHRIS WHITLEY:

REBECCA MARTIN, Winner, Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album,The Growing Season

Home= New York

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Martin came to New York from rural Maine and had a band called ONCE BLUE (EMI) with singer guitarist Jesse Harris.

---The New York Times named her album, MIDDLE HOPE, one of the ten best jazz albums after its 2002 release.

--- She collaborated with legendary drummer, Paul Motian, for ON BROADWAY VOLUME 4 OR THE PARADOX OF CONTINUITY.


WATCH REBECCA MARTIN PERFORM AT JOE'S PUB:

JAMIE LIDELL, Winner, Pop/Rock Album,

Home= UK born-Lidell has resided in NYC and most recently, Germany

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Lidell is known as a beatboxing one-man band.

---His song "Multiply" was used on the television show Grey's Anatomy, and was also included on its second soundtrack.

---Another song from his album Multiply, "A Little Bit More", was featured in a series of commercials for Target.

---He often collaborates with Canadian musicians such as Gonzales, Feist and Mocky.

WATCH JAMIE LIDELL:

LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE, Winner, Folk/Singer-Songwriter Song, "Snare Drum"

Home= Brooklyn, New York

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Roche is the daughter of two performing musicians, Loudon Wainwright and Suzzy Roche (The Roches). Her childhood was spent living out of a suitcase, either on the road, with her parents or being ferried around to different relatives in her big musical clan.

---She has a Master’s Degree in Education and has spent several years teaching second and third grade in New York City.

---After singing backup with her brother, Rufus Wainwright, through 2005 & 2006, she decided to take some time off from the classroom to explore her life long relationship to singing and song writing.

---"Sincere and raw, at times recalling Joni Mitchell and Patty Griffin, Roche's bittersweet voice leaps out; she paints an indelible image..." -NPR's Song of the Day

WATCH LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCH PERFORM:

UNKNOWN HINSON, Winner, Alt. Country Song, "Torture Town"

Home= North Carolina

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Stuart Daniel Baker (AKA Unknown Hinson) is a musician, songwriter and voice actor on the Adult Swim cartoon, Squidbillies.

---Hinson, music teacher and studio musician, created his alter-ego for The Wild Wild South, a Charlotte area public-access program that featured comedy sketches and concert footage.

---He has shared the stage with many notable rockabilly, Country, and psychobilly acts such as The Reverend Horton Heat, Marty Stuart and Hank III.

WATCH UNKNOWN HINSON'S VIDEO FOR "VENUS BOUND":

LATIN GIANTS OF JAZZ, Winner, Latin Song, Cuero Na'Ma

Latin Giants at the San Sabastian Jazz Festival, Spain

Home= Denver, CO

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---The Latin Giants of Jazz toured the world with the late & great Tito Puente for 35 years.

---Led by long time Puente band members John Rodriguez, Jose Madera and also CEO Stew Jackson, the Latin Giants of Jazz offer Afro-Cuban and Latin American traditional sounds.

---The albums The Latin Giants Play the Music of the Palladium…Tito Lives and Trip to Mamboland been at the top of radio playlists through out the world.


WATCH THE LATIN GIANTS OF JAZZ & Eddie Palmieri:

JON LEIDEL, Winner, Live Concert Photography, The New Familiars

Home= Asheville,NC

BEHIND THE MUSIC:


---Leidel was also a finalist in the 8th Annual IMA Band Publicity Photo category.

--- The Smashing Pumpkins, Les Claypool, 311 and Lou Leed have all been captured by Leidel's lens.

MAMADOU AND VANESSA, Winner, World Traditional Song, "Ay Masilan"

Home= Mali, West Africa

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Twenty-five years ago Mamadou played a groundbreaking role in transforming the music of this region from it's origins in hunters' sacred melodies--played on six string donso ngoni (hunter's harps)-- to a music of philosophical observations, politics and daily life.

---He has recently enhanced the kamale ngoni even further, by creating 10 and 12 string kamale ngoni.

---Vanessa Sidibe, originally from New York, is an accomplished Afro- Cuban and Salsa musician. She has performed, recorded and taught in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City for over fifteen years. She brings earthy depth and ethereal sensuality to all her vocals whether singing in English, Bambara or Spanish. In addition, her time spent in Havana, Cuba, shows with her impeccable rhythm on percussion.


WATCH MAMADOU AND VANESSA PERFORM LIVE:

PULPO, Winner, Latin Album, Hot Bread

Home= New York City

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Pulpo is esteemed pianist Gilberto Colón Jr. The nickname was given to him by his brother and conguero Eddie Montalvo during a live recording session. Soon after, FANIA All-Star vocalist Héctor Lavoe made the same reference during a show at the legendary Corso Nightclub for his dynamic ability to move up and down the keyboard telling a story through his solo.

---His big break came in 1975, when Lavoe asked him to be his pianist and musical director. For 16 years, Pulpo recorded and served with Lavoe while they toured throughout the world.

---Pulpo is credited for playing with all three of the "Big 3"; The Tito Puente Orchestra, The Tito Rodriguez Orchestra and the Machito Orchestra.

---Pulpo is highly regarded as a teacher of piano and musical theory. He taught for 16+ years at Johnny Colón's East Harlem Music School in New York City.

TORPEDO BOYZ, Winner, Dance/Electronica Album

Home=Germany

BEHIND THE MUSIC

--- Playboy describes Torpedo Boyz as “Just the sort of jet-set cool we love!”

--- In 2004, the group's debut 12 inch, “Gimme A Bassline!,” entered the Top 5 in the German Club Charts shortly after its release and was picked by PUMA for a major TV spot.

--- Nestlé uses the Torpedo-Boyz track "Any Trash, Professor Abacus?“ for its popular Cheerios TV campaign in England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.

--TB's has performed Barcelona, Tel Aviv, Warsaw, Vienna, St.Petersburg, Budapest, Amsterdam and Zurich and taken dance floors by storm in Tokyo, Bratislava, Seoul, Vancouver, Beijing, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

WATCH the Torpedo Boyz video for "Gimmie a Bassline":

"

MEAGAN TUBB, Winner, Blues Song, "Let Me Believe"

Home= Austin,Texas

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

--- Meagan Tubb & Shady People is the official band name.

--- Tubb is influenced by "any good kick-down drag-out rock-n'-roll band with some soul, guts, hooks, licks, and well-thought lyrics." Among those she includes are Jimi Hendrix, Sheryl Crow, Pink Floyd, Fiona Apple, Grace Slick, Beth Hart, Susan Tedeschi, 311, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Sara Mchlaughlin, Miles Davis, The White Stripes and Beck.

--- She strives to convey messages of hope, belief; and life observations of God, herself, nature, love, and relationships through unexpected vantage points within her songs.

WATCH Meagan Tubb live at the Granada Theater in Dallas:

A KID HEREAFTER, Winner, Punk Song, "Defenders of the Faith"

Home=Copenhagen,Denmark

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

--- A Kid Hereafter(aka Frederik Thaae)diverse group of influences includes They Might Be Giants, Nofx, Napalm Death, Slayer, Phil Spector,Beach Boys, Max Martin, Yes, Genesis, Kloak, Muse, Queens Of The Stoneage, Moldy Peaches, Dûreforsôg and Elvis Costello.

-- Rockfreaks.net says "All members in A Kid Hereafter have a distinct metal background. The songs are technically proficient, and the change from the gentle picking and strumming of their indie rock side to the shredding and blinding guitar work sounds effortless. The fact that all five guys contribute to the brutal vocal chaos suggests that, too."

---The band ends live shows with 5 minute grindcore sessions. Naturally, this led to the formation of A Kid Hereafter In The Grinding Light- a grindcore side project.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "PARIS," by A KID HEREAFTER:

JADE AMBROZE, Winner Contemporary Christian Song, "More"

Home= Australia

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

---Ambroze's songs are a reflection of her journey from brokenness to a woman who knows she is truly loved by her Heavenly Father.

--- ABC Radio's Carole Whitelock hails "They say she has the voice of an angel."

---Life FM's Jayne Lockert says "Jade's music reflects a rare honesty that encourages people to look forward with hope. Lovely melodies that encourage you to sing and embed words of encouragement to your spirit."

WATCH JADE AMBROZE Perform "Shine"

TONY TRISCHKA, Winner, Americana Album, Territory

Hometown= New Jersey

BEHIND THE MUSIC:

--This five-string banjo virtuoso is known for his remarkable picking style.

---He taught Béla Fleck to play the banjo.

---In April '07, he performed live on The Late Show With David Letterman with Steve Martin and Béla Fleck. Later that year, he won three International Bluegrass Music Awards: Album of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year and Banjo Player of the Year.

---Trischka will spend March '09 touring Japan.

WATCH Steve Martin, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka perform "The Crow" on Letterman:

* FUN FACT: 8th Annual IMA Live Performance Album finalist Michael Daves(Live At The Rockwood) is also a part of this performance!

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:

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