Register for the MAMAs

Registration is now open for the 2011 MAMAs. Starting this year bands and musicians do not have to pay to register, and only the album and song awards require music to be officially released in 2010.

http://themamas.org/madison-area-music-awards-news/

In the past, the Madison jazz community has participated at very low levels in the MAMAs. The reason for this isn’t clear. The MAMAs support two worthy causes: putting instruments in the hands of youth, and promoting the local music scene. Nothing controversial there.

Some have called the MAMAs nothing more than a popularity contest and not meaningful. While there may be some truth to this, the MAMAs are certainly a great way to gain additional publicity and playing opportunities, and what jazz musician/group doesn’t need that? Look at all the attention Aaron Williams received last year when he and his group won multiple MAMAs. The Madison jazz community needs to continually promote itself in order to remain vibrant and this is an easy way to do it. Register now!

2010 MAMAs winners

Listed below are this year’s MAMAs winners in the jazz category. For the complete list of winner’s see the MAMAs website. Blues artists Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo were the big winners overall with five awards including Artist of the Year. You can see them every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at the Brink Lounge.

Jazz Album – Mama Digdown’s Brass Band – We Make ‘Em Say Ooh

Jazz Performer – Harmonious Wail

Jazz Song – Harmonious Wail – “The Vegan Zombie’s Lament”

MAMAs voting ends tomorrow

The last day to vote for the MAMAs (Madison Area Music Awards) is tomorrow, April 28th. Should you vote? Should you care? Let’s start by reprinting a comment made by Verge last year:

Sorry, Bob, but these “contests” are meaningless.

Music and art aren’t competition, and shouldn’t generate winners and losers. And let’s face it, everyone but one person will wind up a loser!

Anyone who follows a creative muse is doing something valid, whether they win awards or not.

Usually, though, it’s the ones who never won anything who were doing something truly worthwhile. Ever hear of The Gerards, The Corn Kings or Odd Girl Out? Some of my all-time favorite bands, and I can’t even find any of their recordings!

Please don’t take this as a slight to anyone in particular. Most bands don’t choose to be nominated in these contests, they just wind up there.

Plus, I feel better about myself and my drumming when I’m not comparing myself to others! (I must be a loser, eh?)

I think Verge sums up many of the arguments against these kinds of contests.  I could add a few of my own but lets just say something was clearly wrong when the Blue Olives, a decent pop/rock band, won in last year’s jazz performer category.

Despite these arguments I still support the MAMAs. They successfully promote local music and put instruments into kids hands, and for that they deserve credit.  So if you believe in the contest help them out by voting, or if the voting feels wrong to you then consider paying the $5 to vote and leave your ballot blank.

2009 MAMA winners

These are the winners in the jazz categories. Louka Patenaude also won for the Intrumentalist- Guitarist category.

• Jazz Album – Harmonious Wail (Resist Temptation)
• Jazz Performer – The Blue Olives
• Jazz Song – Harmonious Wail (I Like to Feel My Bones)

The entire list can be found on the MAMA website.

Real jazz players please stand up

In light of the updated list of MAMA nominees I just received I’m finding it difficult to take the awards seriously. The Jazz Performer category has just been added. There is one nominee: The Blue Olives. When I received the first list I wondered about a number of names I’m not familiar with. I tried to brush off the feeling that things weren’t right and told myself I can’t know everyone in Madison who plays jazz. But I’ve seen the Blue Olives and there isn’t anything jazzy about them. Check out their website for yourself.

I’m sure there is more than one reason for this situation, but mainly it appears people are taking advantage of opportunities that exist because real jazz performers aren’t participating. Aren’t there any Madison jazz performers that believe in the MAMA mission, and are interested in some good PR for themselves?

I’m not the only person noticing something amiss. Over at 77 Square there is an article and comments about the omission of some of Madison’s best bands from the list of nominees. That is certainly true within the jazz categories. 

Considering the recent additions to the list it may not be too late to add your name, too. Let’s see if we can get some real jazz players to vote for.

Vote for MAMA jazz awards

A while back I wrote there were no jazz categories in the MAMAs this year because Tim Whalen was the only entry. Late entries must have been allowed because the MAMA nominees have been named, and now there are two jazz categories: Jazz Album of the Year, and Jazz Song of the year. The nominees are listed below.

Jazz Album of the Year

James Eisele	Coming Into A New Age
Tim Whalen Nonet	Magnus
Harmonious Wail	Resist Temptation

Jazz Song of the Year

Harmonious Wail	I like to Feel My Bones
James Eisele	Take a Chance on Love
Laura Day	Rio De Janeiro Blue

 

In previous years  a third category was Jazz Performer of the Year. At least two categories is better than none.

Among the Instrumentalist nominees I also noticed jazz pianist Dave Stoler, and jazz (and other genres) guitarist Louka Patenaude. The final round of voting lasts until April 28th. To learn more about the voting process see this previous post.