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.

Writing music for television and film

Paul Broucek, a legendary music executive from New Line Cinema, is speaking in Madison on behalf of Broadjam.com and in support of the Madison Area Music Awards. His talk is entitled “The Anatomy of Film Music – Songs & Score.” The focus is on music licensing and placement of music in television and film.

The talk is from 7 – 9 PM this Thursday, February 26th at the Sundance Cinemas. A minimum donation of $5.00 is requested to go towards the Madison Area Music Awards (MAMAs).

Here’s the catch: the talk is already SOLD OUT, but is open to all members of the press in order to increase press coverage. I’ve been asked to attend but can’t make it. Contact me if you want to attend and are willing to write a review to be posted in Madison Jazz.

Sorry about the short notice, I just received the email this morning.

No MAMA jazz awards this year

My wife is away for a week. This tends to disrupt my equilibrium and I do things I normally wouldn’t, like watch the Grammys (jazz winners listed in next post). I actually enjoyed it, though I must becoming an old timer since I liked the older acts best. Well, most of them. Who would have guessed Robert Plant and Alison Krauss would win album of the year? I have that CD and in my opinion its muddy production makes it very mediocre. But then what do I know?

Speaking of awards I’m going to go out on a limb and endorse Tim Whalen for a MAMA for jazz album and jazz artist. Why? Well, I have the Magnus CD by the Tim Whalen Nonet and it is very good; the writing, arranging, and musicianship are all very impressive. It’s certainly good enough to win but that’s not why it should, it’s because Tim is the only jazz musician that registered an album for this year’s MAMA awards. Here’s the odd part, neither the album or Tim will win. Hold on, I’ll explain.

2009 Will Be a Challenging Year for the MAMAs

MAMA registration for artists ends this Saturday, Jan 31st. Performer applications for Jazz at Five are due Feb 15 (see Musicians Page)

2009 promises to be one of the most challenging years yet for the Madison Area Music Awards. After five years we feel like we’re finally getting this thing started. But economic woes are hitting charitable organizations everywhere and we don’t expect it to be much different for us.

2008 was a year of change for this organization. We’ve refocused our efforts and are putting together programs that will help the community. We continue to work with the area’s schools but have also started work in the Atwood Community Center, the East Madison Community Center and with the Boys and Girls Club. Once some of these programs are in place, we’ll be turning to the community of music professionals and bringing in instructors in music and recording technology for paid positions.

In 2008 we tripled our charitable giving, crossing the $30,000 mark in funds and instruments donated to various individuals, schools and other organizations.

All of this is precipitated on MAMA, Inc.’s (a tax-exempt organization) ability to procure grants. This summer we secured a reliable grant writer and we’re currently coordinating our application procedure. This March we’ll be constructing a database from the data we’ve gathered over the years. This will allow for letter-writing campaigns and appeals for donations.

This takes time, however, and that leaves us open to vulnerability, especially in 2009. With corporate sponsorships dwindling, the MAMAs will rely more heavily on its membership and registration monies to see us through to the next step.

The board remains the focused effort of six individuals but we hope to change that very soon. We’d like to procure a musician from each genre of music in which we present awards to take a seat on our board. This will make the board quite large but we plan to take finances and rulemaking to committees, leaving the bulk of the board’s work to raise money and promote the organization. The MAMAs has been the most tender of babies but now it’s growing and it’s time to branch out.

MAMAs voting/registration update

I recently asked Rick from the MAMAs for more information on the jazz categories and to clarify the voting process. Here is what I found out:

Right now we are in the registration phase. The registration deadline was just extended Monday night by our board to January 31. Voting will begin on February 5th now. Fans and artists who wish to vote can do so right up to the last day of the final round of voting, which is now April 28.

Madison Area Music Awards – Deadline is Jan 10th

(The following post is sent in by Rick Tvedt of the MAMAs)

I’d like all jazz musicians and fans to know that the Madison Area Music Awards is open for signup and artist registration until January 10th. The first round of voting will begin on January 15th.

Participation in the jazz genre has traditionally been weak. We have not even had four entries in any jazz category in all five previous MAMA campaigns.