The 2020 OffBeat Music and Cultural Arts Foundation’s Best of the Beat Music Awards is coming up at the end of the month and the nominees have been announced! Local (and national) musicians are being recognized for their many contributions to New Orleans culture and beyond.
PJ Morton, Tank and the Bangas, and The Soul Rebels are all up for the Artist of the Year category, while DJs Raj Smoove and RQ Away are gunning for Best DJ. I perused the list and picked out a few categories that a few of my favorite homegrown artists are nominated for. Check out who’s up for what and vote for your favorite artist! Voting ends Wednesday, Jan. 15 @ 6P.
Artist Of The Year
Leyla McCalla
PJ Morton
Samantha Fish
Tank and the Bangas
The Soul Rebels
Album Of The Year
Anders Osborne: Buddha and the
Blues (Back on Dumaine)
John Boutté: a “well tempered”
Boutté (Independent)
Leyla McCalla: The Capitalist Blues
(Jazz Village)
PJ Morton: Paul (Morton Records)
Tank and the Bangas: Green
Balloon (Verve Forecast)
The Soul Rebels: Poetry in Motion
(Mack Avenue)
Best R&B/Funk Artist
Galactic
Khris Royal & Dark Matter
PJ Morton
Tank and the Bangas
Water Seed
Best R&B/Funk Album
Charlie Wooton Project featuring
Arsene Delay: Blue Basso (Wild
Heart Records)
Galactic: Already Ready Already
(Tchoup Zilla / Thirty Tigers)
PJ Morton: Paul (Morton Records)
Tank and the Bangas: Green
Balloon (Verve Forecast)
The New Orleans Catahoulas:
Homegrown (Independent)
Best Rock Artist
Anders Osborne
Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes
The Iceman Special
The Revivalists
Trombone Shorty &
Orleans Avenue
Best Rap Hip-Hop Artist
DeeLow Diamond Man
Fendi P
Kenneth Brother
Pell
The DJ (Ze11a & Paco)
Best Hip-Hop Album
DeeLow Diamond Man: Good
Vibes Diamond Edition (Tangalang
Records)
Fendi P: Fendi P 3 (Jet Life
Recordings)
Kenneth Brother: Kenneth Brother
4 (WSL Productions)
Pell: Gravity (PayDay Records)
The DJ (Ze11a and Paco
Troxclair): The DJ (Independent)
Best Brass Band
Big 6 Brass Band
Da Truth Brass Band
Hot 8 Brass Band
Soul Brass Band
The Soul Rebels
Best Gospel Group
Franklin Avenue Music Ministry
Greater St. Stephens Mass Choir
Johnson Extension
Legendary Rocks of Harmony
McDonogh #35 High School
Gospel Choir
Songwriter Of The Year (Allen Toussaint Award)
Anders Osborne
Esther Rose
Leyla McCalla
Paul Sanchez
PJ Morton
Best Male Vocalist
Anders Osborne
Cyril Neville
J’Wan Boudreaux
John Boutte
PJ Morton
Best Trombonist
Charlie Halloran
Corey Henry
Mark Mullins
Paul Robertson (of the Soul Rebels)
Troy Andrews
Best Piano / Keyboardist
Jon Cleary
Kyle Roussell
Oscar Rossignoli
PJ Morton
Tom McDermott
Best DJ
Bouffant Bouffant
G-Cue
Kelly Green
Raj Smoove
RQ Away
Best Music Video
Leyla McCalla: “Money is King,” directed by Nisa East.
Paul Sanchez with Pete Riley and
Pete Riley, Jr.: “Walking in Liverpool,” directed by John Sanchez and Penchant Productions.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band:
“Keep Your Head Up,” directed by TG Herrington.
The Soul Rebels: “Good Time”
(Feat. Big Freedia, Denisia &
Passport P). Video by Chris Haney with Greenhouse Collective.
Tank and the Bangas: “Hot AirBalloons,” directed by Tavia Osbey.
So, who you got? Vote now!
Winners will be announced at the Best of the Beat Music Awards show and party, Thursday, January 30, 2020 at the New Orleans Jazz Market. Good luck to the nominees!