http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2010/08/2010_houston_press_music_award.php

And thus ends another voting season.

And thus ends another event that only has significance to those who "won", while demonstrating once again that nearly all "contests" involving music rarely recognize the top talent, just the ones that truly hustle the votes to win (kinda like real politics, huh?)

I say this even though my nephew's band "won" in one category.....

If I don't see certain names on the ballot, I don't bothah.

That is all.

I realized that my earlier post seemed to belittle those who received the most votes. Obviously many talented artists were nominated and quite a few were selected. Congratulations to all who were nominated and all who won.

I make no apologies for my comments. Any "best of" list that makes no mention of dozens of monster musicians (whose briefcase I couldn't carry if it was strapped onto me) who live and work in the Houston Press "viewing" area cannot be taken seriously.

Having said that, I do hope everyone is enjoying this lovely Sunday afternoon.

:-)

!!!

Thanks for the non-vote of confidence, Dana.

It ain't personal, sweetheart.

Awards for art aren't about art at all. They're about publicity and (hopefully) sales. In this case, the HP Music Awards did a great job of getting people out to see a ton of original live acts. For Houston, that's pretty impressive. I just hope that everyone involved picked up a few new fans.

Dana, there were fantastic, hard-working vocalists in the jazz category this year who certainly hold their own.

Diane Landry for crying out loud. If I wasn't on the ballot, I would have voted for her. Tianna Hall, tell me she isn't a representation of what a strong vocalist should be. She can sing that heavy long hair music and remembers lyrics to the hundreds of tunes in her book. HUNDREDS. It's no little bitty folder with a couple of charts for the jam session. Kristin Mills, she has been working her fanny off and although completely shunned by most of the community here, hires LOTS of jazz sidemen. Tell me she's not a jazz vocalist... and oh, yeah she WRITES her own stuff.

Yes, there are magnificient, world-class instrumentalists in Houston who never see the ballot. I sent out 7 posts on Facebook announcing the polls were open for nominations. My name got on the ballot.

My Quintet was booked at the Showcase Awards that had only one other jazz band, Kristine's group. Tell me we aren't trying to rep our scene.

Dana, in all the love I and restraint I can use, it sure as cuss is personal. I am proud to have been nominated with three wonderful women that all put out great CDs recently.

Thank goodness the Free Rads one, I don't feel bad losing to a group I am on their recordings and of whom I've played with many, many times. They have an extended fan base that goes back for years. Yes, I'd like to see the jazz category to have a straight-ahead jazz side or the like. The caliber of the nominees this year give me hope.

Remember, it takes people to nominate someone to get on the ballot. The Houston Press merely adds up the numbers.

Henry-- obviously, you chose to disbelieve my statement in post #3.

Hope you're feeling better now...

Dana, post #3 says if you don't see names there you don't bother, do you mean names that you nominated?

And yes, I do feel better having said my peace about it. I am encouraged by HP's interest in the jazz part. I strongly believe that if we take action by voting we might get more area on the award ballot. I think if there was an instrument jazz category, vocal jazz category and the like, it would open up things for more of our great musicians to be exposed to the larger audience.

I know it's imperfect, but I am trying to do what I can for the scene. For instance, I went to the Daily Cougar office yesterday and the A&E editor said he would print whatever I wrote about jazz. He was very interested in coverage for the scene.

I love you, Dana, and you know this. Your comment hurt my feelings and I addressed that by standing up for myself (and the other nominees) in a healthy way. My how my musings on JH have improved throughout the years...

Well, my comments were not intended to hurt yours or anyone's feelings, but to put things in perspective, especially for those who may have been nominated but did not win.

The HP's thing is a fun toy but is not the Monk Competition. It is a system that can be tweaked by anyone who can click a mouse. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd rather receive my thumbs-down from an authority with perhaps a few more skills...

Ok,Ok,so,if y'all don't care for this particular "beauty contest" then start your own.How about,the JazzHouston awards (perhaps mirroring the recently published Downbeat magazine critics poll winners)?Or would that be too much work?

on a random sidenote, I will say this; any and all "awards" which have, or will be given or received by 'the mighty orq', in Houston, or abroad, are well deserved. That band is serving the greater Houston community very well. imho,,.,.

issued/given !TO!

Check out the thread about JazzHouston Polls. Any input would be helpful. Thanks for the suggestion, Joel!