At this year’s Best of the Beat events, the big winner was Irma Thomas. On the Wednesday celebration of business and individual achievement at Harrah’s Casino, she was named Female Vocalist of the Year, and Saturday night at the House of Blues, she won three awards—for Best Blues Artist, Best Blues Album for Simply Grand, and Artist of the Year. Dr. John, Theresa Andersson, Trombone Shorty, Terrance Simien, the Iguanas and Lil Wayne were also big winners this year, each winning more than one award.
The Best of the Beat is always accompanied by live music, and this year was no different as Jesse McBride and the Next Generation paid tribute to Lifetime Achievement in Music honoree Harold Battiste at Harrah’s. Later in the evening, Ellis Marsalis helped OffBeat publisher Jan Ramsey recognize Battiste’s years of achievement.
At the House of Blues, the Wild Magnolias and Big Chiefs Monk Boudreaux, Donald Harrison an d Bo Dollis, Jr. accompanied Lifetime Achievement in Music honoree Bo Dollis, who was speechless when Ramsey and co-host Eric Paulsen presented him his award, but was in fine voice for “Handa Wanda.” During the tribute to the late piano genius James Booker, Joshua Paxton, John Gros and Tom McDermott turned in spectacular performa nces before Jon Cleary closed the set in true Booker fashion—playing other songs with Booker quotes interspersed. Across the board, though, the music was impressive, from the New Orleans Bingo
! Show’s opening set that included Irma Thomas’ “It’s Raining,” to Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave.’s muscular funk rock ending to the night.
Thanks to everybody who helped make the event as special as it was, the musicians as well as the restaurants and sponsors: Theo’s Pizza, the Flaming Torch, Mat & Naddie’s, Tomatillo’s, the Hookah Café, the Praline Connection, Aurora Catering, Hubig’s Pies, Whole Foods Market, the Joint, Juan’s Flying Burrito, Slice, Willie Mae’s Scotch House, Martinique, the Gumbo Shop, Cochon Butcher, Jacques-Imo’s, Miller Beer, Capitol One Bank, Glazer’s of Louisiana, BMI, Sweet Home New Orleans, WWL-TV, Harrah’s New Orleans, the Loyola University Music Business Program, the Loyola Music and Arts Entrepreneurship program for producing the video tributes, and Helma Kaldewey for her photos of James Booker.
Let’s do it again next year, and you weren’t there—don’t let it happen again.
2008 Best of the Beat Award Winners
Music Awards
Best Blues Band or Performer
Irma Thomas
Best Blues Album
Irma Thomas: Simply Grand (Rounder)
Best R&B/Funk Band or Performer
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave.
Best R&B/Funk Album
Dr. John: City That Care Forgot (429/Savoy)
Best Rock Band or Performer
Theresa Andersson
Best Rock Album
Theresa Andersson: Hummingbird, Go! (Basin Street)
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Band or Performer
Lil Wayne
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album
Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III (Cash Money)
Best Traditional Jazz Band or Performer
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Best Traditional Jazz Album
John Boutte: Good Neighbor (Independent)
Best Contemporary Jazz Band or Performer
Terrence Blanchard
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Ellis Marsalis Quartet: An Open Letter to Thelonious (ELM)
Best Brass Band
Rebirth Brass Band
Best Gospel Band or Performer
Zion Harmonizers
Best Cajun Band or Performer
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
Best Cajun Album
Michael Doucet: From Now On (Smithsonian Folkways)
Best Zydeco Band or Performer
Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience
Best Zydeco Album
Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys: Keep the Tradition Alive! (Maison de Soul)
Best Country/Folk/Roots Rock Band or Performer
The Iguanas
Best Country/Folk/Roots Rock Album
The Iguanas: If You Should Ever Fall on Hard Times (Yep Roc)
Best Emerging Artist
Los Po-Boy-Citos
Best Cover Band or Performer
The Bucktown Allstars
Female Vocals
Irma Thomas
Male Vocals
John Boutte
Bass
George Porter, Jr.
Guitar
Sonny Landreth
Drums/Percussion
Johnny Vidacovich
Saxophone
Donald Harrison
Clarinet
Dr. Michael White
Trumpet
Trombone Shorty
Trombone
Mark Mullins
Tuba / Sousaphone
Matt Perrine
Piano/Keyboards
Henry Butler
Accordion
Terrance Simien
Violin/Fiddle
Michael Doucet
Other Instrument
Washboard Chaz (washboard)
Album of the Year
Dr. John: City That Care Forgot (429/Savoy)
Artist/Band of the Year
Irma Thomas
Business Awards
Best Club
d.b.a.
Best Radio Station
WWOZ
Best Festival
French Quarter Festival
Best Festival Outside New Orleans
Festivals Acadiens et Creole
Best Recording Studio
Studio in the Country
Record Label of the Year
Basin Street Records
Producer of the Year
Mark Bingham
Best Record Store
Louisiana Music Factory
Best Instrument Store
Ray Fransen’s Drum Center
Best Pro Audio Store
Guitar Center
Best Studio Sound Engineer
Ben Mumphrey (Studio in the Country)
Best Booking Agency
White Oak
Best Manager
Howie Kaplan
Best Music Attorney
Ashlye M. Keaton
Best Music Photographer
Skip Bolen
Best Club Owner or Manager
Jessie Page (The Blue Nile)
Best Concert Promoter
Ponderosa Stomp Foundation
Music Awareness Award
The New Orleans Hornets
Music Business of the Year
Preservation Hall
Lifetime Achievement
Lifetime Achievement in Music
Harold Battiste
Lifetime Achievement in Music
Bo Dollis
Posthumous Lifetime Achievement in Music
James Booker
Lifetime Achievement in Music Business
Maggie Warwick
Lifetime Achievement Music Education
Donald Harrison and Cherice Harrison-Nelson
The Heartbeat Award
Antoinette K-Doe
