With the pandemic still upon us, OffBeat’s Best of the Beat was a virtual event. In many ways, we all missed the party, but the video shown during the event gave us all an even greater appreciation of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band in the documentary filmed and edited by OffBeat Magazine’s video producer Noé Cugny.
The documentary and performances of the Dirty Dozen and Tank and the Bangas—as well as all of the show’s presentations—was filmed in the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s third-floor performance space. If you haven’t already seen it, you can always see the show on OffBeat’s YouTube channel.
The show opened with a message from OffBeat founder and publisher Jan Ramsey: “We all know that the past year has been very stressful, scary and difficult. But it’s been especially hard for musicians and people in our live music ecosystem. In spite of the hardships, we did not want to stop our 23-year-old tradition of honoring New Orleans and Louisiana musicians. We consider them to be stars and always worthy of the highest honors, so we decided that a virtual event would have to do this year.”
As usual, OffBeat‘s writers and staffers determined the nominees and the readers voted for the winners. We received over 4,000 votes this year from readers and fans.
Although Tank and the Bangas performed at the event, they were booked for performance well before the results were determined. This group took home the most awards this year, winning Artist of the Year; Best Blues, R&B, Funk Artist; Best Blues, R&B, Funk Album for Friend Goals; and Best Song for “Self Care.”
Keyboardist, R&B singer and songwriter PJ Morton’s Gospel According to PJ took the Best of the Beat Album of the Year. Incidentally, our cover feature on PJ Morton, November 2018 was titled “The Gospel According to PJ Morton” We guess PJ liked the title! This album also won a Grammy for Best Gospel Album.
PJ Morton was also awarded the Allen Toussaint Songwriter of the Year Award, competing among some of New Orleans most gifted songwriters, including Alex McMurray, Leyla McCalla, Paul Sanchez and Shawn Williams.
The New Orleans Nightcrawlers Atmosphere, the band’s first album in 11 years, won for Best Traditional Jazz Album. This album also won a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Album.
The self-titled album by Cameron Dupuy & the Cajun Troubadours was the Best Cajun Album (this album was also nominated for a Grammy this year).
The Revivalists once again were named the Best Rock/Roots Rock Band, and this year also took the award for Best Rock Roots Rock Album for Made In Muscle Shoals. The album was recorded at the legendary FAME Studio in Muscle Shoals.
The Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Artist and Album category was dominated by Alex McMurray. He won both awards.
Other notable winners include Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for Jazz Party. The Best Gospel Artist Award was once again won by McDonogh #35 High School Choir, directed by Veronica Downs-Dorsey. And Cha Wa was named the Best Music Video for “Visible Means of Support (No Justice, No Peace Remix)” filmed by Jonathan Isaac Jackson.
As our longtime OffBeat readers may know, the Best of the Beat Awards started as a private party for the Louisiana music community in the early years of the magazine, and has been celebrated in venues all over the city, including the House of Blues, Generations Hall and the New Orleans Jazz Market. In an effort to continue an event that consistently honors local music, musicians and music businesses, the Best of The Beat is now a program of a non-profit. The Best of the Beat Awards are presented by the OffBeat Music and Cultural Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation was developed to create opportunities that support Louisiana artists in leading sustainable creative lives. The OffBeat Music and Cultural Arts Foundation merges education, advocacy, community engagement and creative collaboration to foster and uplift Louisiana music, arts and culture.
The Best of the Beat Awards were sponsored this year by our partners, the Positive Vibrations Foundation, which also presents $1,000 checks to the HeartBeat Awards recipients (this year, Dr. Jean Montès and Cherice Harrison-Nelson), and by the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Media partners included OffBeat Magazine, WWL-TV, WWNO, WWOZ and WHIV-FM.
The winners are…
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC BUSINESS
Mark Bingham
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC EDUCATION
Sanford Hinderlie
HEARTBEAT AWARDS
Dr. Jean Montès
Cherice Harrison Nelson
Artist of the Year
Tank & the Bangas
Album of the Year
PJ Morton: Gospel According to PJ Morton (Tyscot)
Best Emerging Artist
Mahmoud Chouki
Song of the Year
“Self Care” by Tank and the Bangas
Best Blues, R&B, Funk Artist
Tank and the Bangas
Best Blues, R&B, Funk Album
Tank and the Bangas: Friend Goals (EP) (Verve Forecast)
Best Rock/Roots Rock Artist
The Revivalists
Best Rock/Roots Album
The Revivalists: Made in Muscle Shoals (Loma Vista)
Best Rap/Hip-Hop/Bounce Artist
Big Freedia
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album/Mixtape
Lil’ Wayne: No Ceilings 3 (Young Money Entertainment)
Best Traditional Jazz Artist
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Best Traditional Jazz Album
New Orleans Nightcrawlers: Atmosphere (Independent)
Best Contemporary Jazz Artist
Johnny Vidacovich
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Delfeayo Marsalis & Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Jazz Party (Troubadour Jass Records)
Best Brass Band
Hot 8 Brass Band
Best Cajun Artist
Lost Bayou Ramblers
Best Cajun Album
Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours: Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours (Camo Records)
Best Zydeco Artist
Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Artist
Alex McMurray
Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album
Alex McMurray: Lucky One (Independent)
Best Gospel Artist
McDonogh #35 High School Choir
Best Cover Band
Bucktown All-Stars
Songwriter of the Year (The Allen Toussaint Songwriter Award)
PJ Morton
Best Female Vocalist
Erica Falls
Best Male Vocalist
John Boutté
Best Bass Player
George Porter, Jr.
Best Guitarist
Tab Benoit
Best Drummer
Stanton Moore
Best Saxophonist
Donald Harrison, Jr.
Best Clarinetist
Dr. Michael White
Best Trumpeter
Shamarr Allen
Best Trombonist
Troy Andrews
Best Tuba/Sousaphonist
Kirk Joseph
Best Piano/Keyboardist
Jon Cleary
Best Accordionist
Corey Ledet
Best Violinist/Fiddler
Louis Michot
Best DJ
Raj Smoove
Best Other Instrumentalist
Helen Gillet (cello)
Best Music Video
Cha Wa: Visible Means of Support (No Justice, No Peace Remix) (Filmed by Jonathan Isaac Jackson)
