The OffBeat Music and Cultural Arts Foundation’s Best of the Beat Nominations are in.
We solicited nominations from musicians and others in the music community. We then gave the results to our writers and editors and with input from both, determined the nominations in each category.
The public already started voting on the resulting ballot. Voting ends on January 15, so if you haven’t voted, you need to before voting closes. Click here to vote.
Winners will be announced at the Best of the Beat, which returns to Generations Hall on Thursday, January 31.
Many of the city’s fine restaurants will be serving food that night at Generations Hall; last year, more than 20 restaurants served our guests, and we expect a similar number this year.
The 2018 Best of The Beat Awards and Party will feature performances by Grammy-nominated Cha Wa and Sean Ardoin as well as Water Seed, Gregg Martinez & the Delta Kings with special guest T.K. Hulin, Nesby Phips, Iceman Special and a tribute to Walter “Wolfman” Washington.
Sponsors for this year’s Best of the Beat Awards include OffBeat Media, Positive Vibrations Foundation, Lyft, Generations Hall, WWNO, WYES and WHIV.
Tickets for the Best of the Beat are on sale now at Eventbrite.com.
Artist of the Year
Quiana Lynell
Samantha Fish
Tank & the Bangas
The Revivalists
Walter “Wolfman” Washington
Album of the Year
Jamison Ross: All for One
(Concord Jazz)
Jason Marsalis and the
21st Century Trad Band: Melody
Reimagined book 1 (Basin Street
Records)
Jon Cleary: Dyna-Mite
(FHQ Records)
Paul Sanchez: One More Trip
Around the Sun (Independent)
The Revivalists: Take Good Care
(Loma Vista)
Walter “Wolfman” Washington:
My Future is My Past (Anti)
Best Emerging Artist
Bon Bon Vivant
Iceman Special
Julie Odell
LVVRS
Sabine McCalla
The Tumbling Wheels
Song of the Year
“All My Friends” by Dave Bassett
and David Shaw
“Chapters” by J’Wan Boudreaux
“Dyna-Mite” by Jon Cleary
“I Love You” by Shamarr Allen
“One More Trip Around the Sun”
by Paul Sanchez and John Rankin
Best Blues Performer
Eric Lindell
Johnny Sansone
Jonathon Long
Samantha Fish
Walter “Wolfman” Washington
Best Blues Album
Eric Johanson: Burn it Down
(Whiskey Bayou Records)
Eric Lindell: Revolution in your
Heart (Alligator Records)
Johnny Sansone: Hopeland
(Shortstack)
Jonathon Long: Jonathon Long
(Wild Heart)
Walter “Wolfman” Washington:
My Future is My Past (Anti)
Best R&B/Funk Artist
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Cha Wa
Jon Cleary
PJ Morton
Water Seed
Best R&B/Funk Album
Big Sam’s Funky Nation:
Songs in the Key of Funk,
Volume 1 (Independent)
Cha Wa: Spyboy (UPT)
Jon Cleary: Dyna-Mite
(FHQ Records)
Shamarrr Allen: True Orleans
(P.O.M.E.)
Water Seed: Say Yeah! Live at
the Blue Nile (Louisiana Red Hot
Records)
Best Rock Artist
Darcy Malone & the Tangle
Givers
LVVRS
Revivalists
Sweet Crude
Best Rock Album
Billy Iuso & the Restless Natives:
Home By The Sea (Independent)
Darcy Malone & the Tangle: Pure as
Gold (Independent)
Future Cowboys: Going Kamikaze
(Pantherburn)
The Radiators: Welcome to the
Monkey House (Radz Records)
The Revivalists: Take Good Care
(Loma Vista)
Best Rap / Hip-Hop / Bounce Artist
Alfred Banks
Chase N Cashe
LG
Paasky
Ze11a
Best Rap / Hip-Hop / Bounce Artist Album
Chase N Cashe and Negus: We Never Close 2 (Independent)
Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs: Fetti (Jet
Life Recordings)
LG: Jahvon (Creative Archive)
Nesby Phips: Therapy (Audacious
Recordings)
Supreme Beings: Supreme Beings
(Independent)
Best Traditional Jazz Artist
Dr. Michael White
Mark Braud
Mike Harvey’s Hot Club
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Tuba Skinny
Best Traditional
Jazz Album
Dr. Michael White: Tricentennial
Rag (Basin Street Records)
Mark Braud: Living the Tradition
(Independent)
Mike Harvey’s Hot Club: Mike
Harvey’s Hot Club (Independent)
Shake ’Em Up Jazz Band: A
Woman’s Place (Independent)
Tuba Sknny: Nigel’s Dream
(Independent)
Best Contemporary
Jazz Artist
Adonis Rose
Ashlin Parker
Gregory Agid
Jamison Ross
Jason Marsalis
Best Contemporary
Jazz Album
Gregory Agid Quartet: Jamz
(Bubble Bath)
Jamison Ross: All for One
(Concord Jazz)
Jason Marsalis and the 21st
Century Trad Band: Melody
Reimagined book 1 (Basin Street
Records)
Jon Batiste: Hollywood Africans
(Verve)
Nolatet: No Revenge Necessary
(Royal Potato Family)
Best Brass Band
Da Truth Brass Band
Free Agents Brass Band
Hot 8 Brass Band
The Soul Rebels
Treme Brass Band
Best Cajun Artist
Bruce Daigrepont
Feufollet
Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys
Michot’s Melody Makers
Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
Best Cajun Album
Blake Miller & the Old Fashioned
Aces: Quelle Belle Journée
(Independent)
Jourdan Thibodeaux et les
Rôdailleurs: Boue, Boucane, et
Bouteilles (Valcour Records)
Kevin Naquin and the Ossun
Playboys: Man in the Mirror
(Flat Town)
Michot’s Melody Makers: Blood
Moon (Sinking City Records)
Various Artists: Travailler, C’est Trop
Dur: The Lyrical Legacy of Caesar
Vincent (Swallow Records)
Best Zydeco Artist
Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band
Corey Ledet and His Zydeco Band
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco
Hellraisers
Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas
Sean Ardoin
Best Zydeco Album
Chubby Carrier & the Bayou
Swamp Band: Black Pot
(Swampadelic Records)
Horace Trahan: Until the End
(Independent)
Keith Frank & The Soileau
Zydeco Band: Return of the King
(Soulwood Records)
Leon Chavis and the Zydeco
Flames: This All I Know
(Independent)
Sean Ardoin: Kreole Rock and Soul (Louisiana Red Hot Records)
Best Roots Rock Artist
Jamie Lynn Vessels
Paul Sanchez
Shawn Williams
Spencer Bohren
Yvette Landry & the Jukes
Best Roots Rock Album
Jamie Lynn Vessels: Storm Coming
(Independent)
Paul Sanchez: One More Trip
Around the Sun (Independent)
Shawn Williams: Motel Livin’
(Independent)
Spencer Bohren: Makin’ It Home to
You (Valve Records)
Yvette Landry & the Jukes:
Louisiana Lovin’ (Soko Music)
Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Artist
Ever More Nest
Gal Holiday
Sarah Quintana
The Wanting
Zachary Richard
Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album
Ever More Nest: The Place That You
Call Home (Parish Road Records)
Gal Holiday: Lost and Found
(HTRP Music)
Joel Savoy, Kelli Jones, Caleb
Klauder and Reeb Willms:
Farewell, Alligator Man
(Valcour Records)
The Wanting: Dark Road
(Planetary Magnetics)
Zachary Richard: Gombo
(RZ Records)
Best Gospel Group
Lyle Henderson
McDonogh #35 High School Gospel Choir
Pastor J’ai Reed
The Electrifying Crownseekers
Tyrone Foster
Best Cover Band
Bag Of Donuts
Bucktown All-Stars
Jamaican Me Breakfast Club
Top Cats
Where Y’acht
Songwriter of the Year
Dave Shaw
Dayna Kurtz
Jon Cleary
Paul Sanchez
Spencer Bohren
Best Female Vocalist
Erica Falls
Quiana Lynell
Robin Barnes
Samantha Fish
Susan Cowsill
Best Male Vocalist
Cyril Neville
David Shaw
Gregg Martinez
Jamison Ross
John Boutte
Best Bass Player
George Porter, Jr.
James Singleton
Jasen Weaver
Pat Casey
Roland Guerin
Best Guitarist
Alex McMurray
Anders Osborne
Jonathon Long
June Yamagishi
Samantha Fish
Best Drummer
Jamison Ross
Johnny Vidacovich
Russ Broussard
Shannon Powell
Stanton Moore
Best Saxophonist
Aurora Nealand
Derek Douget
Donald Harrison
James Martin
Khari Allen Lee
Best Clarinetist
Aurora Nealand
Dr. Michael White
Evan Christopher
Gregory Agid
Tim Laughlin
Best Trumpter
Ashlin Parker
Eric Benny Bloom
Leroy Jones
Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown
Nicholas Payton
Best Trombonist
Corey Henry
Craig Klein
Delfeayo Marsalis
Mark Mullins
Troy Andrews
Best Tuba/Sousaphonist
Ben Jaffe
Benny Pete
John Cannon
Matt Perrine
Phil Frazier
Best Piano / Keyboardist
David Torkanowsky
Jon Cleary
Kyle Roussell
Oscar Rossignoli
Tom McDermott
Best Accordionist
Andre Michot
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes
Chubby Carrier
Sean Ardoin
Steve Riley
Best Violin / Fiddle Player
Amanda Shaw
Joel Savoy
Kelli Jones-Savoy
Louis Michot
Matt Rhody
Best DJ
DJ RQ Away
DJ Soul Sister
Legatron Prime
Lil Jodeci
Raj Smoove
Best Other Instrument
Helen Gillet (cello)
Jason Marsalis (vibes)
Johnny Sansone (harmonica)
Mike Dillon (vibes)
Washboard Chaz (washboard)
Best Music Video
“All My Friends” The Revivalists,
UMG (on behalf of Concord
Loma Vista)
“Over You” LVVRS, Alexander
Breaux, videographer
“Save Your Love For Me” Walter
“Wolfman” Washington,
directed by Sam Radutzky
“Chapters” Cha Wa, directed by
Cameron Wheeless
“I Love You” Shamarr Allen,
directed Damian Gordon
“Rent” Big Freedia, directed
by Greenhouse Collective: Zac
Manuel, Milo Daemgen and
Chris Haney
