We Hope a Recount Won’t Be Necessary

Nnenna Freelon won’t have to worry about losing to Dianne Reeves again this year. Freelon’s Soul Call is up for an Indie award for Best Jazz & Cabaret Vocals and although the competition is quite strong, Grammy Award winner Reeves is out because she records for Blue Note, a major label who isn’t invited to this party. The other nominees for an Indie in that category are Ranee Lee, Luqman Hamza, Susannah McCorkle and Rene Marie. Nominees in the other jazz categories are as follows:
Mainstream Jazz: Chick Corea, Marty Ehrlich, David Murray Octet, Steve Grossman and Steve Turre.
Contemporary Jazz: Jeff Kashiwa, Joe McBride, Marion Meadows, Metro and the Rippingtons.
Big Band Jazz: Buddy Collette Big Band, Italian Instabile Orchestra, Rob McConnell, Lalo Schifrin and the Maria Schneider Orchestra.

You (and Nnenna) will have to wait until May 5 to hear the winners, which will be announced during the AFIM (Association for Independent Music) conference in Los Angeles. The Indie Awards ceremony will be hosted by Dr. Demento, who for my money beats Rosie O’Donnell any day. For a complete list of nominees and more information about the organization and conference, go to www.afim.org

Originally Published March 28, 2001