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Top Track

Top Track Contest Winners

Grand Prize: Michael Orenstein

Title: "Ode to Manuel"

“Ode To Manuel” is Orenstein’s tribute to one of his favorite pianists, Manuel Valera. It was written when Orenstein was still in his undergrad at Oberlin Conservatory, and after playing it for years, Orenstein recorded it for his debut album, Aperture (Origin Records 2022). The listener will hear grooves inspired by Cuban music intertwined with colorful modern harmonies, performed by the trio of Logan Kane (bass), Myles Martin (drums), and Orenstein (piano).

Second Prize: Tom Lippincott

Title: "Semolina Pilchard"

“Semolina Pilchard” is from 8-string guitarist Tom Lippincott’s album Twenty Years Later, a pandemic project recorded fully remotely during the lockdown. Lippincott says, “David Fernandez (sax), Eric England (bass), Rodolfo Zuniga (drums), and I have collaborated on many recordings and performances over the years, and our friendship and musical camaraderie allowed us to play this tune and the others on the album in a way that overcame the limitations imposed by physical distance.” 

Third Prize: Thomas Dancer

Title: "One for Herbie Hancock"

Herbie Hancock has given the jazz community so much music and so many memorable compositions that Dancer decided to give him something back with “Ode to Herbie Hancock.” “I’ve always admired Herbie’s musicianship and, in particular, his innate sense of groove. In this tune, I’ve tried to celebrate that with a Herbie Hancock-esque groove of my own,” Dancer says. “I hope he gets to hear it some day.”

Prizes

1st Prize
  • $1,000 cash prize
  • One (1) One-year JazzTimes VIP Membership
  • Featured online
  • Publication in a future issue of JazzTimes Magazine
2nd Prize
  • $500 cash prize
  • One (1) One-year JazzTimes VIP Membership
  • Featured online
  • Publication in a future issue of JazzTimes Magazine
3rd Prize
  • $250 cash prize
  • One (1) One-year JazzTimes VIP Membership
  • Featured online
  • Publication in a future issue of JazzTimes Magazine

Past Contests

Explore past winners, finalists and prizes from our previous contests.

View Contests

Frequently asked questions and official rules

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions. If your question isn’t answered here, please send us an email at [email protected] with the following details:

  1. The name of the contest (Top Track Contest)
  2. Your username
  3. The exact nature of your problem

Question: Who may enter?

Answer:

Contest is open to individuals over the age of 18 and residents of the U.S.

Question: How do I enter?

Answer:

Click “Enter Now.” You’ll need to be logged in to your JazzTimes account to enter. If you don’t have an account, click here to register for your free account.
You may also log in using your Facebook account through the Connect With Facebook option.

Question: How much does it cost to enter?

Answer:

Through May 31, 2022, you can enter your track at the early entry price of $100 for one (1) track. After May 31, one (1) track costs $125 until the end of the contest on June 14, 2022. All submissions are final. Refunds will not be provided.

Question: I'm having trouble uploading my image?

Answer:

If you’re having difficulty uploading your image, please try a different browser. If you still have difficulties, please contact us at [email protected]. Please include your phone number in your message so we can respond with assistance.

Question: Is my credit card information secure?

Answer:

Absolutely! The payment form is hosted on our secure payment processor’s site and your credit card information (including your physical address) is submitted directly to the applicable credit card company through 256-bit encrypted pages. The header graphic is the only non-secure item on the payment page and only your email and the success/failure message of the transaction are submitted back to our site.

Question: Can I pass the word on this competition to my friends, classmates, Facebook/Twitter followers, etc.?

Answer:

Yes, please! The link to the contest portal is https://jazztimes.com/photo-contests/top-track

Question: Do I have to mail in my track?

Answer:

No. Please upload entries using the online entry form. Mailed submissions will not be accepted.

Question: When will the winners be notified & announced?

Answer:

By January 31, 2023.

Question: What are the prizes?

Answer:

See the contest landing page or the official rules for a complete list of contest prizes.

Question: Can I edit my submission after I’ve already submitted it?

Answer:

If you’d like to make any changes to your entry, please email us and indicate:

  1. The name of the contest (Top Track Contest)
  2. Your username
  3. Title of track
  4. The changes you would like to be made to the submission

Question: When I try to enter online, I get an error message. What's going on?

Answer:

If your attempts at entering online aren’t successful, our system might be struggling. Try waiting a few minutes, then clear your browser’s cache and cookies—you might even try restarting your computer—and go to the online entry page again.
Additionally, title your story with alphanumeric characters only. Please don’t use apostrophes, ampersands or any other character symbol, as doing so may cause errors during
uploading.

Question: I've tried clearing my cache and cookies, and I even bought a new computer. The online entry form just isn't working for me.

Answer:

Double-check that the size of your file meets our requirements. If all else fails, send us an email at [email protected]. In your email, please indicate:

  1. The name of the contest (Top Track Contest)
  2. Your username
  3. Title of track
  4. The exact nature of your problem

JazzTimes Top Track Official Rules

ELIGIBILITY:
JazzTimes’ 2022 Top Track Contest (“Contest”) is open only to individuals who are over 18 years of age and who are residents of the U.S. Employees of Madavor Media, LLC, (“Sponsors”), and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child and sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and/or those living in same household of each, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate or win. Sponsors reserve the right to verify all eligibility requirements. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

CONTEST PERIOD:
The Contest will begin on April 19, 2022 at 7:00 AM PST, and end on June 14, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST (the “Contest Period”).

HOW TO ENTER:
Click the enter now button above to submit. All entries must be received by June 14, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST to be eligible. Each track must be submitted in MP3 and cannot exceed 50 MB in size. Enter with an “Early Entry Fee” from April 19, 2022 until May 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST at $100 for one (1) track. From June 1, 2022 until June 14, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST, the “Entry Fee” will be $125 for one (1) track. All submissions are final. Refunds will not be provided.
Please note: Entries submitted online will be eligible for (i) the Grand Place Prize (as described below), (ii) Second Place Prize (as described below), and (iii) Third Place Prize (as described below).
Entry must be the original work of the entrant and entrant must be the sole owner of the copyright of such entry. Entry must be in keeping with the Sponsors’ image and may not be inappropriate or offensive, as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion, nor can it defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or property rights or any other third-party rights. The Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify any entry they deem to be offensive, inappropriate, that is not in keeping with Sponsors’ image or that is otherwise not in compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. Entrant must have obtained express written consent to submit any entry that contains persons other than entrant or third-party elements not owned by entrant and, if requested to do so, produce such written consent from appropriate parties in a form and manner acceptable to the Sponsors.
By submitting an Entry, entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsors may obtain many Entries in connection with this Contest and/or other contests staged and/or promoted by the Sponsors, and that such Entries may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to other Entries submitted in connection with this Contest and/or other contests sponsored by the Sponsors or submitted for other reasons or other materials developed by the Sponsors. Entrant waives any and all claims entrant may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any Entry and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by the entrant may be similar to his/her Entry, or that any compensation is due to entrant in connection with such Entry or other works used by Sponsors.

GRAND PLACE PRIZE JUDGING:
One (1) potential Grand Place Prize winner, one (1) potential Second Place winner, one (1) potential Third Place winner, and up to twenty-five (25) potential Finalists will be determined from among all eligible entries received by a panel of qualified judges, based equally on the following criteria: Adherence to Theme, Composition and Creativity/Originality (“Judging Criteria”). The entrants who submitted the entry receiving the highest scores, as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion, will be the potential winners and finalists respectively.
In the event of a tie for any prize, an additional “tie-breaking” judge will determine the applicable winner or finalists from among those tied using the Criteria. The Sponsors reserve the right to not award any prize if, in their sole discretion, an insufficient number of eligible and qualified entries are received. Decisions of the Sponsors and judges are final and binding.

WINNER NOTIFICATION:
Potential winners will be notified by telephone, mail and/or e-mail by December 31, 2022 and will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and, unless prohibited, a Publicity Release, a W-9 Form and any additional documents that may be required by prize provider within fourteen (14) days of date of issuance. If any potential winner is an eligible minor in his or her jurisdiction of residence, prize may, at the Sponsors’ discretion, be awarded in the name of the parent or legal guardian, and such parent or legal guardian will be required to fulfill all requirements imposed on winners set forth herein. Noncompliance with this time period or with these Official Rules, or the return of any prize notification as undeliverable, may result in disqualification and, at the Sponsors’ discretion, the prize will be awarded to an applicable runner-up.

PRIZES:

Grand Place Prize: $1,000 (U$D) cash prize;

One (1) One-year JazzTimes VIP Membership (ARV $143.88); featured online (ARV priceless); publication in a future issue of JazzTimes Magazine (ARV priceless);

Total First Place ARV: Approximately $

Second Place Prize: $500 (U$D) cash prize;

One (1) One-year JazzTimes VIP Membership (ARV $143.88); featured online (ARV priceless); publication in a future issue of JazzTimes Magazine (ARV priceless);

Total Second Place ARV: approximately $

Third Place Prize: $250 (U$D) cash prize;

One (1) One-year JazzTimes VIP Membership (ARV $143.88); featured online (ARV priceless); publication in a future issue of JazzTimes Magazine (ARV priceless);

Total Third Place ARV: Approximately $

Current total ARV of all prizes: $

If, for any reason, the Sponsors do not feature any of the winning entries in JazzTimes Magazine, no compensation or substitution will be provided; however, the remainder of prize package will be awarded and the Sponsors will have no further obligation to winners. All prize details are at the sole discretion of the Sponsors. No substitution, cash equivalent or transfer of prizes permitted by winners. Sponsors reserve the right to substitute a prize (or portion thereof) of comparable or greater value, in their sole discretion. All federal, state and local taxes as well as any costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being awarded are the sole responsibility of each winner. Prizes are awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either expressed or implied by the Sponsors. Limit one (1) prize per household.

USE OF ENTRY:
By submitting an entry, entrant grants the Sponsors and their designees an irrevocable, royalty-free, nonexclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use the entry and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes in Sponsors’ online galleries, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law. In addition, each winner grants to the Sponsors and their designees an irrevocable, royalty-free, nonexclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use and distribute the entry (as submitted, or as cropped by the Sponsors), and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes, in any and all media now or hereafter known, including without limitation in JazzTimes and any Madavor Media magazines for purposes of promotion of this Contest. Except as otherwise stated herein, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.

USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Your personal information collected in connection with this Contest will be used in accordance with Madavor Media’s Privacy Policy (available at https://www.jazztimes.com/privacy-policy) including, without limitation, for marketing and promotional purposes.

MISCELLANEOUS: Released Parties (as defined below) are not responsible for late, lost, garbled, damaged, incomplete, delayed, undelivered, or misdirected entries or for computer, technical, printing, typographical, human or other errors relating to or in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, inability to access any website associated with the Contest, errors which may occur in the administration of the Contest, the processing or judging of entries, the announcement of the prizes or in any Contest-related materials. If for any reason the Contest (or any portion thereof) is not capable of running as planned, including infection by tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, Sponsors reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and, if terminated, at its discretion, determine winners from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to time of such action using judging procedure described above. By participating, entrant agrees (i) to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsors and judges, which are final and binding in all respects, and (ii) to hold the Sponsors and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, prize suppliers and advertising and promotion agencies, and the respective directors, officers, employees and agents of the foregoing (collectively, the “Released Parties”), harmless against any and all claims and liability arising, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of or in connection with participation in this Contest, acceptance and use of any prize or Released Parties’ use of any of the rights granted herein. Sponsors may disqualify (and void all associated entries) anyone from participating in the Contest or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that such person is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception or other unfair practices, or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or Sponsors’ representatives or who is otherwise not in compliance with the terms of these rules. ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

WINNERS’ LIST: For the list of winners (available after January 2023), send a separate, stamped, self-addressed envelope to: JTM 2022 Top Track Contest Winners’ List, Attn: Marketing Department, 35 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 101, Braintree, MA 02184, to be received by February 28, 2023.

SPONSORS:
Madavor Media, 35 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 101, Braintree, MA 02184