CT Music Awards Finalists Announced and Includes Local Musicians

Report by Paula Antolini

The nominees have been chosen for this year's CT Music Awards.  Included are several of our local musicians (see full list of finalists at the end of this article):

DJ Mo Niklz, of Danbury -- Best DJ

Newtown/Roxbury indie folk duo Violent Mae -- Best Indie Rock

Norwalk reggae singer Mystic Bowie -- Best Reggae

Norwalk native and rising hip hop star Chris Webby -- Best Hip Hop

Chris Coogan & the Good News Gospel Choir, of Weston -- Best Gospel

Bridgeport indie folk duo Oh, Cassius! -- Best Overall Band, Best Country/Americana, Best Indie Rock

Bridgeport psychedelic soul trio The Stepkids -- Best R&B/Soul/Funk

Bridgeport funk/jam band Kung Fu -- Best Jam Band

Bridgeport/Woodbury rock group Fight The Fear -- Best Album ("No Sugar Added")

Bridgeport reggae ensemble I Anbassa -- Best Reggae

The final winners will be announced at the 3rd Annual Connecticut Music Awards on Tuesday, June 10 at The Bushnell in Hartford.  Call 860-987-5900 to purchase tickets.

The finalists for each category are listed below.

CONNECTICUT MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS

Album of the Year
1974 - 1974 & the Death of the Herald
Balkun Brothers - God Bless Our Fallout Shelter
Fight The Fear - No Sugar Added
Goodnight Blue Moon- A Girl I Never Met
James Maple - American Dreams

Song of the Year
1974 - "Vera"
Balkun Brothers -"Control Yourself"
Elison Jackson - "2009"
Fight The Fear - "The Watcher"

Best Overall Band
1974
Balkun Brothers
Little Ugly
Oh, Cassius!
Vengeance

Best New Band
Branchwater
Hanging Hills
Intercourse
Julia Autumn Ford
West End Blend

Best Blues
Balkun Brothers
Branchwater
Brandt Taylor Band
Greg Sherrod
Jeff Pitchell

Best Country/Americana
Heather Fay
James Maple
Oh, Cassius!
Ponybird
Seth Adam

Best DJ
Chumzilla
DJ M.E.
Mo Niklz
N.E.B.
Shag Frenzy

Best Folk/Traditional
Goodnight Blue Moon
Heather Fay
Kate Callahan
Milksop:Unsung
Them Damn Hamiltons

Best Gospel
Chris Coogan & the Good News Gospel Choir
Deon Kipping and New Covenant
Doobie Powell
University of Hartford Gospel Choir

Best Hip Hop
Ceschi Ramos
Chris Webby
ILL
Joey Batts & Them
Political Animals

Best Indie Rock
The Grimm Generation
Milkplop
The Morning On Fire
Oh, Cassius!
Violent Mae

Best Jam Band
Eggy
Isaac Young Quartet
Kung Fu
The McLovins
Michael Cleary Band

Best Jazz
Billy Cofrances Jazz Quartet
Food.
Hartford Jazz Quartet
Isaac Young Quartet
Sarah LeMieux Quintet

Best Metal
Bedroom Rehab Corporation
Grizzlor
Kali Ma
Nightbitch
Vengeance

Best Punk
Fatgrip
Intercourse
The Lost Riots
Rusty Things
Sperm Donor

Best R&B/Soul/Funk
Fake Babies
Food.
Greg Sherrod
Isaac Young Quartet
The Stepkids

Best Reggae
The Hempsteadys
I Anbassa
I.N.I.T.Y.
Mystic Bowie
The Screw Ups

Best Rock
1974
Balkun Brothers
Elison Jackson
Farewood
Post-Modern Panic

Best Singer/Songwriter
Daphne Lee Martin
Faith Ziegler
James Maple
Meredith Rose
Opus

Best Tribute Band
Alcoholica
Connecticut Transit Authority
Earth - Black Sabbath Tribute
Shakedown
Z3

*****

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NOMINEES!

*****