The The Urban Theater on My Madison TV, with performances by Ayperi Bellydancing and The Kenny Leiser Incidental String Quartet, and Clear Blue Betty, the 2007 MAMA winner for Performer of the Year. Following a raffle and silent auction, as well as a brief live auction in the fundraising portion of the evening, Urban and MAMAs board member Susan Masino announced the nominations for the album category. The rest of the nominees were subsequently displayed on screens in the Brink for the rest of the party.
Compared to the 2007 nominees, this new crop of MAMAs hopefuls consists of a broader range of artists, with less repeat nominees within single categories. This is the result of an updated registration and voting system with new rules organized by the organization, intended to offer a more representative collection of Madison musicians for the awards and broaden community interest in the charity. Persons interested in joining the MAMAs and voting can do so via Broadjam for a $5, which goes directly towards the group's music education work.
The complete list of 2008 MAMAs nominees follows.
Artist Categories
Blues- Mud Angels
- Paul Filipowicz
- Westside Andy/Mel Ford Band
- The Blue Olives
Classical
- Randal Harrison
Country/Bluegrass
- Jessi Lynn
- Rachelle & The Red Hot Rattlers
- Kristy Larson
- The Dang-Its
- The SpareTime Bluegrass Band
DJ (10 min. example)
- DJ Cykophuk
- DJ Fabulust
- Fusion
- DJ Foundation
Electronic
- DJB
- Alan!
- Sensuous Enemy
Ensemble Vocals
- Navan
- Ancestra
- Madison County
- Clear Blue Betty
Female Vocalist
- Laura England
- Jessi Lynn
- Kristy Larson
- Sheila Shigley
- Sajida
Folk/Americana
- Christine Costanzo
- Ritt Deitz
- John Statz
- A Catapult Western
- Ancestra
- The Sharp & Harkins Band
Instrumentalist
- Tracy Jane Comer
- Joe Dieter
- Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo
- Bill Roberts
- Robert J.
Jazz
- Randal Harrison
Male Vocalist
- Mark Croft
- Robert J.
- Mike Zibell
- The Lucas Cates Band
- Demetrius Wainwright
New Artist
- K-Moneee
- Sajida
- Blue Beyond
- Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo
- Pearl Snap Saturday
Pop
- Felicia Alima
- Michael Brandmeier
- Mark Croft
- Isaac and the People
- Stephanie Rearick
Rock
- The Sharp & Harkins Band
- The Blue Olives
- A Catapult Western
- Sunspot
- The Treats
- Clear Blue Betty
- Tangy
- Polydream
- Masino / Cornell
- The Kissers
- Axiom
- The Selfish Gene
Studio (10 min. example)
- DNA Studios
- Randy Green - Randy's Recording Studio
- Paradyme Productions
- E Labs Multimedia
Unique
- Ancestra
- subvocal
- Flame Shark
- Know Boundaries
- Adam Gregory Pergament
Urban
- Sajida
- K-Monee
- STINK TANK
- L.O.S.T. S.O.U.L.S
- Vibe Syndicate
- Felicia Alima
World
- Que-Flavor!
- JAH Boogie's Natty Nation
- Felicia Alima
Young Vocalist
- Felicia Alima
- Jesse Banks
Album Categories
Blues
- Blue Beyond -- Electric Truth
- Paul Filipowicz -- Chickenwire
- Johnny Chimes -- Let Out the Blues
- Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo -- Siamese Crocodiles
- Westside Andy/Mel Ford Band -- Alley Cat
Classical
- Ben Johnston-Urey -- Travelogue
- Randal Harrison -- Arpeggione
Compilation
- Madison Made Music Project -- Madison Made Music Project
- Urban Theatre -- My Music: The Best of the Urban Theater Vol. 1
- Launchpad -- LaunchpPad 2007 - 6.23.07 @ the WI Union Theater
- Paradyme Productions -- Madison's Musical Holidays Vol. 1
Country/Bluegrass
- Robert J. -- The Revenge of the Rowdy Prairie Dogs
- Jessi Lynn -- Capturing A Moment - Live
- Round the Bend -- Round the Bend
Electronic
- Null Device -- Excursions
- Photo-Poetic Photo-Poetic EP
- Flat Atom -- Flux
Folk/Americana
- John Statz -- Our Love Was Made For Canada
- Dear August -- Come In, Keep Dry
- Tret Fure -- True Compass Marty Finkel -- Marty Finkel
Jazz
- Randal Harrison -- The Randal Harrison Trio Featuring Geoffrey Brady and Mark Urness
- Harris Lemberg -- Lost In My Own Little World
- Voltress -- Antelopes
Pop
- Mark Croft -- Permanent Ink EP
- Stephanie Rearick -- Democracy
- Amy Curl and Dan Kennedy -- In an Orderly Fashion
- The Shabelles -- Making Love With The Shabelles
- Pale Young Gentlemen -- Pale Young Gentlemen
Rock
- The Treats -- Reservoir Tales
- Polydream -- Send Me to the Sun
- The Selfish Gene -- The Grand Masquerade
- Baghdad Scuba Review -- Testing The Waters
- Robert J. -- A Beautiful Blur
Unique
- The Gomers -- Mike Zirkel: The Album
- Peter Mathews -- Far From Haggersville Deluxe
- She Is So Beautiful/She Is So Blonde -- She Is So Beautiful/ She Is So Blonde
- InnerForceRecords.com -- "YOU"
- Ancestra -- You Remind Me of Someone
- A Catapult Western -- A Catapult Western
Urban
- Know Boundaries -- Live 7.14.2007 @ UW Terrace
- OX -- Life Support
- Felicia Alima -- Know Me
- Kalo -- Brew World Order
- Vibe Syndicate -- Check Yourself
World
- Green Tea -- Beautiful Fault
- Roots Collective -- Some Live Songs EP
- JAH Boogie's Natty Nation -- Seth's Picks - Best Of LIVE 2003-2006
- Navan -- Lowena
Song Categories
Blues
- Paradyme Productions -- "It's Christmas Time"
- Paul Filipowicz -- "10,000 Footprints"
- Jerry Bertheaume -- "The Geezer String Band Blues"
- Westside Andy/Mel Ford Band -- "Alley Cat"
- Mud Angels -- "You Sang My Note"
Classical
- Randal Harrison -- "Allegro (II) from Sonata in D minor - A. Vivaldi"
- Ben Johnston-Urey Aravali -- "Suite, III: Dusk in the Thar Desert"
Country/Bluegrass
- Madison County -- "Rise Above"
- The SpareTime Bluegrass Band -- "The Fox"
- Jessi Lynn -- "Dance In The Rain - Live Concert DVD"
- Robert J. -- "Loved Like That"
- Terry Grinde -- "Cigarettes and Beer"
- Calico Drifters -- "I Like A Little Fire"
Electronic
- Alan! -- "Words Fail"
- Sensuous Enemy -- "Shiver (CTRLSHFT Remix)"
- Null Device -- "You're Not That Charming"
- The Dorothy Heralds -- "What Goes Up"
- DJB -- "Cold February"
Folk/Americna
- Robert J. -- "Home Movies"
- Mark Croft -- "Drink It Dry"
- Marty Finkel -- "Hallelujah"
- Joe Dieter -- "Lucia's Lullaby"
- Christine Costanzo -- "Reap What You Sow"
- Jentri Colello -- "Cannonballs"
Jazz
- Clear Blue Betty -- "Say My Name"
- Harris Lemberg -- "Dirt Ass Pie"
- Randal Harrison -- "Tangology"
Pop
- Robert J. -- "A Room With A View"
- Mark Croft -- "Is It Gonna Be Funky?"
- Felicia Alima -- "Fake Friends ft. Jessica Lee"
- Clear Blue Betty -- "Through the Walls"
- Blue Beyond -- "I Remember"
Rock
- The Treats -- "Better Things to Do"
- The Lucas Cates Band -- "Man on The Corner"
- Flat Atom -- "Lies"
- Sunshine for the Blind -- "Drop the Weight"
- Tangy -- "Sorta Like Very Ultra"
- The Selfish Gene -- "Autopilot"
Unique
- subvocal -- "Black"
- Know Boundaries -- "333"
- Adam Gregory Pergament -- "Withinindra>Gary Snyder"
- The Gomers -- "Crime Scene"
- Dustin Ohio -- "The Death Trip"
Urban
- STINK TANK -- "NSFA"
- D.L.O. -- "Strut"
- Kalo -- "Letter To My Favorite Rapper"
- Freak-a-Style -- "Mueve Te"
- dumate -- "Juke Joint"
World
- Roots Collective -- "Truth"
- JAH Boogie's Natty Nation -- "Hurricane"
- Navan -- "Ellas Mari"
- Green Tea -- "Beautiful Fault"
- Null Device -- "Triangular"
The second round of voting for the 2008 MAMAs begins on Tuesday, April 1 and runs through Wednesday, April 30. The write-in ballot for the People's Choice awards also remains open through the end of April. All MAMAs members are eligible to vote in this round, including on any songs or albums that they registered unlike the initial round. The nominee in each category that receives the most votes will win the award.
Winners will be announced at the fifth annual MAMAs show, to be held on Saturday, May 10 at the Barrymore Theatre.
