FOR THIS YEAR'S EDITION OF OUR ANNUAL MUSIC AWARDS, TO BE HELD AT THE ROXY ON JUNE 26, THE ARTISTS were selected in a poll of 30 local music writers given the task of choosing the best L.A.-based musicians. Our nominees were chosen purely on the basis of quality, regardless of commercial success or relative obscurity, with an eye toward emerging artists we feel deserve praise and encouragement for their efforts. Thus in several categories we have higher-profile, internationally prominent artists competing against worthy artists working at a more grassroots level. Once again, the categories are rough descriptions of the nominees' skills; many or most of these artists could easily be slotted into several different divisions. Each nominee was chosen for high achievement in music this year or for the great music they've given Los Angeles over the years. As usual, the superb abundance of musicians in L.A. made it a hard job to narrow the field down. As always, every nominee is a winner.


Attention readers: Cast your vote for L.A. music's Most Valuable Player. This category embraces any and all L.A.-based individual artists or bands, in any style or genre.


BEST NEW ARTIST


The DagonsDengue FeverListing ShipRadio VagoTape


BEST ROCK BAND


AutoluxConcrete BlondeLos LobosRadar Brothers
The Steve McDonald Group


BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND


Biblical Proof of UFOsThe HangmenMy RuinQueens of the Stone AgeSystem of a Down


BEST POP/ROCK BAND


Beachwood SparksDeadsyExcessoriesVon SteinsWeezer


BEST PUNK/ HARDCORE BAND


Bad Religion400 BlowsThe OrphansPennywiseUnion 13


BEST RAP/ HIP-HOP ARTIST


Abstract RudeL.A. SymphonyMedusa & Feline ScienceShapeshifters2-Mex


BEST JAZZ ARTIST


James CarneyPan Afrikan Peoples ArkestraDon PrestonPhil RanelinDwight Trible


BEST COUNTRY ARTIST


Dave AlvinThe Sid Hillman QuartetI See Hawks in L.A.Buck PageKathy Robertson


BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES/R&B ARTIST


Shawn AmosSolomon BurkeCafe R&BMickey ChampionKim Hill


BEST SALSA/LATIN ARTIST


CumbeleyEast L.A. Sabor FactoryNati Cano y Mariachi CamperoQuetzalVery Be Careful


BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND


Joey Altruda All StarsDakah
Double Naught Spy CarGuns, Books & ToolsLanguis


BEST NEW-GENRE/ UNCATEGORIZABLE ARTIST


Centimeters
Crib
PhthalocyanineChas SmithW.A.C.O.


JAZZ EMINENCE AWARD


Kenny BurrellBenny CarterTeddy EdwardsLes McCannJames Newton


POP/ROCK LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD


Etta James


WORLD MUSIC/RECOMBINANT ARTIST


Axiom of ChoiceHuayucaltiaOzomatliPrince DiabateAdam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra


BEST DJ — MIXMEISTER


BabuCut ChemistDaedelusDJ HiveMadlib


BEST DJ — SELECTOR


DJ IreneKazellDoc MartinTony WatsonMarques Wyatt


BEST RADIO SHOW


Jim Ladd — KLOSKristi Lomax, Restless Soul –KPFKThe Monkey Man — Pirate Cat RadioRodney on the Roq — KROQGarth Trinidad, Chocolate City — KCRW


BEST ROCK/POP
SONGWRITER/ COMPOSER


Carla BozulichE (Eels)Kristian HoffmanSheila NichollsStew


BEST ELECTRONIC DANCE ARTIST


BTCrystal MethodDeepskyDntelNortec


OUTSTANDING CLASSICAL ENSEMBLE/ARTIST


Los Angeles Master Chorale and its conductor, Grant GershonKent Nagano, L.A. Opera principal conductorLalo SchifrinYasuo Shinozaki, L.A. Philharmonic assistant conductorLeonard Stein, pianist and producer of PianoSpheres series

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