First initiated in 2004, the Austrian World Music Awards were created to give artists in the field of world music the recognition and publicity they deserve. Today, the Austrian World Music Awards are an integral and indispensable part of the Austrian music scene. This musical competition reveals the stylistic developments of the past decade, and gives many, predominantly young, musicians the opportunity and a wonderful platform to demonstrate their dedication and skills before a selected jury of experts and an avid audience. 2014 marks the first time the Awards are spearheaded by the World Music Austria Association.
This year the finale of the Austrian World Music Awards took place on Saturday, December 13 in the packed Viennese venue Porgy & Bess. The six finalists, that were chosen by the jury from over 150 entries, each performed a 20 minute set and offered an impressive insight into the local world music scene. More than 450 music fans came to the Porgy & Bess to experience Black Market Tune, Edith Lettner & African Jazz Spirit, Madame Baheux, Mereneu Project, Salah Ammo & Peter Gabis and Sormeh live.
THE WINNERS 2014:
FIRST PRIZE: MADAME BAHEUX
SECOND PRIZE: BLACK MARKET TUNE
AUDIENCE AWARD: EDITH LETTNER & AFRICAN JAZZ SPIRIT
HONORARY AWARD: JO AICHINGER (GLATT & VERKEHRT)
FIRST PRIZE: MADAME BAHEUX
The quartet is musically open to all genres, which shows in both the repertoire and the artistic expression of this band: Rousing folk songs from Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Macedonia with innovative arrangements and their own clever compositions, combined with songs by Ewan MacColl, Bertolt Brecht and Georg Kreisler. Madame Baheux mixes jazz, rock and critical lyrics, but above all brings something completely new to the stage.
Madame Baheux are: Jelena Popržan (viola, vocals), Ljubinka Jokić (guitar, vocalsDeeLinde (cello), Lina Neuner (bass), Maria Petrova (drums, percussion)
madame-baheux.com
SECOND PRIZE: Black Market Tune
Black Market Tune combines New Acoustic Music with graceful twists and sexy swing. “Modern folk music with a Scottish backbone”, is how the young Austro-Scottish accordionist John Somerville describes this quartet.
Black Market Tune are: Mira Lu Kovacs (vocals), Paul Dangl (violin, vocals), Colin Nicholson (buttons accordion) and Christian Troger (guitar)
blackmarkettune.com
AUDIENCE AWARD: EDITH LETTNER & AFRICAN JAZZ SPIRIT
African Jazz Spirit, founded in 2010 in Dakar (Senegal) by the saxophonist and composer Edith Lettner, weaves jazz and African rhythms together with elements from traditional African music and contemporary African styles. Seething grooves, expressive vocals, spirited instrumental solos and percussion interludes make the concerts of African Jazz Spirit a special experience.
Edith Lettner & African Jazz Spirit are: Baboulaye Sissoko (kora, vocals), Edith Lettner (alto saxophone & soprano), Julia Siedl (keyboard, piano), Cheikh Ndao (bass), Karim Thiam (percussion), Mame Birane Mboup (percussion), Robert Castelli (drums)
edith-lettner.net
HONORARY AWARD: JO AICHINGER
This year the Honorary Jury Prize, which is awarded annually to a person who has distinguished themself in the service of promoting Austrian world music, was handed to the deserving founder of the Lower Austrian Glatt & Verkehrt Festival, Joseph “Jo” Aichinger.
www.glattundverkehrt.at