The Crescent City mellows out around mid-May each year, when the best and brightest of the world’s ambient, electronic, and contemporary instrumental musicians gather to celebrate the year’s best albums on the Zone Music Reporter global airplay charts with a number of weekend events, culminating in the 14th Annual ZMR Awards Concert, a public music event to be held at Loyola University’s ROUSSEL HALL from 7 – 10 pm in New Orleans, LA.
A press release by Beth Ann Hilton
International radio personality Renée Blanche, host of “Night Tides” on KCUR, will return as Master of Ceremonies. The impressive lineup performers confirmed for the public concert and awards show include Eric Tingstad, Kathryn Kaye, Ciro Hurtado, Art Patience, Rebekah Eden, and the new ensemble, FLOW (Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Will Ackerman). A Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Steve Roach, an exciting choice for the annual honor; past recipients included Will Ackerman, Steven Halpern, Peter Kater, Deuter and Michael Diamond. Steve’s album Spiral Revelation – a 60th GRAMMY© Award nominee – is also nominated in the ZMR Awards’ “Best Electronic Album” category.
Steve Roach is a pioneer in the evolution of ambient/electronic music, shaping it into what it is today. The extremely prolific American artist has a discography of over 170 albums. Following his 1982 debut, landmark recordings include Structures from Silence, Dreamtime Return and 2017’s Grammy-nominated Spiral Revelation. Tireless in his creative focus, Roach constantly challenges boundaries of what one would consider coming from a single artist. Ranging in styles from deep drift ambient to rhythmic analog sequencer music, pure floating spaces and primordial tribal-ambient to long form immersions. Listening to Steve Roach’s music you’re hearing the momentum of a lifetime dedicated to the soundcurrent, an artist operating at the pinnacle of his artform; he creates a sonic experience that breathes emotion, passion and vital life energy that connects to audiences worldwide. Experience Spiral Revelation and explore Steve’s music on his website, Bandcamp, or Facebook page; his full biography is accessible at http://www.projekt.com/store/steve-roach-vortex/
The ZMR Awards Concert is preceded by a Friday night artist Meet-and-Greet dinner at The Vacherie at 827 Toulouse St, New Orleans, LA 70116; the Saturday night ZMR Awards show location is Loyola University’s stunning Roussel Hall, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118; doors open at 7 p.m., show time is 7:30 p.m. Details on the weekend’s events, tickets, award nominees and presenters can be found at http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/Awards_welcome.asp
Zone Music Reporter (ZMR) (www.zonemusicreporter.com), is a New Orleans-based service company that reports global music airplay and publishes monthly charts covering various genres and sub-genres of alternative music unaccounted for on other major music charts. Nominations for the genre-specific awards were announced in February and voting for category finalists closed at the end of March. To decide the winners, Radio Programmers and DJs vote on The ZMR Awards across thirteen categories including Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Piano Solo, Best Acoustic, Best Ambient, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Chill/Groove Album, Best Electronic Album, Best World Album, and many more. For a complete list of categories and this year’s nominees, go to http://zonemusicreporter.com/admin/nominees_site.asp
The music media covers the event in growing numbers every year, attracting representatives from publications and radio shows such as Wind & Wire, Echoes, Contemporary Fusion, Aquarius Radio, Instrumental Saturdays, Night Tides, The Wahl, The Morning Breeze, Audiosyncracy, BEING, Only New Age Music, and many more.
ZMR’s co-owner Daryl Portier says, “We are proud of the many musical styles that ZMR represents. At just $50 a ticket, this is a truly elegant red carpet event. The last few years have been an overwhelming success. Our single concert event has grown into a four-day celebration during which music fans can meet their idols, while artists, executives, managers and programmers network and begin new collaborations. Our music community has truly become a tribe.”
InterContinental New Orleans is the event’s official hotel partner again this year. ZMR Awards sponsors have included Stella Artois and others; for information about this year’s sponsorship opportunities, please contact Daryl Portier or Ben Dugas at ZoneMusicReporter.com, 504-237-6368 (Daryl), 504-237-6367 (Ben), or email zonemusicreporter(at)yahoo(dot)com.
A sampling of performances from recent ZMR Award Shows can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqm1YYmYl9tN8U3JvxXS68w/videos