OffBeat’s annual Best of the Beat Awards started 27 years ago, in 1995.
OffBeat founder/publisher Jan Ramsey decided that our musicians and music businesses deserved an awards event of their own and put together a concept for a music awards program that would honor only local musicians. Originally held at the House of Blues, the Best of The Beat Awards were only open to the music community (that has changed over the years to include local music fans). In the first event, rock band Better Than Ezra was the big winner and took home Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Deluxe and Song of the Year for “Good.”
Photo by Stephen Maloney
As a result of the pandemic, the 2020 Best of the Beat awards was not live, but virtual, and can be viewed on OffBeat’s YouTube channel. In 2021 the Best of the Beat Awards were postponed, but the 2022 event and will take place on November 10, 2022, at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The events will honor both 2021 and 2022 musicians and bands. The list of nominees is larger than normal because of the nearly two-year time period that the awards cover.
OffBeat solicited nominations from our writers and editors and with input from both, we determined the nominations in each category, keeping in mind that these nominations only recognize work done in 2021 and 2022 through October. The 2023 Best of the Beat awards will include and recognize the last two months of 2022.
Winners will be announced at the Best of the Beat Awards, at the New Orleans Jazz Museum on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Chapel Hart
Leyla McCalla
Lilli Lewis
Lulu and the Broadsides
Jon Batiste
Tank & The Bangas
Tommy McLain
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Alex McMurray: The Recent Future (Diphthong Records)
Hurray For The Riff Raff: Life On Earth (Nonesuch)
Leyla McCalla: Breaking The Thermometer (Anti-)
Lilli Lewis: Americana (Louisiana Red Hot Records)
Lulu and the Broadsides: Lulu and the Broadsides (Kismet Records)
Jon Batiste: We Are (Verve)
Oscar Rossignoli: Inertia (Rossignoli Music)
Tank & The Bangas: Red Balloon (Verve Forecast)
Tommy McLain: I Ran Down Every Dream (Yep Roc)
Trombone Shorty: Lifted (Blue Note)
BEST EMERGING ARTIST
504icygrl
Bogue Chitto
Boma Bongo
Brat
HaSizzle
Julie Odell
Kevin Gullage & The Blues Groovers
LeTrainiump
Tiffany Pollack & Co.
Tiny Dinosaur
SONG OF THE YEAR
Chapel Hart: “You Can Have Him Jolene”
The Deslondes: “Good To Go”
Lilli Lewis: “My American Heart”
Jon Batiste: “I Need You”
Jon Batiste: “Freedom”
Tank & The Bangas: “Why Try”
Tiny Dinosaur: “Brother Robin”
Trombone Shorty: “Come Back”
BEST BLUES, R&B, FUNK ARTIST
Dumpstaphunk
Ghalia Volt
Johnny Sansone
Josh Hyde
Little Freddie King
Lulu and the Broadsides
Tank & The Bangas
BEST BLUES, R&B, FUNK ALBUM
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux: Bloodstains and Teardrops (Whiskey Bayou Records)
Bo Dollis, Jr. & and the Wild Magnolias: My Name Is Bo (Gallatin Street Records)
George Porter, Jr. & Running Pardners: Cryin’ For Hope (Indepedent)
Ghalia Volt: One Woman Band (Ruf Records)
Jon Batiste: We Are (Verve)
Little Freddie King: Blues Medicine (Made Wright)
Lulu and The Broadsides: Lulu and the Broadsides (Kismet Records)
Michael John Nunez: Rouxsta (Parish Line Records)
Monogram Hunters: Blood Sweat and Tears (Independent)
Tank & The Bangas: Red Balloon (Verve Forecast)
BEST ROCK/ROOTS ROCK ARTIST
The Deslondes
The Iceman Special
Loose Cattle
Malevitus
Sweet Crude
Where Nothing Burns
Zita
BEST ROOTS/ROCK ALBUM
Camile Baudoin: This Old House (Independent)
The Deslondes: Ways and Means (New West Records)
Joe Tullos: Vessels (Big Sun)
The Junior League: Bridge & Tunnel (Independent)
Keith Burnstein: The Things That Are Heavy Make Me Feel Light (Independent)
Max and the Martians: All The Same (Perpetual Doom)
Metronome The City: End Transmission (Independent)
Zita: Hardly Alive (Independent)
BEST RAP/HIP HOP/BOUNCE ARTIST
504icygrl
Alfred Banks
Big Freedia
Boyfriend
HaSizzle
Kr3wcial
Pell
BEST RAP/HIP HOP/BOUNCE ALBUM
Alfred Banks: The Range 2 (Independent)
Boyfriend: Sugar and Spice (Independent)
Curren$y: Covert Coup (Warner Bros.)
Kr3wcial + Sozi: As We Proceed (Independent)
Paasky: In Times Like These (Independent)
Pell: Floating While Dreaming II (Independent)
BEST TRADITIONAL JAZZ ARTIST
Leroy Jones
Meschiya Lake
Miss Sophie Lee
New Orleans Nightcrawlers
Panorama Jazz Band
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Sabertooth Swing
The Secret Six
Smoking Time Jazz Club
Tuba Skinny
BEST TRADITIONAL JAZZ ALBUM
Charlie Gabriel: 89 (Subpop)
Charlie Halloran: The Alcoa Sessions (ArtistShare)
Derrick Shezbie: The Ghost of Buddy Bolden (Clubhouse Records)
Leroy Jones: March of The Toddlers (Independent)
Maria Muldaur and Tuba Skinny: Let’s Get Happy Together (Stony Plain)
Miss Sophie Lee: The Frenchmen Muse (Three Muses Recordings)
Sabertooth Swing: Delta Bound (Fairground Records)
The Secret Six, Ed Polcer: Relaxin’ With The Secret Six (Independent)
Smoking Time Jazz Club: MeanTones and High Notes (Independent)
BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ARTIST
Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
Delfeayo Marsalis
Extended
James Singleton
Randal Despommier
Terence Blanchard
BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM
Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra featuring Cyrille Aimée: Petite Fleur (Storyville Records)
Byron Asher & Brad Webb: Little Bigby (ears & eyes Records)
Extended: Without Notice (Independent)
James Singleton: Malabar (Sinking City Records)
Joe Dyson: Look Within (Independent)
Kyle Roussel: Church of New Orleans (Independent)
Oscar Rossignoli: Inertia (Rossignoli Music)
Terence Blanchard featuring The E-Collective and The Turtle Island Quartet: Absence (Blue Note)
Weedie Braimah: The Hands of Time (Stretch Music)
BEST BRASS BAND
Big 6 Brass Band
Hot 8 Brass Band
Kings of Brass
New Orleans Nightcrawlers
SOUL
The Soul Rebels
Treme Brass Band
BEST CAJUN ARTIST
The Daiquiri Queens
Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers
Michot’s Melody Makers
Riley Family Band
Zachary Richard
BEST CAJUN ALBUM
Dougie and the Tone Drifters: Mme. Zin Zin (Independent)
Jo-El Sonnier: Survivants (Independent)
Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers: Amédée’s Waltz (Valcour Records)
Michot’s Melody Makers: Tiny Island (Nouveau Electric)
Riley Family Band: La Vie de Riley (Valcour Records)
T Marie & Bayou JuJu: Bayou Rearview (Independent)
Zachary Richard: Danser le Ciel (Production Martin Electric)
BEST ZYDECO ARTIST
Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
Keith Frank & the Creole Connection
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock and Soul
BEST ZYDECO ALBUM
Beau Bayou and the Sabine Connection: Just Doin’ Me (Independent)
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers: Set Me Free (Louisiana Red Hot Records)
Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys: Boots and Boujee (Maison de Soul)
Joe Hall & the Louisiana Cane Cutters: Proud To Be A Creole (Fruge Records)
Keith Frank & The Creole Connection: The Resurrection of The Creole Connection (Soulwood Records)
Nathan and The Zydeo Cha Chas: Lucky Man (Cha Cha Records)
BEST COUNTRY/FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER ARTIST
Alex McMurray
Boma Bongo
Chapel Hart
Ever More Nest
Jeremy Joyce
Julie Odell
Lilli Lewis
Lynn Drury
Shawn Williams
BEST COUNTRY/FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER ALBUM
Alex McMurray: The Recent Future (Diphthong Records)
Boma Bongo: Étranger (Valcour Records)
Ever More Nest: Out Here Now (Independent)
Lilli Lewis: Americana (Louisiana Red Hot Records)
Loose Cattle: Heavy Lifting (Low Heat Records)
Lynn Drury: Dancin’ In The Kitchen (CSB Roxy Music)
Robert Eustis: The Tipping Point (Independent)
Shawn Williams: Wallowin’ In The Night (Independent)
Ted Hefko & The Thousandaires: Down Below (Independent)
BEST GOSPEL ARTIST
Greater St. Stephen Mass Choir
The Legendary Rocks of Harmony
Wilbur Thompson
BEST COVER BAND
Bag of Donuts
Bucktown All-stars
James Martin Band
Johnny Earthquake & The Moondogs
Sierra Green & The Soul Machine
The Top Cats
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Allen Toussaint Songwriter Award)
Alex McMurray
Jon Batiste
Kelcy Mae
Lilli Lewis
Lynn Drury
Sabine McCalla
Sam Doores
Shawn Williams
Tommy McLain
BEST FEMALE VOCAL
Dayna Kurtz
Erica Falls
Miss Sophie Lee
Robin Barnes
Quiana Lynell
Tarriona “Tank” Ball
Tonya Boyd-Cannon
BEST MALE VOCAL
Christien Bold
Gregg Martinez
HaSizzle
Jamison Ross
John Boutté
PJ Morton
Tommy McLain
BEST BASS PLAYER
Amina Scott
George Porter, Jr.
James Singleton
Jesse Morrow
Matt Booth
Max Moran
Noah Young
Pat Casey
BEST GUITARIST
Alex McMurray
Jimmy Robinson
Mahmoud Chouki
Samantha Fish
Steve Staples
Tab Benoit
BEST DRUMMER/PERCUSSIONIST
Brad Webb
Carlo Nuccio
Herlin Riley
Johnny Vidacovich
Julian Addison
Shannon Powell
Stanton Moore
BEST CLARINET
Charlie Gabriel
Doreen Ketchens
Dr. Michael White
Evan Christopher
Gregory Agid
James Evans
Kevin Louis
Tim Laughlin
BEST SAXOPHONE
Aurora Nealand
Brad Walker
Brent Rose
Donald Harrison, Jr.
Khari Allen Lee
Khris Royal
Roger Lewis
BEST TROMBONE
Charlie Halloran
Corey Henry
Craig Klein
Daniel “D-Ray” Ray
Haruka Kikuchi
Mark Mullins
Terence Taplin
Troy Andrews
BEST TRUMPET
Ashlin Parker
Branden Lewis
Gregg Stafford
Gregory “Blodie” Davis
Kermit Ruffins
Kevin Louis
Nicolas Payton
Shamarr Allen
Wendell Brunious
BEST TUBA/SOUSAPHONE
Ben Jaffe
Clifton “Spug” Smith
Jon Gross
Kirk Joseph
Matt Perrine
BEST PIANO/KEYBOARD
Andre Bohren
David Torkanowsky
Ivan Neville
Jon Cleary
Kyle Roussel
Oscar Rossignoli
PJ Morton
Ryan Hanseler
Shea Pierre
BEST ACCORDION
Andre Michot
Corey Ledet
Dwayne Dopsie
Sheryl Cormier
Sunpie Barnes
Steve Riley
BEST VIOLIN/FIDDLE
Amanda Shaw
David Greely
Ed Poullard
Joel Savoy
Louis Michot
Tysman Charpentier
BEST DJ
DJ Blaq n Mild
DJ Kuti
DJ Matty
DJ Roq Away
DJ Soul Sister
Lil Jodeci
Raj Smoove
BEST OTHER INSTRUMENTALIST
Alexey Marti (Percussion)
Dave Easley (Pedal Steel Guitar)
Detroit Brooks (Banjo)
Don Vappie (Banjo)
Helen Gillet (Cello)
Leyla McCalla (Cello)
Mahmoud Chouki (Oud)
Mike Dillon (Vibes)
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Boyfriend with the Death Valley Girls: “There’s A Place”
Chapel Hart: “You Can Have Him Jolene”
Charlie Gabriel: “I’m Confessin’”
HaSizzle featuring Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph: “Getcha Sum”
Kevin Gullage & The Blues Groovers: “The OnBeat Sessions Full Set”
