Sammy Serendipity

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award
winner knows a thing or two about jazz. Leo Rayhill is the well-known
host of a radio program called The Sounds of Jazz, which has
been featured on WCNY-FM 91.3 (Classic FM) for about 40 years. Rayhill
was introduced to jazz through the early Utica music scene, a passion
he has carried with him throughout that time.

Hall of Fame recipients will include:
late soul pioneer Otis Smith; vivacious songbird Donna Colton; the Dean
Brothers, rock icons from the 1970s; and Mike Greenstein, former
editor-in-chief and music writer for the Syracuse New Times. A
Hall of Fame award given annually to an esteemed local educator will go
to Carrie Pardee, a member of the local band Swing Central as well as a
music teacher at Solvay High School.

Pianist Andrew Russo,
artist-in-residence at Le Moyne College, was on hand to announce Sammy
nominees of the artists who recorded albums, arranged by musical genre,
during 2008.

The Dean Brothers

Russo leads a committee of judges who
evaluate LPs submitted to the Sammys, an open process that ended in
March. The 39 nominees eligible for awards were selected from a pool of
roughly 75 albums sent in by local musicians to the Sammys mailbox.

This year’s award show will also include
an announcement of the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, as well
as a People’s Choice Award for Best Band, Best Venue and Best Live
Band. Since last year, the Sammys initiated an online vote for its
People’s Choice awards, a move that has resulted in about 1,000 votes
thus far during this year’s contest. Those who would like to vote for
their favorite Syracuse bands and venues should visit
www.syracuseareamusic.com and click on the “People’s Choice” link at
the top of the page.

The award show will be preceded by
performances from several local acts: The Action! (noon); Cluidan (1
p.m.); the Charley Orlando Band (2 p.m.); the Michael P. Ryan Band (3
p.m.); the Gregg Yeti Band (4 p.m.); and Los Blancos (5 p.m.). The
Sammys bash will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

Additionally, a Sammys Hall of Fame
reception will be held on Thursday, June 4, 7 to 10 p.m., at the new
upstairs room at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, 246 E. Willow St. Current and
past Sammys Hall of Fame inductees will be invited to the reception,
which will also serve as a ceremony to give awards to this year’s
recipients. Tickets to the event will cost $20 (dinner catered by the
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is included), and will be available for purchase at
the door. For more information about the special Sammys event, call
422-7011, Ext. 128.

Admission is free to the Sammys
ceremonies, which will be held on a stage near Clinton Square. For more
information, call 727-5693.

Kim Simmonds

Syracuse New Times Syracuse Area Music Awards Nominees for 2009

Best Country: Loren Barrigar (Dance With Me); The Fulton Chain Gang (Live At MVCC).

Best Americana: The Fabulous Ripcords; Kim Simmonds (Out of the Blue); Joanne Shenandoah and Michael Bucher (Bitter Tears, Sacred Ground); Folkstrings (Additions); Mark Zane (American Hunger).

Best Jazz: Evan Knight (Reminisce); Julie Falatico (Taking a Chance On Love), Jane Murlin (My Favorites).

Donna Colton

Best Recording, Other Styles: Kevin Dorsey (Fore!); Fritz’s Poker Band (Reflections); Jamie Notarthomas (The Crow Convention); The Medicine Show (Kh’Mi); Bob Piorun (It’s Christmas).

Best Hip-Hop/Rap: Raywellz (Everything’s Good); The Kid Fresh (Refresh); Wood Fellas (Stereotype); Sam Gotti (I’m a Rap Star).

Best Rhythm’n’Blues: The J Project Band (Live).

Editor’s note: As the only qualifying
candidate this year, this album will automatically win the award.
However, it was still judged in accordance to the Sammys’ official
judging policies.

Best Pop: Christopher Ames (Everyday With You); Jason Bean (What It Seems); Jackson’s Kid Summer (Sierra Sunshine); various artists (Big Mike’s Christmastime in Syracuse); Willowmakers (White Picket Fence).

Best Blues: Double Barrel Blues Band (Bad Bad Feeling); The Jam Bones (New Recipe); Carolyn Kelly (Slow Cooking on Hot); Jimmy Wolf (I’ve Been Driftin’).

Otis Smith

Best Alternative/Metal: The Action! (Exploding Radio); Control Escape (Generation of Waste); From Ruins; Titanium Black (Bleed for You); Wishpool (Resurrected).

Best Rock: Dead Rose (No Tomorrow); NeverSeen (Almost is Never Ever); Michael Ryan (Ima-Live); Silent Fury (Sunday Stilettos); Jon Ellis Stevens (KoKoMo).

Mike Greenstein (left) with a longtime admirer at the Blues Festival.