It's here - the only Wammies award where non-WAMA members can vote for the winner. Only one vote per person allowed.
Cast Your Fan's Favorite Vote in the 28th Annual WAMMIE Awards for me, Ray Jozwiak(my release "Black & White Then Back" in on the ballot for 2013's Best Jazz Recording) HERE
No pressure PLEASE!!!!
Don't bother if you wish. Just enjoy the music (below) instead . . .
I thought my skin was growing a bit thicker after over ten years of huckstering original music performance and recordings but for some reason, certain things still hurt. A natural-born salesman I most certainly am NOT! When applying for employment upon college graduation I unconditionally dismissed any and all job openings that hinted of sales. I generally feel that if someone wants or needs something, they will seek it. Consequently I never wanted to be the one to present them with something which I WANTED them to want or need.
Truth is, my stance on the matter has not really changed in essence since then. The one thing that HAS changed is that, after learning about what constitutes a successful music career (and I guess I have to qualify that by adding "commercially" to 'successful' because let's face it, if you have any talent, ability or passion about music, you do want to reap rewards in the critical and/or financial realms) I am now able to 'salesify' enough to confront a potential audience. That's just marketing, plain and simple.
So in my joy at being on the WAMMIE ballot for Best Jazz Recording, I thought that, since (from the WAMA website) 'nominations and balloting come from the WAMA membership' that I would bring my good fortune at being nominated to the attention of the WAMA membership because, as a WAMA member myself, I sometime read hastily and more oftentimes FORGET things. Frequently a small reminder can be most useful. A small reminder is what I intended to send the WAMA members, light-hearted, brief but to the point. So while I don't know all the WAMA members personally, I thought we had a common bond in our 'support' of the Washington area music community. I guess not all WAMA members feel that bond.
Turns out that two 'reprimanding' comments were returned to me in response to my request for a vote; one from a member I do not personally know and another from one I do.
*Sending unsolicited mass emails to DC musicians that you don't know asking for you vote isn't the best way to gain their support.
*I don't really care much for begging for votes. Please don't include me
on your list.
Granted the comments were innocuous enough (at least maybe one more than the other) and I have removed the two names from my mailing list in respect of their wishes, or in the case of the first, his implication.
(from http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001C31GFZrDKjKaWrZodhcUSUcZtk-3m6-ryC3VIvQ8Ak9lp6sq3Q6oPuA-qTUs4LprnOFVMtCIcV0tR0QaP4BRsmco46fWgHUUwy12wIvrO_Qhl8v1ybLwodMElepkCbM5WDMpe-bHYy_IZySV9BD9UsA774U6RiQIjPbA5RIOBpGR_seo_C7mFs8zcm2idMlf5uKyyG_8Coo=)
28th Annual WammiesTM Nomination Ballot
2013 Washington Area Music Awards
Voting Deadline is Thursday, February 6, 2014, 10 PM
You must be a current WAMA member to vote.
JAZZ RECORDING
Black & White Then Back / Ray Jozwiak www.rayjozwiak.com
The Washington Area Music Awards recognize significant career achievements by area musicians. Nominations and balloting come from the WAMA membership. Past show participants include Emmylou Harris, Joan Jett, The Clovers, Bo Diddley, Jorma Kaukonen, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Jimmy Dean.
Creative
musician, Baltimore-based Ray Jozwiak offers recordings and
performances of eclectic, instrumental solo piano (and piano-based)
compositions that have been referred to as 'Fractured Jazz' laced with
generous amounts of 'Improvisational Terror Tactics' . In addition to
his solo activities, Ray contributes keyboard to the iconic Baltimore
mainstay band OHO, with long-time musical collaborators Jay Graboski and
Dave Reeve.
Ray has been nominated for a WAMMIE Award in the Jazz Instrumentalist
category, named Baltimore Magazine's BEST LOUNGE PIANIST and was a
finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest for the composition ALWAYS
YOU.
Performances in and around Baltimore include the 13th Floor Lounge - The
Belvedere, The Kiss Cafe, Gardel's Supper Club, The Full Moon Saloon,
The Baltimore Songwriters Association, Border's Books and Music, GBMC,
Tyson's Tavern, Elk Run Vineyard and Brewer's Alley.
Ray's CDs (CHROMATOSE, CRITIC'S CHOICE, PUT A FINGER ON IT, FOR THE RIDE
and digital downloads-only ANOTHER SHOT, AMBIENCE & WINE and BLACK
& WHITE THEN BACK [release April 2, 2013]) are available for
purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/all/rjozwiak as well as a host of cyber-outlets for download (cdbaby has a list).
