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The Audience Award
One of the main awards has now been decided by you the audience. The winner will be announced at the Poll Winners concert in March. A huge thanks to all those who contributed. It was wonderful to see such a wide-ranging list of nominations (left) and the way so many of the musicians have touched your lives.
Visit the Awards for World Music homepage to discover the best music on the planet in 8 other categories.
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YOUR NOMINEES |
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TOP FOUR NOMINATIONS |
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A.R.Rahman Alka Yagnik Amadou et Mariam Anouar Brahem Baaba Maal Badmarsh and Shri Baka Beyond Bembeya Jazz Bob Brozman Cachaito Lopez Cara Dillon Cheikh Lo Dhafer Youssef Djelimady Tounkara Djivan Gasparyan Eddie Palmieri Edith Lefel Eliseo Parra Eliza Carthy Ellika and Solo Faiz Ali Faiz Femi Kuti Gaiteiros de Lisboa Ghalia & Timnaa Gjallarhorn Gotan Project Issa Bagayogo Hukwe Zawose Iva Bittova Javier Ruibal Kamel Nitrate Kando Bongo Man Kimmo Pohjonen Kim Young-Ja Khaled Kristi Stassinopoulou La Bottine Souriante Lila Downs Los de Abajo Madredeus Mahotella Queens Manu Chao Mari Boyne Mariza Martin Carthy Mary Gauthier Natasha Atlas Oi Va Voi Ojos de Brujo Oliver Mtukudzi Omar Faruk Tekbilek One Giant Leap Orchestra Baobab Oysterband Papa Noel & Papi Oviedo Praying For The Rain Rachid Taha Rokia Traoré Sahotas Sainkho Namtchylak Salif Keita Sekouba Bambino Seize The Day Sergey Starostin Souad Massi Susana Baca Tarkan Tarika Tata Pound Te Vaka TerraFolk The Be Good Tanyas Trilok Gurtu U-cef Vardos ³Õä°ù³Ù³Ù¾±²Ôä Yair Dalal Youssou N'Dour Zakir Hussain
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Here are the bands who were voted onto the final shortlist. Click on each name to read more about them and click on the 'listen' icon to hear a selected track from each band. A large selection of your comments can be found by clicking on the list to the left.
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Seize The Day (UK)
Seize the Day on the web:
nominated by:
Paul Mobbs, Brighton:
'Seize the Day. Check out 'Bigger Better Brighter Bolder Bullshit'. They played at Glastonbury this year and that song which is all about marketing and advertising is brilliant. It really gets to the point of how the truth gets misrepresented to the public by the advertising moguls. It also highlights the fogginess around the bigger environmental groups and the way they get sucked into the marketing hype too. Seize the Day are a local band from the Glastonbury area that play at lots of community events.'
Paul Mobbs, Brighton:
'Good group with original material.'
Clare Sain-ley-Berry:
'Great music about issues that matter instead of the usual candy floss that we get fed.'
Brian Healy, London:
'The world we live in offers so much beauty, contends with so much pain and resonates to our everyday struggles both high and low. In such a mad, bad, beautiful world Seize The Day are well placed social commentators and supporters to the cause of world peace and social and environmental justice. As such they are contributing to the re-radicalisation of folk music and making some cracking tunes as well! Seeing them live at any one of their performances this last year - for example Glastonury or Big Green Gathering - just adds another feather in their already packed hat.'
Bobby Acworth:
'A band that speak to the head and to the heart. I've used their music in the classrooms i teach in and they grab the attention of everyone from fresh faced 11 year olds to cynical 18 year olds - my 7 year old loves them too. The combination of melody, harmony and depth of feeling is hard to beat.'
Sarah Hards, Cambridge:
'They make the most powerful and beautiful music I have ever heard. Their intelligent, witty lyrics, skillful musicianship and gorgeous melodies can make me laugh, make me cry, uplift me and inspire me. They sing passionately about the most important issues, in a way that reaches into my heart and soul.'
Rich Whistance, Bridgewater:
'More people need to hear this incredible band. Their lyrics are sung with such verve and wit and their on stage power is awsome. They tackle some of the hardest issues in society through powerful songs which can make an audience cry as well as laugh. I highly recommend them.'
Claire Morgan, Hitchin:
'They have managed to give folk music back to the ordinary folk (people). Highlighting issues that we all care about and discuss and addressing them in an accessible and most importantly entertaining way.'
Sarah Woodland, Switzerland:
'They continue in the long tradition of documenting the peoples struggle through the medium of folk music. They are the only band that I have heard in recent times that really do this effectively, tackling subjects as diverse as GM foods, cloning and motorway construction. In addition they are an extremely impressive live act who never fail to give an energetic, rousing performance.'
Mike Hannis, Lancaster:
'For singing great songs with real passion about things that matter!'
Miriam Stuart:
'I first heard them play live last summer, and was awestruck by their talent and vitality, and the fantastic sound they produced. The music they create draws on the best traditions of folk-music from around the world; rhythm, great harmony, and lyrics that can provoke and inspire both thought and action about fundamental topical issues that affect the whole world.'
Will Kinsman, Reddtich:
'An extraordinary band. Fantastic, passionate music coupled with lyrics of remarkable insight, depth and power. Manage the unique feat of educating, convincing but never preaching. Fantastic live performers, equally comfortable playing small folk festivals or Glastonbury.'
Janet Payne, Wigan:
'I've seen them a couple of times, and each time they have the same enormous amount of enthusiasm and energy that comes across with the subjects that they are most concerned about. Not only do they write brilliant music, but they provide the audience with something productive to think about, besides soppy love problems etc.'
Chris Miller, Plymouth:
'What is folk? To me it is a voice for the issues that really matter, and the buck stops here. Seize The Day tackle the issues that need airing - but they are not just a voice. They are active supporters of many good causes at home and abroad and this reaaly comes through in their music. It has an earthy truth to it that is only found in music from the heart and soul. They have changed my life, giving me the strength to be active in the support of the things i believe in and, on top of all that, they are jolly nice people too!'
Helene Morse, Sutherland:
'I first heard Seize the Day live in 2000, and their music has had a huge impact on my life since then. They write great melodies with lyrics that truely express how much damage is being done to the world we live in. The most important thing about them for me is that these are not empty words, they are actually living what they sing and are trying to bring a greener way of living to all. I hope that they keep up the great work for years to come, they deserve some recognition for what they do so well!'
Eanna Dowling, Cork:
'They combine the spirit and form of English folk song with a global understanding of links between the struggles of ordinary people throughout the world. They have played here in Ireland on numerous occasions. They are always entertaining, provocative and very professional in their preparation, performance and public relations. They present contemporary issues in typical folk song structures and idioms. They make the most of acoustic instruments, driving their social commentary songs with Arican percussion, or lifting a memorable old fashioned harmonies, evoking the history of the peoples whose lives they highlight. Altogether, Seize the Day represent all that is good about grassroots folk music, grounded in English history and society, but reaching out to the world with compassion, wisdom and energy. Go enjoy them!'
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