Taite Music Prize 2011 Finalists Announced

The Taite Music prize, named after acclaimed music journalist Dylan Taite, acknowledges the finest release by a New Zealand recording artist every year, and the finalists for the 2011 Taite Music Prize have been announced, and are as follows:

Dudley Benson - Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne (Golden Retriever Records)
Connan Mockasin - Please Turn Me Into the Snat (Self released)
Julia Deans - Modern Fables (Tardus Music)
Die! Die! Die! - Form (Flying Nun)
Ladi6 - The Liberation Of (What? Music)
The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You (Somewhat Damaged)
The Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo (The Phoenix Foundation)
Street Chant - Means (Arch Hill Recordings)

From the press release:

The judging panel to determine the eight finalists was made up of 29 music media/industry specialists plus all 75 members of Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ). There will be a second round of judging by a selected music panel to decide the eventual winner.

 

Ben Howe, Business Development Managed of IMNZ says, "There were 73 nominated albums and they were of a very high standard. The finalists show an embarrassment of riches. It will take some serious work for the music panel to decide a winner."

The award winner will be announced on the 20th April at an industry-only event at Sale Street bar in Auckland's Freeman's Bay. Judge - and son of Dylan Taite - John Taite will be a special guest on the night, and the winner of the inaugural Taite Music Prize, Lawrence Arabia, will be giving a special performance.

The winner will recieve a cash prize of $10, 000 to be spend as they wish. Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) and PPNZ Music Licensing (PPNZ) are the principal music industry supporters of the Taite Music Prize in conjunction with the Taite family.