Independent Music Wins Big at 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2015 -- A2IM congratulates our member labels: ATO, Big Machine, Compass, Concord Music Group, eOne, Ghostlight/Razor & Tie, Loma Vista Recordings, Motema, Naxos, Omnivore Recordings, Rounder, Sunnyside Records, Third Man, Tuff Gong and Warp Records on their GRAMMY wins.

Leading all the Independent labels, Concord Music Group won in six categories including Best Alternative Music Album (Loma Vista's St. Vincent s/t), Best Improvised Jazz Solo (Chick Corea "Fingerprints"), Best Jazz Vocal Album (Dianee Reeves 'Beautiful Life'), Best Jazz Instrumental Album (Chick Corea Trio 'Triology'), Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band 'Life in the Bubble') and Best Bluegrass Album (The Earls of Leicester s/t). Said Glen Barros, President & CEO, Concord Music Group and A2IM Board Member: 

"From jazz to bluegrass to our partner label Loma Vista's Alternative Grammy, we're honored to receive this great recognition. But we're even more honored to work with some of the greatest artists in the world and a team that's second to none."

Loma Vista Recordings Founder Tom Whalley on St. Vincent's Best Alternative Music Album Award:

"It's exciting when a boundary-pushing artist like St. Vincent can be recognized for her work by a long-established and prestigious organization like the Grammys. It's a testament to what Independent artists and their labels can achieve together."

Naxos of America also won big taking home five awards in key classical categories: Best Classical Instrumental Solo, Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, Best Contemporary Classical Composition, Best Engineered Album, Classical and Best Opera Recording. Said Jeff Van Driel, CEO Naxos of America, Inc: 

"It is satisfying to know Academy members continue to recognize the high quality and artistic merits of recordings released by the Naxos family of distributed labels. Classical music - past, present and future - will continue to thrive because of this recognition. Naxos looks forward to an unending flow of brilliant recordings for anyone interested in listening or learning about classical music."

Compass Records Co-Founder and A2IM Advisory Committee Member, Garry West, responded to their label's Best Roots Gospel Album win: 

"We are so proud of our association with Mike Farris and thank the Recording Academy members for recognizing 'Shine for all the People' as the Best Roots Gospel Album. The award is a tremendous validation of Mike's artistic integrity as well as Compass Records' artistic pursuits. It's a great way to celebrate the label's 20th anniversary."

Warp Records Head of A&R, Stephen Christian:

"Thanks to the Academy for awarding 'Syro' Dance/Electronic Album of the Year and to everyone who has support the album. 2014 was a special year for Aphex Twin and Warp, and this award is greatly appreciated."

With pride on their Best Reggae Album GRAMMY, Tuff Gong Worldwide President Orly Marley expressed: 

"Tuff Gong Worldwide is honored to be recognized by the Recording Academy as an Independent label. Ziggy Marley's latest offering 'Fly Rasta' is a true testament that reggae roots music is timeless and should be celebrated."

Dutch Cramblitt, Co-Founder of Omnivore on their Best Historical Album win for Hank Williams' 'Garden Spot Programs, 1950':

"The music of Hank Williams truly endures and is very much alive! All of us at Omnivore are grateful for the Best Historical Album Grammy and acknowledge the tremendous work of Cheryl Pawelski, Michael Graves, George Gimarc and Colin Escott in bringing the project to life as well as the invaluable contributions of Jett Williams. In the last three plus years so many people have contributed to the success of Omnivore and helped lead to this award. To our artists, music retail, the community of independent labels, our distributors past and present, and mostly music fans all over the world we are so thankful."

Jana Herzen, CEO/Fonder of Motéma shared her thanks:

"I'm so proud of our four nominees and am thrilled for Arturo's win for Best Latin Jazz Album. The Offense of the Drum represents Arturo's expansive vision of Afro Latin jazz. He's a true visionary and an important new member of the Motéma family. Congratulations go out to the many fine producers, artists and staff members of both Motéma and the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance for doing an incredible job with this epic project. We're excited to hear what Arturo just created in Cuba and what his second release will bring."

A2IM Vice President Molly Neuman added: 

"Independent Music is at the forefront of creativity and consistently releases innovative music across every genre.  Year after year, Independent labels' ingenuity gains greater recognition from both listeners around the world and from the Recording Academy. A2IM thanks the GRAMMY voters for recognizing outstanding Independent releases, and tonight we celebrate with wins from across our community."

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ABOUT A2IM

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization representing a broad coalition of over 350 Independently-owned American recording label small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We support a key segment of America's creative class and small business community, which represents America's musical genre cultural diversity. Collectively, Independent labels are the largest music label industry segment. Billboard Magazine, using Nielsen SoundScan data, identified the Independent music label sector as 35.1 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2014 based on copyright ownership. 

The organization's board of directors are composed of the following: Razor & Tie President Craig Balsam, Concord Music Group President Glen Barros, Secretly Label Group Head of Domestic Sales & Marketing Cathy Bauer, Smithsonian Folkways Director of Marketing & Sales Richard Burgess, Epitaph/Anti- General Manager Dave Hansen, Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen, Dualtone Music Group CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson, Kill Rock Stars Owner/President Portia Sabin, Glassnote Records General Manager Chris Scully, Ole SVP Digital Jim Selby and Tommy Boy Owner/CEO Thomas Silverman. A2IM's president's advisory committee is Loma Vista Recordings Label Manager Josh Berman, Mack Avenue Records President Denny Stilwell and Compass Records Group Co-Founder Garry West. A2IM's Worldwide Independent Network lead representative is Wind-up Records General Manager Alan Galbraith.