Faculty and Alumni Shine at Boston Music Awards

Several Berklee faculty members and alumni walked away with trophies at this year's Boston Music Awards (BMA) ceremony, which has become one of the most prestigious regional music award programs in the country. In total, there was a Berklee connection on 15 of the 38 awards handed out. Assistant Professor of Ensembles Walter Beasley '84, a recording artist, writer and producer for Elektra/Asylum Records, won the award for Outstanding Jazz Vocalist and Eye 2 Eye, featuring Guitar Department Instructor Jim Peterson, captured the award for Outstanding R&B Act.

Other faculty members who received BMA nominations were Vocal Department Assistant Professor Mili Bermejo '84 for Outstanding Jazz Vocalist; Percussion Department Instructor Dave DiCenso for his work as drummer for Two Ton Shoe, which was nominated for Outstanding Funk Band; and Bass Department Professor Bruce Gertz '76, whose Evidence Records release "Blueprint" received an Outstanding Jazz Album nomination. Executive Vice President Gary Burton '62 also received an Outstanding Jazz Album nomination for his Concord Records release "Departure." Other Berklee alumni who won BMAs are listed below, along with a list of alumni who received 1998 Grammy nominations.

Berklee Gives a BMA to Two Young Musicians

Berklee also took a turn at giving Boston Music Awards when it handed BMA Discover Awards to two 17-year-old high school students, MishyPritchett of Roxbury, Mass., and John Marcinuk of Braintree, Mass. Berklee selected the pair after a two-month search for outstanding young musicians from Greater Boston. Each student received a full-tuition scholarship,provided by Berklee City Music, to attend Berklee's Five-week Summer Performance Program. It was the second time Berklee and the Boston Music Awards have collaborated to uncover promising new talent.

Berklee Director of Community Partnerships Curtis Warner joins Pritchett, BMA Director and Founder Candace Avery and Marcinuk (from left to right).

Berklee Alumni who won 1998 Boston Music Awards

• Paula Cole '90 (four awards, including Act of the Year)
• The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (bandmembers: trombonist Dennis Brockenborough '91 and saxophonist Kevin Lenear '91) for Album of the Year and Video of the Year
• Aerosmith (bandmembers: drummer Joey Kramer '70 and guitarist Brad Whitford '71) for Outstanding Rock Band
• Laurie Geltman '87 for Outstanding Local Female Vocalist
• Diana Krall '83 for Outstanding Jazz Album
• Patty Larkin '74 for Outstanding Contemporary Folk Album
• Bim Skala Bim (bandmembers: saxophonist John Cameron '80 and guitarist Jim Jones '83) for Outstanding Ska Band
  

Berklee Alumni who were nominated for 1998 Grammy Awards

• Paula Cole (seven nominations)
• Aerosmith (three nominations)
• Reeves Gabrels '81, guitarist on David Bowie's "Earthling," nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance
• Diana Krall for Best Jazz Vocal Performance
• Antonio Hart '91 for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
• Joe Lovano '72 for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance
• Alan Broadbent '69 for Best Instrumental Composition
• Arif Mardin '61 for Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocal

Note: Alumni Pete Karam '94 was assistant engineer on James Taylor's "Hourglass," and Paul Boutin '94 was assistant engineer on Babyface's "The Day," both of which were nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

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