Ephraim Martin (right) of Martin's Inter-Culture Ltd. with Da'Ville (left) and Tessane Chin at the announcement of nominees for the 27th International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) at the Pegasus on Tuesday. - Colin Hamilton

By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

When the nominees in the nearly 40 categories of the 27th International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) were being read at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Tuesday evening, some names kept coming up.

The one that came up most among the men was Buju Banton, who has been nominated in nine categories, while Tanya Stephens is tops among the women with five nominations.

Ephraim Martin of Martin's Inter-Culture, which stages the awards, said that 'once the nominees are announced fans and the general public can vote. Last year, 50,000 people voted and this year we expect to double that. There was hardly a country around the world there wasn't a vote from.' Nominations were sourced from music industry personnel.

Social relevance

Voting is done by ballots distri-buted in the United States, as well as online at www.IRAWMA.com, with one set of votes allowed per person. A note on the ballot says "your decision should be based on materials/releases between December 2005 and November 2006. Also consider the social relevance of materials, originality and sales, the scope of local, national and international performances, quality of performances and stage appearance."

Among the categories Buju Banton is nominated in are 'Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year', sharing that slot with fellow multiple nominees Sean Paul (eight, including three in the 'Best Crossover Song' category), Gyptian (five), Damian Marley and Beenie Man (three each).

He is also in the Recording Artist(s)/Group of the Year category, where Tony Matterhorn gets one of five nominations. Matterhorn's nominations, which include 'Best New Entertainer', 'Best Songwriter' and 'Best Sound System/Selector', span the widest range of all the nominees.

Baby Cham is also among the males with the highest number of nominations, with six, three of them ('Best Album/CD', 'Best Crossover Song' and 'Best Music Video') speci-fically related to 'Ghetto Story'.

Tanya Stephens straddles singing and deejaying, nominated for 'Best Female Vocalist' as well as 'Best Female Disc Jockey/Rapper', her 'Rebelution' CD among the nominees for 'Best Album/CD', where Matisyahu's 'Youth' gets a rare entry by a non-Jamaican in a reggae category. David Rodigan from England and Japan's Mighty Crown do the same for 'Most Popular Sound System/Selector'.

The IRAWMA is not, of course, all music, as a rotating cast of entertainers and Martin's Inter-Culture personnel announced 'Best Reggaeton Entertainer', 'Best Calpyso/Soca Entertainer', 'Best African Entertainer' and 'Best Soukous Entertainer' among the nominations.

And charitable efforts are not to be left out, as Burning Spear, Capleton, Friends of Reggae (who stage the Kansas City Reggae and World Music Festival), Moodie's Records (for the Butterfli Wings Foundation for Children in Jamaica) and Wyclef Jean are up for the 'Community Service Award'.