2005 Surround Music Awards Winners Announced

December 15, 2005 -- Last night, in a gala event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the 2005 Surround Music Awards announced this year’s winners. The event, hosted by Ed Cherney and Elliot Scheiner – along with some help from past host Al Schmitt – was highlighted by the presentation of the 2005 Surround Artist of the Year to Jackson Browne by the members of his Running On Empty band, Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, Craig Doerge, and David Lindley. Following Browne’s acceptance speech, singer/songwriter Andrew Gold and Jeffrey Foskett from the Brian Wilson Band acoustically performed two Jackson Browne hits – Running On Empty and Stay. The recipients of the 2005 Surround Music Awards are as follows: SURROUND ARTIST OF THE YEAR JACKSON BROWNE SURROUND PIONEER AWARD PHIL RAMONE BEST OF SHOW TALKING HEADS DUALDISC BOX SET Talking Heads (Rhino Entertainment) BEST ADDITIONAL FEATURES RUMOR MILL The Carl Verheyen Band (AIX Records) BEST CONCERT VIDEO LIVE AT THE APOLLO Ben Harper & the Blind Boys of Alabama (Virgin Records/5.1 Production Services) BEST DUALDISC RELEASE TALKING HEADS DUALDISC BOX SET Talking Heads (Rhino Entertainment) BEST MADE-FOR-SURROUND TITLE DEADWING Porcupine Tree (DTS Entertainment) BEST MADE-FOR-SURROUND TITLE GUERO Beck (IGA/Interscope) BEST MENU DESIGN TALKING HEADS DUALDISC BOX SET Talking Heads (Rhino Entertainment) BEST MIX: NON-ORCHESTRAL TALKING HEADS DUALDISC BOX SET Talking Heads (Rhino Entertainment) BEST MULTICHANNEL REISSUE CAPTAIN FANTASTIC Elton John (UME/Chronicles) BEST STANDARD RESOLUTION TITLE ONE SOUL E3 (Sweet Spot Music Group/3 Bone Audio, Inc.) HORIZON AWARD FEELS LIKE FAMILY Lauren Ellis (Silverline Records) MOST ADVENTUROUS MIX IN SEARCH OF… N.E.R.D. (Virgin Records/DTS) BEST MIX: ORCHESTRAL REICH AT THE ROXY Alarm Will Sound (Sweetspot Music) LISTENER’S CHOICE AWARD MASTER OF DISASTER John Hiatt (New West)

A portion of the profits from the Surround Music Awards will be donated to MusiCares. Established in 1989 by The Recording Academy, MusiCares has been helping people across the country cope with personal, medical and financial hardships. MusiCares provides totally confidential crisis intervention, health care referrals and financial assistance. For more information, visit www.grammy.com.

The Surround Music Awards honor those who have excelled in multichannel music recording and mixing throughout the year. Previous winners include Queen, James Taylor, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Alison Krauss. The SMAs are also becoming known for the dramatic live performances that take place each year, including Graham Nash and David Crosby at the inaugural event, Dweezil Zappa two years ago, and an all-star tribute to Herbie Hancock featuring George Duke last year. Winners will be selected by a blue-ribbon panel of judges from the Surround Sound industry. In addition to the judged awards, a number of special honors will be given as well, including Best of Show, Surround Pioneer Award, Surround Artist of the Year, and Listener's Choice, which is presented by Highfidelityreview.com and features a selection of titles voted on by the public. One new category has been introduced for 2005. With the proliferation of DualDiscs hitting retail shelves over the past year, a category has been added to honor those working in the nascent format. This year's categories and nominees are as follows:

Best Made-For-Surround Title:
For the most outstanding title created from its inception with multichannel in mind. This release must not have previously released in any other format. (New projects released simultaneously in surround and stereo are acceptable.)

NOMINEES:
• Crossing; David Elias [Sketti Sandwich Productions]
• Deadwing; Porcupine Tree [DTS Entertainment]
• Guero; Beck [IGA/Interscope]
• With Teeth; Nine Inch Nails [IGA]
• Poncho at Montreux; Poncho Sanchez [Silverline Records]

Best Mix - Non-Orchestral:
For the title that features the most compelling multichannel recording and mix.

NOMINEES:
• Crossing; David Elias [Sketti Sandwich Productions]
• Genius Loves Company; Ray Charles [Concord Records/Hear Music]
• Girl in the Other Room; Diana Krall [Verve]
• Running on Empty; Jackson Browne [Rhino Entertainment]
• Talking Heads DualDisc Box Set; Talking Heads [Rhino Entertainment]

Best Mix - Orchestral:
For the title that features the most compelling multichannel orchestral recording and mix from the previous year, including orchestral film soundtracks.

NOMINEES:
• Reich at the Roxy; Alarm Will Sound [Sweetspot Music]
• Rosza: Ben-Hur Suite, Cincinnati Pops [Telarc]
• Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, London Symphony Orchestra [DTS Entertainment]
• The Making of a Performance: Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony; The San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas [SFS Media]

Most Adventurous Mix:
For the title that features the most adventurous use of all the available channels in the genre.

NOMINEES:
• Coltrane's A Love Supreme Live in Amsterdam; Branford Marsalis [Marsalis Music]
• Guero; Beck [IGA/Interscope]
• In Search OfŠ; N.E.R.D. [Virgin Records/DTS]
• Talking Heads DualDisc Box Set; Talking Heads [Rhino Entertainment]
• With Teeth; Nine Inch Nails [IGA]

Best Additional Features:
For the title that includes the most compelling extra features besides the primary music program.

NOMINEES:
• A High Resolution Music Experience; Various Artists [AIX Records]
• Guero; Beck [IGA/Interscope]
• Rumor Mill; The Carl Verheyen Band [AIX Records]
• Running on Empty; Jackson Browne [Rhino Entertainment]
• Sheafs are Dancing/tancolnak a kazlak; Djabe [Gramy Records]

Best Standard Resolution Title:
For the best multichannel music title presented in a standard resolution (Dolby Digital, DTS, or matrixed surround) DVD-Video or 48/44.1 kHz formats.

NOMINEES:
• Deadwing; Porcupine Tree [DTS Entertainment]
• In Search OfŠ; N.E.R.D. [Virgin Records/DTS]
• One Soul; E3 [Sweet Spot Music Group/3 Bone Audio, Inc.]
• Play; Peter Gabriel [Rhino Entertainment]
• Talking Heads DualDisc Box Set; Talking Heads [Rhino Entertainment]

Best Menu Design:
For the title that features not only the most creative menu graphics, but the easiest to navigate as well.

NOMINEES:
• A High Resolution Music Experience; Various Artists [AIX Records]
• Deadwing; Porcupine Tree [DTS Entertainment]
• Guero; Beck [IGA/Interscope]
• Talking Heads DualDisc Box Set; Talking Heads [Rhino Entertainment]

Best Concert Video:
For the best multichannel mix of a concert released on DVD.

NOMINEES:
• Coltrane's A Love Supreme Live in Amsterdam; Branford Marsalis [Marsalis Music]
• Grateful Dead Movie; Grateful Dead [Monterey Home Video]
• Live at the Apollo; Ben Harper & the Blind Boys of Alabama [5.1 Production Services]
• Poncho at Montreux; Poncho Sanchez [Concord Picante/5.1 Production Services]
• The Making of a Performance: Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony; The San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas [SFS Media]

Best Multichannel Reissue:
For the best multichannel mix of a catalog title previously released in mono, two-channel, or matrixed surround.

NOMINEES:
• 461 Ocean Blvd.; Eric Clapton [Polydor/Chronicles]
• Captain Fantastic; Elton John [UME/Chronicles]
• Singles 1969-1981; The Carpenters [A&M/Chronicles/UME]
• Tumbleweed Connection; Elton John [UME/Chronicles]
• Willy Porter; Willy Porter [Six Degrees Records]

Horizon Award:
The Horizon Award is given to the best newcomer to surround sound. The requirements for this category is that this has to be the artist's first release in a surround sound format.

NOMINEES:
• Be My Love; Kip Wilborn [sam n rose, inc.]
• Bold and Terrible; Pentamental [Subternal]
• Feels Like Family; Lauren Ellis [Silverline Records]
• Poncho at Montreux; Poncho Sanchez [Silverline Records]
• The Downward Spiral; Nine Inch Nails [IGA]
• The Making of a Performance: Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony; The San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas [SFS Media]

Listener's Choice Award:

NOMINEES:
• Brothers in Arms; Dire Straits [Warner Bros.]
• Crossing; David Elias [Sketti Sandwich Productions]
• Master of Disaster; John Hiatt [New West]
• Music for Organ, Brass & Timpani; Anthony Newman & the Graham Ashton Ensemble [Sonoma]
• Brick; Talking Heads [Rhino]
• Something to Be; Rob Thomas [Atlantic Records]

NEW FOR 2005 - Best DualDisc Release:
For the best multichannel mix on the DVD side of a DualDisc release.

NOMINEES:
• Feels Like Family; Lauren Ellis [Silverline Records]
• Never Gone; Backstreet Boys [Jive]
• Talking Heads DualDisc Box Set; Talking Heads [Rhino Entertainment]
• The Downward Spiral; Nine Inch Nails [IGA]
• With Teeth; Nine Inch Nails [IGA]

For more information about the 2005 Surround Music Awards, contact Frank Wells at 615-848-1769 or fwells@cmp.com or Anthony Savona at 212-378-0450 or tsavona@cmp.com.