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The Orange Show

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What makes Houston a great place to play world music? According to Alafia Gaidi, lead vocalist for D.R.U.M., "Houston has a strong contrast. There's a sense that it's a one-horse town but that it's also a cosmopolitan port city. And because there are a great many people, there is a lot of diversity. These two factors make world music and reggae well received here." But don't think that D.R.U.M. is just about reggae --African diasporic rhythms, hints of Motown and a smattering of jazz all interweave within their songs to create the equivalent of an eclectic world beat potpourri. Check out their D.R.U.M. Live album to sample their sound, or visit drummusic.com to catch them at their next Houston show. When you do see them live, you'll be sure to find yourself skanking with the rude boys and girls. -- Jeff Meserve

Best Emo/Post Punk: The JonBenet

The JonBenet proved that it is a group worthy of recognition by not showing up for the awards ceremony, and it wasn't because the band members believe they are above a local awards show. The group was too busy doing what a band should be doing to make a name for itself; the JonBenet was most likely taking the stage at Plan B in Dansville, Virginia -- a stop on its tour up the East Coast. (The band's absence did afford Outlaw Dave the opening for the quip of the evening: "JonBenet's not here. She's in heaven looking down on her vile parents.") With a sound that combines post-hardcore with metal and a tight rhythm section, this group may be moving into the national act category by this time next year. -- D.R.

Best Underground Hip-hop: Studemont Project

Studemont Project has been a member in good standing with the Houston underground since it came together almost three years ago, but member Caption said he was surprised to receive the award again. (The guys also took home this prize at the 2003 Music Awards.) SP is known for its ability to mix hip-hop with every type of music, for an eclectic sound that its members say is the key to the future of underground hip-hop. Their release, Avenue of the Observatory, testifies to that belief: The group lays lyrics over everything from blues to classical mixes for yet another SP release that reflects as much about the spirit of Houston as it does underground hip-hop. In fact, Caption bristles at the notion that his band is "just hip-hop" -- he believes his group could be classified under any number of an ever-expanding array of genres. "Punk is one of the only things we haven't tried yet, but it's coming," Caption said. We'll be waiting. -- D.R.

Best Salsa/Reggaetón/Latin Pop: Mango Punch

Mango Punch leader Walter Suhr is a happy man. A new CD, Desayuno de Amor, is on store shelves across the country, the video for the album's first single, "Que Se Lleve el Viento Mi Dolor," is playing on VH Uno, and Mango Punch just won a third Press Music Award nod for Best Salsa.

"It means so much to us to get this award in Houston, to be recognized by our hometown," Suhr said. "We're doing our best, always, to perform for our fans, and it just means so much to us that we win this. We're really very grateful to everyone for all the support and encouragement."

Suhr said the group tries to give its audience a respite from the troubles and grind of everyday life. "There is so much conflict and sadness in the world right now," he said. "We try to give our fans a break from all that. Our shows are designed to give them a little bit of happiness, a little time to relax." Not that Suhr has any time to relax. Along with longtime manager Susana Trimmer, he's promoting the new CD and making the rounds on Houston's talk show circuit. He's also writing new tunes (Suhr has won the Billboard Songwriting and John Lennon Songwriting contests, as well as contests in Europe, and his songs appear on movie soundtracks and television commercials). -- O.F.A.

Best Pop: The Handsomes

With the support of a loyal fan base and some killer live shows, this funky quartet wins Best Pop honors for the third year in a row. When asked about their feelings on the win, this is what they had to say: "It's awesome! We weren't expecting to win. We won the last two years and we thought it was time somebody else won, but we're happy that we did win." -- Christopher Whaley

Best DJ: DJ Red

In a surprise move in the Best DJ category, DJ Red walked away with the honors. Holding it down at the Lounge in Houston, DJ Red is fast moving forward in his career as an up-and-coming producer. Obviously stunned when he was announced as the winner, DJ Red said, "It feels great. I've received a lot of support in this city, and I wasn't expecting to win. Even I voted for DJ Sun because he's one of my heroes. I feel like it's a lot of great talent in this city." Later he told us, "I know a lot of the bands don't think of DJs when they think of the Music Awards because we don't play live music, but a lot of the DJs are also producers. We're making our own music, and we're contributing to the music scene in Houston, so I think it's good that there's an acknowledgement of the DJs adding to the content of music in the city. This is keeping us on the same level as musicians, and that's a good thing because we all -- DJs, musicians, producers -- all us have to keep contributing and contributing at a high-quality level." DJ Red has big plans for next year. "Right now I'm pushing my tracks in the UK, so next year I'm going to be touring in Europe and South America, getting the music out there." -- C.W.

Best Experimental/Avant-Garde: Satin Hooks

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