| 2007 WINNERS AIR is pleased to announce the 2007 Jagermeister AIR Awards Winners:
Best Independent Country Release: Gina Jefferys – Walks of Life
 Gina has been one of the most in-demand performers in Australia for over 10 years, both live and on television, appearing at everything from Carols by Candlelight to all the major country music festivals Australia-wide. International highlights have included performing at Fan Fair in Nashville, on a New Year’s Eve Television Special in Shanghai, China, to over 2 billion people, and the Tour of Duty Concert in East Timor.
Gina has worked incredibly hard over the past decade to develop her career, and continues to emerge with fresh new sounds and stunning new looks to delight her fans and win over new supporters for her music. Her latest album ‘Walks of Life’ evolved slowly, and produced by her partner Rod, showcases a new vocal maturity on a collection of songs that are near and dear to her heart. Gina has co-written five of the songs.
Best Independent Jazz Release: Ben Winkelman Trio – The Spanish Tinge
 The Ben Winkelman Trio is an innovative and dynamic contemporary jazz piano trio, playing original repertoire that draws on diverse influences. These range from Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music to stride piano and Jelly Roll Morton’s “Spanish tinge”, to Argentinean tango and contemporary classical music.
The trio has released two albums on Jazzhead to critical acclaim (Stomps, Pieces & Variations 2005, nominated for a Bell award, and The Spanish Tinge 2007), and toured to every part of Australia in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 the trio appeared on ABC TV’s Sunday Arts program and played at some of the major national jazz festivals. Ben Winkelman was a semi-finalist in the 2006 National Jazz Awards, and was shortlisted for an APRA Professional Development Award in 2006 for his compositions on “Stomps”.
Best Independent Blues & Roots Release: C.W Stoneking –King Hokum
 He's been called a hobo, local time traveller, fake and authentic; and with a reputation that travels faster than the man himself. Everyone from Art of Fighting and Sodastream to Ian Collard and Jeff Lang rave about the incredible talent that colours C.W.'s recordings and live performances. "He's a national treasure," says J. Walker. "The first time I met him," he recalls, "I was amazed because he had a fob watch in his waistcoat and I remember thinking, this guy's straight out of the dust bowl of the 1930s. I think that style of music that he does is the bedrock of everything that came afterwards," he continues, "I'm just amazed that he exists because I never thought I'd see anything like it." C.W Stoneking wins an AIR Award for the album ‘King Hokum’ in 2007.
Best Independent Dance / Electronic Release: Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia
 At the beginning of 2007 Midnight Juggernauts had already released two critically acclaimed EPs: ‘Raised By Wolves’ in 2005 and 2006’s ‘Secrets Of The Universe’. In that time the original duo of Vincent (keys/vox) and Andy (guitars/vox) toured the UK and Europe in Oct 2006, attracting raves from the BBC1, NME and MTV2 UK/Europe, the latter marking them as "artists we're tipping for the top in 2007". Upon entering the studio to record their debut album Dystopia, Vincent and Andy made the decision to invite a third member into the fold; Daniel Stricker (drums/vox) accepted the challenge. The band's live show has reaped the rewards, now an even more dynamic and energetic experience. Despite major label interest, Midnight Juggernauts opted to remain independent, releasing their first complete studio album through their own label Siberia Records.
Best Performing Independent Single / EP, and Best Independent Artist: Sneaky Sound System
 The past 12 months for Australia’s numero uno dance act Sneaky Sound System, have been nothing short of hectic. After supporting Jamiroquai on a their national tour of Australia, the core trio of MC Double D, Miss Connie and Black Angus took off to Miami, New York, Italy, London and Hong Kong for a bunch of shows. They toured Australia with their six piece band as part of the Good Vibrations Festival, released their super debut album, and went on three more sold-out, crazed tours of the country. They went top 25 with two singles I Love It and Pictures, top 20 with their album, spent more than 3 months at number 1 in the club charts, and capped it all off by winning two ARIA’s (Best Dance Release and Breakthrough Artist).
Think stiff beats, thick bass lines, lush melodies, haunting vocals, rolling guitar licks and urban tales of love and loss. It is part-melancholic beauty but for the most part, it's party mayhem. Topping off an amazing year is the 2007 AIR Award for Best Performing Independent Single ‘UFO’, and the coverted Best Independent Artist Award.
Best Performing Independent Album: John Butler Trio – Grand National
 Since he started out busking at Fremantle markets back in the early 90’s John Butler has become one of Australia’s most highly respected truly independent artists. Having released several EP’s, a live album and four studio albums including their most recent ‘Grand National’ which debuted at number one on the Australian Record Industry Awards (ARIA) charts, the John Butler Trio has received several industry accolades for their work including the prestigious Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) song of the year for the single ‘Zebra’ and three ARIA Awards for the 2003 release ‘Sunrise Over Sea’ Best Independent Release, Best Blues and Roots Album and also Best Male artist.
At the recent ARIA Awards the John Butler Trio took out two gongs for Best Independent release and Best Blues and Roots release.
Best New Independent Artist - British India
 There’s a certain brashness and confidence that comes with youth. Unbridled by the pains of experience and wounds of excess, youth is the fountain of energy and enthusiasm that underpinned the emergence of the rock’n’roll genre. And it’s that energy, combined with attitude, poise and posture that characterises Melbourne indie-pop band, British India.
From the band’s first appearance on the Melbourne live scene, critical interest has swept up over the band like monsoonal floods in the sub-continent
In 2006 British India headed into Harry Vanda’s Flashpoint Studio to record its eagerly awaited debut album. The result of the band’s time in the studio is Guillotine, produced by Harry Vanda and Glenn Goldsmith. The success of British India’s studio endeavours was immediate. The first single from the album, the incendiary Black and White Radio, released in January 2007, was promptly afforded high rotation on triple j, with the video to the single quickly becoming a regular highlight on Rage.
Guillotine is an album that celebrates the straight-up guitar pop that’s characterised British India’s initial success. While the refined sound and astute lyrics on the album suggests aplomb beyond the band members’ years, scratch the surface and there’s still the same youthful ferocity that propelled British India into the consciousness of the Australian music scene. From the freewheeling Britpop melodies of Tie Up My Hands, to the acute social commentary of Teenage Mother and Council Flat to the rollicking garage pop of Russian Roulette, this is music to which everyone can relate. British India is here to stay.
Please click [HERE] to see how AIR made the Decisions
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