The 40th NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards is the nation's premier event celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts (motion picture, television, recording, and literature), as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors. The program will be live on Fox at 8:00PM, February 12, 2009. Here are a few of the categories in recording:

Outstanding Jazz Artist
Esperanza Spalding – "Esperanza" (Heads Up International)
James Carter – "Present Tense" (Emarcy)
Natalie Cole – "Still Unforgettable" (DMI Records)
The Roy Hargrove Quintet – "Earfood" (Decca Label Group)
Sonny Rollins – "Road Shows Vol. 1"(Doxy/Emarcy)

Outstanding Gospel Artist – (Traditional or Contemporary)
Hezekiah Walker (Zomba Gospel) Marvin Sapp (Zomba Gospel)
Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
Regina Belle (Pendulum Records/Walker Davis Entertainment)
Take 6 (Heads Up International)

Outstanding World Music Album
Cheryl Keyes – "Let Me Take You There" (Keycan Records)
Esperanza Spalding – "Esperanza" (Heads Up International)
Miquel Zen’on – "Awake" (Marsalis Music)
Omega Bugembe Okello – "Kiwombra Emmeeme" (Alexom Productions)
Toumani Diabate – "The Mande Variations" (Nonesuch Records)

Download a complete (.pdf) list of nominees
Site: NAACP Image Awards

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