The Free Jazz Collective, Happy New Ears Award 2012 : #1

This must have been the most boring competition for the HAPPY NEW EARS AWARD we’ve ever had, with the winner in the lead from the first hour to the last, and capturing almost one third of all votes. Eve Risser, Benjamin Duboc and Edward Perraud are the deserved winners with « En Corps », which already featured on many top-10 of the year lists too. They have indeed given us some novel listening experience. Congratulations to the winners, and to all other contenders for the great music and ear-opening – and mind-opening – musical ideas. Thanks to all voters for their contribution.

1. Eve Risser, Benjamin Duboc, Edward Perraud – En Corps (27%)
2. RED Trio + Nate Wooley – Stem (15%)
3. Eivind Opsvik – Overseas IV (8%)
4. Stian Westerhus – The Matriarch (8%)
5. Tim Berne – Snake Oil (7%)
6. Thomas Heberer’s Clarino – Cookbook (6%)
7. Angharad Davies, Tisha Mukarji, Dimitra Lazaridou-Chatzigoga – Outwash (5%)
8. Mikolaj Trzaska’s Ircha – Zikaron Lefanaj (5%)
9. Evan Parker, Okkyung Lee, Peter Evans – The Bleeding Edge (3%)
10. Pão – Pão (3%)
11. Evan Parker’s Electro-Acoustic Ensemble: Hasselt (3%)
12. Levity – Afternoon Delights (2%)
13. Katherine Young’s Pretty Monsters (1%)
14. MMM Quartet – Live at the Metz’ Arsenal (0%)
15. Bobun – Suite Pour Machines À Mèche (0%)