The Audience Award One of the main awards has now been decided by you the audience. The winner will be announced at the Poll Winners concert in March. A huge thanks to all those who contributed. It was wonderful to see such a wide-ranging list of nominations (left) and the way so many of the musicians have touched your lives.
Here are the bands who were voted onto the final shortlist. Click on each name to read more about them and click on the 'listen' icon to hear a selected track from each band. A large selection of your comments can be found by clicking on the list to the left.
Yvonne Mitton, Northampton:
'A sublime and exciting mix of voice, instrumentation and styles, guaranteed to give you goose pimples. There is a consistency and a frisson to his music across all his recordings. I can't get enough!'
Ruth Galvin, London:
'Wonderful music! It makes you wake up when it is played, and you find yourself really listening and immersing yourself in the sounds.'
Stewart Elsey, London:
'A completely energising, mesmorising, important performer who is pushing the envelope of North African music.'
