The Best goes on Music Pollapalooza comes to the Ocean Mist BY BOB GULLA

This weekend, a gaggle of Best Music Poll winners and nominees will gather at the Ocean Mist in Matunuck and prove once and for all they deserved their accolades. The music, which begins at 1 p.m. and runs for a full 12 hours, promises to be one of the local music events of the summer. I mean, how could you go wrong? You’re down on the beach, checking out all the sun-worshipping personnel vacationing in the area. You’ve got a frosty libation in one hand, a paycheck in the other, and some great live music serving as your soundtrack.

The lineup goes like this:

Jackie O’Brien of Illustrious Day, a nominee in the Female Singer category, opens with a solo acoustic performance at 1 p.m. Get there early ’cuz it’s fun to hear Jackie sing. The Becky Chace Band goes on at 2:30. You know Becky pretty well by now. She was named Best Female Vocalist for the fourth consecutive year. She’s a truly deserving vote-getter. Following Becky will be the Jason Colonies Band, a nominee for Best Breakthrough Act and nearly the top vote-getter in that category. Colonies has a tight outfit and a really unique vocal/guitar style, so it’ll be interesting to hear how he follows Becky’s high-energy set. As the sun ducks a little lower behind the Matunuck dunes and you start to feel the burn, the music will take on a slightly surreal quality, especially if you’ve had a Planter’s Punch or two. Floodwaters, a heralded nominee in the Jam Act column, hits the stage at 5:30 for an hour-long set filled with zaniness, deep grooves, and danceable jams. Just past sundown, at 8:30, Jon Tierney arrives with his great new band, On the Level. The big-voiced Tierney, winner of the Best Male Singer category, has the stage presence of a mountain right before an avalanche, and his profound, deeply quivering voice adds character to his heartfelt vibe.

Headlining the night is five-time BMP winner Planet Groove, a band so versatile they’ve won the contest in four different categories — Best Act (this year), Best Jazz, Best Worldbeat, and Best Jam Band. The fact of the matter is these guys can do it all, from sizzling fusion to straight-up rock, from Latin-fired funk to soulful ballads. If you haven’t seen them yet, this weekend will feature them in full regalia.

So head down to the O-Mist on Saturday, July 5 and celebrate the fact that the bands who actually won the Providence Phoenix Best Music Poll finally get a chance to have their own very special day. I’ll meet you down there.

For a few more details, go to www.bmplive.com.

WHERE YOU GOIN’, BILLY? We were saddened to hear of local Billy Gilman getting dumped by his label, Sony Records’ Nashville division. Gilman, the youngest artist in the history of country music to achieve platinum success, was signed to the label more than five years ago. His career was launched in 1998 on the Academy of Country Music awards show when he performed "Roly Poly" with legend Ray Benson (Asleep At the Wheel) to a standing ovation of his older peers. But it was the release of his first single, "One Voice," that touched a real nerve with the listening public. The song addressed the issue of guns in schools from a child’s perspective. "Billy was a profitable act for Sony Nashville," said Gilman’s manager, Scott Siman. "That puts him in a very select group. But unfortunately the only thing that has changed more than Billy’s voice has been his record company."

"I appreciate everything Sony has done for me," says Gilman humbly. "I’m enjoying looking at some new options and I’m looking forward to the next phase in my career. I definitely plan on making more music."

Wandering Eye. Did you know that every Monday, none other than Duke Robillard hosts a marathon blues jam at Sal’s R&B Club over in Johnston? So far, the Duke, who runs the jam like a mentor with his students, has played with Kid Bangham, the former lead guitarist of the Thunderbirds, Tom Whalen from Eight to the Bar, and Tim Taylor from the Hoodoo Brothers. Together, the boys make some beautiful music and, as with any improvisational experience, you absolutely don’t know what’s going to happen from one moment to the next. Gotta love it at Sal’s.

Unfortunately, Duke is leaving for Finland this week, but will return on July 21 to run the jam. On the 14th, the session will have Sugar Ray Norcia as the special host. Norcia already has a leg up on things ’cuz Texas axe-slinger Nick Curran (ex-Kim Lenz & the Jaguars) will be the featured performer. Curran will also be playing on the 15th with two old Roomful musicians — Greg Piccolo and Preston Hubbard. Yowzah!

Blackstone Valley Sinners stars Slim and Judithann will perform in Slim Cessna’s Auto Club tonight (Thursday, the 3rd) at the El ’n’ Gee Club in New London, Connecticut, and then head to Ottawa on Sunday (the 6th) to take part in the Bluesfest in that most chilly of cities north of the border. Go to ottawa-bluesfest.ca/index-en.html.

E-mail me with music news at big.daddy1@cox.net