Grammy Nominations Now Out

I know that the Grammy Awards are not as important today as they used to be and I also know that I’m not the only one who thinks that Adele is unbelievably overrated with her pretty blood-, soul-, and lifeless singing that leaves me totally cold, but still, a Grammy nomination and a Grammy win is usually a career boost and the Recording Academy has selected from nearly 22.000 submissions and it is the only peer-selected music award, albeit the fact that most of the peers in the social networks are usually heavily against the winners and think that the whole process and outcome is nothing but boring and predictable. Beyoncé is nominated nine times for the 59th edition. The Grammy Awards will be presented on February 12th and I have a list of nominees in some of the 84 categories:

Louie Vega is nominated in the “Best Dance/Electronic Album” category for his truly remarkable “Louie Vega Starring…XXVIII” album. The “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album” category has Herb Alpert, Bill Frisell, the Steve Gadd Band, Chuck Loeb, and Snarky Puppy as the nominees. William Bell, Lalah Hathaway, and Jill Scott are among the nominees in the “Best Traditional R&B Performance” category. I’m thrilled to see the three girls from KING nominated in the “Best Urban Contemporary Album” category. “Best R&B Album” includes Lalah Hathaway, Terrace Martin, and Mint Condition (with a holiday album).

And what about Jazz? “Best Improvised Jazz Solo”: Joey Alexander (“Countdown”), Ravi Coltrane (“In Movement”), Fred Hersch (“We See”), Brad Mehldau (“I Concentrate On You”), and John Scofield (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”). The “Best Jazz Vocal Album” nominees are René Marie, Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling, Gregory Porter, Catherine Russell, and the Tierney Sutton Band. “Best Jazz Instrumental Album”: Kenny Barron Trio, Peter Erskine, the Fred Hersch Trio, Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau, and John Scofield. “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album”: Darcy James Argue, John Beasley, John Daversa, Bob Mintzer, and Ted Nash Big Band. “Best Latin Jazz Album”: Andy González, Brian Lynch, Michael Spiro, Trio Da Paz, and Chucho Valdés.

Caetano Veloso & Gilbert Gil are among the nominees in the “Best World Music Album” category. “Miles Ahead” is nominated in the “Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media”. Alan Ferber is in the “Best Instrumental Composition” category (“Flow”), as is Ted Nash (“Spoken At Midnight”). “Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella” is shared between John Beasley (“Ask Me Now”), Sammy Nestico (“Good Swing Wenceslas”), Christian Jacob (“Linus & Lucy”), John Daversa (“Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”), Jacob Collier (“You And I”), and Ted Nash (“We Three Kings”).

And there is even more Christmas music nominated this time: the “Best Arrangement, Instruments And Vocals” has Gordon Goodwin (“Do You Hear What I Hear?”), John Daversa (“Do You Want To Know A Secret”), Jacob Collier (“Flintstones”), Alan Broadbent (“I’m A Fool To Want You”), and Billy Childs & Larry Klein (“Somewhere”). And Leon Bridges is nominated for “River” in the “Best Music Video” category. Gina congratulates all nominees. We will know the winners on February 12th.