The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held on January 31, 2020, in Los Angeles. Its format is not yet known. But we do know that Trevor Noah will host the awards ceremony.
“RoundAgain, the first recording from Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride and Brian Blade since 1994’s “MoodSwing,” has been nominated for Grammys for Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo for Redman on “Moe Honk.”
Congrats are in order to pianist Gerald Clayton who earned two Grammy Award nominations, Best Jazz Instrumental Album for “Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard,” and Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “Celia” from Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard.”
Also, kudos to Minnesota native and five-time Grammy-winner Maria Schneider for her latest album “Data Lords.”
In the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category, these standouts were up nominated: “On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment” from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and “Waiting Game” featuring drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science. This is Akinmusire’s first-ever nomination.
Who are some of the biggest snubs of the 2021 Grammys in the jazz categories?
For starters, there were no nods for, “Without Deception” by Kenny Barron/Dave Holland Trio featuring Jonathan Blake. Barron has been nominated 11 times but has never won a Grammy. This was a highly anticipated collaborative project with two of the most beloved artists today.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis effort “Black, Brown, & Beige,” didn’t get a nod for their rendition of Duke Ellington’s most ambitious composition. The recording is their label Blue Engine’s first release devoted entirely to Ellington and is also Marsalis’ first recording of the work.
Yet another snub, “Charles Lloyd: 8: Kindred Spirits (Live From The Lobero).” This live recording was made in his hometown of Santa Barbara and is a range of celebrations to mark Lloyd’s 80th birthday last year. Julian Lage is on electric guitar, Gerald Clayton on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Eric Harland on drums. Lage is nominated for “Tomorrow is the Question” for Best Improvised Jazz Solo.
On another note, it’s great to see that saxophonist Kamasi Washington’s “Becoming” score earned him a nod for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.
And a big congrats to vocalist Carmen Lundy who is nominated for the first time-ever for Best Jazz Vocal Album for “Modern Ancestors.”
Below find a full list of the nominees in the jazz categories that include Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Jazz Vocal Album, Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and Best Latin Jazz Album.
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
• GUINEVERE
Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, soloist
Track from: Axiom
• PACHAMAMA
Regina Carter, soloist
Track from: Ona, by Thana Alexa
• TOMORROW IS THE QUESTION
Julian Lage, soloist
• CELIA
Gerald Clayton, soloist
Track from: Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard
• ALL BLUES
Chick Corea, soloist
Track from: Trilogy 2 (Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade)
• MOE HONK
Joshua Redman, soloist
Track from: RoundAgain, by Redman Mehldau McBride Blade)
Best Jazz Vocal Album
• ONA
Thana Alexa
• SECRETS ARE THE BEST STORIES
Kurt Elling Featuring Danilo Pérez
• MODERN ANCESTORS
Carmen Lundy
• HOLY ROOM: LIVE AT ALTE OPER
Somi With Frankfurt Radio Big Band
• WHAT’S THE HURRY
Kenny Washington
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
• ON THE TENDER SPOT OF EVERY CALLOUSED MOMENT
Ambrose Akinmusire
• WAITING GAME
Terri Lyne Carrington And Social Science
• HAPPENING: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
Gerald Clayton
• TRILOGY 2
Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
• ROUNDAGAIN
Redman Mehldau McBride Blade
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• DIALOGUES ON RACE
Gregg August
• MONK’ESTRA PLAYS JOHN BEASLEY
John Beasley
• THE INTANGIBLE BETWEEN
Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band
• SONGS YOU LIKE A LOT
John Hollenbeck With Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry, Gary Versace And The Frankfurt Radio Big Band
• DATA LORDS
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Best Latin Jazz Album
• TRADICIONES
Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra
• FOUR QUESTIONS
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
• CITY OF DREAMS
Chico Pinheiro
• VIENTO Y TIEMPO – LIVE AT BLUE NOTE TOKYO
Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola
• TRANE’S DELIGHT
Poncho Sanchez
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An addition to the snubbed category: Ray Mantilla did not receive a nod for his final Latinjazz recording “Rebirth”. Ray passed away March 21, 2020