The 2021 63rd Grammy Nominations were announced this week. Including nominations in the Jazz Categories. Nominating categories for jazz music includes categories for improvised jazz solo, jazz vocals, jazz instrumentals, jazz large ensemble, and Latin Jazz.
Nominations are reflective of recordings released between Oct. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020.
The nominations include familiar names in jazz such as Chick Corea, Joshua Redman, and Kurt Elling. They also include newer nominees in breakout projects such as Thana Alexa, Gerald Clayton, and Orrin Evans.
Here is the list of 2021 Grammy Nominations in Jazz:
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
(For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter’s name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.)
- GUINEVERE
Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, soloist
Track from: Axiom
- PACHAMAMA
Regina Carter, soloist
Track from: Ona (Thana Alexa)
- CELIA
Gerald Clayton, soloist
- ALL BLUES
Chick Corea, soloist
Track from: Trilogy 2 (Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade)
- MOE HONK
Joshua Redman, soloist
Track from: RoundAgain (Redman Mehldau McBride Blade)
Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal jazz recordings.)
- 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
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.)
- 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
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new ensemble jazz recordings.)
- 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
(For vocal or instrumental albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material. The intent of this category is to recognize recordings that represent the blending of jazz with Latin, Iberian-American, Brazilian, and Argentinian tango music.
- 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
With the growing influence of jazz music, jazz artists appeared in additional general categories related to compositions, arrangements, and contemporary instrumental. Artists include Arturo O’Farrill, Christian Sands, John Beasley, and Jon Batiste:
Best Instrumental Composition
(A Composer’s Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. Singles or Tracks only.)
- BABY JACK
Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra)
- BE WATER II
Christian Sands, composer (Christian Sands)
- PLUMFIELD
Alexandre Desplat, composer (Alexandre Desplat)
- SPUTNIK
Maria Schneider, composer (Maria Schneider)
- STRATA
Remy Le Boeuf, composer (Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly Of Shadows Featuring Anna Webber & Eric Miller)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.
- BATHROOM DANCE
Hildur Guðnadóttir, arranger (Hildur Guðnadóttir)
- DONNA LEE
John Beasley, arranger (John Beasley)
- HONEYMOONERS
Remy Le Boeuf, arranger (Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly Of Shadows)
- LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING
Alvin Chea & Jarrett Johnson, arrangers (Jarrett Johnson Featuring Alvin Chea)
- URANUS: THE MAGICIAN
Jeremy Levy, arranger (Jeremy Levy Jazz Orchestra)
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
(For albums containing approximately 51% or more playing time of instrumental material. For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new recordings.)
- AXIOM
Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah
- CHRONOLOGY OF A DREAM: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
Jon Batiste
- TAKE THE STAIRS
Black Violin
- AMERICANA
Grégoire Maret, Romain Collin & Bill Frisell
- LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Snarky Puppy
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
(An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
- ASAS FECHADAS
John Beasley & Maria Mendes, arrangers (Maria Mendes Featuring John Beasley & Orkest Metropole)
- DESERT SONG
Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Säje)
- FROM THIS PLACE
Alan Broadbent & Pat Metheny, arrangers (Pat Metheny Featuring Meshell Ndegeocello)
- HE WON’T HOLD YOU
Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier Featuring Rapsody)
- SLOW BURN
Talia Billig, Nic Hard & Becca Stevens, arrangers (Becca Stevens Featuring Jacob Collier, Mark Lettieri, Justin Stanton, Jordan Perlson, Nic Hard, Keita Ogawa, Marcelo Woloski & Nate Werth)
Winners of the 2021 63rd Grammy Awards will be announced on Sunday, January 26, 2020. The awards show will air on CBS at 8 pm ET.
