It's Grammy Time!

Jazz Well Represented As Recording Field Honors Its Own With Coveted Award

by

Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

   The recording industry's biggest night is set to take place on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007,  at The Staples Center in Los Angeles for the 49th Annual Grammy presentations. The jazz world was nominated for several Grammy Awards though you'd never know it from the truncated, popcentric lists that have appeared at the usual news outlets. As a public service, JAZZ CONNECTION combed through the nominees to bring you the categories in which jazz artists are listed. The Eligibility Year for this year's Grammy Awards are for recordings released during October 1, 2005  through September 30, 2006.

Heart throb crooner Michael Bublé, who has been gaining popularity each year by singing the "old songs," is up for his Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Caught In Act (143-Reprise). (See Michael Bublé Caught In The Act CD & DVD) Bublé is up against some stiff competition with such power-house names as Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, and Bette Midler.

Songstress Nancy Wilson is up for another Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Turned To Blue (MCG Jazz) (See Nancy Wilson Turned To Blue CD) Wilson is once again surrounded by a number of jazz luminaries including James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Dr. Billy Taylor, and Hubert Laws, among others. Also vying for the top spot is Karrin Allyson for Footprints (Concord). (See Karrin Allyson Footprints CD) Allyson is hoping to take home the musical coveted trophy for the first time as she too, has surrounded herself with a number of jazz stars on the project including vocal master Jon Hendricks and Frank Wess.

Dizzy lives through the powerful and explosive Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band led by trombonist Slide Hampton. The band's CD, Dizzy's Business (MCG Jazz) is up for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) on the tune Star Dust. Hampton did the arrangement of the tune. (See Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band Dizzy's Business CD)  

The recently deceased saxophonist Michael Brecker has been tapped for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo honors on the tune Some Skunk Funk from the CD by the same name (Telarc Jazz/BHM) in collaboration with his trumpet-playing brother, Randy Brecker. Also vying for that top honor is 22-year-old jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti on the tune Freedom Jazz Dance from his CD, Lucky To Be Me (Concord). Eigsti has also been nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for his tune, Argument, also from the same album. (See Taylor Eigsti Lucky To Be Me CD)

Guitarist Mike Stern is looking for Grammy gold for Best Contemporary Jazz Album with his CD, Who Let The Cats Out? (See Mike Stern Who Let The Cats Out CD) while jazz fusion mainstays Spyro Gyra, are up for Best Pop Instrumental Album with Wrapped In A Dream (Heads Up International). (See Spyro Gyra Wrapped In A Dream CD)

 The Grammy Awards will air over the CBS television network from 8-11 p.m.

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

Best Jazz Instrumental 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.)

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(For large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

Best Instrumental Composition
(A Composer's Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. Singles or Tracks only.)

Best Instrumental Arrangement
(An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
(An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

Best Pop Instrumental Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

*****

Jazz Connection Magazine     .     February  2007     .     www.jazzconnectionmag.com