And The Winner Is...

Grammy Jazz Winners Come As No Surprise At 49th Meeting 

by

Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

   The recording industry's biggest night took take place on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007,  at The Staples Center in Los Angeles for the 49th Annual Grammy presentations. The list of winners in the jazz arena really came as no surprise. In fact, prognosticating as to who would make it in the winners' circle has almost become a no-brainer these days. Big names usually equals award winners.

Congratulations to all the jazz artists who were nominated for the coveted award. Special congratulations to those who walked away with Grammy gold. All the winners in each category are listed below in red and have an asterisk (*) by their names.

Heart throb crooner Michael Bublé, who has been gaining popularity each year by singing the "old songs," was up for his second Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Caught In Act (143-Reprise). (See Michael Bublé Caught In The Act CD & DVD) Bublé was up against some stiff competition but had to yield to celebrated crooner Tony Bennett  for his Duets: An American Classic.

Songstress Nancy Wilson took home her third career Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Turned To Blue (MCG Jazz) (See Nancy Wilson Turned To Blue CD) Wilson was once again supported by a number of jazz luminaries on the album including James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Dr. Billy Taylor, and Hubert Laws, among others. 

The recently deceased saxophonist Michael Brecker garnered his12th and 13th Grammys (these last two posthumously) 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, and for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

While the "dark horse" candidate vying for the top honor in the Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, was 22-year-old jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti on the tune Freedom Jazz Dance from his CD, Lucky To Be Me (Concord). (See Taylor Eigsti Lucky To Be Me Article) Eigsti was also nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for his tune, Argument, also from the same album. (See Taylor Eigsti Lucky To Be Me CD) The young pianist came up short once again, this time against John Williams, quite literally, a franchise in the music world,  for his A Prayer For Peace from the soundtrack of Munich.

Guitarist Bela Fleck and his Flecktones took home their 8th Grammy gold for Best Contemporary Jazz Album with his CD, The Hidden Land, while pianist Chick Corea took top honors for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with his CD, The Ultimate Adventure, and  Best Instrumental Arrangement for the song, Three Ghouls, on the same album

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     .     March  2007     .     www.jazzconnectionmag.com