Curt's Jazz Cafe

This is something that I usually do when the Grammy nominations are first announced, each November but I took a little unscheduled break from blogging and the awards still aren’t going to be presented for another four weeks, so I have (a little) time.

Here’s a listing of all of the nominees for 2021 Grammys, in the jazz categories AND in the categories that are jazz related, such as Contemporary Instrumental (aka Contemporary/Smooth Jazz). Also, some of the artists from the jazz world, have started to drift into the R & B categories, such as Robert Glasper, Thundercat and Gregory Porter, so I want to at least give them a shoutout for their noms.

The awards will be presented on Sunday, January 31. The awards in all of the categories below will be handed out, beginning at 3pm (ET) during the Grammy Premiere Show, prior to the prime-time telecast, which will begin at 8pm (ET)

As usual, we will have a lot more to say about the nominated jazz music during the weeks prior to the awards. Until then, for those of you who were unaware, here are the nominated performances. Congratulations to all!

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.

• GUINNEVERE
  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 Conducted By John Beasley
• 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’s MONK’estra
• 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

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 R&B Song
A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

• BETTER THAN I IMAGINE
  Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)
   
• BLACK PARADE
  Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
   
• COLLIDE
  Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar & Benedetto Rotondi, songwriters (Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG)
   
• DO IT
  Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch & Vincent Van Den Ende, songwriters (Chloe X Halle)
   
• SLOW DOWN
  Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)

Best Progressive R&B Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded progressive vocal tracks derivative of R&B.

• CHILOMBO
  Jhené Aiko
   
• UNGODLY HOUR
  Chloe X Halle
   
• FREE NATIONALS
  Free Nationals
   
• F*** YO FEELINGS
  Robert Glasper
   
• IT IS WHAT IT IS
  Thundercat

Best R&B Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new R&B recordings.

• HAPPY 2 BE HERE
  Ant Clemons
   
• TAKE TIME
  Giveon
   
• TO FEEL LOVE/D
  Luke James
   
• BIGGER LOVE
  John Legend
   
• ALL RISE
  Gregory Porter