60th GRAMMY Awards Jazz Field Nominees

(l-r) Fred Hersch, Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jane Bunnett, Jazzmeia Horn

 

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2018 GRAMMYs: 9 Things To Know About The Jazz Field Nominees

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From first-time nominees and decorated Canadians to potential jazz soloist history and husband-and-wife duos, dig deeper into the Jazz Field nominees for the 60th GRAMMY Awards
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Nov 30, 2017 - 3:45 pm

Jazz and Music's Biggest Night form a combo that goes all the way back to the inaugural GRAMMY Awards, when Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald picked up wins.

The rich lineage of GRAMMY-winning jazz artists has since included the likes of Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Esperanza Spalding, and Gregory Porter, to name a few.

Today, the Jazz Field spans five categories — Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Jazz Vocal Album, Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and Best Latin Jazz Album.

Leading the 60th GRAMMY Awards Jazz Field are pianist Fred Hersch and saxophonist Chris Potter, with two nominations each.

Learn more about this year's Jazz Field with nine interesting tidbits about the nominees. 

1. First-Time Nominees In The Mix

Notching their first respective GRAMMY nominations this year are violinist Sara Caswell, the Baylor Project's Jean Baylor, Dallas native Jazzmeia Horn, and New Mexico's Raul Midón. Caswell is up for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for "Can't Remember Why." The Baylor Project, Horn and Midón are vying for Best Jazz Vocal Album for The Journey, A Social Call and Bad Ass And Blind, respectively.

Also drawing first-time nominations are Brazilian Antonio Adolfo (Hybrido — From Rio To Wayne Shorter), clarinet/guitar duo Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves (Outra Cosa — The Music Of Moacir Santos) and Pablo Ziegler Trio (Jazz Tango), who are each nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album.

2. Fred Hersch's Dozen

With 10 prior GRAMMY nominations to his credit, Fred Hersch's two current nods for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for "Whisper Not" and Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Open Book represent his 11th and 12th career nominations. The Cincinnati-born pianist was first nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual Or Group for "Dancing In The Dark" at the 36th GRAMMY Awards. Will Hersch land his first career GRAMMY this year?

3. Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza: Top Winners

Bassist Christian McBride and composer Vince Mendoza & WDR Big Band Cologne are among the nominees for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for Bringin' It and Homecoming, respectively. The veterans are the top decorated winners in the Jazz Field, with each having five prior GRAMMY wins. Mendoza has another shot for his sixth (and potential seventh) GRAMMY with a nomination for Best Instrumental Composition in the Composing/Arranging Field.

4. 70 Is The New 40

A couple of respected septuagenarians have landed 60th GRAMMY nominations. At 77 years old, jazz singer Nancy King is up for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Porter Plays Porter with the Randy Porter Trio, marking her second career nomination. Turning 76 in January, guitar virtuoso John McLaughlin and his band, the 4th Dimension, are in the running for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for "Miles Beyond," a track from his 2017 album, Live @ Ronnie Scott's.

5. The Baylor Project: A Musical "Marriage"

Jean Baylor (vocalist) and Marcus Baylor (drums) are not only musical partners, they are husband and wife. Born in New Jersey, first-time nominee Jean Baylor studied vocal performance at Temple University where she formed the '90s R&B duo Zhané with classmate Renée Neufville. Meanwhile, three-time past GRAMMY nominee Marcus Baylor is a former member of GRAMMY winners the Yellowjackets. Up for Best Jazz Vocal Album, The Journey marks the Baylor Project's debut album.

6. Sara Caswell's Bid To Make History

At 39, Caswell is this year's youngest nominee for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. The Indiana-born violinist is vying to become the first female in GRAMMY history to win this category, which dates back to the 15th GRAMMY Awards. Caswell is a former member of Best New Artist winner Esperanza Spalding's Chamber Music Society ensemble.

7. Cécile McLorin Salvant's Streak

With a current nomination for her third studio album, Dreams And Daggers, Cécile McLorin Salvant has scored Best Jazz Vocal Album GRAMMY nominations for each of her first three career studio albums. Her debut was nominated at the 56th GRAMMY Awards and her sophomore effort, For One To Love, took the prize at the 58th GRAMMY Awards.

8. Miles In Common

What do Joey DeFrancesco, John Beasley and John McLaughlin have in common? Each has a tie to the legendary Miles Davis. Organist DeFrancesco was asked to join Davis' touring band at age 17 and he recorded on his 1989 album, Amandla. Pianist Beasley started playing live with Davis in the late '80s. McLaughlin recorded multiple albums with Davis, including 1969's Bitches Brew (GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, 1999).

9. Canada's High Jazz Civilian Jane Bunnett

Afro-Cuban jazz saxophonist, flautist and bandleader Jane Bunnett will celebrate 30 years since her debut album, 1988's In Dew Time, in 2018. Her current nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album for Oddara marks her third career nod. In 2004 the Torontonian was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honor given in The Great White North.

The 60th GRAMMY Awards will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York on Jan. 28, 2018, airing live on CBS from 7:30–11 p.m. ET/4:30–8 p.m. PT.

60th GRAMMY Nominees By Region
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Kendrick Lamar To Jay-Z: 2018 GRAMMY Nominees By Region | L.A. To NYC

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From the West and Midwest to the South and Northeast, learn where 60 60th GRAMMY nominees were born in the United States
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 12, 2018 - 4:45 pm

As far as the 60th GRAMMY Awards go, the compass is pointing east this year with the milestone telecast taking place at the venerable Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, Jan. 28.

But it goes without saying, when it comes to the hundreds of music creators who can call themselves 60th GRAMMY nominees, all signs point to disparate locations on the map.

There is, among others, Lorde, who is from Auckland, New Zealand; Ed Sheeran from England; Chronixx from Kingston, Jamaica; Antonio Sánchez from Mexico City; Juanes from Colombia; Petra Müllejans from Düsseldorf, Germany; and Dmitri Hvorostovsky from Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

And then there's the United States, with nominees hailing from Southern California all the way to Bedford, N.H.

For a different slice of the 60th GRAMMY nominees, we broke up a select group of 60 nominees according to their U.S. birthplace by region: West, Midwest, South, and Northeast. In each region you'll find 15 nominees, offering you a taste of the directional sense of how these nominees got from point A — home — to point B — Music's Biggest Night.

West

60th GRAMMY Nominees, West Region

Out West, a variety of nominees were born in California, including Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Tyler, The Creator, Warryn Campbell, Tina Campbell, Beck, Julian Lage, and Kehlani. Representing Las Vegas is Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds. India.Arie and Ben Glover hail from Colorado while Raul Midón is from the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico. Rounding out the region is a pair of Northwest entries: Natalie Grant from Seattle and Wynne from Portland, Ore.

Midwest

60th GRAMMY Nominees, Midwest

In the Midwest, SZA was born in St. Louis, the Gateway to the West. Oklahoma and Kansas are represented by country and classical royalty in Reba McEntire and Joyce DiDonato, respectively. Illinois, the Prairie State, counts Chicago native Common and Decatur native Alison Krauss as two of its own. Julia Michaels, now a Southern California resident, was born in Davenport, Iowa. The state of Indiana spawned the likes of Offa Rex's Chris Funk, comedian Jim Gaffigan and Bruno Mars collaborator Philip Lawrence. Ohio represents hard rock in the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and jazz with pianist Fred Hersch. Actor/filmmaker Mark Ruffalo calls Kenosha, Wis., his home, while gospel great CeCe Winans came up through the heart of Motown in Detroit. Two legends round out the region: the inimitable Bob Dylan from Minnesota and the late great Glen Campbell from Arkansas, which was once dubbed the Land of Opportunity.

South

60th GRAMMY Nominees, South Region

Starting in the South, in Texas we find jazz singer Jazzmeia Horn, "American Idol" alum Kelly Clarkson and master singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell. R&B songstress Ledisi and jazz pianist John Beasley call Louisiana home. "Cover Me Up" singer/songwriter Jason Isbell hails from Green Hill, Ala. Killer Mike and Khalid, a pair of rappers, represent the Peach State. Gospel singer Le'Andria was born in Palatka, Fla. August Burns Red's Jake Luhrs' hometown is Greenville, S.C. There are two Virginia natives — Chris Eldridge and Pharrell Williams. "Stay" singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb is from Bethesda, Md. Rapsody represents the Tar Heel State. Rounding out the region are Baltimore rapper 6LACK and Washington, D.C., funnyman Dave Chappelle.

Northeast

60th GRAMMY Nominees, Northeast Region

Up in the Northeast region, there is Jay-Z from Brooklyn, N.Y. Other New Yorkers include Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Gillian Welch, and Lana Del Rey. Producer/songwriter Jack Antonoff and the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, call New Jersey home. Representing the Keystone State are jazzers Joey DeFrancesco and Christine McBride, pop queen Pink, rapper Lil Uzi Vert and comedian Kevin Hart. Rounding out the region are Seth McFarlane, from Kent, Conn.; composer Adam Schoenberg: Northampton, Mass.; and comedienne Sarah Silverman from Bedford, N.H.

Raul Midón portrait

Raul Midón

Photo: Blair Allen

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Raul Midón Is Bad-A**, Blind & A 2018 GRAMMY Nominee

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Get to know the versatile singer/songwriter and find out about his reaction to the news of his GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 11, 2018 - 6:52 pm

The greatest musicians are superlative because they are authentic. They do their own thing. They take the elements of music, art and culture that move them and spin it all into something new, along the way developing an artistic vision that is unique and unwavering.

Meet The Nominees: Raul Midón | 60th GRAMMY Awards

Raul Midón certainly does things his own way.

Originally from the Land Of Enchantment — New Mexico — Midón began his remarkable career in the late '90s by cultivating his own recipe of jazz, rock, flamenco, and more into an experimental joy ride, which has seen him shred, pound, clap, and croon his way into a one-man-band.

His efforts landed him on "The Late Show With David Letterman" in 2006 in support of his major label debut album, State Of Mind. Eight studio albums later, Midón began work on the album that would earn him his first GRAMMY nomination, 2017's Bad A** And Blind, a project aptly named for its creator (and a title endorsed by soul singing legend Bill Withers) given the musically adept Midón has been blind since birth.

But Midón's inventiveness and tenacity have shaped his artistic vision that sees beyond the lines and notes of traditional music. And while his nod for Bad A** And Blind comes in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category, his music continues to resist the boundaries of classification and instead strives for something more simultaneously direct and universal.

"Like with all my records, this album is for those who are interested in going beyond notions of genre," Midón said. "It's for listeners with open ears, open minds, open hearts."

The drive to push beyond the notions of genre has led Midón down an experimental path, throwing harmony and melody into the blender and throwing the standard cookbook out the window, experimenting with various modes, psychedelic textures and adventurous techniques.

“As a listener, you don't need to know anything about the Phrygian or Dorian modes to get this music," Midón said. "It just sounds different, intriguing, exotic.”

The musical polymath shared with us that when he found out about his first career GRAMMY nomination, he was "in the basement working" when his wife called with the good news. Midón thought it was a mistake at first — but it was true. Nearly two decades into his career, his vision and dedication to his art have put him in the running for music's highest honor on Music's Biggest Night.

K.Flay: How Did She Celebrate Her 2018 GRAMMY Nominations?

Luis Fonsi photographed in 2018

Luis Fonsi

Photo: Victor Chavez/WireImage.com

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"Despacito" To Taylor Swift: 15 Potential Records On The Line | 2018 GRAMMYs

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From Jay-Z and Bruno Mars to Lorde and Khalid, find out more about the potential history at stake at the 60th GRAMMY Awards
Paul Grein
GRAMMYs
Jan 25, 2018 - 6:00 am

GRAMMY history will be made on Jan. 28. Records will be set. Milestones will be reached. No one knows exactly which records will be set, but here are 15 that potentially could come to fruition.

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Which of these possibilities will become reality? Take your best guess and then be sure to watch the 60th GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 28 to find out.

1. "Despacito": Record, Song Of The Year

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" (featuring Justin Bieber) is nominated for both Record and Song Of The Year. It is vying to become the first entry that is primarily in a foreign language to win in either category since Domenico Modugno's "Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu (Volare)" in 1958. "Despacito" is mostly in Spanish. "Volare" was in Italian.

2. Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar: Record Of The Year

Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J." and Kendrick Lamar's "HUMBLE." are nominated for Record Of The Year. If either wins, it would become the first hip-hop recording to win in that category.

3. Bruno Mars: Record Of The Year

Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" is nominated for Record Of The Year. Mars won in this category two years ago as featured artist on Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" Should Mars win again this year, he'll become the third artist to win both as a solo artist and as a billed part of a collaboration or duo/group. Norah Jones won on her own for "Don't Know Why" (2002) and with Ray Charles for "Here We Go Again" (2004). Paul Simon won on his own for "Graceland" (1987) and twice as half of Simon & Garfunkel.

4. Lorde: Album Of The Year

Lorde's Melodrama is nominated for Album Of The Year. Should Lorde win, this will be the first time in GRAMMY history that female solo artists have won in this category (as lead artists) three years in a row. Adele won the award last year for 25. Taylor Swift won two years ago for 1989.

5. "That's What I Like": Song Of The Year

Mars' "That's What I Like," with eight credited songwriters, is nominated for Song Of The Year. So are "Despacito," with six credited songwriters, and "Issues," with five. Should any of these songs win, it would set a new record as the Song Of The Year winner with the most co-writers. The current record, shared by seven songs, is four co-writers. (Interesting side note: All seven of those songs have come since 2000.)

6. Alessia Cara: Best New Artist

Alessia Cara is nominated for Best New Artist. Should she win, she'll become the first artist who was born in Canada to win in this category.

Alessia Cara To Jay-Z: 60 60th GRAMMY Nominee Facts

7. Khalid: Best New Artist

Khalid is nominated for Best New Artist. The R&B singer/songwriter is just 19. (He'll turn 20 on Feb. 11, two weeks after GRAMMY night.) Should he win, he'll become the first teenager to win in this category since Christina Aguilera, who was 19 when she took the 1999 award. (One other teenager has taken the prize. LeAnn Rimes was just 14 when she took the 1996 award.)

8. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

The Chainsmokers and Coldplay are nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Something Just Like This." The smash is vying to become the first collaboration by two groups or duos to win a GRAMMY in the Pop Field since "Feel Good Inc." by the English virtual band Gorillaz and the American hip-hop trio De La Soul. That hit took the 2005 GRAMMY for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

9. Body Count: Best Metal Performance

Body Count's "Black Hoodie" is nominated for Best Metal Performance. This would be the second career GRAMMY for the group's co-founder, Ice-T. He was featured on Quincy Jones' "Back On The Block," the 1990 winner for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group. It almost goes without saying that Ice-T would be the first musician to win in both of these disparate categories.

10. Bruno Mars: Best R&B Album

Mars' 24K Magic is nominated for Best R&B Album. Mars is vying to become the first artist who isn't African-American to win in this category, which was introduced in 1994.

11. Jay-Z: Best Rap Album

Jay-Z's 4:44 is nominated for Best Rap Album. Jay-Z first won in this category 19 years ago for Vol. 2 … Hard Knock Life. Should he win this year, he'll set a new record for the longest span of wins in this category. Eminem currently holds that distinction, with a 15-year span of wins (1999–2014).

12. Rapsody: Best Rap Album

Rapsody's Laila's Wisdom is nominated for Best Rap Album. Should it win, Rapsody would become the first female solo artist to win in this category, which was introduced in 1995. (One group that included a woman has won in this category. The Fugees, which featured Lauryn Hill, won the 1996 award for The Score.)

13. Taylor Swift: Best Country Song

Swift's song "Better Man" is nominated for Best Country Song. Should it win, Swift will become the first woman to win three times in this category. She previously won for co-writing "White Horse" (2009) and for writing "Mean" (2011). One man — Josh Kear — has won three awards in this category.

14. Chris Stapleton: Best Country Album

Chris Stapleton's From A Room: Volume 1 is competing for Best Country Album. Should it win, he'll become the first male solo artist to win twice in this category since the category was re-introduced in 1994.

15. Sara Caswell: Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Violinist Sara Caswell is nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for her work on "Can't Remember Why," a track from Chuck Owen And The Jazz Surge's album, Whispers On The Wind. Should it win, she'll become the first female instrumentalist to win in this category.

(Paul Grein is a veteran music journalist and historian whose work appears regularly at Yahoo.com and Hitsdailydouble.com.)

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Jazzmeia Horn portrait

Jazzmeia Horn

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Jazzmeia Horn: Past GRAMMY Choir Member Now A GRAMMY Nominee

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Rising jazz singer reacts to her 60th GRAMMY nomination and IDs which artist she's hoping to bump into on Music's Biggest Night
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 18, 2018 - 10:33 am

Jazzmeia Horn is an artist to keep an eye — and ear — on.

Meet The Nominees: Jazzmeia Horn | 60th GRAMMYs

The Texas native has been dubbed a "singer to watch out for" and her GRAMMY-nominated debut album, 2017's A Social Call, was described as striking "a deft balance between mid-century jazz and contemporary neo-soul" by Downbeat Magazine.

Kendrick Lamar To Jay Z: 60th GRAMMY Nominees By Region

Horn's career has been on an impressive upward trajectory since she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2013. Two years later, she captured the top honor at the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition, which is widely considered an important boost to aspiring jazz artists. As a result of the Monk award, Horn earned a recording contract with Concord Music Group.

Going back even further, while she was in high school, Horn received a big career bump via her participation as a GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session choir member in 2009. As a member of the choir, Horn performed at various GRAMMY Week events surrounding the 51st GRAMMY Awards, including the MusiCares Person of the Year gala and the GRAMMY Celebration after-party.

Now, nearly a decade later, Horn has added another accolade to her résumé: 60th GRAMMY Awards nominee. Issued by Concord, A Social Call is in the running for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

"I started to scream and dance and I got really excited!" says Horn when she learned of the news. "Somebody came and knocked on the door, because I was in a hotel, and she said, 'Is everything OK? People are reporting there was screaming in the room.'"

Mixing vintage and contemporary jazz sounds, Horn's 10-track debut bobs and weaves gracefully through standards such as "I Remember You", anthems such as "Afro Blue" and even choice R&B sides previously interpreted by the likes of Mary J. Blige and the Stylistics, "I'm Going Down" and "People Make The World Go Round." And of course, Horn's sparkling soprano ties it all together.

Horn's prowess will be on display on GRAMMY Sunday as the 26-year-old is set to perform at the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony, which will announce GRAMMY winners in more than 70 categories.

Outside of her performance, Horn has one fellow 60th GRAMMY nominee she is hoping to meet.

"I hope I get to run into some of my [favorite artists at the GRAMMYs], someone like Ledisi."