NEWS in the world of JAZZ

Just after 11am this morning, the Grammy Nominees for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards were announced in California. Herbie Hancock's CD "River: The Joni Letters" is up for album of the YEAR! What do you guys think about these choices for the jazz field? Post your comments here!

Field 10 — Jazz

Category 45

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

• Party Hats
  Will Bernard
  [Palmetto Records]
  
  
• Downright Upright
  Brian Bromberg
  [Artistry Music]
  
  
• Re-imagination
  Eldar
  [Masterworks Jazz]
  
  
• River: The Joni Letters
  Herbie Hancock
  [Verve]
  
  
• He Had A Hat
  Jeff Lorber
  [Blue Note]
  
  
  

Category 46

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

• Avant Gershwin
  Patti Austin
  [Rendezvous Entertainment]
  
  
• Red Earth - A Malian Journey
  Dee Dee Bridgewater
  [DDB/Emarcy]
  
  
• Music Maestro Please
  Freddy Cole
  [HighNote Records]
  
  
• Nightmoves
  Kurt Elling
  [Concord Jazz]
  
  
• On The Other Side
  Tierney Sutton (Band)
  [Telarc Jazz]
  
  
  

Category 47

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.)

• Levees
  Terence Blanchard, soloist
  Track from: A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Anagram
  Michael Brecker, soloist
  Track from: Pilgrimage
  [Heads Up International]
  
  
• Both Sides Now
  Herbie Hancock, soloist
  Track from: River: The Joni Letters
  [Verve]
  
  
• Lullaby
  Hank Jones, soloist
  Track from: Kids: Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Joe Lovano and Hank Jones)
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• 1000 Kilometers
  Paul McCandless, soloist
  Track from: 1000 Kilometers (Oregon)
  [CamJazz]
  
  
  

Category 48

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

• Pilgrimage
  Michael Brecker
  [Heads Up International]
  
  
• Live At The Village Vanguard
  The Bill Charlap Trio
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Kids: Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
  Joe Lovano And Hank Jones
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Line By Line
  John Patitucci
  [Concord Jazz]
  
  
• Back East
  Joshua Redman
  [Nonesuch Records]
  
  
  

Category 49

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

• A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)
  Terence Blanchard
  [Blue Note]
  
  
• Eternal Licks & Grooves
  The Bob Florence Limited Edition
  [MAMA Records]
  
  
• Hommage
  The Bill Holman Band
  [Jazzed Media]
  
  
• Sky Blue
  Maria Schneider Orchestra
  [ArtistShare]
  
  
• With Love
  Charles Tolliver Big Band
  [Blue Note]
  
  
  

Category 50

Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

• Funk Tango
  Paquito D'Rivera Quintet?
  [Paquito Records]
  
  
• The Magician
  Sammy Figueroa And His Latin Jazz Explosion
  [Savant Records]
  
  
• Borrowed Time
  Steve Khan
  [Tone Center Records]
  
  
• Refugee
  Hector Martignon
  [Zoho]
  
  
• Big Band Urban Folktales
  Bobby Sanabria Big Band
  [Jazzheads]