51st Annual Grammy Awards....

It’s official - the nominations for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards have been announced. Proof that jazz musicians are versatile? Charlie Haden gets nominated for Best Country Instrumental! Strangest sight? How about drummer Jack DeJohnette in the New Age category!
Nominations are the exclusive domain of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences members, but that doesn’t prohibit you from speaking (or writing) your mind. So have your say. Who should have been nominated but wasn’t? Who would you pick to win? Be sure to include category and name of artist. Click “Read more” to see the list. Then make your comments.

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
"Randy In Brasil"
Randy Brecker
"Floating Point"
John McLaughlin
"Cannon Re-Loaded: All-Star Celebration Of Cannonball Adderley"
Various Artists
"Miles From India"
Various Artists
"Lifecycle"
Yellowjackets Featuring Mike Stern

Best Jazz Vocal Album
"Imagina: Songs Of Brasil"
Karrin Allyson
"Breakfast On The Morning Tram"
Stacey Kent
"If Less Is More…Nothing Is Everything"
Kate McGarry
"Loverly"
Cassandra Wilson
"Distances"
Norma Winstone

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
“Be-Bop”
Terence Blanchard, soloist
"Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival"
Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars
“Seven Steps To Heaven”
Till Brönner, soloist
"The Standard"
Take 6
“Waltz For Debby”
Gary Burton & Chick Corea, soloists
The New Crystal Silence
“Son Of Thirteen”
Pat Metheny, soloist
Day Trip
“Be-Bop”
James Moody, soloist
Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
"The New Crystal Silence"
Chick Corea & Gary Burton
"History, Mystery"
Bill Frisell
"Brad Mehldau Trio: Live"
Brad Mehldau Trio
"Day Trip"
Pat Metheny With Christian McBride & Antonio Sanchez
"Standards"
Alan Pasqua, Dave Carpenter & Peter Erskine Trio

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
"Appearing Nightly"
Carla Bley And Her Remarkable Big Band
"Act Your Age"
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band
"Symphonica"
Joe Lovano With WDR Big Band & Rundfunk Orchestra
"Blauklang"
Vince Mendoza
"Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard"
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
"Best Latin Jazz Album"
Afro Bop Alliance
Caribbean Jazz Project
"The Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter"
Conrad Herwig & The Latin Side Band
"Song For Chico"
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
"Nouveau Latino"
Nestor Torres
"Marooned/Aislado"
Papo Vázquez The Mighty Pirates

Best Instrumental Composition
“The Adventures Of Mutt”
John Williams, composer
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
“Alegria”
Chick Corea, composer
The New Crystal Silence
“Claire’s Closet”
Russell Ferrante, composer
Lifecycle
“Danzón De Etiqueta”
Dave Grusin, composer
Amparo
“Hit The Ground Running”
Gordon Goodwin, composer
Act Your Age

Best Instrumental Arrangement
“Define Dancing”
Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, arrangers
Wall-E Soundtrack
“Down In The Valley”
Frank Macchia, arranger
Landscapes
“Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love”
Michael Abene, arranger
Symphonica
“St. Louis Blues”
Bob Brookmeyer, arranger
Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard
“Yesterdays”
Gordon Goodwin, arranger
Act Your Age

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
“Alfie’
Vince Mendoza, arranger
The Look Of Love - Burt Bacharach Songbook
“Grace”
Cedric Dent, arranger
The Standard
“Here’s That Rainy Day”
Nan Schwartz, arranger
Still Unforgettable
“Johnny One Note”
Don Sebesky, arranger
With A Song In My Heart
“Lazy Afternoon”
Claus Ogerman, arranger
Across The Crystal Sea

Best Album Notes
"Art Of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music" Documented By Art Rosenbaum
Art Rosenbaum, album notes writer (Various Artists)
"Debate ‘08: Taft And Bryan Campaign On The Edison Phonograph"
Patrick Feaster & David Giovannoni, album notes writers
"Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition"
Francis Davis, album notes writer
"Rare & Unreleased Recordings From The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of Soul"
David Ritz & Jerry Wexler, album notes writers
"The Unsung Father Of Country Music: 1925-1934"
Henry “Hank” Sapoznik, album notes writer
"Best Historical Album"
Art Of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music Documented By Art Rosenbaum
"Classic Columbia, OKeh And Vocalion Lester Young With Count Basie (1936-1940)"
"Debate ‘08: Taft And Bryan Campaign On The Edison Phonograph"
"Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette"
"To Be Free: The Nina Simone Story"