Grammy nominations for 2009 were released Dec. 4th, 2008. For those that follow jazz, it is no suprirse to see some of the following names. At the same time, we will have a chance to become familiar with some newer faces.

The jazz category is broken up into 6 sub-categories, consisting of:
(1) Best Contemporary Jazz Album
(2) Best Jazz Vocal Album
(3) Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
(4) Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(5) Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(6) Best Latin Jazz Album

So, here are they are!

(1) Best Contemporary Jazz Album:
(This category is reserved for albums containing 51% or more playing time of instrumental tracks)

Album: Randy In Brasil
Artist: Randy Brecker
[MAMA Records]

Album: Floating Point
Artist: John McLaughlin
[Abstract Logix]

Album: Cannon Re-Loaded: All-Star Celebration Of Cannonball Adderley
Artist: (Various Artists)
Gregg Field & Tom Scott, producers
[Concord Jazz]

Album: Miles From India
Artist: (Various Artists)
Bob Belden, producer
[4Q/Times Square Records]

Album: Lifecycle
Artist: Yellowjackets Featuring Mike Stern
[Heads Up International]

(2) Best Jazz Vocal Album
(This category is reserved for albums containing 51% or more playing time of vocal tracks.)

Album: Imagina: Songs Of Brasil
Artist: Karrin Allyson
[Concord Jazz]

Album: Breakfast On The Morning Tram
Artist: Stacey Kent
[Blue Note]

Album: If Less Is More…Nothing Is Everything
Artist: Kate McGarry
[Palmetto Records]

Album: Loverly
Artist: Cassandra Wilson
[Blue Note]

Album: Distances
Artist: Norma Winstone (Glauco Venier & Klaus Gesing)
[ECM]

(3) Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
(This category is reserved 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.)

“Be-Bop”
Terence Blanchard, soloist
Track from: Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars)
[Monterey Jazz Festival Records]

“Seven Steps To Heaven”
Till Brönner, soloist
Track from: The Standard (Take 6)
[Heads Up International]

“Waltz For Debby”
Gary Burton & Chick Corea, soloists
Track from: The New Crystal Silence
[Concord Records]

“Son Of Thirteen”
Pat Metheny, soloist
Track from: Day Trip
[Nonesuch Records]

“Be-Bop”
James Moody, soloist
Track from: Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars)
[Monterey Jazz Festival Records]

(4) Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(This category is reserved for albums containing 51% or more playing time of instrumental tracks.)

Album: The New Crystal Silence
Artist: Chick Corea & Gary Burton
[Concord Records]

Album: History, Mystery
Artist: Bill Frisell
[Nonesuch Records]

Album: Brad Mehldau Trio: Live
Artist: Brad Mehldau Trio
[Nonesuch Records]

Album: Day Trip
Artist: Pat Metheny With Christian McBride & Antonio Sanchez
[Nonesuch Records]

Album: Standards
Artist: Alan Pasqua, Dave Carpenter & Peter Erskine Trio
[Fuzzy Music]

(5) Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(This category is reserved for large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

Album: Appearing Nightly
Artist: Carla Bley And Her Remarkable Big Band
[WATT]

Album: Act Your Age
Artist: Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band
[Immergent]

Album: Symphonica
Artist: Joe Lovano With WDR Big Band & Rundfunk Orchestra
[Blue Note]

Album: Blauklang
Artist: Vince Mendoza
[Act Music and Vision (AMV)]

Album: Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard
Artist: The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
[Planet Arts Recordings]

(6) Best Latin Jazz Album
(This can be vocal or instrumental.)

Album: Afro Bop Alliance
Caribbean Jazz Project
[Heads Up International]

Album: The Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter
Conrad Herwig & The Latin Side Band
[Half Note Records]

Album: Song For Chico
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
[Zoho]

Album: Nouveau Latino
Nestor Torres
[Diamond Light Records]

Album: Marooned/Aislado
Papo Vázquez The Mighty Pirates
[Picaro Records]

[Source: allaboutjazz.com]

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