The Grammys – Love ’em or Hate ’em
Love ’em or hate ’em, the Grammy Awards are what they are. I have been checking out winners on the Grammy Awards website. Below are winners are of the categories that are close to my heart. You will instantly notice that Diana Krall beat out Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, and Etta Jones for the Best Jazz Vocal category. While I will admit it is a good album, I was really, really hoping that Patti Austin would finally get Grammy nod for her excellent tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, “For Ella“. In happier news, India.Arie picked up a couple of awards . Stevie Wonder and Take 6 won for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. Chaka Khan and The Funk Brothers won for their excellent contributions to the “Standing In The Shadows of Motown” documentary soundtrack. Etta James, Johnny Mathis, and Tito Puente received Lifetime Achievement Awards. Maya Angelou won for Best Spoken Word Album.
The really good thing about Norah Jones winning 5 awards is that the real jazz artists and vocalists over at Blue Note Records can keep making good music.
By the way, you can search on the Grammy Awards website to see how many awards your favorite artists have won.
Found a couple of interesting commentaries on the Grammy Jazz category entitled “Safe choices dominate the jazz noms” in the Miami Herald and “Outstanding and overlooked in jazz” in the Orange County Register.
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Speaking Of Now
Pat Metheny Group
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Live In Paris
Diana Krall
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
My Ship
Herbie Hancock, soloist
Track from: Directions In Music (Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove)
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Directions In Music
Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove
James: I don’t care that much for the Grammys. The three hour telecasts are usually whitewashed affairs and with the announcement that any anti-war speeches would be squelched, I didn’t go out of my way to even try to tape it.
After reading Keith Boykin‘s remarks, I am glad I spent the evening with my baby instead of in front of the tube.
ok, here are the Grammy notes. I’m sorry to say that I actually like Diana Krall’s “Live in Paris”. It sounds great, the arrangements are fresh, and it is easily Ms. Krall’s best CD since “Love Scenes”. She has also helped Verve Records stay afloat in these troubled times for the recording industry. Lets keep those Verve and Impulse reissues coming!!!