This year's Grammy nominations for jazz contain what some see as a shocking omission: Chick Corea, the jazz pianist, received no nominations this year. Corea, 72, has been a Grammy favorite for decades, with a total of 20 Grammys to his credit, including the two he won last year. But his latest album The Vigil was passed over.
Saxophonist Wayne Shorter, 80, was also passed over in the Jazz Instrumental category for his album Without a Net, but the "Orbits" track from this album received a nomination for Best Improvised Solo. Shorter is joined by improvisers Donny McCaslin, Terence Blanchard, Fred Hersch and Paquito D'Rivera, who was also (unsurprisingly) nominated in the Latin Jazz category for his album Song for Maura.
D'Rivera's Latin Jazz competition includes vocalist Buika, Roberto Fonseca, Omar Sosa and the Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet.
Relative newcomer Cécile McLorin Salvant, 24, is considered a top contender in the jazz vocal category, along with Gregory Porter, making his major label debut with Liquid Spirit on Blue Note Records. Salvant won the vocal division of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2010, and followed up with her critically acclaimed album WomanChild.
Porter and Salvant will compete with Tierney Sutton, Lorraine Feather and Andy Bey, who treats listeners to his world view in "The World According to Andy Bey."
Drummer and 2012 Grammy winner Terri Lyne Carrington earned a nomination for Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue, her homage to the pivotal 1963 album by Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. She will experience stiff competition for Best Jazz Instrumental from pianist Gerald Clayton, 29, considered one of the standard bearers of jazz's younger generation, as well as albums by Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett and the New Gary Burton Quartet.
Brooklyn-based Darcy James Argue and his "steampunk big band" received a nod in the Large Ensemble category for his second recording, Brooklyn Babylon. He goes up against fellow Brooklynite Alan Ferber, as well as the Kalisz Philharmonic with Randy Brecker, Brussels Jazz Orchestra with Joe Lovano and the Dave Slonaker Big Band.
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be televised on January 26, 2014.
