Categories
‣ Best Jazz Performance
‣ Best Jazz Vocal Album
‣ Best Jazz Instrumental Album
‣ Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
‣ Best Latin Jazz Album
‣ Best Alternative Jazz Album
‣ Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
‣ Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
‣ Best Instrumental Composition
‣ Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
The 2025 Jazz Grammy Awards nominations showcase a diverse and exciting field, celebrating the best in jazz across a variety of categories.
This year’s nominees truly capture the vibrant and ever-evolving nature of the genre.
NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron earns his 14th nomination for Beyond This Place, a captivating album showcasing his masterful piano playing alongside rising stars.
Ambrose Akinmusire receives a nod for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with Owl Song, his captivating trio recording featuring guitar legend Bill Frisell and esteemed drummer Herlin Riley.
Rising star Lakecia Benjamin also earns two nominations, including one for her performance on “Phoenix Reimagined (Live).”
The nominations also highlight the genre’s expansive reach, with artists like Robert Glasper blurring boundaries with his Code Derivation album.
From large ensembles to intimate solo performances, the 2025 Grammy Awards promise to be a celebration of jazz in all its forms.
Ready to dive deeper into this year’s nominees? Let’s take a closer look at the artists vying for these prestigious awards.
Best Jazz Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance recognizes exceptional skill, artistry, and creativity in jazz music. This award honors outstanding individual or group performances in jazz, celebrating technical proficiency, improvisational ability, and expressive quality in a recording or live performance.
Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
“Juno”
Dan Pugach Big Band (feat, Nicole Zuraitis & Troy Roberts)
“Little Fears”
Lakecia Benjamin (feat. Randy Brecker, Jeff “Tain” Watts & John Scofield)
“Phoenix Reimagined (Live)”
Samara Joy (feat. Sullivan Fortner)
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me”
The Baylor Project
“Walk With Me, Lord (SOUND | SPIRIT)”
Best Jazz Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album honors outstanding vocal performances in jazz, recognizing albums that showcase exceptional vocal artistry, musical interpretation, and stylistic range. This award celebrates the expressive power, technical skill, and creativity of jazz vocalists in delivering a compelling album that exemplifies the spirit of jazz.
Catherine Russell & Sean Mason – My Ideal (Dot Time)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Buy: Vinyl
Christie Dashiell – Journey In Black (Self Release)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Kurt Elling & Sullivan Fortner – Wildflowers Vol. 1 (Edition Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding – Milton + esperanza (Concord Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Buy: Vinyl
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album celebrates exceptional instrumental performances in jazz. This award honors albums that showcase outstanding technical skill, creativity, and improvisation by instrumentalists, highlighting artistry that captures the essence and complexity of jazz through innovative and expressive compositions.
Ambrose Akinmusire (feat. Bill Frisell & Herlin Riley) – Owl Song (Nonesuch)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Chick Corea & Béla Fleck – Remembrance (Thirty Tigers)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Kenny Barron (feat. Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Johnathan Blake, Immanuel Wilkins & Steve Nelson) – Beyond This Place (Artwork Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Buy: Vinyl
Lakecia Benjamin – Phoenix Reimagined (Live) (Ropeadope Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Sullivan Fortner – Solo Game (Artwork Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
The Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album honors the artistry of jazz ensembles, typically featuring groups with ten or more musicians. This award celebrates the intricate arrangements, collective improvisation, and collaborative spirit unique to large jazz groups, recognizing albums that bring powerful, richly layered compositions to life with precision and cohesion.
Dan Pugach Big Band – Bianca Reimagined: Music For Paws And Persistence (Outside in Music)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
John Beasley & Frankfurt Radio Big Band – Returning To Forever (Candid Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Miguel Zenón – Golden City (Self Release)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music
Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band – Walk A Mile In My Shoe (Imani Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra – And So It Goes (R.M.I. Records)
Stream: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
Golden City, Miguel Zenón
Best Latin Jazz Album
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album recognizes the fusion of jazz with Latin American rhythms and musical traditions. This award celebrates albums that blend jazz improvisation and technique with Latin styles such as Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Caribbean music, showcasing innovation, rhythmic complexity, and cultural richness.
Spain Forever Again, Michel Camilo & Tomatito
Cubop Lives!, Zaccai Curtis
COLLAB, Hamilton de Holanda & Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Time And Again, Eliane Elias
El Trio: Live in Italy, Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernández, John Beasley & José Gola
Cuba And Beyond, Chucho Valdés & Royal Quartet
As I Travel, Donald Vega Featuring Lewis Nash, John Patitucci & Luisito Quintero
Best Alternative Jazz Album
The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Jazz Album highlights innovative and genre-blending jazz albums that push the boundaries of traditional jazz. This award celebrates works that incorporate unconventional elements, fusion with other musical genres, or experimental approaches, honoring artists who expand jazz through creativity and bold artistic exploration.
Night Reign, Arooj Aftab
New Blue Sun, André 3000
Code Derivation, Robert Glasper
Foreverland, Keyon Harrold
No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin, Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album honors albums that showcase classic pop standards and traditional vocal styles. This award recognizes exceptional vocal performances and interpretations of timeless songs, often featuring arrangements with orchestras or big bands, celebrating the artistry of delivering well-crafted melodies with elegance and vocal sophistication.
À Fleur De Peau, Cyrille Aimée
Visions, Norah Jones
Good Together, Lake Street Dive
Impossible Dream, Aaron Lazar
Christmas Wish, Gregory Porter
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album celebrates instrumental albums that blend modern sounds, innovative compositions, and diverse influences beyond traditional genres. This award honors artists who push musical boundaries with contemporary styles, showcasing exceptional technical skill, creativity, and fresh perspectives in instrumental music.
Plot Armor, Taylor Eigsti
Rhapsody In Blue, Béla Fleck
Orchestras (Live), Bill Frisell Featuring Alexander Hanson, Brussels Philharmonic, Rudy Royston & Thomas Morgan
Mark, Mark Guiliana
Speak To Me, Julian Lage
Best Instrumental Composition
The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition honors outstanding original compositions created specifically for instruments. This award celebrates composers who demonstrate exceptional skill in crafting unique, compelling, and well-structured pieces, highlighting innovation, technical proficiency, and expressive depth in instrumental music.
André 3000, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau & Carlos Niño, composers
“I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time”
Chick Corea, composer
“Remembrance”
Christopher Zuar, composer
“Communion”
Pascal Le Boeuf, composer
“Communion”
Shelton G. Berg, composer
“At Last”
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
The Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella recognizes excellence in arranging music for instrumental ensembles or vocal groups without instrumental accompaniment. This award honors arrangers who creatively adapt or transform pieces through unique harmonies, rhythms, and textures, showcasing skillful craftsmanship in producing a cohesive and imaginative musical experience.
Béla Fleck & Ferde Grofé, arrangers
“Rhapsody in Blue (grass)”
Erin Bentlage, Alexander Lloyd Blake, Scott Hoying, A.J. Sealy & Amanda Taylor, arrangers
“Rose Without The Thorns”
Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers
“Silent Night”
Jacob Collier, Tori Kelly & John Legend, arrangers
“Bridge Over Troubled Water”
Michael League, arranger
“Baby Elephant Walk – Encore”
This year’s Grammy Awards promises a thrilling celebration of jazz in all its vibrant forms. From established masters to rising stars, the nominees represent the genre’s dynamic present and exciting future.
Don’t miss the 67th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony on February 2nd, 2025, to witness this incredible moment for jazz music. The ceremony will be broadcast on CBS and available to stream on Paramount+.
You Might Also Like
Best Jazz Albums of All Time
Explore the rich history of jazz with our list of the Best Jazz Albums of All Time! Discover iconic works from Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and more!!
Best Jazz Clubs in NYC: The Definitive Guide
Check out our list of Best Jazz Clubs in NYC! From historic venues to cutting-edge spaces, explore the city’s vibrant jazz scene.
Unveiling the Legacy: Exploring the 22 Best Otis Redding Songs
Immerse yourself in the unforgettable sounds of soul music. Let Otis Redding’s top 22 songs transport you, with classics like “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and the raw emotion of “These Arms of Mine.” It’s a musical journey you won’t forget.