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P+T
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 691
Location: Portland, OR
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Post subject: The 52nd GRAMMY Awards - Sunday, January 31, 2010
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 5:56 pm
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It's GRAMMY week! As you all know, Kurt's Dedicated to You is up for Best Vocal Jazz Album, and Laurence's arrangement of the title tune was also nominated for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist.
Every one of Kurt's albums has been nominated for a Grammy, and Kurt and Laurence also shared a nomination earlier for the arrangement of "Easy Living" on Flirting with Twilight. Kurt has now garnered nine nominations (but who's counting?!?), and it's ten for the franchise.
The gala 52nd GRAMMY Awards are next Sunday, January 31, at 8:00 on CBS. The Jazz awards will be announced on the live Pre-Telecast, starting at 1:00 PT/4:00 ET. It will be streamed live internationally on the Grammy website at http://grammy.com/live
Last year the Pre-Telecast podcast was also available on the Grammy.com site for a month afterward.
The Academy has pulled out all the stops this year with its social media campaign. If you're interested in all things Grammy, check out the Grammy.com and the Grammys Facebook page.
Meanwhile, we'll post Kurt's Grammy news updates and a few tasteful features here this week to get you jazzed for next Sunday. Stay tuned! |
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P+T
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 691
Location: Portland, OR
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Post subject: News flash: Kurt co-hosts & performs at Grammy Pre-Telec
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:03 pm
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Great news from Chicago jazz writer and broadcaster, Neil Tesser:
| Quote: | This just in: jazz vocal star Kurt Elling will be a winner this Sunday at the 52nd annual GRAMMY® Awards.
The Chicago-bred Elling’s is nominated for Dedicated To You (Concord), a highly romantic set of standards immortalized by saxophonist John Coltrane and vocalist Johnny Hartman. It’s the most accessible album, and also the most widely praised, in his discography, and it offers his best chance yet to take home the little gold Gramophone on January 31.
But whether or not he gets the award, that day is shaping up as a triumph for Elling nonetheless. Last week we got news that he’ll perform a duet with Lalah Hathaway -- daughter of Chicago’s own soul-music legend Donny Hathaway -- during the pre-telecast ceremonies.
Now comes word that Elling will also co-host the entire pre-tel program, giving the mostly non-jazz crowd at Staples Center a taste of his winning onstage persona and hip comedic sense. The announcement will be made in a GRAMMY press release first thing Monday morning.
The Chicago-bred Elling has made eight albums, and every one of them has garnered at least one GRAMMY nomination, although he’s yet to win the statue (making him the Peter O'Toole of jazz singers).
The pre-telecast GRAMMY ceremony actually accounts for the vast majority of the awards presented each year: only about a dozen awards of the 108 category winners are announced during the 3.5-hour GRAMMY telecast on CBS-TV, with the remaining (90-plus) winners presented several hours earlier. The pre-tel event has been significantly upgraded in recent years, from a rushed cattle call to a relaxed and classy ceremony featuring a live band, several performances, and guest presenters.
And this year, the always engaging and often comedic stylings of Kurt Elling.
The entire pre-tel event streams live Sunday, January 31, starting at 3 PM in Chicago. The CBS network telecast of the 52nd GRAMMY Awards begins at 7. |
Article is here.
Love that line: "The Peter O'Toole of jazz singers."  |
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P+T
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 691
Location: Portland, OR
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Post subject: More details on the Pre-Telecast
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:58 pm
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The Recording Academy's press release has more details -- and pictures of Kurt and Tia!
| Quote: |
Well-attended by nominees and industry VIPs, current GRAMMY nominees Tia Carrere and Kurt Elling will host the star-studded ceremony, which will feature performances by nominees including Montreal-based duo Beast (vocalist Betty Bonifassi and drummer/composer Jean-Phi Goncalves); jazz vocalist Elling; contemporary R&B singer Lalah Hathaway; classical guitarist Sharon Isbin; and R&B singer Charlie Wilson as well as a special bluegrass musical performance by nine-time GRAMMY-winning singer Ray Benson, country instrumentalist Alison Brown, two-time GRAMMY winner Jim Lauderdale, singer/songwriter Michael Martin Murphey, three-time GRAMMY winner Bryan Sutton and singer/fiddle player Gabe Witcher.
Presenting GRAMMY Awards in 99 categories will be current nominees Colbie Caillat, Mick Fleetwood, LMFAO, and Tonex as well as percussionist Sheila E., four-time GRAMMY winner Roberta Flack, and five-time GRAMMY-winning producer/songwriter and Recording Academy Chair Emeritus Jimmy Jam.
The live stream of the Pre-Telecast will remain on GRAMMY.com as video on demand for 30 days following the event. |
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P+T
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 691
Location: Portland, OR
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Post subject: Neil Tesser's crystal ball
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:41 pm
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Who will win the jazz GRAMMY awards this year? There are six categories. The nominees are here.
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Best Vocal Jazz Album
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Best Latin Jazz Album
Chicago veteran jazz writer and broadcaster Neil Tesser boldly predicts who should win, who will win, and why he thinks so. Read his picks, compare them to yours, and then tune in Sunday afternoon to see who's right!
Here's Neil on Best Vocal Jazz Album:
| Quote: | Who should win: Kurt Elling, Dedicated To You [Concord Jazz]
Who will win: Kurt Elling, Dedicated To You [Concord Jazz]
Why: I think it’s finally Elling’s year. He’s scored at least one nomination for each of his previous seven albums (and two for this disc), but has always gone up against one of the women who dominate jazz-vocal sales and popularity: Diana Krall, Nancy Wilson, and Dianne Reeves, who’s walked off with the statue four times since 2000. (The last time a male vocalist won was 1992.) But this year, none of those women have an entry; and Elling’s Dedicated To You – a lovely collection of songs associated with John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, re-imagined to include string-quartet arrangements – has proved popular with critics and audiences alike. I see two possible outliers. Randy Crawford (No Regrets), a jazz-influenced pop singer, has a longtime following that could influence the vote; and Luciana Souza (Tide) might grab some votes via her well-respected husband and producer Larry Klein. But in a fair fight, Elling wins.
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Read all of Neil Tesser's picks:
Part 1: GRAMMY jazz: handicapping the nominees
Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Best Vocal Jazz Album, Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Part 2: From Corea to Valdes, handicapping the GRAMMY jazz picks
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, Best Latin Jazz Album
How's your crystal ball? |
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P+T
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 691
Location: Portland, OR
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Post subject: Kurt Elling: At The Grammys, Always The Bridesmaid ...
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:25 am
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NPR's Felix Contreras interviews Kurt for A Blog Supreme/NPR Jazz, January 29, 2010:
| Quote: | What are your thoughts on being nominated so often without a win so far?
I try to remember that I make the music for its own sake. I would make these records if there were no Grammy Awards, or anything comparable. I have been so lucky to come to jazz so late and to be taken in so completely by jazz people. I love the music, and it has loved me back with a dear and searching intensity.
How many times have you been nominated in how many years?
Since 1995, I have been nominated nine times -- once for every recording I have released, and once for an arrangement my great collaborator, Laurence Hobgood, and I created.
The optimist would point out that you are consistently in very good company as a nominee.
Anyone with good taste in singers would think so. In past years I have been "up against" Shirley Horn, Abbey Lincoln, Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater and many others.
As you know, jazz awards are given out during the afternoon session, which we never get to see. What's the vibe like? Is it a little looser than the heavily scripted TV production?
The Academy has been trying for years to upgrade the experience of the pre-televised awards ceremony. Now, people can watch the whole thing online. They have a live band and musical performances, a professional set and a feeling at least approximating that of the telecast. It remains a looser experience, which is nice. I also like being in a huge room with so many people of exceptional musical gifts. The show itself is great, but I'd be much more likely to actually hang out with and collaborate with a guy from, say, the Bluegrass category than with Lady Gaga.
I once interviewed a jazz Grammy winner who told me he and his band were super-psyched to be part of the whole thing, because they got to see a limited-invitation performance by James Brown at one of the post-event shindigs. Do you have any stories like that? Have you been able to meet any idols or performers you respect from afar by being a nominee?
I remember the MusiCares Person of The Year when they celebrated Sting. That was killing. I got to meet Carlos Santana in a cargo elevator. He was there with an entourage and I was there with my wife. He was wearing John Coltrane's face on a t-shirt and I said, "Trane. Right on, man." And he said something like, "Yes, he was a genius and I love him. I love your music, too, man." And I said something like, "Thanks. I revere you." We smiled at each other, and when the doors opened, we split. That was the year he won Album of the Year for Supernatural. Who knows if he had any interest in my music at all, but it was a sweet exchange, nonetheless.
I've heard musicians say it is an honor just to be nominated and I believe them. But do you get a little anxious around Grammy time?
I am co-hosting the pre-tel[evised ceremony] this year and also singing a number with Lalah Hathaway. I'll just focus on that.
Kurt, we have our collective fingers crossed for you this year. Each of your albums has been stellar, but I'm partial to this last one since I'm a huge fan of the Coltrane/Hartman album (aren't we all?). You hit it out of the park with this one. Let's hope the Academy agrees.
Thanks very much. I also hope it will go my way this time. |
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P+T
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 691
Location: Portland, OR
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Post subject: GRAMMY trivia - fun facts to know and tell
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:59 pm
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Amaze your GRAMMY-loving friends on Sunday with these juicy tidbits.
Ever wonder who actually makes all those beautiful gold gramaphones for the winners? It's John Billings, Sr., who runs Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado. He's interviewed in two short videos in which he talks about the history of the statue, how he became its maker, and what's involved in the craft. Fascinating!
The GRAMMY Man, Part 1 (9:50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm2aUsyHaqw&
The GRAMMY Man, Part 2 (6:22)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRY-4IWvdk0
Ever wonder how GRAMMY voting works? It's complicated!
From How Stuff Works:
| Quote: | After sorting the nominations, the Recording Academy mails ballots to its voting members. The purpose of this first round of voting is to select five nominees for each award. To make sure the voting process is accurate, members may vote:
* For the four general categories of Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist
* In a maximum of nine of the 31 fields, all within their areas of expertise
Members return their ballots to the independent accounting firm Deloitte, which tallies the votes.
The Recording Academy then distributes a second round of ballots to each voting member. This time, the member may vote for the four general categories and in a maximum of eight of the 31 fields. Deloitte tallies the votes and places the results in envelopes which remain sealed until the ceremony. |
Ever wonder who's won the most GRAMMYs? Or who's been nominated most but didn't win? Or who's won in the most categories? Wikipedia's page, GRAMMY Awards Records (that is, records about the GRAMMY Awards) will tell you everything you want to know.
* The record for the most Grammy Awards in a lifetime is held by Sir Georg Solti, a Hungarian-British conductor who conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for twenty-two years. He has won 31 Grammy Awards.
* Stevie Wonder has won a total of 22 Grammys Awards, the most for a male artist.
* Alison Krauss as a solo artist, producer, collaborator (with Union Station) has won 26 Grammy Awards, the most for a female artist.
* Brian McKnight holds the record for most Grammy nominations without winning, with 16.
* Béla Fleck has been nominated in more categories than any other musician, namely country, pop, jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk, and spoken word, as well as composition and arranging.
* Pat Metheny and the Pat Metheny Group have won 17 Grammy Awards in total, including 7 consecutive awards for 7 consecutive albums. |
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tropicalismo
Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 16
Location: When? Just now? mmm...
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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:41 am
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Hello Kurt, Laurence and the cats,
I'll keep my fingers crossed for tonight.
I'll find out about the awards in the morning.
Warmest regards from snowy Strasbourg,
Denis |
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karina
Joined: 17 Nov 2008
Posts: 188
Location: Luxembourg
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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:09 pm
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| Tuned in to the live streaming. Fingers and toes crossed... |
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karina
Joined: 17 Nov 2008
Posts: 188
Location: Luxembourg
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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:26 pm
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Was cheering for a double win... but
CONGRATS!!! Well-deserved, and long overdue. |
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