With all due respect to Arcade Fire, the 53rd Grammy Awards’ most surprising moment came when prodigiously talented but relatively unknown jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding beat out Drake, Florence & The Machine, Mumford & Sons, and Justin freaking Bieber in the “Best New Artist” category. (Bieber nation was NOT amused). Jazz lovers might be slightly perplexed at the “new” distinction since she has issued two previous albums, has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Herbie Hancock, and performed at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, at President Obama’s invitation, but we’re thrilled that Spalding is now getting the recognition she so richly deserves. (We’re even willing to bet that some of those Bieber fans come around eventually.) We’ve had her 2006 debut Junjo on repeat.
We’d also like to congratulate the following Orchard artists for winning in their respective categories:
We’re pleased to announce that the following Orchard-distrubuted artists and albums have been nominated for 2011 Grammys:
Acclaimed neo-soul singer Bilal, was nominated for “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” for the song “Little One from his third album, Airtight’s Revenge (“[a] dynamite album — one that could take a decade to be fully processed,” Allmusic). Released in September via Plug Research, it features production by Nottz (Kanye West, Drake), 88 Keys (Mos Def, Macy Grey), and labelmate Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra).
Portrait in Seven Shades, a suite performed by composer / saxophonist Ted Nash and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, under the direction of Pulitzer Prize- and nine-time Grammy -winner Wynton Marsalis, received two nominations: “Best Improvised Jazz Solo” for the track “Van Gogh,” and “Best Instrumental Arrangement” for “Monet.” The piece, which premiered at Lincoln Center in 2007, has received raves from Vanity Fair, the Chicago Tribune, and All About Jazz, among others. … Continue Reading
