Pianist Chick Corea, keyboardist Robert Glasper, guitarist Pat Metheny and bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding were among the winners at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, presented on Feb. 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Corea took home Grammys in the categories Best Instrumental Composition (for “Mozart Goes Dancing,” a track from his Concord Jazz duo album with vibraphonist Gary Burton, Hot House) and Best Improvised Jazz Solo (for the title track to Hot House). Because Corea and Burton were both soloists on the latter track, Burton won a Grammy for it as well. This dual win was a fitting honor for a fantastic duo recording.
Spalding, who appeared on the cover of the May 2012 issue of DownBeat, won the Best Jazz Vocal Album award, for Radio Music Society (Heads Up). She also took honors for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for “City Of Roses,” a track from Radio Music Society. Spalding shares the latter honor with her co-arranger, Thara Memory.
Glasper, who appeared on the cover of DownBeat’s April 2012 issue, won the Best R&B Album category for his superb, genre-blending disc Black Radio (Blue Note). His collaborators on the album included Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lalah Hathaway and Musiq Soulchild.
Metheny’s Unity Band (Nonesuch) disc was named Best Instrumental Jazz Album. His collaborators on the disc were saxophonist Chris Potter, drummer Antonio Sanchez and bassist Ben Williams.
Read more: DownBeat
