A review of last year’s instrumental big-bandy Grammy nominees and winners follows below. The 2024 Grammy Awards are February 4.
Here’s a nominee for the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
SWR is a public radio broadcaster in Stuttgart, Germany, and sponsors The SWR Big Band, which has released ~55 albums since 1997, many in collaboration with jazz giants.Their 2022 album Bird Lives, with pianist John Beasley as arranger, earned an album nod, plus 2 others.
Beasley won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement for the album tune ‘Scrapple From The Apple.’ The tune ‘Cherokee/Koko’ was nominated for Best Jazz Performance. This was SWR’s 3rd nomination, Beasley’s 12th and 2nd win. SWR Discogs. Beasley’s website ; Discogs.
Magnus Lindgren, John Beasley & SWR Big Band, Bird Lives, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp
John Beasley's previous large ensemble project, MONK'estra Plays John Beasley, was nominated for the same award in 2021. The tune ‘Dona Lee’ won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement.
John Beasley, MONK'estra Plays John Beasley, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
Bird Lives is on Grammy Jazz 2022 and Big Band 2021 and Monkestra is on Big Band 2020 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.
Posts below for other Best Album nominees: Ron Carter & the Jazzaar Festival Big Band Remembering Bob Freedman; Remy LeBouf Architecture Of Storms; the WDR Big Band & Steve Gadd et al Center Stage; Grammy-winner Steven Feifke Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra.
~30 Large Jazz Ensemble album recommendations so far...😎