Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group

Chris Botti’s Impression is an instrumental jazz album that features jazz legend Herbie Hancock, Andrea Botacelli and others. Botti is a trumpet player and composer who has been nominated for several Grammys and has had several albums reach #1 on Billboard’s Jazz Album Charts.

Kenny Garret’s Seeds From The Underground is an album influenced by jazz music from the 60s and 70s. Kenny Garrett is a saxaphonist who played with both Duke Ellington and Miles Davis.

Melody Gardot’s The Absence is an album that recalls the great female jazz singers of old. Gardot has drawn comparisons to Nina Simone, and Judy Garland.

Black Radio is a jazz album that combines jazz with hip-hop and rhythm and blues and features Lupe Fiasco, Erykah Badu and Yasin Bey (aka Mos Def). 

Isn’t It Romantic is a collection of love songs covered by the legendary Tony Bennet. Bennet has been singing jazz music since the early 50s and has recorded with Count Basie, Amy Winehouse and several others.