Contemporary Category Proves a Fertile Field

Who would have thought that the contemporary jazz category, much reviled by mainstream jazz fans, would come up with one of the most creatively loaded of all the jazz categories in the 41st annual Grammy Awards? It’s not easy to pick between Pat Metheny, Marcus Miller, George Duke, the Yellowjackets and Joe Zawinul.

But it’s a fair bet that Metheny--on a roll with two Grammys last year and a total of 12 for his various groups--is going to wind up with another for his Warner Bros. debut album, “Imaginary Day.” However, the most musically intriguing outing among the nominees is Zawinul’s genre-transcending “World Tour.”

It’s considerably less surprising that the Latin jazz category is equally packed with talent, given the rapid burgeoning of the various jazz and Latin rhythm interfaces. But picking a winner from a group that includes Ray Baretto, Paquito D’Rivera, Danilo Perez, Chucho Valdes, David Sanchez and Arturo Sandoval is daunting, especially since each would be a deserving choice. Valdes and Sandoval should have the inside track, but Perez is a star in the making, and Sanchez’s “Obsesion” (Columbia) is a beautifully conceptualized blend of jazz and classic Latin rhythms.

The group instrumental performance category is a virtual all-star assemblage, with nominations for Herbie Hancock, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and bassist Dave Holland. Holland probably won’t break through that lineup of pianists and, despite stunning work from Jarrett and Barron in particular, Hancock’s “Gershwin’s World” (Verve)--with the participation of Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder and others--looks to be the most visible and therefore the most likely choice for the academy voters.

The remaining categories are a bit more problematic. If the academy’s affection for big-band repertory holds out, the Count Basie band could easily take the large jazz ensemble award again. But it would be a shame not to acknowledge Gerald Wilson’s career with a Grammy for his “Theme for Monterey.”

The jazz instrumental solo award, the jazz Grammy’s most vague category, has five deserving nominees--Kenny Barron, Randy Brecker, Chick Corea & Gary Burton, Benny Golson and Dave Liebman. Brecker and Corea & Burton have the best shot, but the much-admired Barron could (and should) grab the prize.

Finally, the jazz vocal grouping, with one exception, is surprisingly tepid, with Shirley Horn’s lovely “I Remember Miles” (Verve) the sole standout--and the likely winner--in a group of competent but unsurprising albums from Kurt Elling, Nnenna Freelon, Etta Jones and Diane Reeves.