The Best Traditional World Music Album nominees are: Rahim Al Haj With Souhail Kaspar, Cheick Hamala Diabate & Bob Carlin, Konono N°1, Soweto Gospel Choir, and Various Artists for Singing For Life: Songs Of Hope, Healing, And HIV/AIDS In Uganda.
In the newly added Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album category, nominations go to: Le Cowboy Creole (Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie), King Cake (Lisa Haley), Live A La Blue Moon (Lost Bayou Ramblers), Blues de Musicien (Pine Leaf Boys), Racines (Racines), The La Louisianne Sessions (Roddie Romero And The Hub City All-Stars), and Live World Wide (Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience).
Bluegrass musician Alison Krauss picked up nominations for Best Female Country Vocal (“Simple Love”) and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (“Gone Gone Gone [Done Moved On]”) with her acclaimed collaboration with rock star Robert Plant, Raising Sand.
Kanye West tops the nominations with eight, Amy Winehouse garners six, and the Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and T-Pain each earn five nods. Akon, Dierks Bentley, Chris Daughtry, Feist, Tim McGraw, John Newton, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, and Bruce Springsteen receive four each.
"This year’s nominations truly reflect a diverse and talented community of artists and creators who represent some of the most exceptional music of the year," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "The GRAMMY Awards process once again has yielded a comprehensive group of excellent nominees and coupled with the fact that it’s our milestone 50th year, this year’s telecast promises music fans a spectacular show filled with stellar performances and unique ‘GRAMMY Moments’ for which Music’s Biggest Night has come to be renowned."
The following are the world music and roots music categories:
Best Traditional World Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- When the Soul Is Settled: Music Of Iraq – Rahim Al Haj With Souhail Kaspar (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
- From Mali to America – Cheick Hamala Diabate & Bob Carlin (5-String Productions)
- Live at Couleur Café – Konono Nº1 (Crammed Discs/Rykodisc)
- African Spirit – Soweto Gospel Choir (Shanachie Entertainment)
- Singing For Life: Songs Of Hope, Healing, And HIV/AIDS In Uganda – Various Artists Gregory Barz, producer
(Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
Best Contemporary World Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- CéU – Céu (Six Degrees Records/Urban Jungle Records/Starbucks Entertainment)
- Gil Luminoso – Gilberto Gil (DRG Brazil)
- Momento – Bebel Gilberto (Ziriguiboom/Crammed Discs/Six Degrees)
- Djin Djin – Angelique Kidjo (Razor & Tie Direct/Starbucks Entertainment)
- An Ancient Muse – Loreena McKennitt (Verve Records/Universal Music Group)
Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Funk Tango – Paquito D’Rivera Quintet (Paquito Records)
- The Magician – Sammy Figueroa And His Latin Jazz Explosion (Savant Records)
- Borrowed Time – Steve Khan (Tone Center Records)
- Refugee – Hector Martignon (Zoho)
- Big Band Urban Folktales – Bobby Sanabria Big Band (Jazzheads)
Best Tropical Latin Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Greetings from Havana – Cubanismo (AIM Trading Group P/L)
- En Primera Plana – Issac Delgado (La Calle Records)
- Arroz Con Habichuela – El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico (Norte/Discos 605)
- La Llave De Mi Corazon – Juan Luis Guerra (EMI Televisa)
- United We Swing – Spanish Harlem Orchestra (Six Degrees)
Best Traditional Folk Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Try Me One More Time – David Bromberg (Appleseed Recordings)
- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John – Peter Case (Yep Roc Records)
- Banjo Talkin’ – Cathy Fink (Rounder)
- Dirt Farmer – Levon Helm (Dirt Farmer Music/Vanguard Records)
- Charlie Louvin – Charlie Louvin (Tompkins Square)
Best Native American Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Oklahoma Style – Walter Ahhaitty & Friends (SOAR)
- Watch This Dancer! – Black Lodge (Canyon Records)
- The Ballad of Old Times – Davis Mitchell (SOAR)
- Reconnections – R. Carlos Nakai, Cliff Sarde, William Eaton & Randy Wood (Canyon Records)
- Totemic Flute Chants – Johnny Whitehorse (Silver Wave Records)
Best Hawaiian Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Ka Hikina O Ka Hau (The Coming Of The Snow) – Keola Beamer (Dancing Cat Productions)
- Hawaiiana – Tia Carrere (Daniel Ho Creations)
- He’eia – Cyril Pahinui (Dancing Cat Productions)
- Hawaiian Blossom – Raiatea (Raiatea Helm Records)
- Treasures Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar – Various Artists Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers (Daniel Ho Creations)
Best Reggae Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- The Burning Spear Experience – Burning Spear (Burning Music Production)
- Mind Control – Stephen Marley (Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths/Universal Republic)
- The End of an American Dream – Lee "Scratch" Perry (Megawave)
- Anniversary – Sly & Robbie And The Taxi Gang (Taxi Records)
- Light Your Light – Toots & The Maytals (Fantasy)
Best Bluegrass Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- Cherryholmes II Black And White – Cherryholmes (Skaggs Family Records)
- Lefty’s Old Guitar – J. D. Crowe & The New South (Rounder)
- The Bluegrass Diaries – Jim Lauderdale (Yep Roc Records)
- Scenechronized – Seldom Scene (Sugar Hill)
- Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular – Tony Trischka (Rounder)
Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)
- The Calling – Mary Chapin Carpenter (Zoe Records)
- My Name Is Buddy – Ry Cooder (Nonesuch Records Inc./Warner Music Group)
- Washington Square Serenade – Steve Earle (New West Records)
- Children Running Through – Patty Griffin (ATO Records)
- Orphans – Tom Waits (Anti)
The 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on "GRAMMY Sunday," Feb. 10, 2008, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
For the complete list of nominees go to the www.grammy.com.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
