As much guff as the Grammys catch for being out of touch and corporate, or applauded without reading the room—this year is touted as their Year of the Woman, where Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are in the running for all of the major categories for the 67th Grammy Awards, when we have just elected an obvious woman-hating president (yep)—consequently said Grammys still do things that are amazingly uncalculated and worthy.
We can start with André 3000’s being recognized for something quite different: New Blue Sun the improvisational flute-led album he released last November, which is honored with nods in three categories: Best Alternative Jazz Album, Best Instrumental Composition and, perhaps most shocking, Album of the Year.
Ever since this wild and different record was released, when I received texts from friends who were hesitant about the flute pivot but still had to see him, and many emails from fellow writers about checking out this new phase, the support for Three Stacks has been of goodwill while at the same time asking, “What is he doing?”
Once we get into the details, it becomes apparent that the project was done with mindful foresight. Starting with Carlos Niño, the Los Angeles percussionist, producer, and spiritual jazz musician, and guitarist Nate Mercereau, a pivotal member of an ascendent LA circle of players, who has composed ambient arrangements with the likes of Kamasi Washington and legend Idris Ackamoor. Mercereau plays on six of the album’s tracks. Along with Surya Botofasina on synths, drummer Deantoni Parks, LEAVING RECORDS founder Matthewdavid on “mycelial electronics,” V.C.R. on violin and effects, Diego Gaeta on piano, Jesse Peterson on bass, and vocalist Mia Doi Todd—the record’s stacked with veterans of the ambient genre.
Mercereau referred to the album as searching while writing. “We showed up for each other with lots of good feelings, but the words that feel strongest for me regarding this are curiosity, openness, and willingness,” he mentioned in an email last year.
All of this leads back to the humility, feet-in-the-dirt approach André 3000 had in attempting something so out of what was not expected. He surrounded himself with free-thinking virtuosos all in lockstep to elevate the frequency. Still betting on himself that he, with the flute, would improve. And from what I’ve understood, his playing on tour for a year or so has. It’s inspiring to see the Grammys acknowledge an artist’s growth, not necessarily for financial gain, but for expanding upon creativity. Those types of nominations, celebrating stillness at a time when calm, meditative artistic expression is paramount for the public at large overall mental health, show uniqueness from the Academy.
While we are at it, we’d like to acknowledge Bay giants Sheila E., Taj Mahal, the San Francisco Symphony, Green Day, Metallica, and Kehlani for also receiving nominations this year. (See the full Grammy nominations list here.)
Bailar, Sheila E’s 2024 salsa obsession, was nominated for Best Tropical Latin Album while “Bemba Colorá” featuring Gloria Estefan & Mimy Succar was nominated for Best Global Music Performance.
The Oakland drummer, vocalist, humanitarian, and historian, whose last name, Escovedo, still means percussionist royalty, played a free show at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in association with Noise Pop in 2023 and keeps on popping up with her endeavors and in Prince-related anniversary shows and podcasts. Make no mistake, Sheila E. is certified legendary. We are overjoyed to see the Grammys acknowledge that.
Lastly, kudos to the band Khruangbin.
“Calf Born in Winter” was first included in Bonobo’s 2013 Late Night Tales compilation and they toured with the international DJ at their start. 2015’s debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You stoked that Thai funk inspiration, and nine years later after country funk twang, Nigerian highlife, psyche, and surf rock with a side of soul and maybe some Wu-Tang instrumentals in the live shows—this band became nominated for Best New Artist for their 2024 A La Sala release this year. Indeed, it is rare that the Grammys acknowledge an artist or a group who performs such a wild and vivid mix of things.
Khruangbin may be from Houston, but they have a huge following in the Bay, and their members are on point: bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, always dressed to the nines, giving her best Robbie Shakespeare fretwork; Mark Speer on guitar strumming out spaghetti western meets flamenco-style instrumental yarns, and DJ Johnson on drums consistently hooking up this outwardly facing global funk unit with understated snare hits that would wake the bejeezus out of James Brown’s drummers (peace to John “Jabo” Starks and Clyde Stubblefield), straight out of the grave. Over the past decade, Khruangbin’s bat signal has been putting in that skywork.
It’s great to see so much talent being recognized.
