Berklee Alumni and Faculty Receive Grammy Nominations

Berklee alumni and faculty were nominated across the board for the 61st annual Grammy Awards, which will take place on Sunday, February 10, 2019. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) nominated 28 alumni across 26 categories, in addition to six faculty members.

For the eighth year in a row, a Berklee alumnus or alumna is nominated in the Album of the Year category. Matt Schaeffer B.M. ’12 received his second consecutive nomination in the category for his role in engineering and mixing the acclaimed Black Panther film soundtrack, as well as a Record of the Year nomination for his work on the song “All the Stars” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA. Engineer Simone Torres B.M. ’15 was also recognized for her contributions to Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy, nominated for Album of the Year as well as Record of the Year for “I Like It” with J Balvin and Bad Bunny.

Music legend and 27-time Grammy winner Quincy Jones ’51 could potentially win another award for the documentary Quincy, a nominee for Best Music Film. Joelle James B.M. ‘11 was recognized for her songwriting prowess on Ella Mai’s smash hit “Boo’d Up,” receiving nominations for Song of the Year and Best R&B Song. Annie Clark ’03, known by her stage moniker St. Vincent, was nominated for Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album, and Best Recording Package for last year’s Masseduction.

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall B.M. ’83 were nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for their collaborative album, Love Is Here To Stay, in addition to Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “’S Wonderful.” Charlie Puth‘s B.M. ’13 engineering skills were noted when his album Voicenotes was nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; he also was nominated for Best Remixed Recording for “How Long (EDX’s Dubai Skyline Remix).”

Lalah Hathaway B.M. ’90 received three Grammy nominations this year, including Best R&B Performance with the song “Y O Y,” Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Made for Love” with Charlie Wilson, and Best R&B Album for Honestly. Major Johnson-Finley B.M. ’06, also known as MAJOR., was also nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance for his song “HONEST.”

Three faculty members from Berklee were nominated in the category of Best Jazz Instrumental Album this year. Professor Tia Fuller received a nomination for her recent album, Diamond Cut, which was produced by Terri Lyne Carrington B.M. ’83, who is featured on the record. Danilo Pérez, Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI) founder and artistic director, and John Patitucci, BGJI visiting scholar, were recognized for their work on the Wayne Shorter Quartet's recent album, Emanon. Assistant professor Carrie Cheron also received nominations as part of the Skylark Ensemble for Best Immersive Audio Album and Best Choral Performance, while assistant professor David Arcelious Harris received an Album of the Year nod for producing H.E.R.'s self-titled and critically acclaimed album. Visiting scholar in Jazz Composition Terence Blanchard received a nomination for Best Instrumental Composition for "Blut Und Boden (Blood and Soil)" from Spike Lee's film BlackKlansman.

Two alumni—Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah B.M. ’04 and Julian Lage B.M. ’08—were nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album this year. Miguel Zenón B.M. ‘98 received a nomination for his recent work with Spektral Quartet in two categories: Best Improvised Jazz Solo for “Cadenas,” and Best Latin Jazz Album for Yo Soy La Tradición. Bobby Sanabria B.M. ’79 was also nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album for West Side Story Reimagined with the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band. Rachel Prather (B.F.A. ’12, musical theater), a Boston Conservatory at Berklee alumna, also received a Best Musical Theater Album nomination for her contributions to The Band’s Visit as a principal cast member.

The 61st annual Grammy Awards will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, February 10, 2019, and will be broadcast on CBS at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Below is a full list of Berklee alumni and faculty Grammy Award nominees.

Category 1 – Record of the Year

“I Like It” (Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin) – Simone Torres B.M. ’15, engineer

“All the Stars” (Kendrick Lamar and SZA) – Matt Schaeffer B.M. ‘12, engineer/mixer

Category 2 – Album of the Year

Invasion of Privacy (Cardi B) – Simone Torres B.M. ’15, engineer

H.E.R. (H.E.R.) – David "Swagg R'Celious" Harris, producer and assistant professor, Songwriting Department 

Black Panther: The Album (Various Artists) – Matt Schaeffer B.M. ‘12, engineer/mixer

Category 3 – Song of the Year

“Boo’d Up” (Ella Mai) – Joelle James B.M. ‘11, songwriter

Category 6 – Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

“’S Wonderful” (Tony Bennett and Diana Krall) – Diana Krall B.M. ‘83

Category 7 – Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Love Is Here to Stay (Tony Bennett and Diana Krall) – Diana Krall B.M. ‘83

Category 11 – Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

The Emancipation Procrastination (Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah) – Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah B.M. ‘04

Modern Lore (Julian Lage) – Julian Lage B.M. ‘08

Category 14 – Best Rock Song

“Masseduction” (St. Vincent) – Annie Clark ‘03

Category 16 – Best Alternative Music Album

Masseduction (St. Vincent) – Annie Clark ‘03

Category 17 – Best R&B Performance

“Y O Y” (Lalah Hathaway) – Lalah Hathaway B.M. ‘90

Category 18 – Best Traditional R&B Performance

“HONEST” (MAJOR.) – Major Johnson-Finley B.M. ‘06

“Made for Love” (Charlie Wilson featuring Lalah Hathaway) – Lalah Hathaway B.M. ‘90

Category 19 – Best R&B Song

“Boo’d Up” (Ella Mai) – Joelle James B.M. ‘11, songwriter

“Long as I Live” (Toni Braxton) – Paul Boutin ’94, songwriter

Category 21 – Best R&B Album

Honestly (Lalah Hathaway) – Lalah Hathaway B.M. ‘90

Category 31 – Best Improvised Jazz Solo

“Cadenas” (Miguel Zenon featuring Spektral Quartet) – Miguel Zenón B.M. ‘98, soloist

Category 33 – Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Diamond Cut (Tia Fuller) – Tia Fuller, professor, Ensemble Department  

Emanon (the Wayne Shorter Quartet) – Danilo Pérez B.M. ’88, founder and artistic director, Berklee Global Jazz Institute; John Patitucci, visiting scholar, Berklee Global Jazz Institute

Category 34: Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

All About That Basie (the Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart) – Cleave Guyton Jr. B.M. ’85, saxophonist

Category 35: Best Latin Jazz Album

West Side Story Reimagined (Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band) – Bobby Sanabria B.M. ‘79

Yo Soy La Tradición (Miguel Zenon featuring Spektral Quartet) – Miguel Zenón B.M. ‘98

Category 48: Best Bluegrass Album

Portraits in Fiddles (Mike Barnett) – Mike Barnett ‘11

Category 55: Best Children’s Album

All the Sounds (Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats) – Richard L. Kulsar B.M. ‘90, drummer; Linus Wyrsch B.M. '08, clarinetist 

Category 58: Best Musical Theater Album

The Band’s Visit (Original Broadway Cast) – Rachel Prather (B.F.A. ’12, musical theater), principal cast member

Category 59: Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

The Greatest Showman (Hugh Jackman & Various Artists) – Alex Lacamoire B.M. '95, compilation producer 

Category 62: Best Instrumental Composition

"Blut Und Boden (Blood and Soil)" (Terence Blanchard) – Terence Blanchard, visiting scholar, Jazz Composition

“Infinity War” (Alan Silvestri) – Alan Silvestri B.M. ’70, composer

Category 64: Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

“Niña” (Magos Herrera and Brooklyn Rider) – Gonzalo Grau ‘98, arranger

"Jolene" (Dan Pugach) – Dan Pugach B.M. '08

“It Was a Very Good Year” (Willie Nelson) – Matt Rollings B.M. ‘86, arranger

Category 65: Best Recording Package

Masseduction (St. Vincent) – Annie Clark ‘03

Category 69: Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Colors (Beck) – David “Elevator” Greenbaum ’05, engineer

Head Over Heels (Chromeo) – Michele Mancini B.M. ‘08, mastering engineer; Chris Galland B.M. ‘07, engineer

Voicenotes (Charlie Puth) – Charlie Puth B.M. ’13, engineer

Category 71: Best Remixed Recording

“How Long (EDX’s Dubai Skyline Remix)” (Charlie Puth) – Charlie Puth B.M. ’13

Category 72: Best Immersive Audio Album

Seven Words from the Cross (Matthew Guard & Skylark) – Carrie Cheron, assistant professor, Voice Department 

Category 77: Best Choral Performance

Seven Words from the Cross (Skylark) – Carrie Cheron, assistant professor, Voice Department 

Category 84: Best Music Film

Quincy – Quincy Jones ‘51