While we wait for A2IM’s definitive tabulation of who independent record labels faired in 2018 Grammy nominations, the tally for The Orchard stood out. Buoyed by its merger with RED, the Sony-owned indie music and film distributor notched a record 50 Grammy nominations.
Orchard distributed Nothing More nabbed three Grammy 2018 nominations for Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song – all categories usually populated by major label artists.
They distributor also has contenders in the Americana Album and American Roots Song categories with Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit and The Mavericks appearing in both. Isbell earned a nod for his The Nashville Sound as well as the album’s centerpiece “If We Were Vampires.” The Mavericks are Grammy-bound with their record Brand New Day and the track “I Wish You Well.”
Jazz was also a storng category for The Orchard with three releases each up for awards in the Vocal and Instrumental categories. Up for Jazz Vocal Album, is Raul Midón‘s Bad Ass And Blind, Jazzmeia Horn‘s A Social Call and Cecile McLorin Salvant‘s Dreams And Daggers. For Jazz Instrumental Album, it’s Billy Childs‘ Rebirth, Fred Hersch‘s Open Book and Joey DeFrancesco & The People‘s Project Freedom.
The full list of The Orchard’s 50 nominees below and catch the 60th Annual Grammy Awards on January 28th, live from Madison Square Garden on CBS.
Best Rock Performance
“Go to War” by Nothing More [Eleven Seven]
Best Rock Album
The Stories We Tell Ourselves by Nothing More [Eleven Seven]
Best Rock Song
“Go to War” by Nothing More [Eleven Seven]
Best New Age Album
Kitaro: Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai, Volume 5 [Domo Records]
Dancing on Water by Peter Kater [Point Of Light Records]
Metal Performance
“Black Hoodie” by Body Count [Century Media]
“Clockworks” by Meshuggah [Nuclear Blast Records]
American Roots Song
“If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit [Thirty Tigers]
“I Wish You Well” by The Mavericks [Mono Mundo Recordings]
Americana Album
The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit [Thirty Tigers]
Brand New Day by The Mavericks [Mono Mundo Recordings]
Improvised Jazz Solo
“Dance Of Shiva” by Billy Childs [Mack Avenue Records]
“Whisper Not” by Fred Hersch [Palmetto/MRI]
Jazz Instrumental Album
Rebirth by Billy Childs [Mack Avenue Records]
Open Book by Fred Hersch [Palmetto/MRI]
Project Freedom by Joey DeFrancesco & The People [Mack Avenue Records]
Jazz Vocal Album
Bad Ass and Blind by Raul Midón [Mack Avenue]
Dreams and Daggers by Cecile McLorin Salvant [Mack Avenue Records]
A Social Call by Jazzmeia Horn [Concord Music Group]
Gospel Performance/Song
“Never Have To Be Alone” by CeCe Winans [Pure Springs Gospel]
Gospel Album
Let Them Fall In Love by CeCe Winans [Pure Springs Gospel]
Roots Gospel Album
Hope For All Nations by Karen Peck & New River [New Day]
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
MONK’Estra Vol. 2 by John Beasley [Mack Avenue Records]
Bringin’ It by Christian McBride Big Band [Mack Avenue Records]
Whispers on the Wind by Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge [MAMA/DC2S]
Arrangement, instrumental or a cappella
“All Hat, No Saddle” by Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge [MAMA/DC2S]
“Ugly Beauty/Pannonica” by John Beasley [Mack Avenue]
Latin rock, urban or alternative album
El Paradise by Los Amigos Invisibles [Lov/Recs/Live On Video]
Regional Mexican Music Album
Zapateando en el Norte by Various Artists [Azteca]
Contemporary Blues Album
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm by Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm [Jay-Vee/MRI]
Folk Album
Mental Illness by Aimee Mann [Super Ego]
Comedy Album
Cinco by Jim Gaffigan [Comedy Dynamics]
Jerry Before Seinfeld by Jerry Seinfeld [Comedy Dynamics]
A Speck of Dust by Sarah Silverman [Comedy Dynamics]
The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas by Dave Chappelle [Comedy Dynamics]
Children’s Album
Lemonade by Justin Roberts [Carpet Square/MRO]
Instrumental Composition
“Three Revolutions” by Arturo O’Farrill & Chucho Valdés [Motema]
“Warped Cowboy” by Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge [MAMA/DC2S]
Recording Package
Solid State by Jonathan Coulton [Super Ego]
Orchestral Performance
Debussy: Images; Jeux & La Plus Que Lente by Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor [San Francisco Symphony]
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Haydn: Cello Concertos by Steven Isserlis; Florian Donderer, conductor (The Deutsch Kammerphilharmonie Bremen) [Hyperion]
Reggae Album
Avrakedabra by Morgan Heritage [Cool To Be Conscious Music Group/Membran]
Album Notes
The Complete Works Of Scoot Joplin by Richard Dowling [Rivermont/City Hall]
Engineered Album
Natural Conclusion by Rose Cousins [Outside Music]
Opera Recording
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel by Mariinsky Orchestra [Mariinsky/LSO]
Choral Performance
Music Of The Spheres by Tenebrae, Nigel Short [Signum]
Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Works by Franck, Kurtág, Previn, Schumann by Augustin Hadelich and Joyce Yang [AVIE Records/The Music Company]
Divine Theatre – Sacred Motets By Giaches De Wert by Stile Antico [Harmonia Mundi]
Classical Solo Vocal Album
Gods & Monsters by Nicholas Phan [AVIE Records/The Music Company]
Classical Compendium
The Routes Of Slavery (Les Routes de L’Esclavage) by Jordi Savall [Alia Vox]