Jan 13, 2026 2:09 PM
More Trump-Kennedy Center Cancellations
The fallout from the renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to include President Donald…
Sullivan Fortner continues a winning streak with his third Grammy for Jazz Album of the Year after earning the Gilmore Larry J. Bell Artist Award last October.
(Photo: Melanie Mor)The 68th Annual Grammy Awards presented a marathon of winners, tributes and music on Feb. 1. Kendrick Lamar added five more Grammys to his collection, which now totals 27. Bad Bunny became the first artist to win Album of the Year with a primarily Spanish-language offering. And there were plenty of artists garnering Grammys who have graced the pages of DownBeat in the past year. Here’s a look at the winners from the realms of jazz, blues & beyond!
Record of the Year
luther
Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Album of the Year
DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS
Bad Bunny
Song of the Year
“Wildflower”
Billie Eilish
Best Jazz Performance
“Windows (Live)”
Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Portrait
Samara Joy
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Southern Nights
Sullivan Fortner featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Without Further Ado, Vol 1
Christian McBride Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album
A Tribute To Benny Moré And Nat King Cole
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro
Best Alternative Jazz Album
Live-Action
Nate Smith
Best Traditional Vocal Pop Album
A Matter Of Time
Laufey
Best Musical Theater Album
Buena Vista Social Club
Original Broadway Cast
Best American Roots Performance
Beautiful Strangers
Mavis Staples
Best Americana Performance
Godspeed
Mavis Staples
Best Americana Album
Big Money
Jon Batiste
Best Bluegrass Album
Highway Prayers
Billy Strings
Best Traditional Blues Album
Ain’t Done With The Blues
Buddy Guy
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Preacher Kids
Robert Randolph
Best Regional Roots Music Album
A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco
Various Artists
Best Album Notes
Miles ’55: The Prestige Recordings
Miles Davis
Notes by Ashley Kahn
Best Historical Album
Joni Mitchell Archives–Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1978-1980)
Joni Mitchell
Best Instrumental Composition
“First Snow”
Nordkraft Big Band
Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Cappella
“Super Mario Praise Break”
The 8-Bit Big Band
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“Big Fish”
Nate Smith featuring säge
Belá Fleck during an interview with Fredrika Whitfield on CNN.
Jan 13, 2026 2:09 PM
The fallout from the renaming of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to include President Donald…
Peplowski first came to prominence in legacy swing bands, including the final iteration of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, before beginning a solo career in the late 1980s.
Feb 3, 2026 12:10 AM
Ken Peplowski, a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist who straddled the worlds of traditional and modern jazz, died Feb. 2…
The success of Oregon’s first album, 1971’s Music Of Another Present Era, allowed Towner to establish a solo career.
Jan 19, 2026 5:02 PM
Ralph Towner, a guitarist and composer who blended multiple genres, including jazz — and throughout them all remained…
Rico’s Anti-Microbial Instrument Swab
Jan 19, 2026 2:48 PM
With this year’s NAMM Show right around the corner, we can look forward to plenty of new and innovative instruments…
Dec 11, 2025 11:00 AM
DownBeat presents a complete list of the 4-, 4½- and 5-star albums from 2025 in one convenient package. It’s a great…
