Faculty and Alumni from the College of Performing Arts – Mannes, Jazz, Drama – Win Grammy Awards
The past year has been a busy one for the College of Performing Arts community, as faculty, alumni, and students have released celebrated albums, participated in exciting performances, and pushed their artistic practices forward.
Recently, a number of faculty and alumni from throughout Mannes School of Music and the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music were nominated for the 2024 Grammy awards.
Two faculty members, Toyin Spellman-Diaz and Dave Glasser, won Grammys in their respective categories.
Robert Glasper, Jazz ’01, is nominated for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for “Back to Love.”
Lakecia Benjamin, Jazz ’05, is nominated for Best Jazz Performance for “Basquiat” and Best Jazz Instrumental Album for “Phoenix.” She is also nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for “Amerikkan Skin.”
Cécile McLorin Salvant, who attended the School of Jazz, is nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album for “Mélusine.” She also served as the arranger for Godwin Louis’ “Fenestra” which is nominated for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals.
JoAnn Falletta, Mannes ’76, is nominated for Best Orchestral Performance for “Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy.”
Emilio Solla, School of Jazz faculty member, is nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for “The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute – Ritmo” alongside ADDA Simfònica and Josep Vicent.
Jazz faculty member Darcy James Argue is also nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for his group’s “Dynamic Maximum Tension.”
Bobby Sanabria, a School of Jazz faculty member, is nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album for “Vox Humana” with his Multiverse Big Band.
School of Jazz faculty member Julian Lage is nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for “The Layers.”
Mannes School of Music faculty member David T. Little is nominated for Best Opera Recording for “Black Lodge” as a producer alongside Andrew McKenna Lee.
Imani Winds, which includes Mannes faculty member Toyin Spellman-Diaz, won the Grammy for Best Classical Compendium for “Passion for Bach and Coltrane” alongside Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Edward Perez, Neal Smith, and A.B. Spellman.
Jazz faculty member Dave Glasser is the lead alto for “Basie Swings the Blues” by the Count Blasie Orchestra, which won for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.