The Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works (songs or albums) in the Latin jazz music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance, the award was first presented to Arturo Sandoval in 1995. The name of the category was changed to Best Latin Jazz Album in 2001, the same year producers, engineers, and/or mixers associated with the winning work became award recipients in addition to the recording artists. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is presented to "vocal or instrumental albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material," with the intent to recognize the "blending" of jazz music with Argentinian, Brazilian, Iberian-American, and Latin tango music. Beginning in 1998, members of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS) are eligible to vote in the Latin categories, including Best Latin Jazz Album.
As of 2026, Chucho Valdés has the most wins in this category, with five. Arturo O’Farrill has won four, Paquito D'Rivera and Gonzalo Rubalcaba have won three, and two-time recipients include Sandoval, Charlie Haden, Eliane Elias, Eddie Palmieri and Chick Corea. Since its inception, the award has been presented to musicians or groups originating from Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Venezuela.
The award was not presented in 2012 as part of a major overhaul of Grammy categories; Latin jazz recordings were shifted to either the Best Jazz Instrumental Album or Best Jazz Vocal Album categories. However, following protests and a lawsuit made by Latin jazz musicians Bobby Sanabria, Eugene Marlow, Ben Lapidus, and Mark Levine filed by attorney Roger Maldonado, the Recording Academy reinstated the category the following year, 2013, for the 55th Grammy Awards.
Recipients
Year Performing artist(s) WorkNomineesRef.1995 1996 Jobim 1997 1998 Roy Hargrove's Crisol 1999 2000 2001 2002 and Gonzalo Rubalcaba 2003 and the Caribbean Jazz Project 2004 Michel Camilo, Charles Flores, and Horacio Hernández 2005 and Gonzalo Rubalcaba 2006 2007 The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project 2008 Paquito D'Rivera Quintet? 2009 and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra 2010 and Chucho Valdés 2011 Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers Chucho's Steps 2013 Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band Ritmo! List of 2013 nominees 2014 Paquito D'Rivera and Trio CorrenteSong for Maura 2015 Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz OrchestraThe Offense of the Drum 2016 Eliane Elias Made in Brazil 2017 Chucho ValdésTribute to Irakere: Live in Marciac 2018 Pablo Ziegler TrioJazz Tango Grammy.com, 28 November 20172019 Dafnis Prieto Big BandBack to the Sunset 2020 Chick Corea & the Spanish Heart BandAntidote 2021 Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Four Questions 2022Eliane Elias with Chick Corea & Chucho ValdésMirror Mirror 2023Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra ft. the Congra Patria Son Jarocho CollectiveFandango at the Wall in New York 2024Miguel Zenón & Luis PerdomoEl Arte del Bolero Vol. 22025Luques Curtis, Zaccai Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina & Reinaldo de JesusCubop Lives!2026Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey CalveiroA Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole Paquito D'Rivera & Madrid-New York Connection Band – La Fleur de Cayenne Pedrito Martinez, Daymé Arocena, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison & Melvis Santa – The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – Mundoagua – Celebrating Carla Bley Miguel Zenón Quartet – Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
See also
Afro-Cuban jazz Billboard Latin Music Award for Latin Jazz Album of the Year Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album List of Grammy Award categories Tango (dance)
References
General Note: User must select the "Jazz" category as the genre under the search feature.
Specific