Ian Axel, left, and Chad Vaccarino of A Great Big World.
Nominees in 82 of the 83 categories for the 57th annual Grammy Awards have been announced, and there are many New Jerseyans among them. (Nominees for the 83rd category, album of the year, will be announced during the “A Very Grammy Christmas” broadcast on CBS television from 9 to 10 p.m. tonight.)
A Great Big World, the duo featuring Ian Axel of Fair Lawn, was nominated for best pop duo/group performance, for their “Say Something” collaboration with Christina Aguilera. Antonique Smith of East Orange was nominated in the traditional R&B category, for “Hold Up Wait a Minute (Woo Woo).”
In the improvised jazz solo category, longtime Rutgers University faculty member Kenny Barron was nominated for his work on “The Eye of the Hurricane,” from the album, Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio. Meanwhile, Rufus Reid of Teaneck was nominated for best large jazz ensemble album, for his Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project. Reid was also nominated in the instrumental composition category for his “Recognition,” from that album.
Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could were nominated in the children’s recording category, for their Just Say Hi! Rymer was a member of the ’90s Jersey roots-rock band From Good Homes, which is reuniting for a show at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, tonight.
Newark native Gloria Gaynor was nominated in the spoken word category for her “We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song.” She’ll compete against James Franco, Jimmy Carter, John Waters, Elizabeth Warren and the late Joan Rivers.
Karen O of the band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who grew up in Englewood, is nominated in the song written for visual media category for “The Moon Song,” which she wrote with director Spike Jonze for the movie “Her.” And singer Lisa Fischer of Hoboken is featured in “20 Feet From Stardom,” nominated for best music film.
The ceremony takes place Feb. 8 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. For a complete list of nominees, visit Grammy.com.
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