It’s been a while since we heard from Goldfrapp – but they haven’t been sitting on their laurels or dancing with the dog-headed bikini-madchen.

Alison Goldfrapp writes that they have been working on the soundtrack for a John Lennon biopic:

we have finally emerged from an intense period of work and i’m pleased i can now tell you about it (as it is official). we have written the score for a film called “Nowhere boy”. it’s about John Lennon as a boy and stars Aaron Johnson, Kristen Scott-Thomas and Anne Marie Duff. it’s Sam Taylor-Wood’s first feature film and it’s truly amazing that they gave us the oppotunity to do this.

we are all really excited about going to abbey road studios soon to record the strings with the full orchestra. the film is closing the london film festival and is premiered on 29th october at odeon leicester square. now our work on the film is almost finished, we will carry on writing the Goldfrapp album.

Goldfrapp could be a really interesting choice for the soundtrack – their Felt Mountain was especially cinematic.

What do you think? Can Goldfrapp do John Lennon justice?

Image: Greenwich Photography

Great shot of Alison Goldfrapp, performing at the Wireless Festival, June 2006, Hyde Park, London.

There’s a theremin or something in the background somewhere probably.

via the Synthtopia Flickr Pool.

A odd bit of 2007 holiday cheer from Goldfrapp:

Before we scamper off to our Christmas hidey hole to prepare for the release of Seventh Tree we are pleased to say that Alison and Will have prepared this very special Christmas message for you all, filmed in the back streets of N1 in London on Wednesday.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This version of Ooh La La, from the BBC4 Electric Proms 08 Goldfrapp special, brings out the blues side of the song.

In this bizarre bit of ephemera, electropop icon Alison Goldfrapp bakes a cake.

Here’s the new video for Goldfrapp’s single Caravan Girl, from the album Seventh Tree. 

While I’m a Goldfrapp fan – this video, and track, pales in comparison to some of their others. 

Here’s the second part of the interview with Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory. 

Goldfrapp Interview pt. 1

Goldfrapp Interview Part 2

Check out this amazing video from Robert Hodgin, made with Processing, an open source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions.

I’m blown away – awesome stuff!

If you’re doing anything with Processing and music, let me know in the comments.

Fun new video from Goldfrapp for Happiness – a great video from a great CD.

Pay attention to how man shots there are in the video, and how many times Alison Goldfrapp shows up.

See anything else weird?

Here’s the video for Goldfrapp’s latest, A & E. It’s a great song, and the video has all of Goldfrapp’s trademark f’d up imagery.Watch it while you can – it’s an unofficial YouTube post, so we won’t be surprised if it gets yanked.

Electronica acts Goldfrapp (right) & Depeche Mode lost out to Justin Timberlake for Best Dance Recording. Best Electronic/Dance Album went to Madonna for Confessions on a Dance Floor, over Goldfrapp, Paul Oakenfold, Pet Shop Boys and Zero 7. Even the Remix category was weak.

When the Grammies added an electronica category a couple of years ago, we had higher hopes than this.

Complete list of winners below:

For recordings released during the Eligibility Year
October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006

General Field

Category 1

Record Of The Year
(Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s), if other than the artist.)

* Be Without You
Mary J. Blige
Bryan-Michael Cox & Ron Fair producers; Danny Cheung, Tal Herzberg, Dave “Hard-Drive” Pensado & Allen Sides, engineers/mixers
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records]

* You’re Beautiful
James Blunt
Tom Rothrock, producer; Tom Rothrock & Mike Tarantino, engineers/mixers
Track from: Back To Bedlam
[Custard/Atlantic]

* Not Ready To Make Nice
Dixie Chicks
Rick Rubin, producer; Richard Dodd, Jim Scott & Chris Testa, engineers/mixers
Track from: Taking The Long Way
[Open Wide/Columbia]

* Crazy
Gnarls Barkley
Danger Mouse, producer; Ben H. Allen, Danger Mouse & Kennie Takahashi, engineers/mixers
Track from: St. Elsewhere
[Downtown/Atlantic]

* Put Your Records On
Corinne Bailey Rae
Steve Chrisanthou, producer; Steve Chrisanthou & Jeremy Wheatley, engineers/mixers
Track from: Corinne Bailey Rae
[Capitol]

Category 2

Album Of The Year
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s)/Mixer(s) & Mastering Engineer(s), if other than the artist.)

* Taking The Long Way
Dixie Chicks
Rick Rubin, producer; Richard Dodd, Jim Scott & Chris Testa, engineers/mixers; Richard Dodd, mastering engineer
[Open Wide/Columbia]

* St. Elsewhere
Gnarls Barkley
Danger Mouse, producer; Ben H. Allen, Danger Mouse & Kennie Takahashi, engineers/mixers; Mike Lazer, mastering engineer
[Downtown/Atlantic]

* Continuum
John Mayer
Steve Jordan & John Mayer, producers; John Alagia, Michael Brauer, Joe Ferla, Chad Franscoviak, Manny Marroquin & Dave O’Donnell, engineers/mixers; Greg Calbi, mastering engineer
[Aware/Columbia]

* Stadium Arcadium
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rick Rubin, producer; Ryan Hewitt, Mark Linett & Andrew Scheps, engineers/mixers; Vlado Meller, mastering engineer
[Warner Bros.]

* FutureSex/LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake
Nate (Danja) Hills, Jawbreakers, Rick Rubin, Timbaland & Justin Timberlake, producers; Jimmy Douglass, Serban Ghenea, Padraic Kerin, Jason Lader, Andrew Scheps, Timbaland & Ethan Willoughby, engineers/mixers; Herb Powers, Jr., mastering engineer
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

Category 3

Song Of The Year
(A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Be Without You
Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters (Mary J. Blige)
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records; Publishers: Chrysalis Music, Mary J. Blige Music, Naked Under My Clothes Music, Universal Music Corp., Babyboy's Little Publishing, Jason's Lyrics, Noontime South, Reach Global Tunes, WB Music.]

* Jesus, Take The Wheel
Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Some Hearts
[Arista/Arista Nashville/19; Publishers: Dimensional Music of 1091/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Raylene Music/BPJ Administration, No Such Music, Passing Stranger Music/1609 Songs/Music of Windswept.]

* Not Ready To Make Nice
Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Dixie Chicks)
Track from: Taking The Long Way
[Open Wide/Columbia; Publishers: Scrapin' Toast Music, Woolly Puddin' Music, Chrysalis Music, Sugar Lake Music.]

* Put Your Records On
John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriters (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Track from: Corinne Bailey Rae
[Capitol; Publisher: Global Talent Publishing.]

* You’re Beautiful
James Blunt, Amanda Ghost & Sacha Skarbek, songwriters (James Blunt)
Track from: Back To Bedlam
[Custard/Atlantic; Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, David Platz Music.]

Category 4

Best New Artist
(For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.)

* James Blunt

* Chris Brown

* Imogen Heap

* Corinne Bailey Rae

* Carrie Underwood

Field 1 — Pop

Category 5

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Ain’t No Other Man
Christina Aguilera
Track from: Back To Basics
[RCA Records]

* Unwritten
Natasha Bedingfield
Track from: Unwritten
[Epic/Phonogenic]

* You Can Close Your Eyes
Sheryl Crow
Track from: Sheryl Crow Artist’s Choice Deluxe Edition
[Hear Music/Universal Music]

* Stupid Girls
Pink
Track from: I’m Not Dead
[LaFace/Zomba Label Group]

* Black Horse And The Cherry Tree
KT Tunstall
[Relentless/Virgin]

Category 6

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* You’re Beautiful
James Blunt
Track from: Back To Bedlam
[Custard/Atlantic]

* Save Room
John Legend
Track from: Once Again
[Columbia/GOOD/Sony Urban]

* Waiting On The World To Change
John Mayer
Track from: Continuum
[Aware/Columbia]

* Jenny Wren
Paul McCartney
Track from: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
[Capitol]

* Bad Day
Daniel Powter
Track from: Daniel Powter
[Warner Bros.]

Category 7

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
(For established duos or groups, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* My Humps
The Black Eyed Peas
Track from: Monkey Business
[A&M Records]

* I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Death Cab For Cutie
Track from: Plans
[Atlantic Records]

* Over My Head (Cable Car)
The Fray
Track from: How To Save A Life
[Epic]

* Is It Any Wonder?
Keane
Track from: Under The Iron Sea
[Interscope Records]

* Stickwitu
The Pussycat Dolls
Track from: PCD
[A&M Records]

Category 8

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
(For a collaborative performance, with vocals, by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)

* For Once In My Life
Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder
Track from: Duets: An American Classic
[RPM Records/Columbia]

* One
Mary J. Blige & U2
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen/Matriarch Records]

* Always On Your Side
Sheryl Crow & Sting
Track from: Wildflower
[A&M Records]

* Promiscuous
Nelly Furtado & Timbaland
Track from: Loose
[Geffen/Mosley Music Group]

* Hips Don’t Lie
Shakira & Wyclef Jean
Track from: Oral Fixation Vol. 2
[Epic]

Category 9

Best Pop Instrumental Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Mornin’
George Benson (& Al Jarreau)
Track from: Givin’ It Up
[Concord Records/Monster Music]

* Drifting
Enya
Track from: Amarantine
[Reprise]

* Subterfuge
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
Track from: The Hidden Land
[Columbia/Legacy]

* Song H
Bruce Hornsby
Track from: Intersections: 1985 – 2005
[RCA Legacy]

* My Favorite Things
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
Track from: Dig That Crazy Christmas
[Surfdog Records]

Category 10

Best Pop Instrumental Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* New Beginnings
Gerald Albright
[Peak Records]

* Fire Wire
Larry Carlton
[Bluebird/RCA Victor]

* X
Fourplay
[Bluebird/RCA Victor]

* Fingerprints
Peter Frampton
[A&M Records/New Door Records]

* Wrapped In A Dream
Spyro Gyra
[Heads Up International]

Category 11

Best Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Back To Basics
Christina Aguilera
[RCA Records]

* Back To Bedlam
James Blunt
[Custard/Atlantic]

* The River In Reverse
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
[Verve Forecast]

* Continuum
John Mayer
[Aware/Columbia]

* FutureSex/LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

Field 2 — Dance

Category 12

Best Dance Recording
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.)

* Suffer Well
Depeche Mode
Ben Hillier, producer; Steve Fitzmaurice & Ben Hillier, mixers
Track from: Playing The Angel
[Sire/Reprise/Mute]

* Ooh La La
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp, producers; Mark “Spike” Stent, mixer
Track from: Supernature
[Mute]

* Get Together
Madonna
Madonna & Stuart Price, producers; Mark “Spike” Stent, mixer
Track from: Confessions On A Dance Floor
[Warner Bros.]

* I’m With Stupid
Pet Shop Boys
Trevor Horn, producer; Robert Orton, mixer
Track from: Fundamental
[Rhino Entertainment]

* Sexy Back
Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
Nate (Danja) Hills, Timbaland & Justin Timberlake, producers; Jimmy Douglass, mixer
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

Category 13

Best Electronic/Dance Album
(For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.)

* Supernature
Goldfrapp
[Mute]

* Confessions On A Dance Floor
Madonna
[Warner Bros.]

* A Lively Mind
Oakenfold
[Maverick]

* Fundamental
Pet Shop Boys
[Rhino Entertainment]

* The Garden
Zero 7
[Atlantic]

Field 3 — Traditional Pop

Category 14

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Duets: An American Classic
Tony Bennett
[RPM Records/Columbia]

* Caught In The Act
Michael Bublé
[143-Reprise]

* Wintersong
Sarah McLachlan
[Arista Records/Nettwerk]

* Bette Midler Sings The Peggy Lee Songbook
Bette Midler
[Columbia]

* Timeless Love
Smokey Robinson
[New Door Records]

Field 4 — Rock

Category 15

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Nausea
Beck
[Interscope Records]

* Someday Baby
Bob Dylan
Track from: Modern Times
[Columbia]

* Route 66
John Mayer
Track from: Cars — Soundtrack (Various Artists)
[Disney]

* Saving Grace
Tom Petty
Track from: Highway Companion
[American]

* Lookin’ For A Leader
Neil Young
Track from: Living With War
[Reprise]

Category 16

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
(For duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Talk
Coldplay
Track from: X&Y
[Capitol]

* How To Save A Life
The Fray
Track from: How To Save A Life
[Epic]

* Steady, As She Goes
The Raconteurs
Track from: Broken Boy Soldiers
[V2/Third Man Records]

* Dani California
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Track from: Stadium Arcadium
[Warner Bros.]

* The Saints Are Coming
U2 & Green Day
[Interscope Records/Warner Bros.]

Category 17

Best Hard Rock Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Crazy B****
Buckcherry
[Eleven Seven Music]

* Every Day Is Exactly The Same
Nine Inch Nails
Track from: With Teeth
[nothing/Interscope Records]

* Lonely Day
System Of A Down
Track from: Hypnotize
[American/Columbia]

* Vicarious
Tool
Track from: 10,000 Days
[Volcano/Zomba Label Group]

* Woman
Wolfmother
Track from: Wolfmother
[Modular/Interscope Records]

Category 18

Best Metal Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Redneck
Lamb Of God
Track from: Sacrament
[Epic]

* Colony Of Birchmen
Mastodon
Track from: Blood Mountain
[Reprise/Relapse Records]

* Lies, Lies, Lies
Ministry
Track from: Rio Grande Blood
[13th Planet Records/Megaforce Records]

* Eyes Of The Insane
Slayer
Track from: Christ Illusion
[American]

* 30/30-150
Stone Sour
[Roadrunner Records]

Category 19

Best Rock Instrumental Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Chun Li’s Flying Bird Kick
Arctic Monkeys
[Domino Recording]

* The Wizard Turns On…
The Flaming Lips
Track from: At War With The Mystics
[Warner Bros.]

* Black Hole Sun
Peter Frampton
[A&M Records/New Door Records]

* Castellorizon
David Gilmour
Track from: On An Island
[Columbia]

* Super Colossal
Joe Satriani
Track from: Super Colossal
[Epic]

Category 20

Best Rock Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Rock, Hard Rock & Metal songs. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Chasing Cars
Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Tom Simpson & Paul Wilson, songwriters (Snow Patrol)
Track from: Eyes Open
[A&M Records; Publisher: Big Life Music.]

* Dani California
Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith, songwriters (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Track from: Stadium Arcadium
[Warner Bros.; Publisher: Moebetoblame Music.]

* Lookin’ For A Leader
Neil Young, songwriter (Neil Young)
Track from: Living With War
[Reprise; Publisher: Silver Fiddle Music.]

* Someday Baby
Bob Dylan, songwriter (Bob Dylan)
Track from: Modern Times
[Columbia; Publisher: Bob Dylan.]

* When You Were Young
Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer & Ronnie Vannucci, songwriters (The Killers)
[Island Records; Publisher: Universal-Polygram Int.]

Category 21

Best Rock Album
(Vocal or Instrumental. Includes Hard Rock and Metal.)

* Try!
John Mayer Trio
[Aware/Columbia]

* Highway Companion
Tom Petty
[American]

* Broken Boy Soldiers
The Raconteurs
[V2/Third Man Records]

* Stadium Arcadium
Red Hot Chili Peppers
[Warner Bros.]

* Living With War
Neil Young
[Reprise]

Field 5 — Alternative

Category 22

Best Alternative Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
Arctic Monkeys
[Domino Recording]

* At War With The Mystics
The Flaming Lips
[Warner Bros.]

* St. Elsewhere
Gnarls Barkley
[Downtown/Atlantic]

* Show Your Bones
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
[Interscope Records]

* The Eraser
Thom Yorke
[XL Recordings]

Field 6 — R&B

Category 23

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Ring The Alarm
Beyoncé
Track from: B’Day
[Sony Urban Music/Columbia]

* Be Without You
Mary J. Blige
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records]

* Don’t Forget About Us
Mariah Carey
Track from: The Emancipation Of Mimi (Ultra Platinum Edition)
[Island Records]

* Day Dreaming
Natalie Cole
Track from: Leavin’
[Verve Records]

* I Am Not My Hair
India.Arie
Track from: Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
[Motown Records]

Category 24

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Heaven
John Legend
Track from: Once Again
[Columbia/GOOD/Sony Urban Music]

* So Sick
Ne-Yo
Track from: In My Own Words
[Def Jam Recordings]

* Black Sweat
Prince
Track from: 3121
[Universal Records]

* I Call It Love
Lionel Richie
Track from: Coming Home
[Island Def Jam Recordings]

* Got You Home
Luther Vandross
[J Records/Epic/Legacy Recordings]

Category 25

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
(For duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Breezin’
George Benson & Al Jarreau
Track from: Givin’ It Up
[Concord Records/Monster Music]

* Love Changes
Jamie Foxx Featuring Mary J. Blige
Track from: Unpredictable
[J Records]

* Everyday (Family Reunion)
Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Yolanda Adams & Carl Thomas
Track from: Madea’s Family Reunion — Music From The Motion Picture
[Motown Records]

* Family Affair
(Sly & The Family Stone), John Legend, Joss Stone With Van Hunt
Track from: Different Strokes By Different Folks
[Epic/Legacy Recordings]

* Beautiful, Loved And Blessed
Prince & Támar
Track from: 3121
[Universal Records]

Category 26

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Christmas Time Is Here
Anita Baker
Track from: Christmas Fantasy
[Blue Note Records]

* God Bless The Child
George Benson & Al Jarreau Featuring Jill Scott
Track from: Givin’ It Up
[Concord Records/Monster Music]

* I Found My Everything
Mary J. Blige Featuring Raphael Saadiq
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records]

* You Are So Beautiful
Sam Moore Featuring Billy Preston, Zucchero, Eric Clapton & Robert Randolph
Track from: Overnight Sensational
[Rhino Entertainment]

* How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
The Temptations
Track from: Reflections
[New Door Records]

Category 27

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Crazy
Gnarls Barkley
Track from: St. Elsewhere
[Downtown/Atlantic]

* That Heat
Segio Mendes Featuring Erykah Badu & Will.i.am
Track from: Timeless
[Concord Records/Hear Music]

* Mas Que Nada
Sergio Mendes Featuring The Black Eyed Peas
Track from: Timeless
[Concord Records/Hear Music/Will.i.am music]

* Idlewild Blue (Don’t Chu Worry ‘Bout Me)
Outkast
Track from: Idlewild
[La Face Records/Zomba Label Group]

* 3121
Prince
Track from: 3121
[Universal Records]

Category 28

Best R&B Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Be Without You
Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters (Mary J. Blige)
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records; Publishers: Chrysalis Music, Mary J. Blige Music, Naked Under My Clothes Music, Universal Music Corp., Babyboy's Little Publishing, Jason's Lyrics, Noontime South, Reach Global Tunes, WB Music.]

* Black Sweat
Prince, songwriter (Prince)
Track from: 3121
[Universal Records; Publisher: Controversy Music.]

* Deja Vu
Shawn Carter, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Beyoncé Knowles, Makeba Riddick, Keli Nicole Price, Delisha Thomas & John Webb songwriters (Beyoncé Featuring Jay-Z)
[Sony Urban Music/Columbia; Publishers: Beyoncé Publishing, EMI Blackwood Music, 23000 Music Publishing, Makeba Yoga Flames Music/Janice Combs Publishing/EMI Blackwood, Price Tag, EMI April Music/Carter Boys Publishing.]

* Don’t Forget About Us
Johnta Austin, Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jermaine Dupri, songwriters (Mariah Carey)
Track from: The Emancipation Of Mimi (Ultra Platinum Edition)
[Island Records; Publishers: Rye Songs, Shaniah Cymone Music, EMI April Music, Babyboy's Little Publishing Company, Noontime South, Naked Under My Clothes, Chrysalis Music.]

* I Am Not My Hair
Drew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders & India Arie Simpson, songwriters (India.Arie)
Track from: Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
[Motown Records; Publishers: Gold & Iron Music, Wang Out Music Sony, Combustion Windswept, Noka International/Famous Music.]

Category 29

Best R&B Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* The Breakthrough
Mary J. Blige
[Geffen Records]

* Unpredictable
Jamie Foxx
[J Records]

* Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
India.Arie
[Motown Records]

* 3121
Prince
[Universal Republic]

* Coming Home
Lionel Richie
[Island Def Jam Recordings]

Category 30

Best Contemporary R&B Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* B’Day
Beyoncé
[Sony Urban Music/Columbia]

* Chris Brown
Chris Brown
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

* 20 Y.O.
Janet Jackson
[Virgin Records]

* Kelis Was Here
Kelis
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group/Dope Entertainment]

* In My Own Words
Ne-Yo
[Def Jam Recordings]

Field 7 — Rap

Category 31

Best Rap Solo Performance
(For a solo Rap performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Touch It
Busta Rhymes
Track from: The Big Bang
[Aftermath/Interscope Records]

* We Run This
Missy Elliott
Track from: The Cookbook
[Goldmind/Atlantic]

* Kick, Push
Lupe Fiasco
Track from: Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

* Undeniable
Mos Def
[Geffen Records]

* What You Know
T.I.
Track from: King
[Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

Category 32

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
(For duo, group or collaborative performances of Rap only. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Ridin
Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone
[Universal Records]

* Georgia
Ludacris & Field Mob (Featuring Jamie Foxx)
Track from: Ludacris Presents…Disturbing Tha Peace And From Field Mob — Light Poles And Pine Trees
[DTP/Geffen/Def Jam Recordings]

* Grillz
Nelly Featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp
Track from: Sweatsuit
[Universal Records]

* Mighty “O”
Outkast
[La Face/Zomba Label Group]

* Don’t Feel Right
The Roots
[Def Jam Recordings]

Category 33

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
(For a Rap/Sung collaborative performance by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Smack That
Akon Featuring Eminem
[SRC/Universal Records]

* Deja Vu
Beyoncé Featuring Jay-Z
[Sony Urban Music/Columbia]

* Shake That
Eminem Featuring Nate Dogg
Track from: Curtain Call — The Hits
[Aftermath/Shady/Interscope Records]

* Unpredictable
Jamie Foxx Featuring Ludacris
Track from: Unpredictable
[J Records]

* My Love
Justin Timberlake Featuring T.I.
Track from: FutureSex/LoveSounds
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

Category 34

Best Rap Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* It’s Goin’ Down
Chadron Moore & Jasiel Robinson, songwriters (Yung Joc)
Track from: New Joc City
[Bad Boy South; Publishers: Granny Man Publishing, Malik/Mekhi Music, Basement Funk, Regina's Son Music.]

* Kick, Push
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, songwriter (Lupe Fiasco)
Track from: Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
[1st & 15th/Atlantic; Publishers: Hey Lu Chill Music/Heavy as Heaven, 1st & 15th Publishing/Mr. Lopez Music.]

* Money Maker
Christopher Bridges & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Ludacris Featuring Pharrell)
Track from: Release Therapy
[Disturbing The Peace/Def Jam Recordings; Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, Waters of Nazareth Publishing.]

* Ridin
Anthony Henderson, Juan Carlos Salinas, Oscar Salinas & Hakeem Seriki, songwriters
(Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone)
[Universal Records; Publishers: Chamilitary Camp Music, Play-N-Skilz Music, EMI Publishing.]

* What You Know
Gabriel Arillo, Aldrian Davis & Clifford Harris, songwriters; (Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, Curtis Mayfield & Billy Roberts, songwriters) (T.I.)
Track from: King
[Grand Hustle/Atlantic; Publishers: Club Crown Publishing, Toomp Stone Publishing, Careers-BMG Music, WB Music Corp., Warner-Tamerlane Publishing.]

Category 35

Best Rap Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

* Release Therapy
Ludacris
[Disturbing Tha Peace]

* In My Mind
Pharrell
[Star Trak/Interscope Records]

* Game Theory
The Roots
[Def Jam Recordings]

* King
T.I.
[Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

Field 8 — Country

Category 36

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Kerosene
Miranda Lambert
Track from: Kerosene
[Epic]

* I Still Miss Someone
Martina McBride
[RCA Nashville]

* Something’s Gotta Give
LeAnn Rimes
Track from: This Woman
[Curb Records]

* Jesus, Take The Wheel
Carrie Underwood
Track from: Some Hearts
[Arista/Arista Nashville/19]

* I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today
Gretchen Wilson
[Epic Nashville]

Category 37

Best Male Country Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Every Mile A Memory
Dierks Bentley
[Capitol Records Nashville]

* The Reason Why
Vince Gill
[MCA Nashville]

* The Seashores Of Old Mexico
George Strait
Track from: Somewhere Down In Texas
[MCA Nashville]

* Would You Go With Me
Josh Turner
Track from: Your Man
[MCA Nashville]

* Once In A Lifetime
Keith Urban
[Capitol Records Nashville]

Category 38

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
(For established duos or groups with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Not Ready To Make Nice
Dixie Chicks
Track from: Taking The Long Way
[Open Wide/Columbia]

* Heaven’s My Home
The Duhks
Track from: Migrations
[Sugar Hill Records]

* Boondocks
Little Big Town
Track from: The Road To Here
[Equity Music Group]

* What Hurts The Most
Rascal Flatts
Track from: Me And My Gang
[Lyric Street Records]

* Leave The Pieces
The Wreckers
Track from: Stand Still — Look Pretty
[Maverick]

Category 39

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
(For a collaborative performance, with vocals, by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Who Says You Can’t Go Home
Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles
Track from: Have A Nice Day
[Island]

* Tomorrow Is Forever
Solomon Burke & Dolly Parton
Track from: Nashville
[Shout! Factory]

* Calling Me
Kenny Rogers & Don Henley
Track from: Water & Bridges
[Capitol Records Nashville]

* Midnight Angel
Rhonda Vincent & Bobby Osborne
Track from: All American Bluegrass Girl
[Rounder]

* Love Will Always Win
Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks
Track from: Jasper County
[MCA Nashville]

Category 40

Best Country Instrumental Performance
(For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Jerusalem Ridge
Casey Driessen
Track from: 3D
[Sugar Hill Records]

* Gameshow Rag/Cannonball Rag
Tommy Emmanuel
Track from: The Mystery
[Favored Nations Acoustic]

* Whiskey Before Breakfast
Bryan Sutton & Doc Watson
Track from: Not Too Far From The Tree
[Sugar Hill Records]

* The Eleventh Reel
Chris Thile
Track from: How To Grow A Woman From The Ground
[Sugar Hill Records]

* Nature Of The Beast
Jim VanCleve
Track from: No Apologies
[Rural Rhythm Records]

Category 41

Best Country Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Every Mile A Memory
Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard, songwriters (Dierks Bentley)
[Capitol Records Nashville; Publishers: Big White Tracks Music, Home with the Armadillo Music, Ensign Music, Rancho Papa Music.]

* I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today
Matraca Berg & Jim Collins, songwriters (Gretchen Wilson)
[Epic Nashville; Publishers: Songs of Universal, Hannaberg Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, Hope-N-Cal Music.]

* Jesus, Take The Wheel
Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Some Hearts
[Arista/Arista Nashville/19; Publishers: Dimensional Music of 1091/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Raylene Music/BPJ Administration, No Such Music, Passing Stranger Music/1609 Songs/Music of Windswept.]

* Like Red On A Rose
Melanie Castleman & Robert Lee Castleman, songwriters (Alan Jackson)
Track from: Like Red On A Rose
[Arista Nashville/Sony BMG; Publishers: Farm Use Only Music, Cassamel Music.]

* What Hurts The Most
Steve Robson & Jeffrey Steele, songwriters (Rascal Flatts)
Track from: Me And My Gang
[Lyric Street Records; Publishers: Gottahaveable Music, Songs of Windswept Pacific, Almo Music.]

Category 42

Best Country Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Taking The Long Way
Dixie Chicks
[Open Wide/Columbia]

* Like Red On A Rose
Alan Jackson
[Arista Nashville/Sony BMG]

* The Road To Here
Little Big Town
[Equity Music Group]

* You Don’t Know Me: The Songs Of Cindy Walker
Willie Nelson
[Lost Highway]

* Your Man
Josh Turner
[MCA Nashville]

Category 43

Best Bluegrass Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Long List Of Heartaches
The Grascals
[Rounder]

* Bluegrass
Jim Lauderdale
[Yep Roc]

* Instrumentals
Ricky Skaggs And Kentucky Thunder
[Skaggs Family Records]

* Live At The Ryman
Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives
[Superlatone Records/Universal South Records]

* All American Bluegrass Girl
Rhonda Vincent
[Rounder]

Field 9 — New Age

Category 44

Best New Age Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* A Posteriori
Enigma
[Virgin Records]

* Amarantine
Enya
[Reprise]

* Beyond Words
Gentle Thunder With Will Clipman & AmoChip Dabney
[Delvian Records / GT Productions]

* Elements Series: Fire
Peter Kater
[Real Music]

* The Magical Journeys Of Andreas Vollenweider
Andreas Vollenweider
[Kin Kou/SLG Records]

Field 10 — Jazz

Category 45

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* The Hidden Land
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
[Columbia]

* People People Music Music
Groove Collective
[Savoy Jazz Worldwide]

* Rewind That
Christian Scott
[Concord Jazz]

* Sexotica
Sex Mob
[Thirsty Ear Recordings, Inc.]

* Who Let The Cats Out?
Mike Stern
[Heads Up]

Category 46

Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Footprints
Karrin Allyson
[Concord Jazz]

* Easy To Love
Roberta Gambarini
[Groovin' High/Kindred Rhythm]

* Live At Jazz Standard With Fred Hersch
Nancy King
[Maxjazz]

* From This Moment On
Diana Krall
[Verve]

* Turned To Blue
Nancy Wilson
[MCG Jazz]

Category 47

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
(For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter’s name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Some Skunk Funk
Michael Brecker, soloist
Track from: Some Skunk Funk (Randy Brecker w/Michael Brecker)
[Telarc Jazz/BHM]

* Paq Man
Paquito D’Rivera, soloist
Track from: From The Heart (Hilario Duran And His Latin Jazz Big Band)
[Alma Records]

* Freedom Jazz Dance
Taylor Eigsti, soloist
Track from: Lucky To Be Me
[Concord Jazz]

* Hippidy Hop (Drum Solo)
Roy Haynes, soloist
Track from: Whereas
[Dreyfus Jazz]

* Hope
Branford Marsalis, soloist
Track from: Braggtown
[Marsalis Music/Rounder]

Category 48

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* Sound Grammar
Ornette Coleman
[Sound Grammar]

* The Ultimate Adventure
Chick Corea
[Stretch Records]

* Trio Beyond — Saudades
Jack DeJohnette, Larry Goldings & John Scofield
[ECM]

* Beyond The Wall
Kenny Garrett
[Nonesuch]

* Sonny, Please
Sonny Rollins
[Doxy Records]

Category 49

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(For large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* Some Skunk Funk
Randy Brecker With Michael Brecker, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Peter Erskine, Marcio Doctor & Vince Mendoza conducting The WDR Big Band Köln
[Telarc Jazz/BHM]

* Spirit Music
Bob Brookmeyer — New Art Orchestra
[ArtistShare]

* Streams Of Expression
Joe Lovano Ensemble
[Blue Note Records]

* Live In Tokyo At The Blue Note
Mingus Big Band
[Sunnyside/Sue Mingus Music]

* Up From The Skies — Music Of Jim McNeely
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
[Planet Arts Recordings]

Category 50

Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Codes
Ignacio Berroa
[Blue Note Records]

* Cubist Music
Edsel Gomez
[Zoho]

* Simpático
The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project
[ArtistShare]

* Absolute Quintet
Dafnis Prieto
[Zoho]

* Viva
Diego Urcola, Edward Simon, Avishai Cohen, Antonio Sanchez & Pernell Saturnino
[CAM Jazz]

Field 11 — Gospel

Category 51

Best Gospel Performance
(For solo, duo, group as collaborative performances. Singles or tracks with vocal containing Gospel lyrics. All genres of Gospel music are eligible.)

* Victory
Yolanda Adams
Track from: The Gospel — Soundtrack
[Verity Records]

* Not Forgotten
Israel & New Breed
Track from: Alive In South Africa
[Integrity Gospel]

* The Blessing Of Abraham
Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
Track from: Finale Act One
[EMI Gospel]

* Made To Worship
Chris Tomlin
Track from: See The Morning
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]

* Victory
Tye Tribbett & G.A.
Track from: Victory Live!
[Columbia, Sony Urban]

Category 52

Best Gospel Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* The Blessing Of Abraham
Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers)
Track from: Finale Act One
[EMI Gospel; Publishers: QW Songs, Zomba Publishing.]

* Imagine Me
Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)
[Fo Yo Soul/Verity/Zomba; Publishers: Zomba Songs, Kerrion Publishing, Lilly Mack Music.]

* Mountain Of God
Brown Bannister & Mac Powell, songwriters (Third Day)
Track from: Wherever You Are
[Essential Records; Publishers: Vandura 2500 Songs, New Spring (Zomba), Banistuci Music.]

* Not Forgotten
Israel Houghton & Aaron Lindsey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed)
Track from: Alive In South Africa
[Integrity Gospel; Publishers: Sound of the New Breed, Integrity's Praise! Music, Aaron Lindsey Publishing.]

* Victory
Tye Tribbett, songwriter (Tye Tribbett & G.A.)
Track from: Victory Live!
[Columbia, Sony Urban; Publisher: G.A.S. Music.]

Category 53

Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* DecembeRadio
DecembeRadio
[Slanted Records]

* Where The Past Meets Today
Sarah Kelly
[Gotee Records]

* Turn Around
Jonny Lang
[A&M Records]

* End Of Silence
Red
[Essential Records]

* Bone-A-Fide
T-Bone
[Bone Yard/Flicker Records]

Category 54

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Sound Of Melodies
Leeland
[Essential Records]

* Coming Up To Breathe
MercyMe
[INO Records]

* Wherever You Are
Third Day
[Essential Records]

* See The Morning
Chris Tomlin
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]

* Introducing Ayiesha Woods
Ayiesha Woods
[Gotee Records]

Category 55

Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Kenny Bishop
Kenny Bishop
[Daywind Records]

* Give It Away
Gaither Vocal Band
[Gaither Music Group]

* Precious Memories
Alan Jackson
[ACR Records/Arista Nashville]

* The Promised Land
The Del McCoury Band
[McCoury Music]

* Glory Train
Randy Travis
[Word Records/Curb/Warner Bros.]

Category 56

Best Traditional Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* An Invitation To Worship
Byron Cage
[Zomba/Gospocentric]

* Paved The Way
The Caravans
[Malaco Records]

* Still Keeping It Real
The Dixie Hummingbirds
[MCG Records]

* Alive In South Africa
Israel & New Breed
[Integrity Gospel]

* Finalé Act One
Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
[EMI Gospel]

Category 57

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Set Me Free
Myron Butler & Levi
[EMI Gospel]

* Hero
Kirk Franklin
[Fo Yo Soul/Zomba]

* A Timeless Christmas
Israel And New Breed
[Integrity Gospel]

* This Is Me
Kierra Kiki Sheard
[EMI Gospel]

* Victory Live!
Tye Tribbett & G.A.
[Columbia, Sony Urban]

Field 12 — Latin

Category 58

Best Latin Pop Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Adentro
Arjona
[Norte/Sony BMG]

* Lo Que Trajo El Barco
Obie Bermúdez
[EMI/Televisa]

* Individual
Fulano
[FM Records]

* Trozos De Mi Alma 2
Marco Antonio Solis
[Fonovisa Records]

* Limón Y Sal
Julieta Venegas
[Norte/Sony BMG]

Category 59

Best Latin Rock, Alternative Or Urban Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Lo Demás Es Plástico
Black:Guayaba
[OLE Music]

* The Underdog/El Subestimado
Tego Calderón
[Jiggiri/Atlantic]

* Calle 13
Calle 13
[Norte/Sony BMG]

* Superpop Venezuela
Los Amigos Invisibles
[Gozadera Records]

* Amar Es Combatir
Maná
[Warner Music Latina]

Category 60

Best Tropical Latin Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Fuzionando
Oscar D’Leon
[Norte/Sony BMG]

* Salsatón: Salsa Con Reggaetón
Andy Montañez
[Univision Music Group]

* Hoy, Mañana Y Siempre
Tito Nieves
[Univision Music Group]

* Directo Al Corazón
Gilberto Santa Rosa
[Norte/Sony BMG]

* What You’ve Been Waiting For — Lo Que Esperabas
Tiempo Libre
[Shanachie Entertainment]

Category 61

Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Historias De Mi Tierra
Pepe Aguilar
[Norte/Sony BMG]

* No Es Brujería
Ana Bárbara
[Fonovisa Records]

* 25 Aniversario
Mariachi Sol De Mexico De José Hernández
[Venemusic]

* A Toda Ley
Pablo Montero
[Univision Records]

* Orgullo De Mujer
Alicia Villarreal
[Universal]

Category 62

Best Tejano Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Sigue El Taconazo
Chente Barrera y Taconazo
[Q-Vo Records]

* It’s…All Right
Jimmy Edward
[On The Edge]

* Live In Session
Bob Gallarza
[On The Edge]

* All Of Me
Jay Perez
[Tejas Records]

* Rebecca Valadez
Rebecca Valadez
[AMI Records Latin]

Category 63

Best Norteño Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Algo De Mí
Conjunto Primavera
[Fonovisa Records]

* Puro Pa’ Arriba
Los Huracanes Del Norte
[Univision Records]

* Historias Que Contar
Los Tigres Del Norte
[Fonovisa Records]

* Piénsame Un Momento
Pesado
[Warner Music Latina]

* Prefiero La Soledad
Retoño
[JB Records]

Category 64

Best Banda Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* 20 Mil Heridas
Banda Machos
[Warner Music Latina]

* Mas Fuerte Que Nunca
Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga
[Fonovisa Records]

* Amor Gitano
Cuisillos
[Musart]

* A Mucha Honra
Ezequiel Peña
[Fonovisa Records]

* Más Allá Del Sol
Joan Sebástian
[Musart]

Field 13 — Blues

Category 65

Best Traditional Blues Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Brother To The Blues
Tab Benoit With Louisiana’s Leroux
[Telarc Blues]

* Bronx In Blue
Dion
[Razor & Tie / The Orchard]

* People Gonna Talk
James Hunter
[Go Records/Rounder]

* Guitar Groove-A-Rama
Duke Robillard
[Stony Plain Records]

* Risin’ With The Blues
Ike Turner
[Zoho Roots]

Category 66

Best Contemporary Blues Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Live From Across The Pond
Robert Cray Band
[Vanguard Records/Nozzle Records]

* Sippiana Hericane
Dr. John & The Lower 911
[Blue Note Records]

* Suitcase
Keb’ Mo’
[Epic/One Haven/Red Ink]

* Hope And Desire
Susan Tedeschi
[Verve Forecast]

* After The Rain
Irma Thomas
[Rounder]

Field 14 — Folk

Category 67

Best Traditional Folk Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* I Stand Alone
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
[Anti]

* Gonna Let It Shine
Odetta
[M.C. Records]

* Adieu False Heart
Linda Ronstadt & Ann Savoy
[Vanguard Records]

* We Shall Overcome — The Seeger Sessions
Bruce Springsteen
[Columbia]

* A Distant Land To Roam
Ralph Stanley
[Columbia/DMZ]

Category 68

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Solo Acoustic Vol. 1
Jackson Browne
[Inside Recordings]

* Black Cadillac
Rosanne Cash
[Capitol]

* Workbench Songs
Guy Clark
[Dualtone Music Group]

* Modern Times
Bob Dylan
[Columbia]

* All The Roadrunning
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
[Warner Bros./Nonesuch]

Category 69

Best Native American Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Voice Of The Drum
Black Eagle
[Soar]

* Heart Of The Wind
Robert Tree Cody & Will Clipman
[Canyon Records]

* American Indian Story
Jana
[Soar]

* Long Winter Nights
Northern Cree & Friends
[Canyon Records]

* Dance With The Wind
Mary Youngblood
[Silver Wave Records]

Category 70

Best Hawaiian Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Generation Hawai’i
Amy Hanaiali’i
[Hanaiali'i Records]

* Grandmaster Slack Key Guitar
Ledward Ka’apana
[Rhythm And Roots Records]

* The Wild Hawaiian
Henry Kapono
[Eclectic Records]

* Hawaiian Slack Key Kings
Various Artists
Chris Lau & Milton Lau, producers
[Rhythm And Roots Records]

* Legends Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar — Live From Maui
Various Artists
Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers
[Daniel Ho Creations]

Field 15 — Reggae

Category 71

Best Reggae Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Too Bad
Buju Banton
[Gargamel Music, Inc.]

* Love Is My Religion
Ziggy Marley
[Tuff Gong Worldwide]

* Youth
Matisyahu
[Epic/Or/JDub]

* Rhythm Doubles
Sly & Robbie
[Taxi Records]

* Who You Fighting For
UB40
[Rhino Entertainment]

Field 16 — World Music

Category 72

Best Traditional World Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Music Of Central Asia Vol. 2: Invisible Face Of The Beloved: Classical Music Of The Tajiks And Uzbeks
The Academy Of Maqâm
[Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]

* Endless Vision
Hossein Alizadeh & Djivan Gasparyan
[World Village]

* Hambo In The Snow
Andrea Hoag, Loretta Kelley & Charlie Pilzer
[Azalea City Recordings]

* Golden Strings Of The Sarode
Aashish Khan & Zakir Hussain
[Moment Records]

* Blessed
Soweto Gospel Choir
[Shanachie]

Category 73

Best Contemporary World Music Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Tiki
Richard Bona
[Decca]

* M’Bemba
Salif Keita
[Decca]

* Wonder Wheel – Lyrics by Woody Guthrie
The Klezmatics
[Jewish Music Group]

* Long Walk To Freedom
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
[Heads Up International]

* Savane
Ali Farka Toure
[World Circuit/Nonesuch]

Field 17 — Polka

Category 74

Best Polka Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* Batteries Not Included
Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones
[Bel-Aire Records]

* As Sweet As Candy
Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push
[Push Records]

* Party Dress
LynnMarie & The Boxhounds
[Squeeze Record]

* Good Friends Good Music
Walter Ostanek & Fred Ziwich
[Ranch Recordings]

* Polka In Paradise
Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra
[Rounder]

Field 18 — Children’s

Category 75

Best Musical Album For Children
(For albums consisting of predominantly music or song vs. spoken word.)

* Baby Einstein Meet The Orchestra
Various Artists
Ted Kryczko & Ed Mitchell, producers
[Walt Disney Records]

* Beethoven’s Wig 3: Many More Sing Along Symphonies
Beethoven’s Wig
[Rounder]

* Catch That Train!
Dan Zanes And Friends
[Festival Five Records]

* My Best Day
Trout Fishing In America
[Trout Records]

* The Sunny Side Of The Street
John Lithgow
[Razor & Tie]

Category 76

Best Spoken Word Album For Children
(For albums consisting of predominantly spoken word vs. music or song.)

* Blah Blah Blah: Stories About Clams, Swamp Monsters, Pirates & Dogs
Bill Harley
[Round River Records/Empyrean Records]

* Christmas In The Trenches
John McCutcheon
[Peachtree Press]

* Disney’s Little Einsteins Musical Missions
Various Artists
Ted Kryczko & Ed Mitchell, producers
[Walt Disney Records]

* Peter Pan
Jim Dale
[Listening Library]

* The Witches
Lynn Redgrave
[Harper Children's Audio]

Field 19 — Spoken Word

Category 77

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)
(Narrated/dramatized books include authors’ names in parenthesis for identification.)

* I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This! (Bob Newhart)
Bob Newhart
[Hyperion Audiobooks]

* New Rules — Polite Musings From A Timid Observer
Bill Maher
[Phoenix Audio]

* Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis (Jimmy Carter)
Jimmy Carter
[Simon & Schuster Audio]

* The Truth (With Jokes) (Al Franken)
Al Franken
[Brilliance Audio]

* With Ossie And Ruby: In This Life Together (Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee)
Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee
[Time Warner]

Field 20 — Comedy

Category 78

Best Comedy Album
(For comedy recordings, spoken or musical)

* Blue Collar Comedy Tour — One For The Road
Bill Engvall, Ron White, Jeff Foxworthy & Larry The Cable Guy
[Warner Bros.]

* The Carnegie Hall Performance
Lewis Black
[Comedy Central Records]

* Life Is Worth Losing
George Carlin
[Atlantic]

* Straight Outta Lynwood
“Weird Al” Yankovic
[Volcano/Zomba Label Group]

* You Can’t Fix Stupid
Ron White
[Image Entertainment]

Field 21 — Musical Show

Category 79

Best Musical Show Album
(Award to the Album Producer(s), and to the Lyricist(s) & Composer(s) of 51% or more of a new score. (Artist, Lyricist & Composer names appear in parenthesis.))

* The Color Purple
Jay David Saks, producer; Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell & Allee Willis, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast With LaChanze, Elisabeth Withers-Mendes & Others)
[Angel Records]

* The Drowsy Chaperone
Kurt Deutsch, Joel Moss & Phil Reno, producers; Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast With Bob Martin, Sutton Foster, Beth Leavel & Others)
[Ghostlight]

* Jersey Boys
Bob Gaudio, producer (Bob Gaudio, composer; Bob Crewe, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast With Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer, John Lloyd Young & Others)
[Rhino]

* The Pajama Game
Harry Connick, Jr. & Tracey Freeman, producers (Richard Adler & Jerry Ross, composers/lyricists) (New Broadway Cast With Harry Connick, Jr., Kelli O’Hara & Others)
[Columbia]

* Sweeney Todd — The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Krasker, producer (Stephen Sondheim, composer/lyricist) (Broadway Cast With Patti LuPone, Michael Cerveris & Others)
[Nonesuch]

Field 22 — Film/TV/Visual Media

Category 80

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
(Award to the Artist(s) and/or Producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album, or to the individual(s) actively responsible for the concept and musical direction and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable.)

* Brokeback Mountain
Various Artists
Gustavo Santaolalla, producer
[Verve Forecast]

* Cars
Various Artists
Chris Montan & Randy Newman, producers
[Walt Disney Records/Pixar]

* Grey’s Anatomy — Volume 2
Various Artists
Mitchell Leib & Alexandra Patsavas, producers
[Hollywood Records]

* Little Miss Sunshine
Devotchka (& Various Artists)
Mychael Danna, producer
[Lakeshore Records]

* Walk The Line
Joaquin Phoenix (& Various Artists)
T Bone Burnett, producer
[Wind-Up Records]

Category 81

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
(Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current legitimate motion picture, television show or series or other visual media.)

* The Chronicles Of Narnia — The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Harry Gregson-Williams, composer
[Walt Disney Records]

* The Da Vinci Code
Hans Zimmer, composer
[Decca]

* Memoirs Of A Geisha
John Williams, composer
[Sony Classical]

* Munich
John Williams, composer
[Decca]

* Pirates Of The Caribbean — Dead Man’s Chest
Hans Zimmer, composer
[Walt Disney Records]

Category 82

Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
(A Songwriter(s) award. For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Can’t Take It In (From The Chronicles Of Narnia — The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe)
Imogen Heap, songwriter (Imogen Heap)
[Walt Disney Records; Publishers: Walt Disney Music, Rondor Music.]

* I Need To Wake Up (From An Inconvenient Truth)
Melissa Etheridge, songwriter (Melissa Etheridge)
[Island Def Jam; Publisher: Songs of Ridge Road.]

* Our Town (From Cars)
Randy Newman, songwriter (James Taylor)
[Walt Disney Records/Pixar; Publishers: Walt Disney Music, Pixar Talking Pictures.]

* There’s Nothing Like A Show On Broadway (From The Producers)
Mel Brooks, songwriter (Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick)
[Sony Classical; Publisher: Mel Brooks Music.]

* Travelin’ Thru (From Transamerica)
Dolly Parton, songwriter (Dolly Parton)
[Nettwerk Records; Publisher: Velvet Apple Music.]

Field 23 — Composing/Arranging

Category 83

Best Instrumental Composition
(A Composer’s Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Argument
Taylor Eigsti, composer (Taylor Eigsti)
Track from: Lucky To Be Me
[Concord Jazz]

* A Concerto In Swing
Patrick Williams, composer (The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra & Big Band)
Track from: Elevation
[Concord Records]

* A Prayer For Peace
John Williams, composer (John Williams)
Track from: Munich — Soundtrack
[Decca Records]

* Sayuri’s Theme And End Credits
John Williams, composer (John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma & Itzhak Perlman)
Track from: Memoirs Of A Geisha — Soundtrack
[Sony Classical]

* Valentine
Fred Hersch, composer (Fred Hersch)
Track from: In Amsterdam: Live At The Bimhuis
[Palmetto Records]

Category 84

Best Instrumental Arrangement
(An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes
Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)
Track from: The Phat Pack
[Immergent]

* Three Ghouls
Chick Corea, arranger (Chick Corea)
Track from: The Ultimate Adventure
[Stretch Records]

* Three Women
Gil Goldstein, arranger (Gil Goldstein)
Track from: Under Rousseau’s Moon
[Half Note]

* Tom & Eddie
Patrick Williams, arranger (The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra & Big Band)
Track from: Elevation
[Concord Records]

* Up From The Skies
Jim McNeely, arranger (The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra)
Track from: Up From The Skies — Music Of Jim McNeely
[Planet Arts Recordings]

Category 85

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
(An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* For Once In My Life
Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder)
Track from: Duets: An American Classic
[RPM Records/Columbia]

* Good Morning Heartache
Gil Goldstein & Greg Phillinganes, arrangers (Chris Botti & Jill Scott)
Track from: To Love Again — The Duets
[Columbia Records]

* My Flame Burns Blue (Blood Count)
Vince Mendoza, arranger (Elvis Costello With The Metropole Orkest)
Track from: My Flame Burns Blue
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Stardust
Slide Hampton, arranger (Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band)
Track from: Dizzy’s Business
[MCG Jazz]

* Suninga
Gil Goldstein, arranger (Gil Goldstein)
Track from: Under Rousseau’s Moon
[Half Note]

Field 24 — Package

Category 86

Best Recording Package

* The Best Worst-Case Scenario
Ryan Clark, art director (Fair)
[Tooth & Nail Records]

* Personal File
Randall Martin, art director (Johnny Cash)
[Columbia/Legacy Recordings]

* Reprieve
Ani DiFranco & Brian Grunert, art directors (Ani DiFranco)
[Righteous Babe Records]

* 10,000 Days
Adam Jones, art director (Tool)
[Tool Dissectional/Volcano/Zomba Label Group]

* Versions
Neal Ashby & Matthew Curry, art directors (Thievery Corporation)
[ESL Music]

Category 87

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package

* The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
Howard Fritzson, Dan Ichimoto & Seth Rothstein, art directors (Miles Davis)
[Columbia/Legacy Recordings]

* Fonotone Records
Susan Archie & Henry Owings, art directors (Various Artists)
[Dust-To-Digital]

* A Life Less Lived — The Gothic Box
Hugh Brown & Jean Krikorian, art directors (Various Artists)
[Rhino Entertainment]

* One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
Hugh Brown, Sheryl Farber & Maria Villar, art directors (Various Artists)
[Rhino Entertainment]

* Stadium Arcadium
Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith & Matt Taylor, art directors
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
[Warner Bros.]

Field 25 — Album Notes

Category 88

Best Album Notes

* Good For What Ails You: Music Of The Medicine Shows, 1926-1937
Marshall Wyatt, album notes writer (Various Artists)
[Old Hat Records]

* If You Got To Ask, You Ain’t Got It!
Dan Morgenstern, album notes writer (Fats Waller)
[Bluebird/Legacy Recordings]

* Lost Sounds: Blacks And The Birth Of The Recording Industry 1891-1922
Tim Brooks, album notes writer (Various Artists)
[Archeophone Records]

* Pirate Radio
Ben Edmonds, album notes writer (Pretenders)
[Rhino Entertainment/Warner Bros./Sire Records]

* There Is A Season
David Fricke, album notes writer (The Byrds)
[Columbia/Legacy Recordings]

Field 26 — Historical

Category 89

Best Historical Album

* Good For What Ails You: Music Of The Medicine Shows, 1926-1937
Marshall Wyatt, compilation producer; Christopher King & Robert Vosgien, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
[Old Hat Records]

* Lost Sounds: Blacks And The Birth Of The Recording Industry 1891-1922
Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Tim Brooks, David Giovannoni & Richard Martin, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
[Archeophone Records]

* One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found
Sheryl Farber & Gary Stewart, compilation producers; Dan Hersch, Bill Inglot & Dave Schultz, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
[Rhino Entertainment]

* Poetry On Record: 98 Poets Read Their Work (1888-2006)
Rebekah Presson Mosby, compilation producer; Randy Perry, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
[Shout! Factory]

* Rockin’ Bones: 1950’s Punk & Rockabilly
James Austin & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Bill Inglot & Dave Schultz, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
[Rhino Entertainment]

Field 27 — Production, Non-Classical

Category 90

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
(An Engineer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parenthesis.))

* Adieu False Heart
Gary Paczosa, engineer (Linda Ronstadt & Ann Savoy)
[Vanguard Records]

* At War With The Mystics
The Flaming Lips & Dave Fridmann, engineers (The Flaming Lips)
[Warner Bros. Records]

* Like Red On A Rose
Brandon Bell, Terry Christian & Gary Paczosa, engineers (Alan Jackson)
[Arista Nashville]

* The Phat Pack
Marcelo Pennell, Dean Sharenow & Tommy Vicari, engineers (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)
[Immergent]

* Suitcase
Rik Pekkonen & John Porter, engineers (Keb’ Mo’)
[Epic/One Haven/Red Ink]

Category 91

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
(A Producer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parenthesis.))

* Howard Benson
o Every Man For Himself (Hoobastank) (A)
o Flyleaf (Flyleaf) (A)
o In With The Out Crowd (Less Than Jake) (A)
o One-X (Three Days Grace) (A)
o The Paramour Sessions (Papa Roach) (A)
o Popaganda (Head Automatica) (A)
o Saosin (Saosin) (A)

* T Bone Burnett
o Thunderbird (Cassandra Wilson) (A)
o The True False Identity (T Bone Burnett) (A)
o Walk The Line — Soundtrack (Joaquin Phoenix & Various Artists) (A)

* Danger Mouse
o Pieces Of The People We Love (The Rapture) (T)
o St. Elsewhere (Gnarls Barkley) (A)

* Rick Rubin
o American V: A Hundred Highways (Johnny Cash) (A)
o God’s Gonna Cut You Down (Johnny Cash) (T)
o Stadium Arcadium (Red Hot Chili Peppers) (A)
o Taking The Long Way (Dixie Chicks) (A)
o 12 Songs (Neil Diamond) (A)

* Will.i.am
o About You (Mary J. Blige Featuring Will.i.am) (T)
o Big Girls Don’t Cry (Fergie) (T)
o Damn Girl (Justin Timberlake Featuring Will.i.am) (T)
o I Am Somebody (Santana Featuring Will.i.am) (T)
o I Love My B**** (Busta Rhymes Featuring Kelis & Will.i.am) (T)
o Mas Que Nada (Sergio Mendes Featuring The Black Eyed Peas) (T)
o Timeless (Sergio Mendes) (A)

Category 92

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
(A Remixer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parenthesis for identification.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Be Without You (Moto Blanco Vocal Mix)
Moto Blanco, remixer (Mary J. Blige)
[Geffen Records]

* Damage Thorn (Buick Project Remix)
Buick Project, remixers (Tiefschwarz & Tracey Thorn)
[Fine/Four Music Productions]

* Deja Vu (Freemasons Club Mix – No Rap)
Russell Small & James Wiltshire, remixers (Beyoncé)
[Columbia/Sony Urban Music]

* Talk (Thin White Duke Mix)
Jacques Lu Cont, remixer (Coldplay)
Track from: Talk Remix EP
[Capitol Records]

* World Hold On (E-Smoove Remix)
E-Smoove, remixer (Bob Sinclar)
[Tommy Boy Entertainment, LLC]

Field 28 — Surround Sound

Category 93

Best Surround Sound Album
(For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.)

* Immortal Nystedt
Morten Lindberg & Hans Peter L’Orange, surround mix engineers; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Ensemble 96 Conducted By Øystein Fevang)
[2L]

* Long Walk To Freedom
Martin Walters, surround mix engineer; Martin Walters, surround mastering engineer; Martin Walters, surround producer (Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
[Heads Up International]

* Morph The Cat
Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Donald Fagen, surround producer (Donald Fagen)
[Reprise Records]

* Straight Outta Lynwood
Tony Papa, surround mix engineer; Bernie Grundman, surround mastering engineer; Al Yankovic, surround producer (”Weird Al” Yankovic)
[Volcano/Zomba Label Group]

* A Valid Path
P.J. Olsson & Alan Parsons, surround mix engineers; Bob Michaels, surround mastering engineer; Alan Parsons, surround producer (Alan Parsons)
[Immergent]

Field 29 — Production, Classical

Category 94

Best Engineered Album, Classical
(An Engineer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.))

* Elgar: Enigma Variations; Britten: The Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra, Four Sea Interludes
Michael Bishop, engineer (Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
[Telarc]

* Látigo
Leslie Ann Jones & Judy Kirschner, engineers (Quartet San Francisco)
[Violinjazz Recordings]

* Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Wolf-Dieter Karwatky & Rainer Maillard, engineers (Pierre Boulez, Wiener Philharmoniker, Christine Schäfer, Michelle DeYoung & Wiener Singverein)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Requiem
John Newton, engineer (Craig Hella Johnson & Conspirare)
[Clarion Records]

* Vaughan Williams: Mass In G Min., And Other A Cappella Works
Jack Renner, engineer (Norman Mackenzie & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus)
[Telarc]

Category 95

Producer Of The Year, Classical
(A Producer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.))

* Manfred Eicher
o Honegger/Martinù/Bach/Pintscher/Ravel (Frank Peter Zimmermann & Heinrich Schiff)
o Kurtág: Kafka-Fragmente (Juliane Banse & András Keller)
o Nuove Musiche (Rolf Lislevand, Arianna Savall, Pedro Estevan, Bjørn Kjellemyr, Guido Morini, Marco Ambrosini & Thor-Harald Johnsen)
o Schubert: String Quartet G Maj. (Gidon Kremer & Kremerata Baltica)
o Silvestrov/Pärt/Ustvolskaya: Misterioso (Alexei Lubimov, Alexander Trostiansky & Kyrill Rybakov)

* Stephen Johns
o Angel Dances (12 Cellists Of Berliner Philharmoniker)
o Holst: The Planets (Sir Simon Rattle & Berliner Philharmoniker)
o Schubert: Symphony No. 9 ‘The Great’ (Sir Simon Rattle & Berliner Philharmoniker)
o Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 (Sarah Chang & Simon Rattle)
o Vivaldi: Flute Concertos (Emmanuel Pahud & Richard Tognetti)

* James Mallinson
o Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 (Bernard Haitink & London Symphony Orchestra)
o Elgar: The Dream Of Gerontius (Sir Colin Davis, Anne Sofie Von Otter, Alastair Miles, David Rendall, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra)
o Prokofiev: The Complete Symphonies (Valery Gergiev & London Symphony Orchestra)
o Sibelius: Kullervo (Sir Colin Davis, Monica Groop, Peter Mattei, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra)
o Smetana: Má Vlast (Sir Colin Davis & London Symphony Orchestra)

* Elaine Martone
o Del Tredici: Paul Revere’s Ride; Theofanidis: The Here And Now; Bernstein: Lamentation (Robert Spano, Norman Mackenzie, Hila Plitmann & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra And Chorus)
o Elgar: Enigma Variations; Britten: The Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra, Four Sea Interludes (Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
o Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue (Michel Camilo, Ernest Martinez Izquierdo & Barcelona Symphony Orchestra)
o Mahler: Symphony No. 1, Songs Of A Wayfarer (Benjamin Zander, Christopher Maltman & Philharmonia Orchestra)
o Renaissance Favorites For Guitar (David Russell)

* Sid McLauchlan
o Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 (Gustavo Dudamel & Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra Of Venezuela)
o Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears (Robert Spano, Kelley O’Connor, Women Of The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Dawn Upshaw)
o Italia, Ti Amo (Plácido Domingo, Eugene Kohn & Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra)
o Simple Gifts (Bryn Terfel)
o Wagner: Excerpts From ‘The Ring Of The Nibelung’ (Ben Heppner, Peter Schneider, Burkhard Ulrich & Staatskapelle Dresden)

Field 30 — Classical

Category 96

Best Classical Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) if other than the Artist.)

* Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9
Bernard Haitink, conductor; James Mallinson, producer (London Symphony Orchestra)
[LSO Live]

* Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto
David Starobin, producer (Justin Brown & Donald Palma; Michaela Fukacova, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson & William Purvis; Peter Serkin; The Odense Symphony Orchestra)
[Bridge Records, Inc.]

* Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Andreas Neubronner, producer (San Francisco Symphony)
[San Francisco Symphony]

* Martha Argerich And Friends: Live From The Lugano Festival 2005
Martha Argerich And Friends; Ulrich Ruscher, producer
[EMI Classics]

* Mozart: La Clemenza Di Tito
René Jacobs, conductor; Marie-Claude Chappuis, Bernarda Fink, Sergio Foresti, Sunhae Im, Mark Padmore & Alexandrina Pendatchanska; Martin Sauer, producer (Freiburger Barockorchester)
[Harmonia Mundi]

Category 97

Best Orchestral Performance
(Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.)

* Bax: Tone Poems
Vernon Handley, conductor (BBC Philharmonic)
[Chandos]

* Glazunov: Symphonies 4 & 7
José Serebrier, conductor (Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
[Warner Classics]

* Mahler: Symphony No. 6 In A Min.
Iván Fischer, conductor (Budapest Festival Orchestra)
[Channel Classics]

* Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
[San Francisco Symphony]

* Prokofiev: The Complete Symphonies
Valery Gergiev, conductor (London Symphony Orchestra)
[Philips]

Category 98

Best Opera Recording
(Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists.)

* Bennett: The Mines Of Sulphur
Stewart Robertson, conductor; Brian Anderson, Dorothy Byrne, Beth Clayton, Kristopher Irmiter, Brandon Jovanovich, James Maddalena, Michael Todd Simpson & Caroline Worra; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra)
[Chandos]

* Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears
Robert Spano, conductor; Kelley O’Connor, Jessica Rivera & Dawn Upshaw; Valérie Gross & Sid McLauchlan, producers (Women Of The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Mozart: La Clemenza Di Tito
René Jacobs, conductor; Marie-Claude Chappuis, Bernarda Fink, Sergio Foresti, Sunhae Im, Mark Padmore & Alexandrina Pendatchanska; Martin Sauer, producer (RIAS Kammerchor; Freiburger Barockorchester)
[Harmonia Mundi]

* Smetana: The Bartered Bride
Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor; Yvette Bonner, Paul Charles Clarke, Neal Davies, Susan Gritton, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Yvonne Howard, Robin Leggate, Diana Montague, Geoffrey Moses, Timothy Robinson & Peter Rose; Brian Couzens, producer (The Royal Opera Chorus; Philharmonia Orchestra)
[Chandos Opera In English]

* Verdi: La Traviata
Carlo Rizzi, conductor; Thomas Hampson, Anna Netrebko & Rolando Villazón; Rainer Maillard, producer (Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor; Wiener Philharmoniker)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

Category 99

Best Choral Performance
(Award to the Choral Conductor, and to the Orchestra Conductor if an Orchestra is on the recording, and to the Choral Director or Chorus Master if applicable.)

* Immortal Nystedt
Øystein Fevang, conductor (Bærum Vokalensemble & Ensemble 96)
[2L]

* Mozart: Great Mass In C Min.
Paul McCreesh, conductor (Sarah Connolly, Neal Davies, Timothy Robinson & Camilla Tilling; Gabrieli Consort; Gabrieli Consort & Players)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Pärt: Da Pacem
Paul Hillier, conductor (Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir)
[Harmonia Mundi]

* Requiem
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Conspirare)
[Clarion Records]

* Whitacre: Cloudburst And Other Choral Works
Stephen Layton, conductor (Thomas Guthrie, Elin Manahan Thomas & Simon Wall; Polyphony)
[Hyperion]

Category 100

Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor.)

* Brahms: The Piano Concertos
Riccardo Chailly, conductor; Nelson Freire (Gewandhausorchester)
[Decca]

* Henze: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 And 3
Christopher Lyndon-Gee, conductor; Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra)
[Naxos]

* Messiaen: Oiseaux Exotiques (Exotic Birds)
John McLaughlin Williams, conductor; Angelin Chang (Cleveland Chamber Symphony)
Track from: Cleveland Chamber Symphony: Music That Dares To Explore, Vol. 6
[TNC]

* Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 1 & 2
Antonio Pappano, conductor; Leif Ove Andsnes (Berliner Philharmoniker)
[EMI Classics]

* Schmidt: Concertos
Ole Schmidt, conductor; Ulla Miilmann (Danish National Symphony Orchestra / DR)
[Dacapo Records]

Category 101

Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist.)

* Bach: The Sonatas And Partitas For Violin Solo
Gidon Kremer
[ECM New Series]

* Bacheler: The Bachelar’s Delight
Paul O’Dette
[Harmonia Mundi]

* Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. II
András Schiff
[ECM New Series]

* Chopin: Nocturnes
Maurizio Pollini
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Primrose: Viola Transcriptions
Roberto Díaz (Robert Koenig)
[Naxos]

Category 102

Best Chamber Music Performance
(Award to the Artists.)

* Chamber Works For Winds And Strings By Mozart
The Chicago Chamber Musicians
[Summit Records]

* Corigliano: Violin Sonata, Etude Fantasy
Andrew Russo (Corey Cerovsek & Steven Heyman)
[Black Box]

* Intimate Voices
Emerson String Quartet
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Martha Argerich And Friends: Live From The Lugano Festival 2005
Martha Argerich And Friends
[EMI Classics]

* Shostakovich: Piano Trios 1 & 2, Seven Romances On Verses By Alexander Blok
Beaux Arts Trio
[Warner Classics]

Category 103

Best Small Ensemble Performance
(Award to the Ensemble (and to the Conductor.))

* Angel Dances
12 Cellists Of Berliner Philharmoniker
[EMI Classics]

* Ikon
Harry Christophers, conductor; The Sixteen
[Decca]

* Miguel De Cervantes — Don Quijote De La Mancha — Romances Y Músicas
Jordi Savall, conductor; Hespèrion XXI & La Capella Reial De Catalunya
[Alia Vox]

* Padilla: Sun Of Justice
Peter Rutenberg, conductor; Los Angeles Chamber Singers’ Cappella
[RCM — Rubedo Canis Musica]

* Shostakovich/Sviridov/Vainberg: Chamber Symphonies
Yuri Bashmet; Moscow Soloists
[Onyx Classics]

Category 104

Best Classical Vocal Performance
(Award to the Vocal Soloist(s).)

* Britten: Song Cycles
Ian Bostridge (Sir Simon Rattle; Radek Baborák; Berliner Philharmoniker)
[EMI Classics]

* Canciones Argentinas
Bernarda Fink & Marcos Fink (Carmen Piazzini)
[Harmonia Mundi]

* Consider, My Soul
Thomas Quasthoff (Sebastian Weigle; Staatskapelle Dresden)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Rilke Songs
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (Peter Serkin)
Track from: Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto
[Bridge Records, Inc.]

* Songs Of Amy Beach
Patrick Mason (Joanne Polk)
[Bridge Records, Inc.]

Category 105

Best Classical Contemporary Composition
(A Composer’s Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.))

* Boston Concerto
Elliott Carter (Oliver Knussen)
Track from: The Music Of Elliott Carter, Vol. Seven
[Bridge Records, Inc.]

* Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears
Osvaldo Golijov (Robert Spano)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* The Here And Now
Christopher Theofanidis (Robert Spano)
Track from: Del Tredici: Paul Revere’s Ride; Theofanidis: The Here And Now; Bernstein: Lamentation
[Telarc]

* Paul Revere’s Ride
David Del Tredici (Robert Spano)
Track from: Del Tredici: Paul Revere’s Ride; Theofanidis: The Here And Now; Bernstein: Lamentation
[Telarc]

* A Scotch Bestiary
James MacMillan (James MacMillan)
Track from: MacMillan: A Scotch Bestiary, Piano Concerto No. 2
[Chandos]

Category 106

Best Classical Crossover Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and/or to the Conductor.)

* The Film Music Of Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Rumon Gamba, conductor (BBC Philharmonic)
[Chandos]

* Invention & Alchemy
David Lockington, conductor; Deborah Henson-Conant (The Grand Rapids Symphony)
[Golden Cage Music]

* Látigo
Quartet San Francisco (John Santos)
[Violinjazz Recordings]

* Simple Gifts
Bryn Terfel (London Voices; London Symphony Orchestra)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

* Song Zu Ying: The Diva Goes To The Movies
Song Zu Ying (China National Symphony Orchestra)
[JB Audiophile]

Field 31 — Music Video

Category 107

Best Short Form Music Video
(For an individual track or single promotional clip. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer.)

* 8th Of November
Big & Rich
Robert Deaton, George Flanigen & Marc Oswald, video directors; Robert Deaton, George Flanigen, Steve Lamar & Marc Oswald, video producers
[Warner Bros.]

* When You Were Young
The Killers
Anthony Mandler, video director; Everardo Gout, Gina Leonard, video producers
[Island Def Jam]

* Here It Goes Again
OK Go
Dan Konopka, Damian Kulash, Jr., Timothy Nordwind, Andy Ross & Trish Sie, video directors; Dan Konopka, Damian Kulash, Jr., Timothy Nordwind, Andy Ross & Trish Sie, video producers
[Capitol]

* Dani California
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Tony Kaye, video director; Rachel Curl, video producer
[Warner Bros.]

* Writing On The Walls
Underoath
Anders Forsman, Ragnar Granstrand & Linus Johansson, video directors; Maria Berggren, Anders Forsman, Ragnar Granstrand & Linus Johansson, video producers
[Solid State/Tooth & Nail]

Category 108

Best Long Form Music Video
(For video album packages consisting of more than one song or track. Award to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer of at least 51% of the total playing time.)

* Flow: Living In The Stream Of Music
Terence Blanchard
Jim Gabour, video director; Robin Burgess & Jim Gabour, video producers
[Jazziz Music & Video]

* Directions
Death Cab For Cutie
Noah Gelb, Nicholas Harmer, Jill Kaplan & Aaron Stewart,video producers
[Atlantic]

* Demon Days — Live In Manchester
Gorillaz
Damon Albarn, David Barnard, Grant Gee & J.C. Hewlett, video directors; Kersti Bergstrom, Stefan Demetriou, Simon Jones & Claire Oxley, video producers
[Virgin]

* I’m Going To Tell You A Secret
Madonna
Jonas Akerlund, video director; Susan Applegate, Angela Becker, Keeley Gould, Shelli Jury & David May, video producers
[Warner Bros.]

* Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
Thom Zimny, video director; Thom Zimny, video producer
[Columbia]

On Black Cherry, their latest album, they don’t have anything to proove. Instead, Alison Goldfrapp gets sexed-up and delivers dark dance electronica with a retro feel.

Black Cherry is more accessible than Felt Mountain, and it has thrown some listeners for a loop. On first listen, it sounds like a different band, possibly a European synth band from the 80’s. However, when Goldfrapp sings, her distinctive voice makes it clear who it is.

The songs are earthier than on Felt Mountain, much earthier. Goldfrapp gets off on the “Train”, a retro synth romp that sounds like they stole a song out of the Soft Cell songbook. On “Twist” Goldfrapp sings “Put your dirty angel face between my legs and knicker lace. Fight me, try me, kiss me like you like me. Twist it round, again and again.”

Straight to the point and more than a little naughty. Goldfrapp out-fakes Donna Summer with the orgasmic intensity of her singing on this ode to oral love. Fortunately, the music is done with such style and passion that it all works.

The fun continues with “Strict Machine” This is techno erotica at its best.

I get high on a buzz
Then a rush when I’m plugged in you
I connect
When I’m flush
You get love when told what to do

“I’m in love with a strict machine” is the chorus. We’re not sure what this means, but it reminds us a little of Berlin and some of the sexy synth sirens of the 80’s.

You can read what you want into lyrics like this…but I’m pretty sure that they’re obscene. I think I’ll give “Black Cherry” a few more plays and find out for sure.

The first thing you notice on this album is Alison Goldfrapp’s unique singing style. She sounds like Shirley Bassey doing a James Bond on the first cut, then a little like Julie Christie on the next one. By the third cut, you realize she’s developed her own original style.

The next thing you’ll notice on this album is the flat out bizarre arrangements. They are nothing if not original. There’s tinny sounding harpsichord, sounding like something from an old Henry Mancini album. Goldfrapp whistles hauntingly on several cuts. The orchestral backing is thin, but expressive, reminiscent of old sountrack writing. On a few cuts, Goldfrapp vocalizes with an otherworldly Theremin-type quality.

Listening to this album, you can imagine Goldfrapp playing in dark bar in a “Blade Runner” future.

Lyrically, the songs tend to be oblique. There aren’t a lot of lyrics to each song. This gives the lyrics room to breathe. The songs don’t so much tell a story as paint a picture.

The package design for Felt Mountain fits the music perfectly. On the cover, Golfrapp is shown in a tinted, manipulated photo that is part vintage glamour and part Bride of Frankenstein. The rest of the photos make you think of different times and quiet lonely places.

Goldfrapp have put together a stunningly original first album. If this isn’t a classic, then what is?