Vampire Weekend, Babs And RBGs Son Pick Up 2020 Grammy Nominations – Forward

As with all things Jewish, there are ups, and there are downs. At first glance 2020s Grammy nominees, announced November 20, find our people performing admirably, but not necessarily with the degree of success to which weve become accustomed. Drake, for example, only has two nominations, down from last years seven.

But the Grammys distributes awards in a lot of categories many of which dont get shown on television. Its in those overlooked categories that the tribe is quietly thriving this go-round.

There are some marquee exceptions. Vampire Weekend is up for Album of the Year and Best Alternative Album for Father of the Bride, and the bands frontman Ezra Koenig is up for Rock Song of the Year for Harmony Hall.

Producer Jack Antonoff is also doing well, garnering a nomination for Song of the Year for his work on Lana Del Reys Norman Fing Rockwell and a nod for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical), competing with Dan Auerbach. The Meryl Streep of Grammys, Barbra Streisand, who put out the record Walls this time last year, was, naturally nominated for Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

But things really get interesting if you pore over the honors that will likely miss airtime on the live awards broadcast.

Best Jazz Ensemble Album, for instance, may go to the Anat Cohen Tentet for their album Triple Helix. And the Best American Roots Song a category we didnt even know existed, which covers the best of blues, bluegrass, folk and Americana? Rosanne Cash, daughter of Johnny, and her husband John Levanthal are nominated for their song Crossing to Jerusalem, which declares, somewhat sappily, This is our deal with the sinners and saints/The law and up above/Well be crossing to Jerusalem/With nothing but our love. (A rabbi married Cash and Levanthal; before the ceremony Johnny Cash said Ive been waiting 40 years for one of my daughters to marry a Jew.)

South African songster Gregory Alan Isakov is nominated for Best Folk Album for Evening Machines. Also in that category is the album My Finest Work Yet by Andrew Bird, who, while not a confirmed Jew by our research, has the middle name Wegman and enjoys the books of Saul Bellow and Michael Chabon.

The cast recording for Daniel Fishs Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hammersteins musical Oklahoma!, hot off a Tony win for Best Revival of a Musical, is up for Best Musical Theater Album. Marc Shaiman won a nomination for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for Mary Poppins Returns. And Randy Newmans franchise film work is being recognized with a nomination for The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy, from Toy Story 4, for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Fred Herschs Begin Again is up for Best Instrumental Composition. Steve Greenbergs fans can enjoy his Grammy-nominated liner notes on Stax 68: A Memphis Story. And The Great Comeback: Horowitz at Carnegie Hall, a recording of the late pianist Vladimir Horowitzs 1965 return concert at the legendary venue, is nominated for Best Historical Album.

A particularly fun item: James Ginsburg, son of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is up for Producer of the Year (Classical). Ginsburg already has a bunch of Grammys for work produced by his label, Cedille Records. Still, were sure Justice Ginsburg is kvelling.

As for the aforementioned artist formerly known as Aubrey Graham, and currently known as Drake, he has a nod for Best R&B Song for No Guidance and Best Rap Song for Gold Roses. Whether he wins or not is all part of Gods Plan.

PJ Grisar is the Forwards culture fellow. He can be reached at grisar@forward.com

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Vampire Weekend, Babs And RBGs Son Pick Up 2020 Grammy Nominations - Forward