The 'Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album' prize escaped Corea's majesty however, as Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band humourously pointed out while accepting the honour, "Once again we want to thank Chick Corea for not making a large ensemble album." The release concerned, Life In The Bubble, is a tour-de-force from this 18-piece big band. Meanwhile, The Offense of the Drum from Arturo O'Farrill & The Latin Jazz Orchestra won out for 'Best Latin Jazz Album' and singer Dianne Reeves came top among the 'Best Jazz Vocal Album' nominees for her Beautiful Life, crowning an already impressive career. The talents of Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway, which feature on the latter, were notably awarded their own gold elsewhere with 'Best Traditional R&B Performance' for 'Jesus Children' from Black Radio 2.

Of course, jazz seared through the veins of many other celebrated works that night, most prominently with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's collaborative collection of jazz standards on Cheek to Cheek receiving a trophy for 'Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album'. And naturally award ceremonies wouldn't be award ceremonies without their fair share of controversy, courtesy on this occasion of Kanye West. But thankfully the drama of 'Best Rock Album' showed no signs of spilling over and igniting the passions of an 18-piece big band, for everyone's sake.

from http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com