# Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album

The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album is an award that was first presented in 1959.

## History

From 1959 to 2011, the Award was called Best Instrumental Jazz Album, Individual or Group. In 2012, it was shortened to Best Jazz Instrumental Album, encompassing albums that previously fell under the categories Best Contemporary Jazz Album and Best Latin Jazz Album (both defunct as of 2012). A year later, the Best Latin Jazz Album category returned, disallowing albums in that category to be nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
This category is meant for albums containing greater than 50% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.
Years listed indicate the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year. Before 1962 and from 1972 to 1978, the award title did not specify instrumental performances and was presented for instrumental or vocal performances. The award has had several name changes.

## Name changes

* 1959–1960: Best Jazz Performance, Group
* 1961: Best Jazz Performance Solo or Small Group
* 1962–1963: Best Jazz Performance Solo or Small Group (Instrumental)
* 1964: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance – Soloist or Small Group
* 1965–1966: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance – Small Group or Soloist
* 1967: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance – Group or Soloist with Group
* 1968–1971: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist with Small Group
* 1972–1978: Best Jazz Performance by a Group
* 1979–1992: Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group
* 1993–2000: Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group
* 2001–2011: Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group

## Recipients

| Year | Performing artist(s) | Work | Nominees |
| 1959 | Count Basie | Basie | Basie Rhythm Section and Dave Lambert Singers – "Sing a Song of Basie" The Four Freshmen – The Four Freshmen in Person George Shearing – Burnished Brass Jonah Jones – "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" |
| 1960 | Jonah Jones | I Dig Chicks | Red Norvo – Red Norvo in Hi-Fi Henry Mancini – More Music from Peter Gunn Duke Ellington – Ellington Jazz Party Shorty Rogers – Chances Are It Swings |
| 1961 | André Previn | West Side Story | George Shearing – White Satin Dizzy Gillespie and His Octet – The Greatest Trumpet of Them All Modern Jazz Quartet – Pyramid Miles Davis – Jazz Track Art Tatum – Greatest Piano of Them All Lambert, Hendricks & Ross – The Hottest New Group in Jazz Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges – Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues |
| 1962 | André Previn | André Previn Plays Songs by Harold Arlen | Al Hirt – The Greatest Horn in the World Modern Jazz Quartet – European Concert Erroll Garner – Dreamstreet Bill Evans Trio – Bill Evans at The Village Vanguard |
| 1963 | Stan Getz | Desafinado | Oscar Peterson – West Side Story Laurindo Almeida – Viva Bossa Nova! Bill Evans and Jim Hall – Undercurrent Charles Mingus – Tijuana Moods George Shearing Quintet – Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays Eddie Cano – A Taste of Honey |
| 1964 | Bill Evans | Conversations with Myself | Miles Davis – Seven Steps to Heaven Peter Nero – Peter Nero in Person Al Hirt – Our Man in New Orleans Dave Brubeck Quartet – Dave Brubeck at Carnegie Hall Thelonious Monk – Criss-Cross Ray Brown, Andre Previn, Herb Ellis and Shelly Manne – 4 to Go! |
| 1965 | Stan Getz | Getz/Gilberto | Pete Jolly – Sweet September Andre Previn – My Fair Lady Clark Terry and Oscar Peterson – Mumbles Miles Davis – Miles Davis in Europe The Modern Jazz Quartet with Laurindo Almeida – Collaboration |
| 1966 | Ramsey Lewis | The In Crowd | Bill Evans Trio – Trio '65 Clark Terry and the Bob Brookmeyer Quintet – The Power of Positive Swinging Cal Tjader – Soul Sauce Gary McFarland Group – Soft Samba Paul Desmond and Jim Hall – Glad to Be Unhappy Paul Horn – Cycle John Coltrane – A Love Supreme |
| 1967 | Wes Montgomery | Goin' Out of My Head | Woody Herman Orchestra – Woody's Winners Stan Kenton – Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra John Handy Quintet – John Handy Recorded Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival Bill Evans and Jim Hall – Intermodulation Duke Ellington – Concert of Sacred Music Bill Evans Trio – Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra Ornette Coleman Trio – At the "Golden Circle" |
| 1968 | Cannonball Adderley | Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club' | Stan Getz – Sweet Rain Miles Davis – Miles Smiles Bobby Hutcherson – Happenings Bill Evans – Further Conversations with Myself Gary Burton Quartet – Duster |
| 1969 | Bill Evans | Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival | Eddie Harris – The Electrifying Eddie Harris Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis – Miles in the Sky Various (Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Buddy Rich, Etc.) – Jazz for Sunday Afternoon Vol. I Gary Burton Quartet – Gary Burton Quartet in Concert Dave Brubeck and Gerry Mulligan – Compadres |
| 1970 | Wes Montgomery | Willow Weep for Me | Bill Evans with Jeremy Steig – What's New Stephane Grappelli, Stuff Smith, Svend Asmussen, Jean-Luc Ponty – Violin Summit Oscar Peterson – The Great Oscar Peterson On Prestige Eubie Blake – The Eighty-Six Years of Eubie Blake Herbie Mann – Memphis Underground Miles Davis – In a Silent Way |
| 1971 | Bill Evans | Alone | Milt Jackson Quintet with Ray Brown – That's the Way It Is Les McCann and Eddie Harris – Swiss Movement Gary Burton – Good Vibes Erroll Garner – Feeling is Believing Herbie Hancock – Fat Albert Rotunda John Coltrane – Coltrane Legacy |
| 1972 | Bill Evans Trio | The Bill Evans Album | Roy Eldridge – The Nifty Cat Phil Woods and His European Rhythm Machine – Phil Woods and his European Rhythm Machine at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival Herbie Hancock – Mwandishi Miles Davis – Miles Davis at the Fillmore Mary Lou Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hackett – Giants Gary Burton and Keith Jarrett – Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett |
| 1973 | Freddie Hubbard | First Light | George Benson – "White Rabbit" Chuck Mangione Quartet – The Chuck Mangione Quartet McCoy Tyner – Sahara Joe Farrell – Outback Weather Report – I Sing the Body Electric |
| 1974 | Supersax | Supersax Plays Bird | Oregon – Music of Another Present Era Chick Corea and Return to Forever – Light as a Feather Cannonball Adderley Quintet – Inside Straight Jim Hall, Ron Carter – Alone Together |
| 1975 | Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Oscar Peterson | The Trio | Bill Evans – The Tokyo Concert McCoy Tyner – Sama Layuca Supersax – Salt Peanuts Freddie Hubbard – High Energy |
| 1976 | Chick Corea & Return to Forever | No Mystery | Supersax – Supersax Plays Bird with Strings John Coltrane – Giant Steps (First Release of Alternate Take) Dizzy Gillespie Quartet – Dizzy Gillespie's Big 4 Count Basie – Basie Jam |
| 1977 | Chick Corea | The Leprechaun | Paul Desmond Quartet – The Paul Desmond Quartet Live The Bill Evans Trio – Since We Met Jaco Pastorius – Jaco Pastorius Count Basie and Zoot Sims – Basie & Zoot |
| 1978 | Phil Woods | The Phil Woods Six – Live from the Showboat | Mel Lewis – Mel Lewis and Friends Dexter Gordon – Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard The Tommy Flanagan Trio – Eclypso John Coltrane – Afro Blue Impressions |
| 1979 | Chick Corea | Friends | Stan Getz and Jimmy Rowles – The Peacocks Phil Woods Quintet – Song for Sisyphus Woody Shaw Concert Ensemble – Rosewood Al Cohn and Jimmy Rowles – Heavy Love |
| 1980 | Chick Corea & Gary Burton | Duet | Zoot Sims – Warm Tenor Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie – The Gifted Ones The Great Jazz Trio – Love for Sale Arnett Cobb and The Muse All Stars – Live at Sandy's! Bill Evans and Jean "Toots" Thielemans – Affinity |
| 1981 | Bill Evans | We Will Meet Again | Phil Woods – Phil Woods Quartet - Volume One The Heath Brothers – Live at The Public Theatre Nick Brignola – L.A. Bound Hank Jones – I Remember You Bobby Shew – Bobby Shew, Outstanding in His Field |
| 1982 | Chick Corea & Gary Burton | Chick Corea & Gary Burton in Concert - Zurich, October 28, 1979 | Vic Dickenson Quintet – Vic Dickenson Quintet Zoot Sims – The Swinger Al Cohn – Nonpareil Red Rodney featuring Ira Sullivan – Live at the Village Vanguard |
| 1983 | Phil Woods | "More" Live | Art Blakey and Jazz Messengers – Straight Ahead The Tommy Flanagan Trio – Giant Steps Dizzy Gillespie with The Mitchell-Ruff Duo – Dizzy Gillespie - Live with The Mitchell-Ruff Duo Art Farmer Quartet – A Work of Art |
| 1984 | Phil Woods | At the Vanguard | Philly Joe Jones – To Tadd with Love Wynton Marsalis – Think of One Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan – Sprint Herbie Hancock – Quartet Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers – Keystone 3 |
| 1985 | Art Blakey | New York Scene | Clare Fischer with Woodwinds – Whose Woods Are These? Frank Foster and Frank Weiss – Two for the Blues Phil Woods and Chris Swansen – Piper at The Gates of Dawn Philly Joe Jones – Look Stop Listen |
| 1986 | Wynton Marsalis | Black Codes (From the Underground) | Chick Corea and Steve Kujala – Voyage Sting – The Dream of the Blue Turtles (track) Keith Jarrett – Standards, Vol. 2 Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson and Others – One Night with Blue Note |
| 1987 | Wynton Marsalis | J Mood | Louis Bellson, Teddy Wilson, Benny Carter, Red Norvo, Remo Palmier, Freddie Green, George Duvivier – Swing Reunion Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett and Gary Peacock – Standards Live Scott Hamilton and Gerry Mulligan – Soft Lights and Sweet Music Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers – Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Live at Sweet Basil |
| 1988 | Wynton Marsalis | Marsalis Standard Time, Vol. I | Michael Brecker – Michael Brecker Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous and Roy Haynes – Trio Music Live in Europe Eddie Daniels – To Bird with Love Larry Carlton – Last Nite |
| 1989 | Roy Haynes, Cecil McBee, David Murray, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner | Blues for Coltrane: A Tribute to John Coltrane | Wynton Marsalis Quartet – The Wynton Marsalis Quartet Live at Blues Alley The Keith Jarrett Trio – Still Live Branford Marsalis Quartet – Random Abstract Chick Corea Elektric Band – "Amnesia" |
| 1990 | Chick Corea | Chick Corea Akoustic Band | Branford Marsalis – Trio Jeepy Yellowjackets – The Spin Wynton Marsalis Group – The Majesty of the Blues André Previn, Joe Pass and Ray Brown – After Hours |
| 1991 | Oscar Peterson Trio | The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio Live at the Blue Note | Wynton Marsalis Group – Standard Time, Vol. 3: The Resolution of Romance Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach – Max + Dizzy: Paris 1989 Art Blakey, Dr. John and David "Fathead" Newman – Bluesiana Triangle Branford Marsalis Quartet with Terence Blanchard – "Again Never" |
| 1992 | Oscar Peterson Trio | Saturday Night at the Blue Note | Dave Grusin – The Gershwin Connection Lionel Hampton and The Golden Men of Jazz – Lionel Hampton and The Golden Men of Jazz Live at The Blue Note David Sanborn – Another Hand Chick Corea Akoustic Band – Alive |
| 1993 | Branford Marsalis | I Heard You Twice the First Time | Joe Henderson – Lush Life Arturo Sandoval – I Remember Clifford Charlie Haden Quartet West – Haunted Heart Eddie Daniels and Gary Burton – Benny Rides Again |
| 1994 | Joe Henderson | So Near, So Far (Musings for Miles) | Lee Ritenour – Wes Bound Kenny Barron – Sambao Joshua Redman – Joshua Redman Fred Hersch Trio – Dancing in the Dark |
| 1995 | Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wallace Roney, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams | A Tribute to Miles | Joe Lovano – Tenor Legacy Gonzalo Rubalcaba – Rapsodia Benny Carter – Elegy in Blue Charlie Haden Quartet West – Always Say Goodbye |
| 1996 | McCoy Tyner Trio & Michael Brecker | Infinity | Kenny Barron with Roy Haynes and Charlie Haden – Wanton Spirit Charlie Haden and Hank Jones – Steal Away Fred Hersch – I Never Told You - Fred Hersch Plays Johnny Mandel Joe Henderson – Double Rainbow: The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim |
| 1997 | Michael Brecker | Tales from the Hudson | Horace Silver – The Hardbop Grandpop Billy Childs – The Child Within Joe Lovano – Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard Charlie Haden Quartet West – Now Is the Hour |
| 1998 | Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny | Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories) | Kenny Garrett – Songbook Chick Corea and Friends – Remembering Bud Powell Doc Cheatham and Nicholas Payton – Doc Cheatham and Nicholas Payton Joe Lovano – Celebrating Sinatra |
| 1999 | Herbie Hancock | Gershwin's World | Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette – Tokyo '96 Dave Holland Quintet – Points of View Charlie Haden and Kenny Barron – Night and the City Chick Corea and Gary Burton – Native Sense - The New Duets |
| 2000 | Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Roy Haynes, Dave Holland and Pat Metheny | Like Minds | Chick Corea & Origin – Change – Branford Marsalis Quartet – Requiem Brad Mehldau – Art of the Trio 4: Back at the Vanguard Gonzalo Rubalcaba – Inner Voyage |
| 2001 | Branford Marsalis | Contemporary Jazz | Kenny Barron – Spirit Song Michael Brecker – Time Is of the Essence Dave Holland Quintet – Prime Directive Martial Solal & Johnny Griffin – In & Out |
| 2002 | Sonny Rollins | This Is What I Do | Stefon Harris and Jacky Terrasson – Kindred Roy Haynes with Dave Holland, Roy Hargrove, Dave Kikoski and Kenny Garrett – Birds of a Feather — A Tribute To Charlie Parker Dave Holland Quintet – Not For Nothin' Pat Martino – Live at Yoshi's |
| 2003 | Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove | Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall | Michel Camilo – Triangulo Dave Douglas – The Infinite Wayne Shorter – Footprints Live! McCoy Tyner – McCoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane: Live at the Village Vanguard |
| 2004 | Wayne Shorter | Alegría | Chick Corea – Rendezvous in New York Stefon Harris – The Grand Unification Theory Dave Holland Quintet – Extended Play: Live at Birdland Pat Martino – Think Tank |
| 2005 | McCoy Tyner with Gary Bartz, Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride and Lewis Nash | Illuminations | Bill Charlap Trio – Somewhere Roy Haynes – Fountain of Youth Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette – The Out-of-Towners Branford Marsalis Quartet – Eternal |
| 2006 | Wayne Shorter | Beyond the Sound Barrier | Terence Blanchard – Flow Billy Childs Ensemble – Lyric Wynton Marsalis – Live at the House of Tribes Kenny Wheeler with Dave Holland, Chris Potter & John Taylor – What Now? |
| 2007 | Chick Corea | The Ultimate Adventure | Ornette Coleman – Sound Grammar Trio Beyond – Saudades Kenny Garrett – Beyond the Wall Sonny Rollins – Sonny, Please |
| 2008 | Michael Brecker | Pilgrimage | The Bill Charlap Trio – Live at the Village Vanguard Joe Lovano and Hank Jones – Kids: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola John Patitucci – Line by Line Joshua Redman – Back East |
| 2009 | Chick Corea & Gary Burton | The New Crystal Silence | Bill Frisell – History, Mystery Brad Mehldau Trio – Brad Mehldau Trio Live Pat Metheny featuring Christian McBride & Antonio Sánchez – Day Trip Alan Pasqua, Dave Carpenter & Peter Erskine – Standards |
| 2010 | Chick Corea & John McLaughlin | Five Peace Band Live | Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow & Antonio Sánchez – Quartet Live The Clayton Brothers – Brother To Brother John Patitucci Trio – Remembrance Allen Toussaint – The Bright Mississippi |
| 2011 | James Moody | Moody 4B | John Beasley – Positootly! Clayton Brothers – The New Song and Dance Vijay Iyer Trio – Historicity Danilo Pérez – Providencia |
| 2012 | Corea, Clarke & White | Forever | Gerald Clayton – Bond: The Paris Sessions Fred Hersch – Alone at the Vanguard Joe Lovano & Us Five – Bird Songs Sonny Rollins – Road Shows Vol. 2 Yellowjackets – Timeline |
| 2013 | Pat Metheny | Unity Band | Chick Corea, Eddie Gómez & Paul Motian – Further Explorations Chick Corea & Gary Burton – Hot House Kenny Garrett – Seeds from the Underground Ahmad Jamal – Blue Moon |
| 2014 | Terri Lyne Carrington | Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue | The New Gary Burton Quartet – Guided Tour Gerald Clayton – Life Forum Kenny Garrett – Pushing the World Away Christian McBride Trio – Out Here |
| 2015 | Chick Corea | Trilogy | Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band – Landmarks Fred Hersch Trio – Floating Bobby Hutcherson, David Sanborn, Joey DeFrancesco featuring Billy Hart – Enjoy the View Jason Moran – All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller |
| 2016 | John Scofield | Past Present | Joey Alexander – My Favorite Things Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective – Breathless Robert Glasper and the Robert Glasper Trio – Covered: Recorded Live at Capitol Studios Jimmy Greene – Beautiful Life |
| 2017 | John Scofield | Country for Old Men | Kenny Barron Trio – Book of Intuition Peter Erskine – Dr. Um Fred Hersch Trio – Sunday Night at the Vanguard Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau – Nearness |
| 2018 | Billy Childs | Rebirth | Bill Charlap Trio – Uptown, Downtown Joey DeFrancesco & The People – Project Freedom Fred Hersch – Open Book Chris Potter – The Dreamer Is the Dream |
| 2019 | Wayne Shorter Quartet | Emanon | Tia Fuller – Diamond Cut Fred Hersch Trio – Live in Europe Brad Mehldau Trio – Seymour Reads the Constitution! Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade – Still Dreaming |
| 2020 | Brad Mehldau | Finding Gabriel | Joey DeFrancesco – In the Key of the Universe Branford Marsalis Quartet – The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul Christian McBride – Christian McBride's New Jawn Joshua Redman Quartet – Come What May |
| 2021 | Chick Corea (posthumous), Christian McBride & Brian Blade | Trilogy 2 | Ambrose Akinmusire - On The Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment Terri Lyne Carrington & Social Science - Waiting Game Gerald Clayton - Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard Redman Mehldau McBride Blade - RoundAgain |
| 2022 | Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette and Gonzalo Rubalcaba | Skyline | Jon Batiste – Jazz Selections: Music from and Inspired by Soul Terence Blanchard featuring the E Collective and the Turtle Island Quartet – Absence Chick Corea, John Patitucci and Dave Weckl – Akoustic Band Live Pat Metheny – Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV) |
| 2023 | Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton, and Matthew Stevens | New Standards Vol. 1 | Peter Erskine Trio – Live in Italy Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade – LongGone Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese, and Esperanza Spalding – Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival Yellowjackets – Parallel Motion |
| 2024 | Billy Childs | The Winds of Change | Kenny Barron – The Source Lakecia Benjamin – Phoenix Adam Blackstone – Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn Pat Metheny – Dream Box |
| 2025 | Chick Corea and Béla Fleck | Remembrance | Ambrose Akinmusire featuring Bill Frisell and Herlin Riley – Owl Song Kenny Barron featuring Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Johnathan Blake, Immanuel Wilkins & Steve Nelson – Beyond This Place Lakecia Benjamin – Phoenix Reimagined (Live) Sullivan Fortner – Solo Game |