Best Contemporary Jazz Album
- WINNER: Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate - 75 (Heads Up International) [Compare Prices]
- Stefon Harris & Blackout - Urbanus (Concord Jazz) [Compare Prices]
- Julian Lage - Sounding Point (Emarcy/Decca) [Compare Prices]
- Philippe Saisse - At World's Edge (E1 Music) [Purchase]
- Mike Stern - Big Neighborhood (Heads Up International) [Compare Prices]
Best Jazz Vocal Album
- WINNER: Kurt Elling - Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman (Concord Jazz) [Compare Prices] (Also, read my review of the recording on which this album is based, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.)
- Randy Crawford (& Joe Sample) - No Regrets (PRA Records) [Compare Prices]
- Roberta Gambarini - So In Love (Groovin' High/Emarcy) [Compare Prices]
- Louciana Souza - Tide (Verve) [Compare Prices]
- Tierney Sutton - Desire (Telarc Jazz) [Compare Prices]
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
- WINNER: Terence Blanchard, soloist. Track from: Watts (Dark Key Music)(Jeff "Tain" Watts) - "Dancin' 4 Chicken" [Purchase/Download] (Read my review of Watts by Jeff 'Tain' Watts.
- Gerald Clayton, soloist. Track from: Two-Shade (ArtistShare) - "All Of You" [Purchase/Download]
- Roy Hargrove, soloist. Track from: Emergence (Groovin' High/Emarcy) - "Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey" [Purchase/Download]
- Martial Solal, soloist. Track from: Live At The Village Vanguard (CamJazz) - "On Green Dolphin Street" [Purchase/Download] (Read my review of Martial Solal's Live at the Village Vanguard.)
- Miguel Zenón, soloist. Track from: Esta Plena (Marsalis Music) - "Villa Palmeras" [Purchase/Download] (Read my review of Miguel Zenón's Esta Plena which made my list of Favorite Jazz Albums of 2009.)
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group
- WINNER: Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band - Five Peace Band - Live (Concord Records) [Compare Prices]
- Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow & Antonio Sanchez - Quartet Live (Concord Jazz) [Compare Prices]
- Clayton Brothers - Brother To Brother (ArtistShare) [Purchase/Download]
- John Patitucci Trio - Remembrance (Concord Jazz) [Purchase/Download]
- Allen Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch) [Compare Prices]
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
- WINNER: New Orleans Jazz Orchestra - Book One (World Village) [Purchase/Download]
- Bob Florence Limited Edition - Legendary (MAMA Records) [Purchase/Download]
- John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble - Eternal Interlude (Sunnyside Records)[Purchase/Download] (Read James Hall's review of John Hollenbeck's Eternal Interlude which made my list of Favorite Jazz Albums of 2009.)
- Sammy Nestico And The SWR Big Band - Fun Time (Hänssler Classic) [Purchase/Download]
- University Of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band - Lab 2009 (North Texas Jazz)
Best Latin Jazz Album
- WINNER: Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés - Juntos Para Siempre (Sony Music/Calle 54) [Purchase/Download]
- Chembo Corniel - Things I Wanted To Do (Chemboro Records) [Purchase/Download]
- Geoffrey Keezer - Áurea (ArtistShare) [Purchase/Download]
- Claudio Roditi - Brazilliance X 4 (Resonance Records) [Compare Prices]
- Miguel Zenón - Esta Plena (Marsalis Music) [Purchase/Download] (Read my review of Miguel Zenón's Esta Plena which made my list of Favorite Jazz Albums of 2009)