With the ill-fated polka categories now no longer voted on, things are looking up for jazz in terms of the Grammys’ pecking order. But in today’s nominations strain hard and reach for the magnifying glass nonetheless!

The good news for Billy Childs and his Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro album is that it has been nominated in the jazz vocals category, while René Marie’s I Wanna Be Evil, and albums by Gretchen Parlato, Dianne Reeves, and Tierney Sutton also make the cut. Last year Gregory Porter went home with this award. It’s hardly a controversy that Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s jazz album Cheek to Cheek turns up in the traditional pop vocal category in case you were wondering.

Over in the jazz instrumental album category, Jason Moran’s All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller is included as is Landmarks by the Brian Blade Fellowship, Floating from the Fred Hersch Trio, Enjoy the View from Bobby Hutcherson and Trilogy, by Chick Corea.

In the improvised solo category Chick Corea and Fred Hersch also make it in, as do pianist Kenny Barron, saxophonist Joe Lovano and Brad Mehldau for a dazzling turn on Mehliana’s Taming the Dragon. No Grammy love for Keith Jarrett though.

In latin-jazz Conrad Herwig’s The Latin Side of Joe Henderson is nominated plus albums by Arturo O’Farrill, Yosvany Terry, Pedrito Martinez and Emilio Solla.

The large ensemble category has the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra’s The L.A. Treasures Project, plus albums by Rufus Reid, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra’s Bob Brookmeyer tribute and saxophonist Archie Shepp’s Attica Blues live album. Jazz category listings are here 

Academy-approved: above (clockwise from top left): Jason Moran, Tierney Sutton, and the Chick Corea trio