Oregon musicians Andy Akiho and Esperanza Spalding return with new Grammy nominations

By OPB staff
Nov. 9, 2024 9:32 p.m.
FILE - Andy Akiho, left, and Esperanza Spalding arrive at the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

FILE - Andy Akiho, left, and Esperanza Spalding arrive at the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Jordan Strauss/Invision / AP

Two Oregon-based musicians have been nominated for the 2025 Grammy Awards following an unsuccessful bid earlier this year.

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The Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, announced Friday that Portland-based composer and percussionist Andy Akiho received two nominations: one for best classical instrumental solo for his piece “Akiho: Longing,” and another for best classical compendium for “Akiho: BeLonging,” a collaboration with Imani Winds produced by Sean Dixon and Mark Dover.

Esperanza Spalding, a bassist and singer-songwriter from Hillsboro, has been nominated for best jazz vocal album for her work with Milton Nascimento on “Milton + esperanza.”

Akiho, now a six-time Grammy nominee, earned three nominations in 2024 for best classical instrumental solo, best classical compendium and best contemporary classical composition. However, those awards respectively went to other artists.

WATCH: OPB’s Oregon Art Beat features Andy Akiho’s immersive symphonies

Last year, Spalding was nominated with Fred Hersch in two categories — best jazz performance for “But Not for Me” and best jazz vocal album for “Alive at the Village Vanguard.”

The 67th Grammy Awards ceremony will take place on Feb. 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Beyoncé leads the 2025 Grammy nominations with 11 nods.

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