Nominations were announced on November 30, 2011 on prime-time television as part of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! — Countdown to Music's Biggest Night", a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Club Nokia at L.A. Live. Paul McCartney will receive the MusiCares Person of the Year award on February 10, 2012 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two nights prior to the Grammy telecast. A total of 78 awards will be presented following the academy's decision to restructure the Grammy Award categories.
In Jazz Field nominees & Winners* are :
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
- "All Or Nothing At All" - Randy Brecker
- "You Are My Sunshine" - Ron Carter
- "500 Miles High" - Chick Corea*
- "Work" - Fred Hersch
- "Sonnymoon For Two" - Sonny Rollins
Best Jazz Vocal Album
- 'Round Midnight - Karrin Allyson
- The Mosaic Project - Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists*
- The Gate - Kurt Elling
- American Road - Tierney Sutton
- The Music Of Randy Newman - Roseanna Vitro
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
- Bond: The Paris Sessions - Gerald Clayton
- Forever - Corea, Clarke & White*
- Alone At The Vanguard - Fred Hersch
- Bird Songs - Joe Lovano
- Road Shows Vol. 2 - Sonny Rollins
- Timeline - Yellowjackets
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
- The Jazz Ballad Song Book - Randy Brecker With DR Big Band
- The Good Feeling - Christian McBride Big Band*
- 40 Acres And A Burro - Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
- Legacy - Gerald Wilson Orchestra
- Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook - Miguel Zenón