Hi everyone,

The Pre Telecast Ceremony for tonight’s Grammy’s awards is kicking off at 1pmPT/4pmET.

You can watch the live telecast at the Grammy website or on Youtube.

Will “live blog” as much as I can here.

4:37pmET: Christoper Tin and Baba Yetu just won for “Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)” … he thanks the Soweto Gospel Choir in his speech!!

4:55pmET: Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté wins in the “Best Traditional World Music Album” category, besting the Soweto Gospel Choir…still remains in Africa, though!

5:44pmET: Congrats again to Christopher Tin for winning in “Best Classical Crossover Album”…another shout out to the Choir. Thanks and congrats Chris!

It’s Grammy weekend!!

As announced earlier, the Soweto Gospel Choir are nominated under three different categories this year.

Shimmy has traveled to Los Angeles to represent the Choir, along with their producers (including Zwai).

I can’t find the exact schedule, but I believe their categories will be part of the pre-telecast show.

Keep those fingers crossed for tomorrow night!!

Dec 2, 2010
By Andile Ndlovu
The Times

Topping off a year in which the choir toured the globe again and [sic]:  the news of the nomination in the Best Traditional World Music Album category raised as much jubilance as on the previous occasions.

“The choir is absolutely thrilled, there was plenty of shouting when they heard the news this morning,” Beverly Bryer, their executive producer and director, said.

The choir won Grammys in 2007 and 2008.

“Each time means as much to them as the previous time,” said Bryer.

“In fact, this time probably [means] more because expectations of them were so high.

“It shows that they are still doing something special and getting recognition for it – four years later.”

She said the choir had celebrated with “cake and a small party”. Read the rest of this entry »

Debbi de Souza
December 2, 2010
Artlink.co.za

Two time Grammy Award winners, Soweto Gospel Choir woke up this morning to the news that the Choir’s 5th album entitled “Grace” is nominated in the Best Traditional World Music Album category.

A delighted Shimmy Jiyane, the Choir’s leader, is thrilled to receive news of the Choir’s fourth Grammy nomination in five years. “Each time we receive a nomination it is as exciting as if it’s the first time, and we are very proud to wave the South African flag at the Grammy Awards,” says Jiyane.

“Grace” is produced by Robin Hogarth and Zwai Bala, with musical directors Lucas Bok, Vusi Shabalala and Diniloxolo Ndlakuse, and engineer Richard Mitchell under the Universal Music label in South Africa.

Other nominations for the Best Contemporary World Music Album (Vocal or Instrumental) are Gyuto Monks of Tibet, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngonia Ba, Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté, and Yayo. Read the rest of this entry »

The 2011 Grammy Nominations have been announced, and the Soweto Gospel Choir are up for one solo category with their Grace album and are part of two additional categories with Christopher Tin.

The categories are:

Best Traditional World Music Album
[Vocal or Instrumental.]

• Pure Sounds – Gyuto Monks Of Tibet
• I Speak Fula – Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
• Grace – Soweto Gospel Choir
• Ali And Toumani – Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté
• Tango Universal – Vayo

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
[An Arranger's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.]

• Baba Yetu – Christopher Tin, arranger (Christopher Tin, Soweto Gospel Choir & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
• Baby – Roger Treece, arranger (Bobby McFerrin)
• Based On A Thousand True Stories – Vince Mendoza, arranger (Silje Nergaard & Metropole Orchestra Strings)
• Don’t Explain – Geoffrey Keezer, arranger (Denise Donatelli)
• Imagine – Herbie Hancock & Larry Klein, arrangers (Herbie Hancock, Pink, Seal, Jeff Beck, India.Arie, Konono No 1 & Oumou Sangare)

Best Classical Crossover Album
[Award to the Artist(s) and/or to the Conductor.]

• Meeting Of The Spirits – Matt Haimovitz (Amaryllis Jarczyk, Jan Jarczyk, John McLaughlin, Dominic Painchaud, Leanna Rutt & Matt Wilson)
• Off The Map – The Silk Road Ensemble
• Roots – My Life, My Song – Jessye Norman (Ira Coleman, Steve Johns, Mike Lovatt, Mark Markham & Martin Williams)
• Tin, Christopher: Calling All Dawns Lucas Richman, conductor (Sussan Deyhim, Lia, Kaori Omura, Dulce Pontes, Jia Ruhan, Aoi Tada & Frederica von Stade; Anonymous 4 & Soweto Gospel Choir; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
• Vocabularies – Bobby McFerrin

What exciting news!!!

CONGRATS to the Soweto Gospel Choir!!!

The Grammy’s will be held on February 13, 2011.

The 51st Grammy Awards were held last night in Los Angeles.

The Choir, unfortunately, couldn’t pull a three-peat as they lost in the Contemporary World Music Album category to the Global Drum Project.

Their collaboration with Peter Gabriel in the song Down to Earth, however, did win the Grammy for Best Motion Picture Song.

Vusi Shabalala and Sipokazi Luzipo were present for the ceremony.