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Every Grammys Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album winner

26 ceremonies, 2000–2025. 22 different winners.

Christian McBride Big Band ×3Dave Holland ×2Maria Schneider Orchestra ×2
One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by label; scroll sideways for the full run.
Bob Florence'00
Joe Lovano'01
Bob Mintzer Big Band'02
Dave Holland'03
Michael Brecker'04
Maria Schneider'05
Dave Holland'06
Randy Brecker with Michael Brecker, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Peter Erskine, Marcio Doctor & Vince Mendoza conducting The WDR Big Band Köln'07
Terence Blanchard'08
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra'09
New Orleans Jazz Orchestra'10
Mingus Big Band'11
Christian McBride Big Band'12
Arturo Sandoval'13
Randy Brecker, Włodek Pawlik Trio, Kalisz Philharmonic'14
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band'15
Maria Schneider Orchestra'16
Ted Nash Big Band'17
Christian McBride Big Band'18
John Daversa Big Band featuring DACA Artists'19
Brian Lynch Big Band'20
Maria Schneider Orchestra'21
Christian McBride Big Band'22
Steven Feifke, Bijon Watson & the Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra'23
Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Scotty Barnhart'24
Dan Pugach Big Band'25
Wins by label
  1. ArtistShare315%
  2. Mack Avenue315%
  3. Universal315%
  4. Telarc210%
  5. Dare215%
  6. DMP15%
  7. Other735%

6 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 20 above.

6 of these 26 wins have no label on record, so the bar covers the other 20.

Who kept losing

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won

  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society4 noms
  • John Beasley3 noms
  • John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble3 noms
  • Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band3 noms
  • Gerald Wilson Orchestra2 noms
  • Gil Evans Project2 noms

Most losses

  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society4L · 0W
  • John Beasley3L · 0W
  • John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble3L · 0W
  • Mingus Big Band3L · 1W
  • Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band3L · 0W
  • Gerald Wilson Orchestra2L · 0W

The full list

YearWinnerLabel
2025Dan Pugach Big Band (Bianca Reimagined: Music For Paws And Persistence)
beat 4 others
  • John Beasley & Frankfurt Radio Big Band (Returning To Forever)
  • The Clayton (Hamilton Jazz Orchestra – And So It Goes)
  • Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band (Walk A Mile In My Shoe)
  • Miguel Zenón (Golden City)
Not credited
2024Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Scotty Barnhart (Basie Swings The Blues)
beat 4 others
  • ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vincent & Emilio Solla (The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute - Ritmo)
  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society (Dynamic Maximum Tension)
  • Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest (Olympians)
  • Mingus Big Band (The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions)
Not credited
2023Steven Feifke, Bijon Watson & the Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra (The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra)unverified
beat 4 others
  • John Beasley, Magnus Lindgren & the SWR Big Band (Bird Lives)
  • Ron Carter & the Jazzaar Festival Big Band directed by Christian Jacob (Remembering Bob Freedman)
  • Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Ronnie Cuber & the WDR Big Band conducted by Michael Abene (Center Stage)
  • Remy Le Boeuf's Assembly of Shadows (Architecture of Storms)
Not credited
2022Christian McBride Big Band (For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver)
beat 4 others
  • The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart (Live at Birdland!)
  • Jazzmeia Horn and her Noble Force (Dear Love)
  • Sun Ra Arkestra (Swirling)
  • Yellowjackets + WDR Big Band (Jackets XL)
Mack Avenue
2021Maria Schneider Orchestra (Data Lords)
beat 4 others
  • Gregg August (Dialogues on Race)
  • John Beasley (MONK'estra Plays John Beasley)
  • Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band (The Intangible Between)
  • John Hollenbeck with Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry, Gary Versace & the Frankfurt Radio Big Band (Songs You Like A Lot)
ArtistShare
2020Brian Lynch Big Band (The Omni-American Book Club)
beat 4 others
  • Anat Cohen Tentet (Triple Helix)
  • Miho Hazama (Dancer In Nowhere)
  • Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra (Hiding Out)
  • Terraza Big Bang (One Day Wonder)
Not credited
2019John Daversa Big Band featuring DACA Artists (American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom)
beat 4 others
  • Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart (All About That Basie)
  • Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band (Presence)
  • John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble (All Can Work)
  • Jim McNeely & the Frankfurt Radio Big Band (Barefoot Dances and Other Visions)
Not credited
2018Christian McBride Big Band (Bringin' It)
beat 4 others
  • John Beasley (Monk'estra Vol. 2)
  • Alan Ferber Big Band (Jigsaw)
  • Vince Mendoza & the WDR Big Band Cologne (Homecoming)
  • Chuck Owen & the Jazz Surge (Whispers on the Wind)
Mack Avenue
2017Ted Nash Big Band (Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom)
beat 4 others
  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society (Real Enemies)
  • John Beasley (Presents Monk'estra, Volume 1)
  • John Daversa (Kaleidoscope Eyes: Music of the Beatles)
  • Bob Mintzer (All L. A. Band)
Motéma
2016Maria Schneider Orchestra (The Thompson Fields)
beat 4 others
  • Gil Evans Project (Lines of Color)
  • Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band (Köln)
  • Arturo O'Farrill & Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Cuba: The Conversation Continues)
  • Patrick Williams (Home Suite Home)
ArtistShare
2015Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band (Life in the Bubble)
beat 4 others
  • Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (The L. A. Treasures Project)
  • Rufus Reid (Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project)
  • Archie Shepp Attica Blues Orchestra (Live: Hear the Sound)
  • Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Overtime: Music of Bob Brookmeyer)
Telarc
2014Randy Brecker, Włodek Pawlik Trio, Kalisz Philharmonic (Night in Calisia)
beat 4 others
  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society (Brooklyn Babylon)
  • Brussels Jazz Orchestra Featuring Joe Lovano (Wild Beauty)
  • Alan Ferber (March Sublime)
  • Dave Slonaker Big Band (Intrada)
Pawlik/Summit
2013Arturo Sandoval (Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You))
beat 2 others
  • Gil Evans Project (Centennial: Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans)
  • Bob Mintzer Big Band (For the Moment)
Concord Jazz
2012Christian McBride Big Band (The Good Feeling)
beat 4 others
  • Randy Brecker with DR Big Band (The Jazz Ballad Song Book)
  • Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (40 Acres and a Burro)
  • Gerald Wilson Orchestra (Legacy)
  • Miguel Zenón (Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook)
Mack Avenue
2011Mingus Big Band (Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard)
beat 4 others
  • Darcy James Argue's Secret Society (Infernal Machines)
  • Billy Childs Ensemble featuring the Ying String Quartet (Autumn: In Moving Pictures Jazz – Chamber Music Vol. 2)
  • Dave Holland Octet (Pathways)
  • Metropole Orkest, John Scofield & Vince Mendoza (54)
Jazz Workshop/Sue Mingus Music
2010New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (Book One)
beat 4 others
  • Bob Florence Limited Edition (Legendary)
  • John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble (Eternal Interlude)
  • Sammy Nestico and The SWR Big Band (Fun Time)
  • University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band (Lab 2009)
Not credited
2009Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard)
beat 4 others
  • Vince Mendoza (Blauklang)
  • Joe Lovano with WDR Big Band & Rundfunk Orchestra (Symphonica)
  • Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band (Act Your Age)
  • Carla Bley and Her Remarkable Big Band (Appearing Nightly)
Planet Arts
2008Terence Blanchard (A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina))
beat 4 others
  • Bob Florence (Eternal Licks & Grooves: Limited Edition)
  • The Bill Holman Band (Hommage)
  • Maria Schneider Orchestra (Sky Blue)
  • Charles Tolliver Big Band (With Love)
Blue Note
2007Randy Brecker with Michael Brecker, Jim Beard, Will Lee, Peter Erskine, Marcio Doctor & Vince Mendoza conducting The WDR Big Band Köln (Some Skunk Funk)
beat 4 others
  • Bob Brookmeyer and the New Art Orchestra (Spirit Music)
  • The Joe Lovano Ensemble (Streams of Expression)
  • Mingus Big Band (Live In Tokyo At The Blue Note)
  • The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Up From The Skies, Music of Jim McNeely)
Telarc/BHM Productions
2006Dave Holland (Overtime)
beat 4 others
  • John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble (A Blessing)
  • The Bill Holman Band (Bill Holman Band: Live)
  • Mingus Big Band, Orchestra & Dynasty (I Am Three)
  • The Chris Walden Big Band (Home of My Heart)
Dare2/Sunnyside
2005Maria Schneider (Concert in the Garden)
beat 4 others
  • Bob Brookmeyer New Art Orchestra (Get Well Soon)
  • John LaBarbera Big Band (On The Wild Side)
  • David Sánchez (Coral)
  • The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (The Way: Music of Slide Hampton)
ArtistShare
2004Michael Brecker (Wide Angles)
beat 4 others
  • Wayne Bergeron Big Band (You Call This a Living?)
  • The Carla Bley Big Band (Looking for America)
  • Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band (XXL)
  • Gerald Wilson Orchestra (New York, New Sound)
Verve
2003Dave Holland (What Goes Around)
beat 4 others
  • Slide Hampton and SWR Big Band (Jazz Matinee)
  • Mingus Big Band (Tonight at Noon... Three or Four Shades of Love)
  • Sammy Nestico (This Is the Moment)
  • Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Can I Persuade You?)
ECM
2002Bob Mintzer Big Band (Homage to Count Basie)
beat 4 others
  • Eliane Elias, Bob Brookmeyer and the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra (Impulsive!)
  • Rob McConnell Tentet (Rob McConnell Tentet)
  • Jim McNeely Tentet (Group Therapy)
  • Nicholas Payton (Dear Louis)
DMP
2001Joe Lovano (52nd Street Themes)
beat 4 others
  • Buddy Collette Big Band (The Buddy Collette Big Band In Concert - The Music Of William "Buddy" Collette)
  • The Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra & Jim McNeely (Nice Work)
  • Sam Rivers' Rivbea All-Star Orchestra (Culmination)
  • Maria Schneider Orchestra (Allégresse)
Blue Note
2000Bob Florence (Serendipity 18)
beat 4 others
  • Anthony Brown's Asian American Orchestra (Far East Suite)
  • Tom Harrell (Time's Mirror)
  • Vince Mendoza (Epiphany)
  • Sam Rivers' Rivbea All-Star Orchestra (Inspiration)
MAMA

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