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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Latin Jazz Album.

30 ceremonies, 1995–2025. 25 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Luques Curtis, Zaccai Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina & Reinaldo de Jesus in 2025 for Cubop Lives!.
Who has won the most?
Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, 3 wins (2009, 2015, 2021).
  1. Cubop Lives!Luques Curtis, Zaccai Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina & Reinaldo de Jesus
  2. El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo
  3. Fandango at the Wall in New YorkArturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra ft. the Congra Patria Son Jarocho Collective
  4. Mirror MirrorEliane Elias with Chick Corea & Chucho Valdés
  5. Four QuestionsArturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
  6. AntidoteChick Corea & the Spanish Heart Band
Years explored
1995–2025
Different winners
25
Category leader
Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra · 3
About this record

Best Latin Jazz Album was first awarded in 1995, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

The Recording Academy had folded it into Best Jazz Instrumental Album, and reinstated it a year later.

2000–2025

25 ceremonies

19952025

01 / The reigns

21 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2000–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra3 wins
  2. 02
    Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba2 wins
  3. 03
    Chucho Valdés2 wins
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. Outlined blocks are years the award was not presented.
Poncho Sánchez'00
Chucho Valdés'01
Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba'02
Dave Samuels and the Caribbean Jazz Project'03
Michel Camilo, Charles Flores, and Horacio Hernández'04
Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba'05
Eddie Palmieri'06
The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project'07
Paquito D'Rivera Quintet'08
Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra'09
Bebo Valdés and Chucho Valdés'10
Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers'11
'12not awarded
Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band'13
Paquito D'Rivera and Trio Corrente'14
Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra'15
Eliane Elias'16
Chucho Valdés'17
Pablo Ziegler Trio'18
Dafnis Prieto Big Band'19
Chick Corea & the Spanish Heart Band'20
Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra'21
Eliane Elias with Chick Corea & Chucho Valdés'22
Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra ft. the Congra Patria Son Jarocho Collective'23
Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo'24
Cubop Lives!'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Independent leads the recorded label credits with 5 wins, 2000–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Independent5 wins
Universal3 wins
Zoho Music3 wins
ArtistShare1 win
Candid1 win
Dafnison1 win
Wins by label
  1. Independent528%
  2. Universal317%
  3. Zoho Music317%
  4. ArtistShare16%
  5. Candid16%
  6. Dafnison16%
  7. Other422%

7 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 18 above.

7 of these 25 wins have no label on record, so the chart covers the other 18.

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025. Excludes 1 nominations credited to Various Artists, which names a compilation rather than an act.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Miguel Zenón
    5 noms
  2. 02
    Bobby Sanabria Big Band
    3 noms
  3. 03
    David Sánchez
    3 noms
  4. 04
    Omar Sosa
    3 noms
  5. 05
    Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
    2 noms
  6. 06
    Caribbean Jazz Project
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Miguel Zenón
    5L · 0W
  2. 02
    Bobby Sanabria Big Band
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    David Sánchez
    3L · 0W
  4. 04
    Omar Sosa
    3L · 0W
  5. 05
    Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    Caribbean Jazz Project
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Luques Curtis, Zaccai Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina & Reinaldo de Jesus (Cubop Lives!)
beat 6 others
  • Michel Camilo & Tomatito (Spain Forever Again)
  • Hamilton de Holanda & Gonzalo Rubalcaba (COLLAB)
  • Eliane Elias (Time And Again)
  • Horacio "El Negro" Hernández, John Beasley, & José Gola (El Trio: Live in Italy)
  • Chucho Valdés & Royal Quartet (Cuba and Beyond)
  • Donald Vega featuring Lewis Nash, John Patitucci, & Luisito Quintero (As I Travel)
Not credited
2024Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo (El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2)
beat 4 others
  • Eliane Elias (Quietude)
  • Ivan Lins & The Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra (My Heart Speaks)
  • Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band (Vox Humana)
  • Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente (Cometa)
Not credited
2023Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra ft. the Congra Patria Son Jarocho Collective (Fandango at the Wall in New York)
beat 4 others
  • Danilo Pérez featuring the Global Messengers (Crisálida)
  • Flora Purim (If You Will)
  • Arturo Sandoval (Rhythm & Soul)
  • Miguel Zenón (Música de las Américas)
Not credited
2022Eliane Elias with Chick Corea & Chucho Valdés (Mirror Mirror)
beat 4 others
  • Carlos Henriquez (The South Bronx Story)
  • Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Virtual Birdland)
  • Dafnis Prieto Sextet (Transparency)
  • Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo (El Arte Del Bolero)
Candid
2021Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Four Questions)
beat 4 others
  • Afro Peruvian Jazz Orchestra (Tradiciones)
  • Chico Pinheiro (City of Dreams)
  • Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola (Viento y Tiempo – Live at Blue Note Tokyo)
  • Poncho Sánchez (Trane's Delight)
Zoho Music
2020Chick Corea & the Spanish Heart Band (Antidote)
beat 4 others
  • Thalma de Freitas with Victor Goncalves, John Patitucci, Chico Pinheiro, Rogerio Boccato and Duduka da Fonseca (Sorte! Music by John Finbury)
  • Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis featuring Rubén Blades (Una Noche con Rubén Blades)
  • David Sánchez (Carib)
  • Miguel Zenón (Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera)
Concord Jazz
2019Dafnis Prieto Big Band (Back to the Sunset)
beat 4 others
  • Eddie Daniels (Heart of Brazil)
  • Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band (West Side Story Reimagined)
  • Elio Villafranca (Cinque)
  • Miguel Zenón featuring Spektral Quartet (Yo Soy La Tradición)
Dafnison
2018Pablo Ziegler Trio (Jazz Tango)
beat 4 others
  • Antonio Adolfo (Hybrido – From Rio to Wayne Shorter)
  • Jane Bunnett & Maqueque (Oddara)
  • Anat Cohen & Marcello Goncalves (Outra Coisa – The Music of Moacir Santos)
  • Miguel Zenón (Típico)
Zoho Music
2017Chucho Valdés (Tribute to Irakere: Live in Marciac)
beat 4 others
  • Andy González (Entre Colegas)
  • Brian Lynch/Various Artists (Madera Latino: A Latin Jazz Perspective on the Music of Woody Shaw)
  • Michael Spiro/Wayne Wallace/La Orquesta Sinfonietta (Canto América)
  • Trio da Paz (30)
Not credited
2016Eliane Elias (Made in Brazil)
beat 4 others
  • Rodriguez Brothers (Impromptu)
  • Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Suite Caminos)
  • Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet (Intercambio)
  • Miguel Zenón (Identities Are Changeable)
Concord Jazz
2015Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (The Offense of the Drum)
beat 4 others
  • Conrad Herwig ft. Joe Lovano (The Latin Side of Joe Henderson)
  • Pedrito Martinez Group (The Pedrito Martinez Group)
  • Emilio Solla and La Inestable de Brooklyn (Second Half)
  • Yosvany Terry (New Throned King)
Not credited
2014Paquito D'Rivera and Trio Corrente (Song for Maura)
beat 4 others
  • Buika (La Noche Más Larga)
  • Roberto Fonseca (Yo)
  • Omar Sosa (Eggun)
  • Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quartet (Latin Jazz – Jazz Latin)
Not credited
2013Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band (Ritmo!)
beat 4 others
  • Bobby Sanabria Big Band (Multiverse)
  • Chano Dominguez (Flamenco Sketches)
  • Manuel Valera New Cuban Express (New Cuban Express)
  • Luciana Souza (Duos III)
Not credited
2011Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers (Chucho's Steps)
beat 4 others
  • Pablo Aslan (Tango Grill)
  • Héctor Martignon (Second Chance)
  • Poncho Sánchez (Psychedelic Blues)
  • Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet (¡Bien Bien!)
Four-Quarters
2010Bebo Valdés and Chucho Valdés (Juntos Para Siempre)
beat 4 others
  • Chembo Corniel (Things I Wanted to Do)
  • Geoffrey Keezer (Áurea)
  • Claudio Roditi (Brazilliance X 4)
  • Miguel Zenón (Esta Plena)
Sony Music Latin
2009Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Song for Chico)
beat 4 others
  • Caribbean Jazz Project (Afro Bop Alliance)
  • Conrad Herwig and the Latin Side Band (The Latin Side of Wayne Shorter)
  • Nestor Torres (Nouveau Latino)
  • Papo Vázquez and The Mighty Pirates (Marooned/Aislado)
Zoho Music
2008Paquito D'Rivera Quintet (Funk Tango)
beat 4 others
  • Bobby Sanabria Big Band (Big Band Urban Folktales)
  • Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion (The Magician)
  • Steve Khan (Borrowed Time)
  • Héctor Martignon (Refugee)
Sunny Side
2007The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project (Simpático)
beat 4 others
  • Ignacio Berroa (Codes)
  • Edsel Gómez (Cubist Music)
  • Dafnis Prieto (Absolute Quintet)
  • Diego Urcola, Edward Simon, Avishai Cohen, Antonio Sánchez and Pernell Saturnino (Viva)
ArtistShare
2006Eddie Palmieri (Listen Here!)
beat 4 others
  • Ray Barretto (Time Was – Time Is)
  • Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels (Here and Now – Live in Concert)
  • Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion (...And Sammy Walked In)
  • Omar Sosa (Mulatos)
Concord Picante
2005Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Land of the Sun)
beat 4 others
  • Raphael Cruz (Bebop Timba)
  • Jerry Gonzalez y los Piratas del Flamenco (Jerry Gonzalez y los Piratas del Flamenco)
  • Conrad Herwig Nonet (Another Kind of Blue: The Latin Side of Miles Davis)
  • Diego Urcola (Soundances)
Verve
2004Michel Camilo, Charles Flores, and Horacio Hernández (Live at the Blue Note)
beat 4 others
  • Jane Bunnett (Cuban Odyssey)
  • Caribbean Jazz Project (Birds of a Feather)
  • Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge (Isla)
  • Chucho Valdés (New Conceptions)
Telarc
2003Dave Samuels and the Caribbean Jazz Project (The Gathering)
beat 4 others
  • Jane Bunnett (Alma de Santiago)
  • Duduka Da Fonseca (Samba Jazz Fantasia)
  • John Santos and the Machete Ensemble (S.F. Bay)
  • Omar Sosa (Sentir)
Concord Jazz
2002Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Nocturne)
beat 4 others
  • Los Hombres Calientes (Irvin Mayfield and Bill Summers) (Vol. 3: New Congo Square)
  • Gonzalo Rubalcaba Trio (Supernova)
  • David Sánchez (Travesía)
  • Various Artists (Calle 54)
Verve
2001Chucho Valdés (Live at the Village Vanguard)
beat 4 others
  • Bobby Sanabria Big Band (Afro-Cuban Dream... Live & in Clave)
  • Gary Burton (Libertango: The Music of Ástor Piazzolla)
  • Danilo Pérez (Motherland)
  • David Sánchez (Melaza)
Blue Note
2000Poncho Sánchez (Latin Soul)
beat 4 others
  • Al McKibbon (Tumbao Para los Congueros di Mi Vida)
  • Bobby Rodríguez (Latin Jazz Explosion)
  • Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Cuban Quartet (Antiguo)
  • Chucho Valdés (Briyumba Palo Congo – Religion of the Congo)
Concord Jazz