Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement has been awarded since 1963. The award is presented to the arranger of the music. Only songs or tracks are eligible, no longer works. The performing artist does not receive a Grammy, except if he/she is also the arranger.
There have been several minor changes to the name of the award:
- From 1963 to 1981 the award was known as Best Instrumental Arrangement
- From 1982 to 1983 it was awarded as Best Arrangement on an Instrumental Recording
- From 1984 to 1994 it was awarded as Best Arrangement on an Instrumental
- From 1995 to 2014 it was again awarded as Best Instrumental Arrangement
- From 2015 it has been awarded as Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella, which also includes vocal arrangements for a cappella performances.
2020s
2020- Jacob Collier for Moon River, performed by Jacob Collier
- Kris Bowers for Blue Skies, performed by Kris Bowers
- John Williams for Hedwig's Theme, performed by John Williams & Anne-Sophie Mutter
- Emilio Solla for La Novena, performed by the Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra
- Vince Mendoza for Love, A Beautiful Force, performed by Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & the Temple University Studio Orchestra
2010s
- 2019
- *John Daversa for Stars and Stripes Forever, performed by John Daversa Big Band ft. DACA Artists
- Nominees
- *Randy Waldman & Justin Wilson for Batman Theme , performed by Randy Waldman ft. Wynton Marsalis
- *Mark Kibble for Change The World, performed by Take 6
- *John Powell for Madrid Finale, performed by John Powell
- *Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water, performed by Alexandre Desplat
- 2018
- *John Williams for Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra from Catch Me If You Can, performed by John Williams
- Nominees:
- *Chuck Owen for All Hat, No Saddle, performed by Chuck Owen & the Jazz Surge
- *Nate Smith for Home Free , performed by Nate Smith
- *John Beasley for Ugly Beauty/Pannonica, performed by John Beasley
- *Chris Walden for White Christmas, performed by Herb Alpert
- 59th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Jacob Collier for You and I, performed by Jacob Collier
- *Nominees
- **John Beasley for Ask Me Now, performed by John Beasley
- **Sammy Nestico for Good 'Swing' Wenceslas, performed by The Count Basie Orchestra
- **Christian Jacob for Linus & Lucy, performed by The Phil Norman Tentet
- **John Daversa for Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, performed by John Daversa
- **Ted Nash for We Three Kings, performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
- 58th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Ben Bram, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado & Kevin Olusola for Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, performed by Pentatonix
- *Nominees
- **Paul Allen, Troy Hayes, Evin Martin & J Moss for Bruno Mars, performed by Vocally Challenged
- **Armand Hutton for Do You Hear What I Hear?, performed by Committed
- **Bob James for Ghost of a Chance, performed by Bob James & Nathan East
- ** John Fedchock for You and The Night and The Music, performed by The John Fedchock New York Big Band
- 57th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Ben Bram, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado & Kevin Olusola for Daft Punk, performed by Pentatonix
- *Nominees
- **Pete McGuinness for Beautiful Dreamer, performed by the Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra
- **Gordon Goodwin for Get Smart, performed by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
- **Alfredo Rodriguez for Guantanamera, performed by Alfredo Rodriguez
- **Chris Walden for Moon River, performed by Amy Dickson
- 56th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Gordon Goodwin for On Green Dolphin Street, performed by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
- *Nominees
- **Kim Richmond for Invitation, performed by The Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra
- **Chuck Owen for Side Hikes - A Ridge Away, performed by Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge
- **Nan Schwartz for Skylark, performed by Amy Dickson
- **Gil Goldstein for Wild Beauty, performed by the Brussels Jazz Orchestra featuring Joe Lovano
- 55th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Gil Evans for How About You, performed by The Gil Evans Project
- *Nominees
- **Michael Philip Mossman for Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite For Ellington, performed by the Bobby Sanabria Big Band
- **Bob Mintzer for Irrequieto, performed by the Bob Mintzer Big Band
- **Wally Minko for A Night in Tunisia , performed by Arturo Sandoval
- **Gordon Goodwin for Salt Peanuts! , performed by Arturo Sandoval
- 54th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Gordon Goodwin for Rhapsody in Blue
- *Nominees
- **Peter Jensen for All or Nothing At All
- **Clare Fischer for In The Beginning
- **Bob Brookmeyer for Nasty Dance
- **Gordon Goodwin for Rhapsody in Blue
- **Carlos Franzetti for Song Without Words
- 53rd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Vince Mendoza for "Carlos" from the album 54 performed by John Scofield and Metropole Orchestra conducted by Vince Mendoza
- 52nd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Bill Cunliffe, for "West Side Story Medley"
2000s
- 51st Annual Grammy Awards
- *Thomas Newman and Peter Gabriel for Define Dancing, from WALL-E performed by various artists.
- 50th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Vince Mendoza for In A Silent Way, performed by Joe Zawinul
- 49th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Chick Corea for Three Ghouls, performed by Chick Corea
- 48th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Gordon Goodwin for The Incredits, from The Incredibles soundtrack, performed by various artists
- 47th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Slide Hampton for "Past Present and Future" performed by The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
- 46th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Michael Brecker & Gil Goldstein for "Timbuktu" performed by the Michael Brecker Quindectet
- 45th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Thomas Newman for "Six Feet Under Title Theme"
- 44th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Béla Fleck & Edgar Meyer for "Debussy: Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum" performed by Béla Fleck with Joshua Bell & Gary Hoffmann
- 43rd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Chick Corea for "Spain for Sextet & Orchestra"
- 42nd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Don Sebesky for "Chelsea Bridge"
1990s
- 41st Annual Grammy Awards
- *Don Sebesky for "Waltz for Debby"
- 40th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Bill Holman for "Straight, No Chaser" performed by The Bill Holman Band
- 39th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Michael Kamen for "An American Symphony "
- 38th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Robert Farnon for "Lament" performed by J. J. Johnson & the Robert Farnon Orchestra
- 37th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Dave Grusin for "Three Cowboy Songs"
- 36th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Dave Grusin for "Mood Indigo"
- 35th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Rob McConnell for "Strike Up the Band" performed by Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass
- 34th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Dave Grusin for "Medley: Bess You Is My Woman/I Loves You Porgy"
- 33rd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Jerry Hey, Quincy Jones, Ian Prince & Rod Temperton for "Birdland" performed by Quincy Jones
- 32nd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Dave Grusin for "Suite From The Milagro Beanfield War"
1980s
- 31st Annual Grammy Awards
- *Roger Kellaway for "Memos From Paradise" performed by Eddie Daniels
- 30th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Bill Holman for "Take The "A" Train" performed by The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen
- 29th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Patrick Williams for "Suite Memories" performed by Bill Watrous & Patrick Williams
- 28th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Dave Grusin & Lee Ritenour for "Early A.M. Attitude"
- 27th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Jeremy Lubbock & Quincy Jones for "Grace " performed by Quincy Jones
- 26th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Dave Grusin for "Summer Sketches '82"
- 25th Annual Grammy Awards
- *John Williams for "Flying - Theme From E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"
- 24th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Quincy Jones & Johnny Mandel for "Velas" performed by Quincy Jones
- 23rd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Jerry Hey & Quincy Jones for "Dinorah, Dinorah" performed by George Benson
- 22nd Annual Grammy Awards
- *Claus Ogerman for "Soulful Strut" performed by George Benson
1970s
- 21st Annual Grammy Awards
- *Quincy Jones & Robert Freedman for "The Wiz Main Title - Overture Part One" performed by various artists
- 20th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Harry Betts, Perry Botkin Jr. & Barry De Vorzon for "Nadia's Theme " performed by Barry De Vorzon
- 19th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Chick Corea for "Leprechaun's Dream"
- 18th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Pete Carpenter & Mike Post for "The Rockford Files" performed by Mike Post
- 17th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Patrick Williams for Threshold
- 16th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Quincy Jones for "Summer in the City"
- 15th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Don Ellis for "Theme From The French Connection" performed by the Don Ellis Big Band
- 14th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Isaac Hayes & Johnny Allen for "Theme From Shaft" performed by Isaac Hayes
- 13th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Henry Mancini for "Theme From Z"
- 12th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Henry Mancini for "Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet"
1960s
- 11th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Mike Post for "Classical Gas" performed by Mason Williams
- 10th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Burt Bacharach for Alfie
- 9th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Herb Alpert for "What Now My Love" performed by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
- 8th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Herb Alpert for "A Taste of Honey" performed by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
- 7th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Henry Mancini for "The Pink Panther Theme"
- 6th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Quincy Jones for "I Can't Stop Loving You" performed by Count Basie
- 5th Annual Grammy Awards
- *Henry Mancini for "Baby Elephant Walk"