The nominations for the Grammy awards were announced last night and Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews leads the New Orleans nominees with his “Backatown” album, which appears in the Contemporary Jazz category.  It’s was produced by Galactic’s Ben Ellman.  For a full list, check grammy.com

Dr. John, who has won a Grammy five times, is nominated in the best contemporary blues album category, for “Tribal.  ”

Music from the HBO series “Tremé” is nominated in two categories – best compilation soundtrack, and best song written for motion picture or television, for “This City.”  The song, which was composed by roots musician and activist Steve Earle, closed out the first season of the HBO production.

Trumpeter and artistic director for Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis is nominated for best improvised jazz solo, for “Van Gogh,” which appears on “Portrait in Seven Shades.”  Marsalis has won nine Grammys in the past.

Artists connected to New Orleans were also nominated.  Bluesman Buddy Guy, who was born in Louisiana, is up against Dr. John in the best contemporary blues album category. D.L. Menard, The Pine Leaf Boys, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Feufollet and Cedric Watson et Bijou were nominated in the zydeco/Cajun category.

Randy Newman, the songwriter who spent time in New Orleans as a youngster and often references the city in his work, is nominated for his original song, “Down in New Orleans,” which appears in the animated film, “The Princess and the Frog.”  Newman is also nominated as artistic director in the soundtrack category for “Toy Story 3.” (photo by Matthew Hinton)