Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album

Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by The Recording Academy to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".

According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is presented for albums containing "at least 51% playing time of newly recorded contemporary jazz instrumental tracks".

[3] Beginning in 2001, award recipients included the producers, engineers, and/or mixers associated with the nominated work in addition to the recording artists.

The group Béla Fleck and the Flecktones has received the award twice.

The group Yellowjackets holds the record for the most nominations without a win, with a total of seven.

A man with his eyes closed playing a guitar.
Six-time award winner Pat Metheny
A man on a stage wearing all black and a cap on his head, playing a trumpet into a microphone. Behind him is a man holding a saxophone and another man sitting in a chair. Music stands and additional microphone stands are on the stage in front of them.
Four-time award winner and member of Brecker Brothers , Randy Brecker
A man wearing a dress shirt and glasses, playing a banjo. A light is shining down on him from above, casting a blue shade over him.
Béla Fleck of the two-time award-winning group, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
A man wearing glasses, playing a guitar and standing behind a cymbal.
2005 award winner, Bill Frisell
A man wearing glasses, with his eyes closed, playing a white keytar with black and white keys.
2008 award winner, Herbie Hancock
A man behind a microphone, with one of his hands on a black and white keyboard, wearing a dress shirt and a multi-colored cap.
2010 award winner, Joe Zawinul