Record Producer MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO Recieves Two Grammy Nominations

Hot on the heels of a stellar year that saw the release of Meshell Ndegeocello's 11th studio album, Comet, Come to Me, the talented and versatile artist has added another title to her musical resume - that of a Grammy Nominated album producer.

Ndegocello shares in not one but two Grammy nominations this year, both for her role as record producer: Jason Moran's All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller (Blue Note Records), co-produced with Don Was and nominated for "Best Jazz Instrumental Album"; and Ruthie Foster's Promise of a Brand New Day (Blue Corn Music), which was nominated for "Best Blues Album".

Moran's All Rise is the studio culmination of a project that was born onstage, thanks to a commission for Moran to create a tribute to Waller from New York's Harlem Stage Gatehouse. Ndegeocello's presence guaranteed that All Rise-and by extension, Waller's kinetic swing-would be infused with the contemporary kineticism of R&B and hip-hop.

"I decided it should be a dance party," explains Moran. "If you think about Fats, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Earl Hines-all of them were making the popular sounds of their era: dance music. That's when I reached out to Meshell. She was my only choice."

For Foster's Promise of a Brand New Day, the blues artist put Meshell Ndegeocello fully in charge, letting the lauded singer and bassist call the shots regarding players, takes and mixing. "I wanted this album to highlight Ruthie's voice and also communicate her vibe, give a fuller picture of her artistry and ability," explains Ndegeocello, who also played bass on the album, and who and enlisted her regular guitarist, Chris Bruce (Sheryl Crow), and keyboardist Jebin Bruni (Aimee Mann) to join them in the studio, along with drummer Ivan Edwards, backing vocalist Nayanna Holley, and special guests guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and singer Toshi Reagon.