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New York based composer Maria Schneider has netted TWO Grammy nominations for her fantastic 2007 release Sky Blue. This collection of five original tunes showcases Schneider's exquisite arrangements and abilty to command a full orchestra with sensitivity and precision. The album has garnered enthusiatic praise since its release this Autumn, with The Sunday Times saying, "At its best, the music flickers with an aura of rarified beauty", and The Guardian stating in its five star review that "...Maria Schneider sets a standard that few musicians can even think about."

Sky Blue has been nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in the Jazz category and the track Cerulean Skies has been put forward for the Best Instrumental Composition in the Composing/Arranging category. On top of this, the album was placed at #2 in Jazzwise magazine's 2007 Best New Releases Top 10 chart, ahead of releases from the likes of Wynton Marsalis and Michael Brecker, "...marking new advances in her writing and performance..."

The 2008 Grammy Awards will be held in LA on February 10th, and Air would like to congratulate Maria on a spectacular album and wish her the very best of luck for the coming year.