On Wednesday April 6th, The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences announced a “restructuring” of The Grammy Awards, a move that included the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy. This unfortunate decision undermines the integrity of Latin Jazz and disregards its importance as a major piece of the cultural landscape in the United States. I would encourage all LJC readers to protest this decision and demand that NARAS reinstate the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately – you can do this by sending an e-mail to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow here – neil@grammy.com Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
The elimination of the 31 Grammy categories reaches far beyond the confines of the Latin Jazz community – this is a major issue that impacts musicians from all realms of the business. It’s important to remember that outside of the Latin Jazz categories, 30 other genres were effected by the “restructuring.” In addition, a number of artists come in and out of multiple genres, working with Latin Jazz musicians on one project while dipping into another musical world on the next. Singer, songwriter, and producer Rachel Faro has made these regular connections with Latin Jazz musicians while maintaining connections with other styles. From a teenage role in the Los Angeles production of Hair to co-producing Eddie Palmieri’s Sueño or working closely with several important Cuban groups, Faro has done it all. Her broad perspective allows her to realistically see the long-term impact of the Grammy changes and value of keeping each of these individual categories.
———- Dear Neil,
I’ve been a member of NARAS since 1982 and my connection with the Academy goes back to when I appeared on the Grammies as a teenage member of the LA cast of Hair. I’ve done just about everything one can do in the music business from recording as a major label artist for RCA to producing over thirty albums of all kinds of music from blues to world to jazz to New Age to salsa (three of which have received Grammy Nominations), to owning and operating an independent record label. I am one of the few women around who has produced so many albums and who has been her own boss at her own label.
Never have I experienced the Academy to be in so much danger of losing its relevance to those of us who are experienced recording professionals. Cutting out so many categories is one of the worst things to have happened to the Academy and the repercussions of this shall last for years to come. Instead of strengthening the Academy you have weakened it.
By “folding in” unique categories such as Latin jazz, Hawaiian, Zydeco, Native American and New Age you have disenfranchised committed NARAS members who are as much the heart and soul of the music business as major pop stars. You have basically expressed to them that their music and recordings, however excellent, don’t matter. As you know, receiving a Grammy or a nomination, can be an important engine for expansion of these genres. The Academy, instead of being aware of the importance of expanding diversity and creativity in music, has instead chosen to contract and marginalize this music.
Also, the guidelines by which you have accomplished this butchery seem to be confusing and arbitrary. Is it 40 minimum submissions or 25? And if it is 25 with 3 nominations and 40 with 5 nominations, as has been explained to me, why are categories such as Latin jazz which have always had an average of 30 – 35 submissions now eliminated (or “folded in” as you explain, which really is just wrong — Latin jazz is not straight ahead jazz and should not be blended in this way)?
At least be consistent and immediately reinstate any categories which have submitted over 25 entries in the last years. Not to do so is grossly unfair.
It is crucial that this week’s meetings include a strong reconsideration of which categories should be immediately reinstated. There is no reason not to do so, especially if they pass the 25 minimum requirement.
I question the priorities of the Academy and its governance. I am aware of all the wonderful things that the Academy does: Musicares, education, advocacy in D.C. and such. But are we there to truly represent our membership in all its excellence and diversity or to embody a narcissistic, glossy producer of “music’s biggest night”? Some of these “smaller” genres have been huge sellers in the past (Hawaiian, polka) and some are burgeoning and growing more vital every year (all Latin music, Latin jazz, World), and some may remain stable and at the same size indefinitely (Native American, Zydeco) — nevertheless all are equally important and should be equally respected and represented by the Academy.
I have always enjoyed all that the Academy offered and there are many who work within the Academy that I consider dear friends and fellow professionals. But if these issues are not considered and these categories are not reinstated I may no longer feel that NARAS represents me and the music that I make. In that case I will seriously consider resigning from the Academy after all these years.
Respectfully,
Rachel Faro
———-
Don’t let this attack on Latin Jazz go unnoticed – send your e-mail in support of the Latin Jazz Grammy today. You can start with a message to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow, his e-mail address is: neil@grammy.com Make sure that you sign the petition to get the Latin Jazz Grammy reinstated – you can find it HERE. Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
———- Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!
Latin Jazz This Week will bring you a weekly look into news from the Latin Jazz world. You’ll find new releases, recommended performances, web finds, and more. You can check out some current sounds in the Listening Center tab at the top of the page. Performance dates will be kept in the Live Latin Jazz tab at the top of the page.
NEWS
This has been a big week in the protest against the elimination of the 31 Grammy categories, marked by some significant recognition of the movement against the April 6th “restructuring” announcement by NARAS. Much of the surge rose around the picketing in Los Angeles outside a NARAS Board Of Trustees meeting, supported by a thorough article from the Associated Press. News of the protest spread through the article, which found its way to major U.S. news outlets like ABC, NBC, & CBS, as well as international sources such as the BBC. High profile statements from Paul Simon, Andy Garcia, and Carlos Santana added weight, as did an official letter signed by a number of professionals, including Herbie Hancock. We covered much of this Friday in an article on the Los Angeles protest, filled with pictures and links to much of the coverage – you can find it HERE. Despite all this pressure, NARAS has yet to reverse their decision, so it’s time to keep the heat on – find out what you can do to help at Grammy Watch.
One link that didn’t get covered in the article on the Los Angeles protest is this piece from the San Jose Mercury News, featuring viewpoints from Bay Area percussionist John Santos, New York percussionist Bobby Sanabria, and Latin rocker Carlos Santana. It’s another statement of the surreal mess surrounding the Grammy Travesty – you can find the article HERE.
The Wall Street Journal posted a great article on Tito Puente this past week, inspired by a tribute to El Rey at the Museum Of Harlem. The article calls upon two Puente experts for its information – longtime Puente friend Joe Conzo, and drummer Bobby Sanabria. Conzo recently released a thorough biography of Puente, Mambo Diablo: My Journey With Tito Puente, a fantastic read that goes in depth into the influential percussionist’s life. Sanabria collaborated with Puente during his lifetime and most recently released Tito Puente Masterworks, Live!!!, a tribute to Puente from the Manhattan School Of Music’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. It’s always good to see Puente retaining the spotlight that he deserves – check out the article HERE.
If you’re in the CARIBBEAN this week . . . CONRAD HERWIG’S LATIN SIDE ALL-STAR BAND WHEN: Saturday 6/4/11 WHERE:Plaza Resort Bonaire
80 Julio A. Abraham Boulevard
Kralendijk, Netherlands Antilles TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
HUMBERTO RAMIREZ BIG BAND WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Tito Puente Amphitheater
Parque Luis M Marín
Ave. Jesús T Piñeiro
San Juan, Puerto Rico TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $35
PONCHO SANCHEZ WHEN: Saturday 6/4/11 WHERE:Tito Puente Amphitheater
Parque Luis M Marín
Ave. Jesús T Piñeiro
San Juan, Puerto Rico TIME: 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35
RICHIE FLORES WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Tito Puente Amphitheater
Parque Luis M Marín
Ave. Jesús T Piñeiro
San Juan, Puerto Rico TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . LUCIA PULIDO WHEN: Friday 6/3/11 WHERE: Palacio Do Itamaraty Brasilia
Esplanada dos Ministérios
Brasília, 70170-900, Brazil TIME: 8:00 p.m.
PABLO ASLAN WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 – Friday 6/3/11 WHERE:Notorious
Avenida Callao 966
1023 Buenos Aires, Argentina TIME: 9:30 p.m.
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . PAQUITO D’RIVERA
Guest Artist With The Metropole Orchestra WHEN: Tuesday 5/24/11 WHERE:Concertgebouw
Amsterdam, Netherlands TIME: 11:00 a.m.
If you’re in CANADA this week . . . AMANDA MARTINEZ
With The Canada Pops Orchestra WHEN: Wednesday 6/1/11 WHERE:Koerner Hall
273 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON, Canada TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $64.20 – $133.75
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . AFRO-BOP ALLIANCE WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Gazebo Stage
Carroll Avenue at Westmoreland
Takoma Park, MD TIME: 2:40 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
CHEMBO CORNIEL WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $7
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Birdland
315 West 44th Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $30
CIDINHO TEIXIERA WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10 with 2 Drink Minimum
CURTIS BROTHERS WHEN: Wednesday 6/1/11 WHERE:B. Smith’s
320 West 46th Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
EDY MARTINEZ QUARTET WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane Street
Elmhurst, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
GREG DIAMOND WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Miles Cafe
212 East 52nd Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
GREGORIO URIBE BIG BAND WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10 with 2 Drink Minimum
JOHN BENITEZ
Latin Jazz Jam Session WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane Street
Elmhurst, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
MIGUEL ZENON WHEN: Wednesday 6/1/11 WHERE: The Jazz Gallery
290 Hudson Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
RAY VEGA WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:The Flynn Space
153 Main Street
Burlington, VT TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $24
SOFIA REI KOUTSOVITIS WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Queens Library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
Jamaica, NY TIME: 3:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . BOBBY SANABRIA WHEN: Saturday 6/4/11 WHERE:9th/Liberty Stage – Pittsburgh JazzLive
9th Street & Liberty Avenue
Barrio Logan, PA TIME: 5:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Nighttown
12387 Cedar Road
Cleveland Heights, OH TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . BILL CABALLERO WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Voz Alta
1754 National Avenue
Barrio Logan, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
GILBERT CASTELLANOS WHEN: Wednesday 6/1/11 WHERE:El Camino
2400 India Street
San Diego, CA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
GRUPO FALSO BAIANO WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Marin Art And Garden Center
30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
San Anselmo, CA TIME: 5:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
WHEN: Thursday 6/2/11 WHERE:Casa Cultura
1901 San Pablo Avenue
Berkeley, CA TIME: 3:00 p.m. TICKETS: $5
JOHN SANTOS SEXTET
Special Guests Pete Escovedo & Arturo Sandoval WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Rec Park
University & Piper
Healdsburg, CA TIME: 1:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
JOVINO SANTOS NETO
Bellevue Jazz Festival WHEN: Friday 6/3/11 WHERE: The Twisted Cork Lounge
900 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
KAT PARRA WHEN: Saturday 6/4/11 WHERE: Senzala Brazilian Restaurant
250 East Java Drive
Sunnyvale, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE: Bliss Bar
4026 24th Street
San Francisco, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
LOUIE CRUZ BELTRAN WHEN: Saturday 6/4/11 WHERE: Steamer’s
138 W. Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA WHEN: Monday 5/30/11 WHERE:Cafe Cocomo
650 Indiana Street
San Francisco, CA TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
PONCHO SANCHEZ WHEN: Monday 5/30/11 WHERE:Typhoon
3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, 2nd Floor
Santa Monica, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
RAY OBIEDO
Mistura Fina WHEN: Sunday 6/5/11 WHERE:Red Poppy
2698 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m.
———- Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!
On Wednesday April 6th, The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences announced a “restructuring” of The Grammy Awards, a move that included the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy. This unfortunate decision undermines the integrity of Latin Jazz and disregards its importance as a major piece of the cultural landscape in the United States. I would encourage all LJC readers to protest this decision and demand that NARAS reinstate the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately – you can do this by sending an e-mail to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow here – neil@grammy.com Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
It’s not always easy to see both sides of an issue, especially when the topic hits a sensitive nerve in your everyday life. Our first instinct generally leads us to follow our passionate side, standing up for our opinions with a loud and assertive voice. When we can channel our passions into an intelligent conversation that looks at the bigger picture, we have a greater opportunity of opening a dialogue and moving towards solutions. Trombonist Doug Beavers certainly feels close to Latin Jazz and salsa; he performs with some of the biggest names in the genres and leads his own groups through amazing music. The elimination of 31 Grammy categories by NARAS struck a nerve with Beavers, but he stepped back and looked at the whole situation. In an eloquent statement, he shares his thoughts on both sides of the Grammy issue.
———- May 27, 2011
As a lot of you may know, I’m heavily involved in the fields of Latin Jazz and Afro-Caribbean music. Afro Caribbean music and its marriage to Jazz (most call this Latin Jazz) excites me. All of the thousands of rhythms of its great tradition are infectious to me. Afro Caribbean music gets me up in the morning. I find myself dancing its rhythms and steps in the mirror at any given time for no apparent reason.
It’s a major part of my career as a musician. I’ve studied it and made the most important friends in my life because of it. I compose it and arrange it. I teach it everyday to coming generations of musicians. I get to watch on satisfyingly as students get the hang of playing a rhythm in clave and get really excited about it. They take it home with them and create their own variations and gestations. They come back with their own melodies, based on these rhythms. Few things in life satisfy me more than that.
In addition to my own projects, I get to tour and perform with the major figures that are standing behind the current protest to the categorical cuts in the Grammy awards. In the next month alone, I will have the humble honor to perform with 9-time Grammy Winner Eddie Palmieri, Pete Escovedo and his Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the 2-time Grammy winning orchestra Spanish Harlem Orchestra, led by Oscar Hernández.
As of late, I’ve been trying to figure out just where I stand on this intensifying debate, which is currently generating a lot of awareness as a result of street protests in Los Angeles and press conferences both here in New York and my hometown, the San Francisco Bay Area. Personally, I feel that this is a tough issue – I can see parts of both sides of the coin. It wasn’t until I felt that I could see clear missteps in the decision that I decided to weigh in.
“Adding Value”
Most can see the need to add value to something. We all do it at some point or another. We refurbish our kitchens. We invest. We can thusly see the impetus to make an award an object of desire and an object to be lauded.
The way that the NARAS Board of Trustees has gone about cutting categories attacks the very fabric of this country and our greatest asset. Our diversity.
This was wrong.
It should have never been done. At the very least, voting members of NARAS had to be made aware of a such a sweeping decision as it was being made. NARAS, of which I am a part, is a democratic organization which comes to decisions about entries, nominations and awards via its voting members and its Board of Governors. The voting members of NARAS and its corresponding Board of Governors in the different cites should have been informed and been a party to this decision.
Importance of Diversity
How can cutting an award category attack the diversity of a nation? Quite simply, in its long term implications.
The Grammy award is the summit of success for most of us who are part of the process of creating music. How can generations to follow not be discouraged to create music based on the styles which represent the cut categories? The mere possibility of receiving a nomination inspires creators in these styles to create their own takes of the music which has influenced them. The result of this action will be less music created in these styles that are 100% American, by definition. We therefore lose diversity, as a nation.
We have to be clear here – the chance of a musician specializing in Cajun music or “Traditional Blues” or Latin Jazz to actually win a Grammy has been reduced to nearly 0%. In our current climate, (insert discussion of major labels vs. indies and independent musicians here) there is no way that a musician specializing in the forms representing the categories can compete against artists with more of a mainstream influence that have been folded into the same category as they have.
So why would a person influenced by these styles put it all on the line to 1) become a musician of these styles and to 2) create their own music on an album, putting most of their life resources on the line to do so? It clearly won’t be to be internationally recognized by receiving a Grammy award. For a lot of us, being recognized with a Grammy is certainly the biggest part of the dream. Even being nominated would be the most validating prize in a life of sacrifices.
The way to celebrate the great musical diversity of this country (and for that matter, the world) is to promote it. You keep these categories intact – they do not “devalue” the Grammy in any way. If any of us were to win a Grammy award outright in our area of specialization we would be ecstatic. Nothing could take away from the significance of that vaunted award.
It was difficult enough to win a Grammy before these changes went into effect. Just ask 60+ year Latin Jazz veteran Pete Escovedo:
“I was fortunate enough to be nominated in 1989 for my recording entitled “Mister E.” That nomination inspired me to work harder at my profession – to reach for the ultimate goal – A GRAMMY – which at some point in my life I hope to achieve.”
The NARAS representatives arguing for the cuts have countered with a numerical analysis on the present number of categories versus past. This is well beyond a “numbers” issue. When you deal with sacrificing the diversity of our country’s music, to merely add value to an award, you have fallen out of touch with the mission statement of NARAS and have dropped the ball when it comes to what should be its true priorities, cultural awareness and diversity being chief among them.
Where I DON’T Agree with the Protestors
There have been a couple of points and issues that have bothered me in regards to the protestors of the Grammy category cuts.
First, I think calling for the immediate resignation of President Neil Portnow and the Board of Trustees is insensitive and ill-advised. I personally know folks on the “Secret Sub-Committee” that was formed and what they have done to promote diversity before the round of categorical cuts. Some in particular are friends that I hold very dear and have readily demonstrated efforts to spread cultural awareness and diversity through the MusicCares program. Asking for their resignation in NO way sets the stage for an amicable resolution to this issue. This in fact jeopardizes the main goal of having the cut categories reinstated.
I also take issue with calling the cuts racist. To be fair, mainstream categories were cut as well, and these categories include artists that are of mixed race and musical background. True, cutting categories of musical diversity will lead to a homogenization of music in general (which is highly unfortunate), and this, in my opinion, is very much going in the wrong direction. But I just can’t see how this process is explicitly racist. Please correct me if I am wrong.
All things considered – cutting these categories will systematically result in a “cut” in desire to create this music of diversity. The music, and therefore the culture, of this country and of music followers and fans the world over will suffer tremendously from the standpoint of the stimulating rhythmical and stylistic influences that make it exciting. General awareness and inclusion of these diverse styles in music will eventually be lost as a result.
To this capacity, I stand in opposition to the categorical cuts to the Grammys made by NARAS.
Program Director
Harlem School of Urban Music and Recording Arts @
Frederick Douglass Academy, Harlem NYC
harlemschool.org
Advocate of Diversity in Music
———-
Don’t let this attack on Latin Jazz go unnoticed – send your e-mail in support of the Latin Jazz Grammy today. You can start with a message to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow, his e-mail address is: neil@grammy.com Make sure that you sign the petition to get the Latin Jazz Grammy reinstated – you can find it HERE. Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
———- Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!
A unified community full of strength and conviction can overcome any odds when they join together, a fact currently being proved as musicians from the Latin Jazz world and beyond battle the “restructuring” of the Grammys by NARAS. At first glance, this struggle may reflect a bit of a David and Goliath scenario, with the big money and corporate power behind NARAS facing down the musical muscle of Latin Jazz musicians. As David proved in his battle against Goliath though, size doesn’t really matter; determination, smarts, and integrity will win every time. Fortunately, the musicians in the Latin Jazz world are overflowing with all those great qualities, and they’re unified in this battle with artists from across the effected genres. The strong bond of community has united them into leaders and spokesmen, and with each successive days, they’re gaining headway on the giant challenge that is NARAS.
Musicians in the Los Angeles area took the battle to the streets yesterday, making their presence known at a NARAS meeting in Beverly Hills. Some of Southern California’s top Latin Jazz musicians, such as Bobby Matos, Pete Escovedo, and Oscar Hernandez hit the streets with picket signs, creating a visible presence. As the busy traffic of Santa Monica Boulevard breezed by, they read messages such as, “31 Categories Must Be Reinstated,””NARAS Trustees – Neil Must Go,””Correct The Wrong,” and “NARAS Does Not Believe In Diversity.” These strong words must have made an impact upon the casual drivers, but the message was pointed at the board members currently meeting to discuss Grammy policy. A protest from any of the NARAS board members could result in a return of the eliminated categories and a revival of integrity at the Grammys. The board member discussions stayed behind closed doors, but the protest remained strong with signs, information, and impromptu jams.
The protest in Beverly Hills, along with a general surge in awareness around the issue, has garnered some fantastic coverage and support. The Associated Press got the ball rolling today with a fantastic article that blasted across the internet with strong quotes from Bobby Sanabria. The wide reach of the Associated Press resulted in attention from major news sources and translations across South America. ABC News reported upon the Grammy Travesty, providing a strong story and video with interviews from the Los Angeles protest. Local media picked up on the protest as well, with a fantastic article and video from Southern California Public Radio. Some big name music “stars” have been coming into the discussion as well, adding their influential thoughts into the mix. Carlos Santana and his wife Cindy Blackman made a statement blasting NARAS for insulting the artists that inspired his unique musical blend. Singer-songwriter Paul Simon made a statement asking Portnow to reconsider the decision to eliminate the 31 Grammy categories. High profile Latin Jazz artist Pete Escovedo wrote a strong letter about the contributions of Latin Jazz musicians to the musical world. As the word about the questionable intentions behind the elimination of 31 Grammy categories spread, NARAS will only feel the heat around the issue grow.
Yesterday was a monumental day in the movement to revive the Latin Jazz Grammy and the additional 31 categories so shamefully cut by NARAS, and the story centered around the protest in Los Angeles. We’ve gathered several pictures of the protest below, in order to help inspire you to take action as the momentum behind this very important issue intensifies. Thanks for Jimmy D. for his presence at the event and fantastic pictures that bring it to life. Check out the Latin Jazz musicians below taking to the streets and feel the inspiration; then head over to Grammy Watch and see what you can do to support the cause. With the power of the Latin Jazz community, we will topple the giant!
———-
———-
Don’t let this attack on Latin Jazz go unnoticed – send your e-mail in support of the Latin Jazz Grammy today. You can start with a message to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow, his e-mail address is: neil@grammy.com Make sure that you sign the petition to get the Latin Jazz Grammy reinstated – you can find it HERE. Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
On April 6, 2011, the National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences introduced a “restructuring” of The Grammy Awards, eliminating 31 categories. This unexpected downsizing stole recognition from a number of genres, including Latin Jazz, contemporary jazz, classical music, Hawaiian music, and more. The storm had been brewing for a while, as the popular music industry fumed over Herbie Hancock’s 2010 Record Of The Year award and Esperanza Spalding’s 2011 Best New Artist award. These honors went to skilled jazz musicians at the expense of widely known pop artists such as Kanye West and Justin Bieber, a fact that glowed with promise for the future of art music. The pop music industry saw this as an attack though, and Steve Stoute, employee of Hip Hop mogul Jay Z, took out a full-page ad in the New York Times insulting NARAS for becoming “out of touch.” Tensions escalated, secret meetings were held, and soon, 31 categories disappeared from the Grammy Awards. Unfortunately, this decision happened behind closed doors, and the announcement shocked a large number of musicians.
The elimination of the 31 Grammy categories sends a number of derogatory messages about music on so many levels. With multiple ethnic musics being cut from the awards, NARAS made an extremely racially insensitive move. It sends a set of questionable aesthetics out into the general public, declaring these culturally rich musics as irrelevant. The move seemed to feed the desires of major record labels, who were seeking even more attention for big pop stars in a shrinking market that is increasingly difficult to manipulate. The “restructuring” took any sort of opportunity away from independent labels, moving the power towards big budgets. The value behind artistry and years of intensive practice seemed to fade, as art music was pushed aside in favor of the shiny appeal of pop music. Despite a polished promotional speech around the changes, visible layers of damaging messages sat exposed below the surface.
The enormity of the impact from these eliminations can simply be overwhelming, but fortunately we have insightful musicians like Bobby Sanabria to share the facts. In collaboration with musicians like John Santos and Sandy Cressman, Sanabria has been spearheading the movement to reinstate all 31 categories and restore meaning to the Grammy Awards. On Sunday May 22, 2011, Sanabria led a press conference in New York, where he called for the return of the categories and the removal of NARAS president Neil Portnow. These were not just empty words, but demands based upon fact. In the first piece of an interview on the Grammy situation, Sanabria talks about the reaction of the greater jazz world, the current state of the Grammys, and some bad moves by Portnow.
———- BOBBY SANABRIA: When Herbie won the award, he said something like, “I don’t what’s happening, but there seems to be a change . . . and I like it.” He was referring to the fact that people in the membership were really caring about good music. I never stopped to think that there would be blowback. When Esperanza (Spalding) won for Best New Artist, Steve Stoute took that one page ad out in the New York Times criticizing the Grammys – that ad cost $40,000. He also works for Jay Z. I thought to myself, “Oh man, here it comes, this is the blowback.” When April 6th happened, it was a combination of shock and laughter. I knew something was going to happen, and that was it.
We have a great chance with this issue to bring integrity back to The Grammys and unite the jazz community. It’s been a bit disappointing – no one has come forward except for Carlos Santana.
LATIN JAZZ CORNER: I was really surprised that some of the larger names in jazz hadn’t said something.
BS: Especially Herbie and Chick (Corea) who both started their careers with Mongo Santamaria. I’ve tried to get Wynton to make a statement, he’s aware of everything. On the day of the April 11th Grammy meeting in New York, we had communicated. I asked him to come, but he couldn’t make it. He asked me to keep him informed, and I have. I figured people like Bono or Sting would say something . . .especially Bono, who’s always talking about civil rights. Make no mistake about it; this is a civil rights issue. Most of the categories cut were ethnic categories, which was shocking to me.
LJC: What do you see as the next step if NARAS doesn’t turn things around – would you encourage people to drop their memberships or protest at the event?
BS: We’re kind of in a conundrum. I personally don’t have anything against the Grammys; it’s the administration that needs to be replaced. The Grammys do good things behind the scenes. The Grammys unfortunately have the worst public relations department in the world. They do all these good things, but nobody knows about them. They have MusicCares, which helps out homeless musicians or musicians down on their luck with medical bills and more. They have the Grammy Foundation that gives out numerous scholarships for students to continue their music studies on the college level. At the Manhattan School Of Music, we’ve benefited greatly from that; several of the musicians at the school are on scholarships from The Grammys. The Grammys give out grants for preserving old recordings – Boys Harbor received a grant from The Grammys to preserve all of their 78s digitally. These are some of the things that the Grammys are doing behind the scenes that are very positive. The general public doesn’t know anything about that though. I would guess that most of the Grammy membership doesn’t know. They’re doing all these good things; they should let people know about it. That way they’d get more members.
The interesting thing is that the membership has dropped by 7,000 people. We had 28,000 members under the previous administration. It’s down to 21,000 members now – that’s an incredible decrease in membership. It’s because of the lack of leadership in this current administration and the fact that The Grammys have become a joke under them. Especially amongst musicians that play jazz oriented music.
Portnow is interesting because he used to be the vice-president of West Coast operations for Jive Records. He had these ties to the Hip-Hop community. That’s why the relationship with Steve Stoute is very disconcerting. In Rolling Stone, it came out a couple of weeks ago that Portnow and Stoute had a meeting to discuss diversity and how the Grammy could better serve the Hip Hop community. That’s the most absurd thing that I’ve every heard. He cut out diversity when he cut out all these categories. Steve Stoute is the one that insulted the academy. When you insult the academy, like he did with that full-page ad in the New York Times, you insult us – the membership. Then he insulted Esperanza; how dare he do that. He insulted her for winning over Justin Bieber – how dare he do that. We, the membership voted for her.
People in the general public and the music community tend to forget that The Grammys are a peer-based reward. We – the members – vote for it. We voted for Esperanza – if anyone has a problem with her winning, it should be a problem with the membership. This guy goes ahead and insults the Academy, and insults us, and president Portnow does nothing! He should have had a press conference the next day saying, “How dare this guy insult the Academy and its membership. How dare he insult this talented artist who represents the best of what the Academy exudes.” He should have taken the time as a teaching moment and tell all the Justin Bieber fans that were writing vulgar things on Esperanza’s Wikipedia page to stop acting so immature. This is not American Idol; this is an award that was given to her by the 21,000 members of The Grammys. I’m sure that not everybody voted for her, but it was the majority.
I’m very adamant about that – he should have stepped up to the plate and said something. He would have shown that he has leadership and more people would have been interested in joining the Academy. It would have been a great recruiting tool. But he has no vision and no leadership. His ties to Steve Stoute are questionable. Anyone seeing this at face value has got to scratch their heads and think, “What’s going on here?”
In addition, the Grammy offices were moved. They are not at the original location that they once were. He insisted on buying a new building to house the offices. Instead of leasing a new building, he bought one. Since the market crashed, the old building is empty and we’re still paying rent on it. The rent is an exorbitant amount of money and the member dollars are gong towards it.
The fact that they cut these categories creates a cultural diversity issue. Cutting the categories virtually cuts the legs off all independent records labels and gives the major labels an unfair advantage in the awards. Then Portnow’s public relationship with Stephen Stout . . . all these questions start adding up – what’s going on here?
What happened to jazz, classic music, and Latin music at the Grammy telecast? It used to be part of the telecast under the previous administration. Now that there are more Latinos in the country than ever before, you don’t see any Latin music at all. I remember when Linda Ronstadt came out in full mariachi regalia. She proudly announced to the world that she was a Mexican American; it must have sent white Americans into shock. I remember when Tito Puente and Celia Cruz were on The Grammys and I remember when jazz was part of The Grammys. But all that has been cut out.
LJC: What’s your take on the Latin Grammys?
BS: It’s very interesting, because the head of the Latin Grammys hasn’t said anything. He’s been very conveniently silent about this issue. That said, the Latin Grammy telecast on Univision has nearly twice the amount of viewers that the mainstream Grammys have. That’s because it’s broadcast throughout all of Latin America. If I were the heads of special projects at CBS, that basically control the telecast, I’d be looking at The Latin Grammys, thinking that I could get more money by catering to the Latino community in the United States and having some Latin music on The Grammys. The advertising rates would go way up.
Imagine if The Spanish Harlem Orchestra was on The Grammys or my big band or Arturo O’Farrill’s big band – any great orchestra that’s out there performing any type of Latin music. They could have El Gran Combo or a special segment on The Grammys that was a tribute to salsa. They could have Little Joey y La Familia or Los Tigres Del Norte. Imagine the ads the week before – Latinos would be talking about watching The Grammys. From a strictly business standpoint, it would be a smart move. But nobody at CBS has tried that. What’s happening at CBS that they’re not even noticing that?
———-
Don’t let this attack on Latin Jazz go unnoticed – send your e-mail in support of the Latin Jazz Grammy today. You can start with a message to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow, his e-mail address is: neil@grammy.com Make sure that you sign the petition to get the Latin Jazz Grammy reinstated – you can find it HERE. Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
For decades, jazz musicians have drawn upon a cherished set of standards to fill their repertoire, but the changing identity of the 21st century musician has brought a whole new collection of tunes to the forefront. Younger musicians raised in the United States have turned their attention towards melodies found in current pop music. Radiohead and their peers may not seem like ideal fodder for improvised music, but it makes perfect sense historically – classic jazz standards were pulled from pop tunes of the thirties and forties. International musicians have looked back into their cultural identity, creating unique jazz versions of their country’s folk music. This trend has stretched the conception of Latin Jazz, defining the genre from a melodic perspective, and it has provided fresh improvisational settings. As musicians have influenced each other and trends have merged, musicians have started looking at pop music from other countries, once again expanding the possibilities of the jazz repertoire.
Vocalist Magos Herrera has long championed the music of her home country Mexico and has blended this influence with her strong jazz connection. Born in Mexico City, Herrera spent her childhood soaking in the sounds of her vibrant surroundings. She began her career as a professional musician in 1988 while spending time in Italy, defining her future path. Herrera moved to Los Angeles where she attended The Musicians Institute, eventually earning a performance degree. She returned to Mexico City in 1998, where she recorded her first album, Cajuina. Another album followed quickly, Orquideas Susurrantes (Whispering Orchids), a recording that garnered significant attention both in Mexico and the United States. In 2002, Herrera took part in the “Mexican Divas Project,” resulting in a high profile recording and U.S. tour. Herrera’s third album, the 2003 release Pais Maravilla, sent her music across South America, Europe, and Japan, while her 2005 recording Todo Puede Inspirar, found a home in top ten jazz charts. Herrera relocated to New York in 2007, gaining a warm reception and a new collaborator in saxophonist Tim Ries. She released her first stateside album in 2009, Distancia, a rich album that eloquently melded modern jazz and traditional Latin American song. Along the way, Herrera spread her love of music with the Mexican television audience, hosting a number of shows on Mexico’s channel 22. Her latest project, Mexico Azul, reflects her smart combination of culture and cutting edge, bringing together jazz with music from Mexico’s golden age of cinema. With the help of New York jazz powerhouses bassist John Patitucci, guitarist Adam Rogers, pianist Luis Perdomo, and more, Herrera reveals a whole new world of possibilities with these beautiful tunes.
Herrera’s cross cultural performance experiences in the modern music scene have left her open to the potential of a new repertoire, and she has found it on Mexico Azul. Her performance is relevant to a modern generation of musicians that hold a multiple-cultural perspective, pushing Latin Jazz into e future. In celebration of the modern viewpoint on Mexico Azul, today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix is dedicated to Herrera. The first clip finds Herrera performing a track from Distancia, “Reencuentro.” The next piece moves the vocalist into a larger setting, playing with her group at the Festival Internacional De Puebla. The third video places Herrera in the studio, singing the title track from her forth recording, Todo Puede Inspirar. The last snippet includes an interview with the singer and some studio shots, previewing the music from Mexico Azul. There’s a lot of potential for new standards in Herrera’s work, so take a close listen – enjoy!
———- Magos Herrera Performing “Reencuentro”
Magos Herrera Performing At The Festival Internacional De Puebla
Magos Herrera Performing “Todo Puede Inspirar”
Promotional Video For Mexico Azul From Magos Herrera
———-
Want more from Magos Herrera? Check out these recordings below!
———-
Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in – it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans – let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE.
In 1995, the National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences fixed a tragic error by establishing a Grammy Award that recognized the work of Latin Jazz artists. After spending 36 years ignoring the impressive artistic output of musicians that blended the improvisatory leanings of jazz with Caribbean and South American culture, NARAS created an award that highlighted their recordings. The organization was encouraged to move in this direction by pianist Eddie Palmieri and percussionist John Santos, both long time advocates of the art form. The prize was originally called the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance, and it brought a much needed spotlight onto the music. Trumpet player Arturo Sandoval won the award in 1995 and the following year he appeared as a featured soloist behind vocalist Celine Dion. The name changed in 2001 to Best Latin Jazz Album, but the awards kept coming, recognizing some of the most important artists in the modern musical world. With more attention consistently falling onto Latin Jazz, the future appeared positive and wide public acceptance seemed a reality of the twenty-first century.
After seventeen years of wide spread public attention, the recognition ended abruptly on April 6, 2011, when NARAS eliminated the Latin Jazz Grammy. A number of jazz artists won high profile Grammy Awards, provoking a vicious backlash from the popular music industry. Stephen Stout took out a full page ad in the New York Times bashing the academy for being out of touch with popular music, and eventually they caved into the pressure. With the April 6th elimination of 31 categories for the 2012 Grammy Awards, NARAS pushed genres such as Latin Jazz out of the public eye. This decision will feed the bellies of the major music companies, but it will also starve the independent artists that make music outside the mainstream. Unfortunately, NARAS remains distinctly out of touch with the impact that their decision will have upon Latin Jazz artists and the musicians within the additional 30 genres.
Looking at the list of former Latin Jazz Grammy winners and nominees reveals some interesting facts about the power of the award. When you compare the top spots for high profile jazz festivals across the country, you’ll consistently find a Latin Jazz artist – almost every Latin Jazz artist sitting in this inviable position is a former Latin Jazz Grammy winner. Rounding out the performance slots available for Latin Jazz in major jazz festivals, you’ll find former Latin Jazz Grammy nominees. In some cases, spots are reserved for local musicians and current top artists, but that’s the exception, not the rule. For the general public, the award represents a symbol of musical excellence, guaranteeing them a quality experience. It boosters an artist’s financial status and places additional support behind their future products. The past seventeen years have provided a number of artists with the opportunity to enjoy this success, but unfortunately, future Latin Jazz artists won’t get this opportunity.
I’ve compiled a list of former Latin Jazz Grammy winners and nominees below, so that you can see the correlation. These are artists that have been rightfully recognized for their contributions to the art form; many more artists deserve this honor. Check out the list and then take the time to send a physical letter to the Grammy Offices in protest of the elimination – you can get the addresses HERE. You can also e-mail NARAS president Neil Portnow in protest of the elimination at neil@grammy.com. Let’s make sure that this list gets published again in ten years with twenty-seven winners, signaling a constant presence for Latin Jazz in the mainstream music world.
Nominees: Taboo, Ray Barretto & New World Spirit 944 Columbus, Mario Bauza And The Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra Crossroads, Jerry Gonzalez And The Fort Apache Band Palmas, Eddie Palmieri
———-
Don’t let this attack on Latin Jazz go unnoticed – send your e-mail in support of the Latin Jazz Grammy today. You can start with a message to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow, his e-mail address is: neil@grammy.com Make sure that you sign the petition to get the Latin Jazz Grammy reinstated – you can find it HERE. Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
Latin Jazz This Week will bring you a weekly look into news from the Latin Jazz world. You’ll find new releases, recommended performances, web finds, and more. You can check out some current sounds in the Listening Center tab at the top of the page. Performance dates will be kept in the Live Latin Jazz tab at the top of the page.
NEWS
The protest over the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy and 30 additional categories has continued this week with a press conference in New York. This event was spearheaded by Bobby Sanabria and featured the participation of several notable artists including Eddie Palmieri, Brian Lynch, Chris Washburne, and more. Sanabria and his impressive panel of speakers brought some important points to the forefront and called for some major changes, including the restoration of the 31 eliminating categories and the resignation NARAS president Neil Portnow. Radio station WBAI recorded the whole press conference and has placed it online for instant streaming – you can find it HERE.
This is an important week in the fight for the Latin Jazz Grammy – the Grammy board will be meeting this week and the gathering holds the possibility of changing their questionable decisions. It’s time to flood the Grammy offices with physical letters letting them know that we value the categories that they have eliminated. Even if you have already sent an e-mail containing your concerns, send a hard copy to the Grammy offices, making sure that they get the message. There’s a variety of places where you can send these letters – both main offices and local chapters. You can get the information HERE.
Latin Jazz artists across the country are rightfully making noise over the loss of the Latin Jazz Grammy – you can check out an article from the San Jose Mercury News with statements from several Bay Area artists HERE. Don’t forget: for the up-to-date information on the struggle to reinstate the 31 lost Grammy categories – including Latin Jazz – you can check out Grammy Watch HERE.
On a more positive note, NPR’s JazzSet presented some top-notch Latin Jazz this week, delivering two live sets from cutting edge pianist Danilo Perez and straight-ahead Latin Jazz master Poncho Sanchez. Perez and his trio performs several pieces from his most current album Providencia, riding the line between Caribbean traditions and edgy modern jazz ideals. Sanchez leads his group through some hard hitting Latin Jazz with a fiery passion, demonstrating the expertise on a collection of tunes that ranges from Wayne Shorter to Mario Bauza. You’ve got to hear this – check it out HERE.
This past week, Marc Myers published an interview with Brazilian vocalist and pianist Marcos Valle over at the wonderful blog JazzWax. The in-depth interview dug deeply into Valle’s career, from his early entries into music to his modern day expressions as a seasoned songwriter. It’s a fantastic look at a major artist in Brazilian music – don’t miss this one. Head on over to JazzWax to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . CHILCANO 2.0 WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 – Saturday 5/27/11 WHERE:Jazz Zone
Av. La Paz 646
Psj. “El Suche”
Miraflores, Lima, Peru TIME: 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: 50 soles
GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN SEXTET WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 – Saturday 5/27/11 WHERE:Jazz Zone
Av. La Paz 646
Psj. “El Suche”
Miraflores, Lima, Peru TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: 50 soles
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . NEGRONI’S TRIO WHEN: Saturday 5/28/11 WHERE:Teatro Della Fontana
Cagliari, Sardinia TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: 15 euros
OMAR SOSA WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 WHERE:Teatre Auditori de Granollers
Torras i Bages, 50
08401 Granollers
Spain TIME: 10:00 p.m.
If you’re in AFRICA this week . . . ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ
With Quincy Jones & The Global Gumbo All-Stars WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:OLM Souissi – Mawazine Festival 2011
Rabat, Morocco TIME: 9:45 p.m. TICKETS: 600 dhs
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . ARTURO O’FARRILL
With Bill Ware WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 WHERE:Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 6:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
O’Farrill Family Band – Jazz On The Plaza
Saturday 5/28/11 WHERE:Citigroup Plaza
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY TIME: 12:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 5/29/11 WHERE:Birdland
315 West 44th Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $30
CIDINHO TEIXIERA WHEN: Sunday 5/29/11 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10 with 2 Drink Minimum
CURTIS BROTHERS WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:B. Smith’s
320 West 46th Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
EDWARD PEREZ WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
EMILIO SOLLA WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:Jazz Standard
116 East 27th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
JOHN BENITEZ WHEN: Saturday 5/28/11 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
LUCIA PULIDO WHEN: Saturday 5/28/11 WHERE: Barbes
376 9th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
PAQUITO D’RIVERA
Guest Artist With The New York Youth Symphony WHEN: Tuesday 5/24/11 WHERE:The Allen Room
Broadway at 60th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $15
PAUL AUSTERLITZ WHEN: Sunday 5/29/11 WHERE:The Stone
Corner Of Avenue C & 2nd Street
New York, NY TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
PHEONIX RIVERA ENSEMBLE WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 WHERE:Van Dyke Cafe
846 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $5
RICHIE FLORES WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m., & 12:00 a.m. TICKETS: $10 with 2 drink minimum
ROBBIE AMEEN
Benefit For The Arab American National Museum WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 WHERE:The University Club
1 West 54th Street
New York, NY TIME: 6:30 p.m. TICKETS: $250
T.K. BLUE WHEN: Monday 5/23/11 WHERE:Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
West 60 Street @ Broadway
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
WILLIE MARTINEZ WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:Willie’s Steak House
1832 Westchester Avenue
Bronx, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 WHERE: World Wide Plaza
West 49th St between 8th & 9th Avenues
Sonoma, CA TIME: 12:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $7
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . MIGUEL ZENON WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 – Sunday 5/29/11 WHERE: Jazz Showcase
806 S Plymouth Ct
Chicago, IL TIME: Thursday – Saturday: 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.; Sunday: 4:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., & 10:00 p.m.
PAULINHO GARCIA WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:Piccolo Mondo
1642 E. 56th Street
Chicago, IL TIME: 6:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . ARTURO SANDOVAL
Big Band WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 WHERE:Los Angeles Airport Marriott
5855 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
BILL CABALLERO WHEN: Thursday 5/26/11 WHERE:Voz Alta
1754 National Avenue
Barrio Logan, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
ED JOHNSON & NOVO TEMPO WHEN: Tuesday 5/24/11 WHERE:Le Colonial
20 Cosmo Place
San Francisco, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m.
GILBERT CASTELLANOS WHEN: Wednesday 5/25/11 WHERE:El Camino
2400 India Street
San Diego, CA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
JAZZSABOR
With Mestizo WHEN: Saturday 5/21/11 WHERE:Angelica’s Bistro
863 Main Street
Redwood City, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $14 in advance & $18 at the door
JOHN CALLOWAY WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 WHERE:Disco Volante
347 14th Street
Oakland, CA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
MESTIZO
With JazzSabor WHEN: Saturday 5/21/11 WHERE:Angelica’s Bistro
863 Main Street
Redwood City, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $14 in advance & $18 at the door
PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA WHEN: Monday 5/23/11 WHERE:Cafe Cocomo
650 Indiana Street
San Francisco, CA TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
PONCHO SANCHEZ WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 WHERE: Vitello’s
4349 Tujunga Avenue
Studio City, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25 with a $13 minimum
RAY OBIEDO & THE URBAN LATIN JAZZ PROJECT WHEN: Friday 5/27/11 WHERE:Disco Volante
347 14th Street
Oakland, CA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
On Wednesday April 6th, The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences announced a “restructuring” of The Grammy Awards, a move that included the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy. This unfortunate decision undermines the integrity of Latin Jazz and disregards its importance as a major piece of the cultural landscape in the United States. I would encourage all LJC readers to protest this decision and demand that NARAS reinstate the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately – you can do this by sending an e-mail to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow here – neil@grammy.com Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
The elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately impacts the artists making the music today, but the greater ramification extend further into all reaches of the jazz community. As the media spotlight turns towards artists with Grammy recognition and opportunities become less available to a wealth of ignored Latin Jazz artists, they will appear far less familiar to the greater public. A young generation of music listeners will grow up without an awareness of Latin Jazz artists, and even worse, they’ll never build an appreciation for the contributions of those artists. Music educators are tasked with the job of connecting the youth with musical traditions like Latin Jazz – a job that will be significantly more difficult with the elimination of Grammy recognition. In a poignant letter, Jazz Education Network president Dr. Lou Fischer discusses the issue from the perspective of jazz educators.
———-
May 16, 2011
Dear Mr. Portnow and NARAS Trustees,
This letter is written on behalf of the Board of Directors of The Jazz Education Network (JEN). Our organization’s growing membership consists of an international community of more than 2,000 music educators, students, schools, composers, professional musicians, media professionals, publishers, manufactures and fans. The JEN Board of Directors serves to fulfill our mission and the needs of our membership. This includes a commitment to serve, support, and represent the diverse spectrum of individuals and Jazz styles that our membership and the entire international jazz community represent.
Your recent decision to eliminate the Contemporary Jazz category and the Latin Jazz category from Grammy awards consideration will have a tremendous impact on the national and international music community, including many voting members of JEN and NARAS. We have received numerous responses and expressions of grave concern from our members & constituents voicing their extreme disappointment, disillusionment, and ultimately questioning the value of continued membership and participation in NARAS. The continued relevance of the Grammy Awards has been called into question as a result.
It is the collective opinion of the JEN Board of directors that eliminating these essential awards categories will profoundly and negatively impact the entire worldwide jazz community on many levels. Financial and social implications of this draconian proposal will extend to the fields of music education, performance opportunities, recording, music publishing, and instrument manufacturing. Most importantly, this decision will have a profound sociological and cultural impact. The elimination of the Latin jazz category, as well as traditional blues, Native American, and similar categories reflecting the diverse cultural traditions of our country discriminates against all of these large communities as well as supports an unfortunate trend of homogenizing our society.
Many of these niche genres have recently lost critical exposure and financial support, due to increased consolidation in the commercial music market and are struggling to be heard and survive as art forms. This egregious proposal comes despite the fact that NARAS’ membership support continues to suggest the vitality of these essential awards categories. We vigorously assert that the elimination of these categories would be a grave mistake and a disservice to the NARAS mission as well as to our culture.
In the spirit of fulfilling our mission, we are submitting this letter to inform you that the JEN Board of Directors are in solidarity and support unanimously any and all efforts by our membership and the entire international music community’s efforts to encourage the NARAS Board of Trustees to reverse your recent decisions immediately. We urge you to recognize the scope of these dissenting voices and the potential damage this unfortunate decision will cause to your NARAS membership rolls and ultimate support of your efforts.
We thank you for your consideration of our collegial request that these Grammy awards categories (i.e. Latin Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Native American, et. al.) be reinstated immediately and we look forward to working with you to nurture music education, creativity, and diversity in the recording arts. As stated in your mission, please keep working towards “improving the quality of life and cultural conditions for music and its makers”.
Sincerely;
Dr. Lou Fischer
Jazz Education Network
President/Co-Founder
———-
Don’t let this attack on Latin Jazz go unnoticed – send your e-mail in support of the Latin Jazz Grammy today. You can start with a message to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow, his e-mail address is: neil@grammy.com Make sure that you sign the petition to get the Latin Jazz Grammy reinstated – you can find it HERE. Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
———- Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!
Any artist that experiences a life long career in music moves through a series of phases that define an era in their creative work. Any musician evolves over time – it’s just a natural life course that emerges in artistic expression. In the moment, these changes seem like important courses that overflow from the artist’s interests and influences. The interesting perspective upon these changes occurs in hindsight though, as future musicians dig back through an artist’s repertoire. These reflective investigations that narrow into one specific point can bring intriguing music to the surface and inspire a completely new artistic focus.
José Rizo has spent his extensive career in working in the Latin Jazz world both as a performer and a radio personality, most recently digging into Mongo Santamaria’s “La Sabrosa” charanga group. Raised in Oxnard, California, Rizo played music in his childhood but became deeply attached to jazz during his studies at University of California at Santa Barbara. During this time, he developed a radio show that focused upon Latin Jazz and salsa while also producing live events with local artists. Rizo established himself on KJAZ (formerly KLON) in the nineties and began his “Jazz On The Latin Side” show, which grew into an immensely popular feature. As the show grew into a cornerstone of KJAZ programming, Rizo became involved with major Los Angeles live music events, such as the Central Avenue Jazz Festival. Rizo celebrated ten years of “Jazz On The Latin Side” programming in 2000 with a Latin Jazz jam session at B.B. King’s, and the event sparked an idea. Many of the musicians that appeared at the jam session became the core of Rizo’s first band, The Jazz On The Latin Side All-Stars. This powerhouse group included top-notch Los Angeles musicians such as saxophonist Justo Almario, bassist Rene Camacho, pianist Joe Rotondi, and many more. The group produced their first recording in 2005, The Last Bullfighter, and followed it in 2009 with Tambolero. The recordings were very successful, spreading the word about the band around the world and keeping them busy with local performances. In 2010, Rizo decided to change musical directions, forming a new band that focused on Santamaria’s charanga output during the sixties. This era in Santamaria’s career pre-dated his move into funk driven Latin Jazz, and featured some amazing performances from musicians such as saxophonist Jose “Chombo” Silva, flautist Rolando Lozano, percussionist Willie Bobo, bassist Victor Venegas, and more. Once again, Rizo found numerous kindred spirits among Los Angeles’ Latin music scene, bringing together a group that includes Almario, flautist Danilo Lozano, percussionist Ramon Banda, pianist Oscar Hernandez, and many more. The resultant band, Mongorama, has delved into Santamaria’s early repertoire, reviving it with a modern perspective while including some additional original material. The group will be releasing a recording in June that includes their own take on Santamaria’s music with help from guest artists Poncho Sanchez and Hubert Laws. While Rizo moves into a new point in his career, Mongorama revisits a very specific time in Santamaria’s career, giving the world some fantastic music.
Rizo sheds some long overdue light upon this early phase in Santamaria’s career with Mongorama, reminding the world that this point in his career included important music. Santamaria fans will be enthralled with Mongorama’s work and Latin music fans unfamiliar with the legend will be reaching into archives after hearing the recording. In celebration of the upcoming release of Mongorama, today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix is dedicated to Rizo, Mongorama, and The Jazz On The Latin Side All-Stars. The first clip features Mongorama performing one of Rizo’s original tunes from the album, “Bubba’s Boogaloo.” The second video finds the group at Steamer’s Jazz Club, jamming with local percussionist Melena. Mongorama performs at the Central Avenue jazz festival in the third snippet, with a piece that highlights violinist Dayren Santamaria. The last video focuses upon The Jazz On The Latin Side All-Stars with a performance of “The Last Bullfighter.” Rizo has spent his whole career deep in quality music, and as you’ll see here, this new exploration into Santamaria’s work continues that tradition – enjoy!
———- Mongorama Performing “Bubba’s Boogaloo”
Mongorama Performing At Steamer’s With Guest Conguero Melena
Mongorama Performing At The Central Avenue Jazz Festival
Jazz On The Latin Side All-Stars Performing “The Last Bullfighter”
———-
Want more from José Rizo’s groups? Check out these recordings below!
———-
Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in – it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans – let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE.
On Wednesday April 6th, The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences announced a “restructuring” of The Grammy Awards, a move that included the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy. This unfortunate decision undermines the integrity of Latin Jazz and disregards its importance as a major piece of the cultural landscape in the United States. I would encourage all LJC readers to protest this decision and demand that NARAS reinstate the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately – you can do this by sending an e-mail to NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow here – neil@grammy.com Get additional information and updates on LJC’s Support Page For The Latin Jazz Grammy.
Dear Neil,
, a fantastic read that goes in depth into the influential percussionist’s life. Sanabria collaborated with Puente during his lifetime and most recently released 
, a tribute to Puente from the Manhattan School Of Music’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. It’s always good to see Puente retaining the spotlight that he deserves – check out the article /orchestra superstring easy.jpg)
/jessie marquez all i see is sky.jpg)
May 27, 2011/spanish harlem orchestra viva la tradicion.jpg)
Most can see the need to add value to something. We all do it at some point or another. We refurbish our kitchens. We invest. We can thusly see the impetus to make an award an object of desire and an object to be lauded. 
The way to celebrate the great musical diversity of this country (and for that matter, the world) is to promote it. You keep these categories intact – they do not “devalue” the Grammy in any way. If any of us were to win a Grammy award outright in our area of specialization we would be ecstatic. Nothing could take away from the significance of that vaunted award. 
.” That nomination inspired me to work harder at my profession – to reach for the ultimate goal – A GRAMMY – which at some point in my life I hope to achieve.”/pete escovedo mister e.jpg)
First, I think calling for the immediate resignation of President Neil Portnow and the Board of Trustees is insensitive and ill-advised. I personally know folks on the “Secret Sub-Committee” that was formed and what they have done to promote diversity before the round of categorical cuts. Some in particular are friends that I hold very dear and have readily demonstrated efforts to spread cultural awareness and diversity through the MusicCares program. Asking for their resignation in NO way sets the stage for an amicable resolution to this issue. This in fact jeopardizes the main goal of having the cut categories reinstated.
BOBBY SANABRIA: When Herbie won the award, he said something like, “I don’t what’s happening, but there seems to be a change . . . and I like it.” He was referring to the fact that people in the membership were really caring about good music. I never stopped to think that there would be blowback. When Esperanza (Spalding) won for Best New Artist, Steve Stoute took that one page ad out in the New York Times criticizing the Grammys – that ad cost $40,000. He also works for Jay Z. I thought to myself, “Oh man, here it comes, this is the blowback.” When April 6th happened, it was a combination of shock and laughter. I knew something was going to happen, and that was it. 
People in the general public and the music community tend to forget that The Grammys are a peer-based reward. We – the members – vote for it. We voted for Esperanza – if anyone has a problem with her winning, it should be a problem with the membership. This guy goes ahead and insults the Academy, and insults us, and president Portnow does nothing! He should have had a press conference the next day saying, “How dare this guy insult the Academy and its membership. How dare he insult this talented artist who represents the best of what the Academy exudes.” He should have taken the time as a teaching moment and tell all the Justin Bieber fans that were writing vulgar things on Esperanza’s Wikipedia page to stop acting so immature. This is not American Idol; this is an award that was given to her by the 21,000 members of The Grammys. I’m sure that not everybody voted for her, but it was the majority. 
In addition, the Grammy offices were moved. They are not at the original location that they once were. He insisted on buying a new building to house the offices. Instead of leasing a new building, he bought one. Since the market crashed, the old building is empty and we’re still paying rent on it. The rent is an exorbitant amount of money and the member dollars are gong towards it. 
BS: It’s very interesting, because the head of the Latin Grammys hasn’t said anything. He’s been very conveniently silent about this issue. That said, the Latin Grammy telecast on Univision has nearly twice the amount of viewers that the mainstream Grammys have. That’s because it’s broadcast throughout all of Latin America. If I were the heads of special projects at CBS, that basically control the telecast, I’d be looking at The Latin Grammys, thinking that I could get more money by catering to the Latino community in the United States and having some Latin music on The Grammys. The advertising rates would go way up. 
For decades, jazz musicians have drawn upon a cherished set of standards to fill their repertoire, but the changing identity of the 21st century musician has brought a whole new collection of tunes to the forefront. Younger musicians raised in the United States have turned their attention towards melodies found in current pop music. Radiohead and their peers may not seem like ideal fodder for improvised music, but it makes perfect sense historically – classic jazz standards were pulled from pop tunes of the thirties and forties. International musicians have looked back into their cultural identity, creating unique jazz versions of their country’s folk music. This trend has stretched the conception of Latin Jazz, defining the genre from a melodic perspective, and it has provided fresh improvisational settings. As musicians have influenced each other and trends have merged, musicians have started looking at pop music from other countries, once again expanding the possibilities of the jazz repertoire.
, a recording that garnered significant attention both in Mexico and the United States. In 2002, Herrera took part in the “Mexican Divas Project,” resulting in a high profile recording and U.S. tour. Herrera’s third album, the 2003 release 
, sent her music across South America, Europe, and Japan, while her 2005 recording 
, found a home in top ten jazz charts. Herrera relocated to New York in 2007, gaining a warm reception and a new collaborator in saxophonist Tim Ries. She released her first stateside album in 2009, 
, a rich album that eloquently melded modern jazz and traditional Latin American song. Along the way, Herrera spread her love of music with the Mexican television audience, hosting a number of shows on Mexico’s channel 22. Her latest project, 
, reflects her smart combination of culture and cutting edge, bringing together jazz with music from Mexico’s golden age of cinema. With the help of New York jazz powerhouses bassist John Patitucci, guitarist Adam Rogers, pianist Luis Perdomo, and more, Herrera reveals a whole new world of possibilities with these beautiful tunes./magos herrera distancia.jpg)
/magos herrera pais maravilla.jpg)
/magos herrera whispering orchids.jpg)
/magos herrera mexico azul.jpg)
, Arturo Sandoval/arturo sandoval danzon dance on.jpg)
, Ray Barretto & New World Spirit
, Mario Bauza And The Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra
, Jerry Gonzalez And The Fort Apache Band
, Eddie Palmieri
, Antonio Carlos Jobim/antonio carlos jobim brasileiro.jpg)
, Jerry Gonzalez And The Fort Apache Band
, Chico O’Farrill And His Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra
, Eddie Palmieri
, Potato, Changüito, y Orestes
, Paquito D’Rivera/paquito d'rivera portraits of cuba.jpg)
, Ray Barretto
, Steve Berrios And Son Bacheche
, Terrence Blanchard And Ivan Lins
, Don Grolnick
/roy hargrove crisol.jpg)
, Conrad Herwig
, Giovanni Hidalgo
, Banda Mantiqueira
, Carlos “Potato” Valdes
, Arturo Sandoval/arturo sandoval hot house.jpg)
, Ray Barretto And New World Spirit
, Paquito D’Rivera And The United Nation Orchestra
, Danilo Perez
, David Sanchez
, Chucho Valdes
, Poncho Sanchez/poncho sanchez latin soul.jpg)
, Al McKibbon
, Bobby Rodriguez
, Gonzalo Rubalcaba
, Chucho Valdes
, Chucho Valdes/chucho valdes live at the village vanguard.jpg)
, Bobby Sanabria Big Band
, Gary Burton
, Danilo Perez
, David Sanchez
, Charlie Haden/charlie haden nocturne.jpg)
, Los Hombres Calientes
, Gonzalo Rubalcaba
, David Sanchez
, Various Artists
, Caribbean Jazz Project/caribbean jazz project the gathering.jpg)
, Jane Bunnett
, Duduka da Fonseca
, John Santos And The Machete Ensemble
, Omar Sosa
, Michel Camilo/michel camilo live at the blue note.jpg)
, Jane Bunnett
, Caribbean Jazz Project
, Mark Levine And The Latin Tinge
, Chucho Valdes
, Charlie Haden/charlie haden gonzalo rubalcaba land of the sun.jpg)
, Raphael Cruz
, Jerry Gonzalez
, Conrad Herwig
, Diego Urcola
, Eddie Palmieri/eddie palmieri listen here.jpg)
, Ray Barretto
, Caribbean Jazz Project
, Sammy Figueroa’s Latin Jazz Explosion
, Omar Sosa
, The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project/brian lynch eddie palmieri simpatico.jpg)
, Ignacio Berroa
, Edsel Gomez
, Dafnis Prieto
, Diego Urcola
, Paquito D’Rivera Quintet?/paquito d'rivera quintet funk tango.jpg)
, Bobby Sanabria Big Band
, Sammy Figueroa And His Latin Jazz Explosion
, Steve Khan
, Hector Martignon
, Arturo O’Farrill And The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra/arturo o'farrill afro-latin jazz orchestra song for chico.jpg)
, Caribbean Jazz Project
, Conrad Herwig
, Nestor Torres
, Papo Vazquez & The Mighty Pirates
, Bebo Valdes & Chucho Valdes/bebo chucho valdes juntos para siempre.jpg)
, Chembo Corniel
, Geoffrey Keezer
, Claudio Roditi
, Miguel Zenon
, Chucho Valdes And The Afro-Cuban Messengers/chucho valdes afro-cuban messengers chucho's steps.jpg)
, Pablo Aslan
, Hector Martignon
, Poncho Sanchez
, Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet/john santos sextet filosofia caribena vol 1.jpg)
/steve khan parting shot.jpg)
This letter is written on behalf of the Board of Directors of The Jazz Education Network (JEN). Our organization’s growing membership consists of an international community of more than 2,000 music educators, students, schools, composers, professional musicians, media professionals, publishers, manufactures and fans. The JEN Board of Directors serves to fulfill our mission and the needs of our membership. This includes a commitment to serve, support, and represent the diverse spectrum of individuals and Jazz styles that our membership and the entire international jazz community represent.
Many of these niche genres have recently lost critical exposure and financial support, due to increased consolidation in the commercial music market and are struggling to be heard and survive as art forms. This egregious proposal comes despite the fact that NARAS’ membership support continues to suggest the vitality of these essential awards categories. We vigorously assert that the elimination of these categories would be a grave mistake and a disservice to the NARAS mission as well as to our culture.
Any artist that experiences a life long career in music moves through a series of phases that define an era in their creative work. Any musician evolves over time – it’s just a natural life course that emerges in artistic expression. In the moment, these changes seem like important courses that overflow from the artist’s interests and influences. The interesting perspective upon these changes occurs in hindsight though, as future musicians dig back through an artist’s repertoire. These reflective investigations that narrow into one specific point can bring intriguing music to the surface and inspire a completely new artistic focus. 
, and followed it in 2009 with 
. The recordings were very successful, spreading the word about the band around the world and keeping them busy with local performances. In 2010, Rizo decided to change musical directions, forming a new band that focused on Santamaria’s charanga output during the sixties. This era in Santamaria’s career pre-dated his move into funk driven Latin Jazz, and featured some amazing performances from musicians such as saxophonist Jose “Chombo” Silva, flautist Rolando Lozano, percussionist Willie Bobo, bassist Victor Venegas, and more. Once again, Rizo found numerous kindred spirits among Los Angeles’ Latin music scene, bringing together a group that includes Almario, flautist Danilo Lozano, percussionist Ramon Banda, pianist Oscar Hernandez, and many more. The resultant band, Mongorama, has delved into Santamaria’s early repertoire, reviving it with a modern perspective while including some additional original material. The group will be releasing a recording in June that includes their own take on Santamaria’s music with help from guest artists Poncho Sanchez and Hubert Laws. While Rizo moves into a new point in his career, Mongorama revisits a very specific time in Santamaria’s career, giving the world some fantastic music. /mongorama.jpg)
/jazz on the latin side all stars last bullfighter.jpg)
/jazz on the latin side all stars tambolero.jpg)
