Los Angeles Musicians Protest the Elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy

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!