Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Musician Bobby Matos on the return of Latin Jazz at Sunday's Grammy Awards
Latin Jazz musicians led by Bobby Matos (front) stage a musical protest outside of a meeting of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on May 26, 2011. NARAS plans to eliminate 31 categories, among them Latin Jazz, from the Awards beginning in 2012. The pretesters claim the eliminations unfairly target ethnic music and were done without the input of the academy's members.
(
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images
)
The people in charge of the Grammys should have known better than to anger a guy who grew up in the Bronx.
Two years ago, they erased the Best Latin Jazz Album category from the long Grammy list of music awards.
That got percussionist and New York native Bobby Matos riled up. He wanted the smooth and flavorful rhythms of Latin jazz brought back to the Grammy Awards - and he launched a battle to get it done.
Matos, 71, put up a tough fight, and now his tenacity and love of Latin jazz is finally going to pay off: Sunday's 55th Annual Grammy Awards will once again include a dedicated category for Latin jazz.
Support for LAist comes from
Protests and a lawsuit
Last year, Matos and fellow percussionist Bobby Sanabria led protests across the country to restore the Latin Grammy category. That effort included a lawsuit against NARAS - The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences - to reverse its decision to ax Latin Jazz and 30 other Grammy Awards categories.
"Lots of other muscians - Oscar Hernandez, Eddie Palmieri, Larry Harlow - [supported us] and took to the streets," said Matos. "We formed an organization called Grammy Watch, and gathered many, many petitions to reinstate [the Latin Jazz category.]"
Last June, NARAS reversed its decision and reinstated Latin jazz to the Grammy lineup.
Matos said he hopes the other categories cut from the awards show will also be given a second chance. But in the meantime, he wants a place in the spotlight for Latin jazz.
"I think most of the Latin Jazz musicians are very, very happy about being reinstated. But personally, I would like to see a Latin jazz group on stage during the telecast," he said.
Five top Latin jazz artists up for a Grammy
Support for LAist comes from
Matos still has plenty to cheer for at this Sunday's show. His pal Sanabria is up for the reinsatted Best Latin Jazz Album Grammy for his album Mulitiverse.
"I would love to see him win," Matos said. "It would be poetic justice if he won, plus it's a great album that he put out."
Other nominees in the Best Latin Jazz Album category include Chano Dominguez - Flamenco Sketches, Clare Fisher Latin Jazz Big Band - ¡Ritmo!, Luciana Souza - Duos III, and Manuel Valera New Cuban Express - New Cuban Express.
Matos is out with a new album - Mambo Jazz Dance - which he says he hopes will get a Grammy nomination next year.
"It's a celebration of the holistic properties of Latin Jazz music," he said.
Here's Mama Coolbeans, featured in the Bobby Matos album Mambo Jazz Dance:
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago. -
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
Best of LAist