Grammy Travesty Continues
by John Santos – 1/27/12

Well, it’s that time of year again – Grammy fever. CBS ramps it up with a constant barrage of mega-bucks commercials of all lengths and even specials leading up to the February 12th telecast that is expected to produce multi-gazillions of dollars. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) inundates the membership with nomination and voting materials, invitations to the big event and its surrounding activities including post and pre-parties, local nominee celebrations and simulcasts, and other propaganda. We’re in the midst of the classic, inescapable corporate full press publicity campaign on TV, radio, print ads, internet, email, facebook, Twitter, and regular old US Postal Service.

But this year, NARAS’ brilliant Grammy image has a dark secret. All the smiling faces, glitter, multi-million dollar sets and promises of America’s greatest Vegas act cannot hide the deceit, ill-will and unethical behavior they took a few months ago when they unceremoniously eliminated thirty-one categories from Grammy consideration. It is particularly dishonest and distasteful that NARAS, a non-profit organization that is supposed to honor excellence in the music of our country and advocate for the benefit of its membership, had the gaul to lop off mainly just categories that are the least commercial and happen to be among the most creative and important “roots” categories. They also happen to be the categories that represented what ethnic diversity the Grammys might claim.

The corporate music industry that makes the lion’s share of the profits generated by musicians and the Grammys is of course fully supportive of NARAS’ narrow-mindedness. The latest special issue of Billboard Magazine, dated January 7th, 2012 is 100% Grammy propaganda with full-page ads congratulating the stars and the newest hopefuls backed with huge promo dollars for their nominations. Of course there is not one mention of the conspicuous absence this year of the 31 cut categories nor the growing international uproar that has produced over 1200 published pieces over the last few months protesting and condemning the outrageously insensitive action by NARAS in all forms of media. The current Billboard also features hypocritical statements directly from NARAS including these gems:

“Recording Academy Voting Membership: A Privilege Worth Earning.” (So long as you don’t mind having no say in the organization gutting the voting categories of most of their musical diversity.)

” . . . members become part of a collective that advocates for the rights of music makers . . .” (at the same time that they reverse the hard fought battles and decisions of former open-minded administrations that deemed it appropriate to recognize more American music than just the most profitable.)

Music’s Biggest Night as they have self-proclaimed the Grammy telecast, never included much, if any of the wonderful music they have now reduced or eliminated, but with the current hatchet job, they now officially sever ties with those undeserving, insignificant and marginal musical styles that by some coincidence are also among the deepest and most creative, albeit unfortunately, non-lucrative.

They have the cojones to announce the induction of Big Bill Broonzy, Sergio Mendes’ Brasil 66, and Martin Luther King into the Grammy Hall of Fame at the same time that they cut down the Blues categories, eliminate Latin Jazz (Sergio’s 1966 group would not be eligible with this year’s eliminations), cut down Gospel and Rhythm and Blues, and eliminate Contemporary Jazz (Dr. King is turning in his grave). A well-intentioned writer states in this issue “This crop of inductees also fleshes out the story of Latin music in America.” (PLEASE – it most certainly does not do anything close to that) But he makes the valid point in a sideways manner, that ” . . . the rich and far reaching legacy created by Latin musicians . . . often gets lumped into one catch-all category . . .” This, of course is exactly what NARAS has done with the 2012 awards, by eliminating the Latin Jazz, and Traditional World Music categories, and combining certain Mexican categories. They have a category called Tropical Latin. What in hell is that supposed to mean? NARAS officials write in Billboard about education and social strategy, but fail to see the hypocrisy and the ramifications of disenfranchising entire communities from the Grammy process.

Our country is full of vibrant musical communities directly and negatively affected by this issue. The earning capabilities of the artists as well as the businesses and schools that present and teach the various types of music that were cut are all compromised. Marginalizing the musical expression of these communities in this way also carries deeper repercussions than the immediate economic hits. Kids and youth who have spent years studying these types of music and have been properly taught to see music with a broad perspective are now confronted with the further invalidation of non-commercial music, narrowing their appreciation and understanding of music to only the most visible and most highly promoted which is clearly not where all the quality and creativity lie. It is obviously devastating to teachers who have spent our lives trying to give students rich alternatives to the top 40 mentality spoon-fed to them via mass media at every moment. It should also not be lost that NARAS itself has severely tainted its own reputation and credibility, both with the membership and with the public, although they are in complete denial.

For those who don’t know, these are some of the categories that were eliminated:

Native American
Contemporary Jazz
Classical Crossover
Latin Jazz
Traditional Blues
Instrumental Rock
Zydeco
Cajun
Hawaiian
Traditional World Music
Traditional Folk Music
Traditional Gospel
Contemporary R&B Gospel
Polka
Contemporary Folk
four categories of Rhythm & Blues

Don’t be taken in by the lies NARAS administration and staff puts forth. They say all of the eliminated categories were cheapening the value of the Grammy award and statue. Au contraire – it has been clearly devalued by their non-inclusive actions. They say that because there are so many more submissions in the pop and commercial categories, it is more difficult to garner a nomination in those categories and therefore not fair to those who seek to make it in the pop/commercial world. Of course it is more difficult! It is akin to kids who aspire to be professional athletes. The competition is fierce and the potential payoff is large. Far fewer make the decision to dedicate their lives to a style of roots music where it takes a lifetime to master the craft and even if you win a Grammy in these categories, it represents very little money in comparison to what is generated by Lady Gaga’s Grammys. This American music is just as valid and deserving of recognition (if not moreso) than the pop styles.

NARAS says everyone is still welcome to submit even though our categories have been eliminated. Thanks a lot – so now we can compete in categories that don’t apply to us and where the voting membership does not know our music, giving us zero chance of seriously competing for a Grammy. For example, Latin Jazz is performed by groups of various sizes, from duos to big bands. The smaller groups are much more common for obvious economic reasons. The only category that even crosses into this area now is Big Band Jazz where duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, septets, etc, cannot apply and if your Latin Jazz project does happen to be a big band format, then you’re competing in the US against our national art form – basically a snowball’s chance in hell. My five nominations (over a 40 year career) were in three categories that have all been eliminated!

NARAS pretends not to be aware of the evil of their bad decision, but they are very aware and have been constantly reminded by many of us, members and non-members, since that dark moment in April last year when they announced it. They are so concerned about saving face that they have turned this into a war when they could have easily fixed it (and still can, if they so desired) with a special meeting and some common sense. But they’ve dug their heels in defending a senseless suggestion by culturally uninformed individuals instead of just admitting it should have been handled much differently.

I’ve been a member for some 25 years, supporting the organization with yearly dues, and by volunteering for Grammys in the Schools programs. I lobbied for years and wrote many letters, attended countless meetings and had many a phone conversation with various administration and staff about how to improve the organization and have always felt that there was very slow progress, but at least it was progress – up until now. This disrespectful mandate by the Academy sets the organization, civil rights, and creative expression in the United States back several decades. It matters not whether their decision was made out of ignorance, arrogance or racism, it is simply wrong and to add insult to injury, was made by secret committee and handed down seven months after the eligibility year had begun, meaning that all of us who produce our projects on a timeline to be eligible for a nomination were abruptly dropped on our arses in the middle of the Grammy year!

They are also trying to ignore away the fact that they secretly changed the eligibility rules for numbers of submissions required to have a category and didn’t bother to let anyone know until after they announced the axing of all the categories based on not having enough submissions! Simply disgraceful! We’d love to take a poll of the membership to get the administration and staff that created and support this colonial mentality removed, but NARAS has refused to allow us access to the membership rosters. This is a violation of non-profit corporate conduct in the State of California and legal actions are being pursued in California as well as in New York. But with no money to back up our legal challenges, that remains a slow and difficult proposition.

If this were not enough, after stabbing a large portion of the membership in the back, many of the staff, and administration have admitted that it was a huge mistake in every way, but they have refused to acknowledge this officially and refuse to correct it. They seem to think that since we appear to be relatively few, we will just disappear under the glitz and clamor of the Grammy apparatus. Although we are all working stiffs and have much more important and urgent things we’d rather do, we don’t plan to let that happen and we hope you will help us go viral and let the world, NARAS, CBS, and the sponsors/advertisers of the Grammys, all know that this is not acceptable and we are considering an occupation of the Grammys and a boycott of their products and “services” until they really fix it.

The San Francisco Art Commission, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Palmieri, Paul Simon (also inducted into the Hall of Fame this year), Carlos Santana, Bill Cosby, Esperanza Spalding, Bonnie Raitt, Stanley Clark, David Amram, Pete Escovedo, Oscar Hernandez, Larry Harlow and many others have openly condemned NARAS’ actions. The SF Board of Supervisors is also considering such a resolution. It is a shame though not completely surprising that many more celebrities have not spoken up strongly against this culturally devastating position by NARAS. Many of them have large potential earnings at stake and are not willing to risk a penny of it. Others don’t feel that NARAS has ever deserved our participation and support.

Our informal national coalition has held bi-coastal press conferences and written related posts and letters ad-nauseam. We hope that the action of posting on the internet and writing letters to the appropriate parties will be carried out by anyone and everyone who feels strongly about maintaining any semblance of diversity in the music business and understands what the threat of capitalism-gone-berzerk in the music business means to artistic freedom and creativity. We are extremely encouraged however by the continued international support and today’s news that both Reverend Jesse Jackson and Cornell West have joined our ranks with strong statements against NARAS’ actions and demands for equitable resolution (See below for links). Reverend Jackson tells it like it is, “Sometimes inclusion is inconvenient but it’s the right thing to do.”

The 54th Grammy awards telecast is sold out (in more ways than one) and we also congratulate all the nominees and winners. But when our esteemed organization violates it’s membership, its own mandates, and the public trust, we are all losers. Please help us get NARAS back on track. It can be a very worthwhile organization when run from the heart instead of the wallet.

Visit http://www.grammywatch.org for updates, addresses, and info, and let CBS know your thoughts directly with the link below, too . . . .

In solidarity and with gratitude, as your help is much needed and highly appreciated,

John Santos
Five-time Grammy nominee, educator, composer, producer, percussionist, bandleader, US Artist Fontanals Fellow

CBS comment form: http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php

Rev. Jackson:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/27/entertainment/e084722S71.DTL

“I thoroughly endorse the efforts of Grammy Watch and Presente.org. I believe the elimination of the ethnic Grammy categories is unjust and unfair.” -Cornel West

“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.” -Hunter S. Thompson

Here is a list of Grammy sponsors, advertisers and tech partners as listed on their website a few weeks ago. I’m sure there are more that have been added . . .

AT&T
Mastercard
Delta
Harman
Hilton
hp
Waste Management
Diet Pepsi
Acura
Westwood One
People Magazine
Gucci
Lullabot
AEG (digital media)
Live U
Ooyala
Akamai HD

LET’S GO VIRAL!!! NOW!!!
THANK YOU!!!

Report by Oscar Montagut
Bogota, Colombia – January, 2012

For nine consecutive years the Danilo Perez Foundation has celebrated the Panama Jazz Festival with the best of the jazz world. Precisely this week people in Panama City are celebrating the ninth edition of this festival which pays tribute to the Panamanian self-taught saxophonist Carlos Garnett, born in 1938. Mr. Garnett played with the most talented jazz musicians in the United States during the 60’s and 70’s, recording albums with legends like Charles Mingus, Art Blakey and Miles Davis.

The guest artists for this edition of the festival are Tito Puente Jr., Teri Roiger, Omara Portuondo, John Scofield, Chucho Valdés, Charlie Sepulveda, the Jed Levy Quartet, John Menegon, Luis Bonilla, Adalberto Santiago and the Nando Lopez Orquestra. The Panamanian artists who will share their musical experiences and knowledge include Carlos Garnett, the Victor “Vitín” Paz Quartet, the Panamanian Drums (conducted by Ricaurte Villarreal), and the String Quartet (conducted by Joshue Ashby).

As part of the festival’s mandate, the Danilo Perez Foundation, the institution behind the festival, has organized classes and musical clinics about composition, improvisation, classical music, and Panamanian folklore. Some of the academic activities are taught by professors and students of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, the New England Conservatory, the Puerto Rico Conservatory, and the Golandsky Piano Institute.

To close the festival this coming Saturday, January 21st, jazz lovers in Panama will experience a special encounter between two musical brothers, salsa and jazz, both born from the same mother, African music. The event is called “Salsa Meets Jazz” where the salsa legend Adalberto Santiago will sing with the Nando Lopez Orchestra and guest musical director José Gazmey. As part of the show the audience will have the chance to enjoy music from some other guests like Josue Rosado, Kashiro Thompson, Raul Rosario, and Piro Rodriguez among others.

The Danilo Perez Foundation is working very hard to keep up this amazing and prestigious jazz festival in order to give Panamanian young people and general spectators the opportunity to know and appreciate jazz music and other classical and local rhythms.

For more information about the festival, go to www.panamajazzfestival.com and www.fundaciondaniloperez.com.

Carlos Garnett

Teri Roiger

Mundo: The World of Jane Bunnett
To Be Released By EMI Canada On February 14, 2012

Double CD Retrospective Package Features 2 New Tracks

Toronto, Ontario – January 13, 2012 – There are many possible descriptions of Jane Bunnett: Composer/bandleader/multi-instrumentalist/educator/festival organizer. Order of Canada recipient, five-time Juno Award winner and multiple Grammy nominee. Internationally acclaimed artist with a recording career spanning 24 years.

Our preferred phrase is: fearless musical explorer. In tandem with her long-time partner in music and life, trumpeter/composer/producer Larry Cramer, the Toronto-based Bunnett has constantly sought out new musical terrain. That is confirmed vividly on the compelling new career retrospective, Mundo: The World Of Jane Bunnett, to be released on EMI Music Canada on February 14, 2012.

This collection comprises 25 cuts taken from 16 albums, recorded between 1989 and 2008. It also features two brand new numbers showing that Bunnett remains at the peak of her creative powers. “Gotcha” and “After Rain, Comes Sun” were recorded with fast-rising young Toronto ensemble Heavyweights Brass Band, with Telmary featured on vibrant vocals on “After Rain, Comes Sun.”

Bunnett has never felt constrained stylistically, and the result is a body of work that encompasses modern jazz, a rich variety of Cuban-rooted musical idioms, blues, classical, gospel, r ‘n b, and other world music forms.

MUNDO: The World of Jane Bunnett – track listing:

DISC 1

1. Gotcha’ (New Track feat. Heavyweights Brass Band)
2. Kalaidescope (Embracing Voices)
3. Witchi Ti To (Red Dragonfly)
4. For Merceditas (with Don Pullen) (New York Duets)
5. Yo Siempre Oddara (Spirits of Havana)
6. The Real Truth (The Water is Wide)
7. El Diablo (Cuban Odyssey)
8. New Orleans Under Water (Radio Guantanamo)
9. Osain (Ritmo + Soul)
10. Changui for Alfredo (Radio Guantanamo)
11. Please Don’t Ever Leave Me (Doubletime/Duet with Paul Bley)
12. Serenade To A Cuckoo (Water Is Wide)
13. Chamalongo (Chamalongo)
14. Sunshower (Alternate take)

DISC 2

1. After Rain, Comes Sun (New track feat. Heavyweights Brass Band and Telmary)
2. Joyful Noise (Ritmo + Soul)
3. Alma de Santiago (video version) (Alma De Santiago)
4. Rendezvous (Rendezvous/Brazil /Cuba)
5. Don’s Light (Spirituals and Dedications)
6. Son de la Loma (Cuban Piano Masters)
7. Song for Argentina (Spirits of Havana)
8. Amor Por Ti (Chamalongo)
9. Donna Lee (Alma de Santiago)
10. You Don’t Know What Love Is (Live at Sweet Basil)
11. The River/El Rio (Ritmo + Soul)

Jane will be performing across the country this year to celebrate the release of this retrospective package, beginning with several shows in the Toronto area:

Thursday January 19 – Long & McQuade Performance Hall at Jazz FM
Listen Live at 91.1 FM or Jazz FM

Monday January 23 – FREE performance at the Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library with The Toronto Star’s John Teraud – 7:00 pm
Toronto Public Library Appel Salon

Friday January 27 – Hugh’s Room – with special guests Heavyweight’s Brass Band – 8:00 pm
Hugh’s Room

Saturday January 28 – LULA Lounge – Salsa Dance Party with Son Aché
and special guest Jane Bunnett.
7:00 pm Intimate Dinner and Photo Exhibit with Jane Bunnett
9:00pm – 2:00 am – Dance lessons and show!
Lula Lounge

During a colourful and prolific career, Jane Bunnett’s sound and vision has earned her the respect of some giants in the world of jazz. She has collaborated extensively with such legends as Don Pullen, Dewey Redman, Sheila Jordan and Paul Bley, while jazz critics have hailed her virtuosity on soprano saxophone and flute. Bunnett has been the recipient of multiple awards in the prestigious Downbeat and Village Voice Critics’ Polls.

Mundo: The World Of Jane Bunnett is a retrospective look at a formidable career, but Bunnett remains an artist looking forward, not back. The two new tracks included here are eloquent testimony to that approach. Following Jane’s future creative endeavours will be a richly rewarding exercise.

Welcome to The World Of Jane Bunnett. You are in for a treat.

For more information, or to request an interview, please contact:
Dawn Dwyer
D2 communications
416.583.5048
dawn@d2communications.ca

The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra to Celebrate Historic 10th Anniversary Season with Special Program at Symphony Space, January 20 & 21

January 20 Benefit Concert to Feature World-Class Special Guests, Including: Randy Weston, Ray Santos, Dafnis Prieto, Claudia Acuña, Donald Harrison, Edmar Castañeda, and Fernando Otero, among others.

NEW YORK—The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance announces that it will celebrate the 10th Anniversary season of the GRAMMY® Award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), directed by Arturo O’Farrill, with a special program at Symphony Space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, on January 20 & 21. Entitled “The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Turns 10,” the program will showcase the ensemble performing a wide range of repertoire, spanning from their earliest Jazz at Lincoln Center beginnings to their latest commissions, including works by Miguel Zenón, Dafnis Prieto, Vijay Iyer, O’Farrill, and many others. Additionally, a special world premiere will celebrate the commitment the Orchestra has made towards progressing this vital art form.

For the January 20 performance only, a star-studded lineup of some of the world’s leading musicians will join the ALJO on stage in celebration of its landmark anniversary, including: one of the world’s foremost pianists and composers today, a true innovator and visionary Randy Weston, Latin Recording Academy Trustees Award recipient Ray Santos, 2011 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship recipient Dafnis Prieto, Claudia Acuña, Donald Harrison, Edmar Castaneda, and Fernando Otero, among others. The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance will also honor Palmieri, Santos, and Robert Sancho, Vice President of Bronx- Lebanon Hospital and founding board chair of the ALJA, for their contributions to Afro Latin jazz.

Additionally, the January 20 performance will serve as a benefit concert for the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, the ALJO’s non-profit organization committed to keeping this culturally rich tradition alive through Afro Latin jazz performance, education, and preservation. Anniversary Celebration Benefit Concert Tickets are $60, $80, and $100, and at the $100 level include a post performance reception at the home of City Council member Gale Brewer.

O’Farrill exclaims, “Ten years of existence is a milestone for the ALJO, not so much because we survived, but because we’ve created a new entry point into the cultural conversation. There is such great diversity in this music. Our embrace of an inclusive picture in jazz has welcomed many people into the fold because of this approach. This season we celebrate the finest moments in our history, which have consistently reflected a rich and comprehensive picture of Afro Latin jazz.”

The two-night January engagement is the second in a series of three landmark performances at Symphony Space, commemorating the 10th Anniversary season. The kick-off took place in October with a tribute to and featuring Andy and Jerry González, founders of the pioneering, Bronx-born Fort Apache Band and arguably the most important siblings in Latin jazz.

The final performances will take place on May 11 & 12, with a program entitled “Música Nueva 5: Big Band Poetry Slam & Beyond.” The Orchestra’s fifth annual new music concert, Música Nueva, will celebrate the spoken word tradition with a big band poetry slam curated by poet and musician Angel R. Rodríguez, Sr. and will honor the work of the Nuyorican Poets Café. Guest DJs, MCs, spoken word artists, instrumentalists, and dancers will mix the classic sound of mambo, boogaloo, and salsa with hip-hop, acid jazz, and alternative improvisation.

About The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra:
Founded in 2002 by O’Farrill to perform the full repertory of big band Afro Latin jazz, and commission new works to advance this culturally rich genre, the ALJO was a resident orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center from 2002 to 2007. In 2007, the ALJO left Lincoln Center to pursue the twin goals of developing new audiences for big band Afro Latin jazz and of creating a robust educational program for young performers. O’Farrill founded the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance that same year to pursue both the performance and educational aspects of this uniquely pan-American art form.

The ALJO is entering its fifth season in residence at Symphony Space, and it continues to tour nationally and internationally to critical acclaim, performing over the past several years at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Boston Symphony Hall, the Newport Jazz Festival, The Joyce Theater (with Ballet Hispanico), Megaron Concert Hall (Athens, Greece), and the Taichung Jazz Festival (Taichung, Taiwan), among countless other venues. The ALJO received a GRAMMY® nomination for its 2005 album, Una Noche Inolvidable (Palmetto), and in 2009 earned a GRAMMY for Best Latin Jazz Album for its release Song for Chico (Zoho). The Orchestra released its newest album, 40 Acres and a Burro (Zoho), this past February.

About The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance:
Founded in 2007, the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is dedicated to preserving the music and heritage of big band Latin Jazz, supporting its performance for new audiences, and educating young people in the understanding and performance of this important cultural treasure. The Alliance maintains a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings, provides institutional support for the GRAMMY® Award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and provides education programs for young musicians and new audiences.

“The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Turns 10″
@ Peter Norton Symphony Space
Friday, January 20 & Saturday, January 21 – 8pm

January 20 Performance – Benefit Concert w/ Special Guests:
Randy Weston, Ray Santos, Dafnis Prieto, Claudia Acuña,
Donald Harrison, Edmar Castaneda, and Fernando Otero, among others

2537 Broadway at 95th Street
New York, NY 10025-6990
Phone – (212)864-5400
Web - symphonyspace.org

Honorees
Randy Weston
Robert Sancho
Ray Santos

Honorary Chairs
New York City Council Member Gale A. Brewer
Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz, Jr.
United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez
Danny Glover
Oscar Hijuelos
Sonia Manzano
Marta Moreno Vega
Dafnis Prieto
Tina Ramirez
Miguel Zenón
Benefit Committee
Rogelio J. Carrasquillo
Eduardo Castell
Debra S. Cooper
Elizabeth Derbes
Jane Holzka & Mark Winther
Thomas Kamber
Don Lebowitz
Eduardo J. Martí
Renee C. Martinez
Sheri Mason
Arturo O’Farrill
Eric Oberstein
Nina Olson
Santos Rivera
Leonor Rodriguez & John Figueroa
James Seeley
Diane Sylvester
James R. Wacht
Paul Walker

For more information on the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance & Orchestra, visit:
http://www.afrolatinjazz.org

For media information, please contact:
DL Media • 610-667-0501
Jordy Freed • jordy@dlmediamusic.com
Don Lucoff • don@dlmediamusic.com

 On April 6, 2011 the Governing Board of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (The Grammys) announced the elimination of 31 categories. According to NARAS, the categories were eliminated to “tighten and create a parallel structure among the various fields.”

It is worth noting that the Governing Board met behind closed doors and dues paying members of the Academy were not informed of the meetings, or asked for their opinion in the decision making process.

Among the categories eliminated was Latin Jazz. After the initial shock the Latin music community joined forces, held press conferences, staged protests from coast to coast and mounted a media campaign that garnered international attention. Furthermore, a class action lawsuit was filed against NARAS by drummer, educator Bobby Sanabria, pianist Mark Levine and others, stating that the decision to eliminate the categories was racist and exclusionary. The lawsuit demands that the categories be reinstated.

In a recent development, members of NARAS requested a review of the minutes of the meetings that led to the elimination of the 31 categories and they received the following response from NARAS: “We are a foreign corporation established in Delaware and thus not subject to the California Corporate Code governing non-profits.”  As one NARAS member commented, “It makes you wonder what else they are hiding from their membership.”

One of the most vocal critics of the cuts is Carlos Santana, “Why do they only cut this music? I think they’re racist,” says Santana, “you can’t eliminate black gospel music or Hawaiian music or American Indian music or Latin jazz music, because all this music represents what the United States is: a social experiment.”

In another recent development, pianist, musical director, winner of the 2008 Best Latin Jazz Album and outspoken critic of the cuts, Arturo O’ Farrill was nominated this year in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble category for “40 Acres and a Burro” (Zoho).   “I’m extremely proud,” says, O’ Farrill, “to compete with big, big names is very healthy,” says O’ Farrill, “but it doesn’t bode well for us (Latin jazz musicians).  It would be an amazing vindication of our artistic integrity and the academy’s position of it leveling the playing field if any of the Latinos had a real shot at winning.” Saxophonist Miguel Zenon was also nominated in the same category for “Alma Adentro” (Marsalis Music).

Latin Jazz Network supports the upcoming Boycott of the 54^th Annual Grammy Awards and is in solidarity with the 31 categories that were eliminated. We will continue to follow the thread and keep our readers informed of events as they occur.

Newark, NJ (December 5, 2011) – Cuban jazz legend Chucho Valdés returns to NJPAC’s Prudential Hall for the first time since 2003 on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 3pm with the Afro-Cuban Messengers, the band with which he recorded his latest Grammy-winning CD. Japanese jazz/pop pianist Hiromi and her Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson and Simon Philips share the bill in an afternoon concert that spans genres and continents. The performance is part of NJPAC’s Wells Fargo Jazz Series and is made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Discover Jersey Arts.

Tickets are $29-$80 and are available by telephone at 1-888-466-5722, at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark, and at www.njpac.org. To purchase tickets for groups of 10 or more, call 973-297-5804

About the Artists:

Chucho Valdés, a pianist, composer, arranger, band leader and music professor, has recorded over 80 CDs, has collaborated with other artists continually, has won five Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, and has performed solo and with his band across the world.  He was born in Havana, Cuba in 1941 to a musical family— his mother, Pilar Rodriguez, was a singer and piano teacher, his father, the great band leader and pianist Bebo Valdés.  Valdés formed his first band at the age of 15 and in 1973 formed the Cuban genre-defining band Irakere.  With its blend of jazz, rock, traditional Cuban music and classical, the band had a major influence on Cuban music that can still be heard today. In 2009 Valdés formed Chucho Valdés & the Afro-Cuban Messenger.  The group tours internationally and recorded Valdes’ most recent Grammy-winning release, “Chucho’s Steps,” in 2011.

Japanese pianist and composer Hiromi started playing the piano when she was six years old and while still a teenager played with the Czech Philharmonic and Chick Corea. She is a Berklee College of Music graduate who has performed with Corea, Ahmad Jamal and Stanley Clarke.   She made her debut in 2003 with Another Mind (Telarc), which won the Recording Industry Association of Japan’s “Jazz Album of the Year” award and sold over 100,000 copies.  In June of this year, she released Voice on the Concord Music Group label with her Trio Project – bassist Anthony Jackson (Paul Simon, The O’Jays, Steely Dan, Chick Corea) and drummer Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour, Jack Bruce).  Her Trio Project collaborators join her for this performance.

Cuban jazz legend Chucho Valdés returns to NJPAC’s Prudential Hall on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 3pm with the Afro-Cuban Messengers, the band with which he recorded his latest Grammy-winning CD.  Japanese jazz/pop pianist Hiromi and her current Trio Project collaborators Anthony Jackson and Simon Philips share the bill with Valdés in an afternoon concert that spans genres and continents.

Tickets: $29-$80

Available at www.njpac.org, 1-888-466-5722 or at the box office at 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ

NJPAC Box Office Hours:

Tuesday to Saturday: Noon to 6pm
Sunday: Noon to 5pm
Monday: CLOSED
* For special performance onsales, hours may vary.

By Phone:

Monday to Saturday: 10am to 6pm
Sunday: Noon to 5pm
* For special performance onsales, hours may vary.

Online:

Order: 24/7

New Jersey’s Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city.  Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.  NJPAC has attracted over 6 million visitors (more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.  Visit www.njpac.org for more information.

These categories include: Latin Jazz, Gospel, Cajun/Zydeco, Hawaiian, various Blues and R&B categories and other significant genres that make up the American Songbook.

SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Monday, November 7, 2011

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Wednesday, November 16, 2011  

San Francisco, November 16, 2011 -  On Monday, November 7th, 2011 at the San Francisco Executive Arts Commission Meeting the resolution, spearheaded by Commissioner John Calloway was proposed to the board commissioners asking them to issue a formal request to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to immediately reinstate the 31 categories of music genres that were dropped from GRAMMY consideration on April 6, 2011. Members of the community who attended and spoke were musician and previous NARAS governor Sandy Cressman, Recording Artist and 2x GRAMMY Nominee Mark Levine, KPFA Radio Producer Clayton Leander and producer and writer Stephanie Dalton, who presented the public petition that now has over 5,400 signatures.

Today, November 16, 2011 the Arts Commission heard from Recording Artist and 5x GRAMMY Nominee John Santos and San Jose Jazz Festival Board President Arturo Riera spoke on the importance of this resolution, where upon the commissioner board unanimously voted to send the resolution to NARAS’ National Board Chair George Flanigen, Board Secretary Glenn Lorbecki, and President Neil Portnow.

The resolution will be presented to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and to the San Francisco Mayor’s office and there will be a request for the public to attend the Board of Supervisors meeting when announced.

For up to date information please visit: www.grammywatch.org or please contact Stephanie Dalton at stephanie@urbanmusicpresents.com or Clayton Leander at latinjazzmecca@gmail.com.

The Resolution Reads:
This resolution to reinstate the 31 categories of music that were dropped by the National Academy of Arts and Sciences (NARAS) for GRAMMY consideration on April 6, 2011 supports the music genres that are truly reflective of the contemporary musical landscape and cultural diversity of the United States.

WHEREAS, the City and County of San Francisco, which maintains a proud tradition as a hub of cultural and musical diversity, is home and host to valuable contributors of the American musical lexicon, including numerous GRAMMY®-nominated and -winning composers, artists and professionals; and

WHEREAS, NARAS, an influential nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, is based in California and home to 30% of its 20,000+ members, and includes a San Francisco Chapter; and

WHEREAS, the decision to drop the 31 categories from GRAMMY consideration was done by secret committee without consulting the voting membership of NARAS and without local chapters’ Board of Governors’ knowledge; and

WHEREAS, the eliminated categories include Latin Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Hawaiian, Cajun, Zydeco, Native American, Tejano, Classical Crossover, Instrumental Rock, along with significant reductions in awards given to the categories of Gospel, Blues and R&B; and

WHEREAS, protests and meetings have occurred in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Hawaii, Chicago, New Orleans, and other national locations to resolve this severe and extremely insensitive blow to cultural expression and recognition in our country; and

WHEREAS, respected GRAMMY-winning and -nominated artists, including Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, John Santos, John Calloway, Eddie Palmieri, Wayne Wallace, Bobby Sanabria and many others have joined NARAS members, colleagues, and past Chapter governors in writing letters and signing a petition with 5,000 cosigners urging NARAS to reverse their secret decision and reinstate the GRAMMY categories; and

WHEREAS, national and international media coverage (KTVU, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, Reuters, BBC, Wall Street Journal, etc.) has been given to the outcry against this unjust and harmful decision in over 1,200 national and international stories published and syndicated in print, broadcast, and digital formats; and

WHEREAS, NARAS has a responsibility to their voting membership to ensure that ethical decision practices are maintained because the GRAMMY is considered to be the highest award achievable for music excellence in the Unites States and therefore should strive to include genres and categories of particular creative and foundational significance; and

WHEREAS, the thousands of affected musicians, engineers, manufacturers, composers, arrangers, graphic artists, publicists, distributors, and other industry professionals who work in the eliminated categories will suffer economically from not being able to participate in the GRAMMY awards; and

WHEREAS, thousands of California consumers and patrons of these important musical traditions have also been negatively affected and disrespected by this ill-advised decision; and

WHEREAS, the NARAS leadership has acknowledged that a “mistake” was made indicates that these genres should never have been eliminated in the first place;

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that the San Francisco Arts Commission urges the National Academy of Arts and Sciences to immediately reinstate the eliminated categories in order to restore integrity and diversity to the GRAMMY Awards and fulfill the organization’s responsibilities to its membership and as a nonprofit organization representing the interests of diverse musicians and recording professionals; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the San Francisco Arts Commission directs its administrative staff to send copies of this resolution to NARAS National Board Chair George Flanigen, Board Secretary Glenn Lorbecki, and President Neil Portnow.

 # # #

Press inquiries
Stephanie Dalton, Urban Music Presents

415.796.2319 / 415.503.8207

stephanie@urbanmusicpresents.com

www.urbanmusicpresents.com

Ninth Annual Panama Jazz Festival Led By Artistic Director Danilo Pérez Announces 2012 Lineup

Festival Dates: January 16 – 21, 2012

Headlining Artists Include:
Omara Portuondo & Chucho Valdes, John Scofield, Tito Puente, Jr.,
Luis Bonilla, Charlie Sepulveda, Jed Levy, Teri Roiger & John Menegon

Festival Dedicated To Saxophonist Carlos Garnett

One of Panama’s most significant cultural events, the Ninth Annual Panama Jazz Festival will be held on January 16-21, 2012. Already a reference in the global jazz calendar and attracting more than an estimated 100,000 people since its inception, this year’s festival is dedicated to tenor saxophonist Carlos Garnett, one of the most prolific Panamanian-Americans in jazz, known for working with artists such as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Art Blakey, among others.

Among this year’s headliners are a Cuban duo featuring world renowned vocalist Omara Portuondo, whose career has spanned over half a century (known for her work with Buena Vista Social Club™, among others), with multi-GRAMMY® Award winning pianist Chucho Valdes; guitarist John Scofield, a stylistic chameleon consistently expressing himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz and orchestral idioms; drummer and bandleader Tito Puente, Jr., presented by ACER – son of legendary mambo musician Tito Puente with the Panama Jazz Festival Ensemble, under the direction of La Riqueña; Costa Rican trombonist Luis Bonilla with the New England Conservatory Jazz Ensemble; Puerto Rican, latin jazz trumpeter Charlie Sepulveda; Carlos Garnett‘s ensemble; saxophonist Jed Levy and his quartet, presented with the support of the U.S. Department of State and Jazz at Lincoln Center; and a duo featuring vocalist Teri Roiger and bassist John Menegon.

“For a week in January, Panama is the capital of jazz in Latin America,” states Festival founder & Artistic Director Danilo Pérez. “The festival continues to flourish and is now becoming an event that is a cultural reference in Latin America, with some of the biggest supporters of jazz music on the planet.”

Reflecting on this year’s honoree Pérez states, “Carlos Garnett is one of the best jazz saxophonists that came from Panama, who has played with some of the most important icons of jazz.”

Born and raised in Red Tank, Panama Canal Zone, Garnett taught himself to play saxophone as a teenager and played with soldiers from the nearby United States Army base. He moved to New York City in 1962, where he began to teach himself music theory (originally playing music by ear). In 1968, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard hired Garnett, introducing him to many distinguished New York-based jazz musicians. Hubbard’s 1969 album A Soul Experiment served as Garnett’s first recording session, contributing two compositions to the project. His career took flight following the session, working with Andrew Hill, Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Davis and Mingus, through the mid-1970s. He also recorded three projects as a leader during the same time period, which collectively featured artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billy Hart, Norman Connors, Buster Williams, and Anthony Jackson. In 1982, Garnett took a hiatus from music for personal reasons until 1991. He then returned with a new group and released several albums as a leader in the 1990s. In 2000 he moved back to Panama, where he continues to contribute to the country’s music community.

Garnett is the festival’s second living honoree; the first living honoree was trumpeter Victor “Vitín” Paz, celebrated at last year’s festival. Garnett will actively participate in educational programs/events.

Previous festivals have been dedicated to figures such as pianist Luis Russell, who worked as the Music Director for Louis Armstrong’s band beginning in 1935; pianist Victor Boa – known as the “Master of the Panamanian Keyboard”; flutist Mauricio Smith, who performed with a variety of musicians ranging from Mongo Santamaria to Charles Mingus; vocalist Barbara Wilson, whom Pérez once called “the Billie Holiday of Panama”; composer and bassist Clarence Martin Sr., who influenced several generations of Panamanian musicians from a wide range of musical styles; Ellerton Oswald, best known as Sonny White, who recorded with Billie Holiday; and Victor “Vitín” Paz, a staple in Panamanian popular music, working with masters such as Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Benny Moré, Mario Bauzá, Tito Rodriguez, and Frank Sinatra.

The Panama Jazz Festival’s Commitment to Education

The educational component of the festival, where all invited artists will teach master classes and hold music clinics for students from all parts of Latin America, will be held at The City of Knowledge. During the festival, several institutions make Panama their Latin American musical hub, offering lessons and holding auditions for admission and scholarships to their different academic programs. The institutions that confirmed their participation this year include: Berklee College of Music and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, New England Conservatory, Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, and The Golandsky Institute.

“While the Panama Jazz Festival is a music festival, our intentions, our hopes, go well beyond music,” declares Pérez.”The festival was founded with the objective of contributing to the cultural, social, touristic, academic and economic strengthening of Panama.”

Pérez continues, “In 2011 we had more than 1,000 students from Panama, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, USA, Mexico, Honduras, France, Italy and Puerto Rico participate. Ultimately, an artist’s hidden work, offstage, in clinics, seminars and workshops – guiding our youth – is just as, or even more important than a performance onstage. There we are talking about giving our young tools to grow, discipline, good examples and, especially, hope and opportunities.”

Also of note among the festival’s educational programs, for the second consecutive year, the soon-to-be two year old Berklee Global Jazz Institute – based in Boston, MA and led by Pérez - will provide instruction, performances and will do social work with Panamanian youth. Additionally, The Golandsky Institute will once again offer a week-long program of daily master classes for jazz and classical pianists as well as other instrumentalists, emphasizing the application of the Taubman approach to build technical ease and to explore musical interpretation. This approach has proven to be highly effective in the resolution of technical and artistic limitations, as well as in curing and preventing repetitive stress injuries in musicians.

The Panama Jazz Festival also offers master classes on Panamanian Folkloric music taught by the Maestro of the Panamanian tambor, Ricaurte Villareal and classical music lessons with students and fellows from the New England Conservatory.

Underscoring its focus on education, the Panama Jazz Festival and the participating educational institutions have provided scholarships valued over 1.5 million dollars. “To educate a child, to offer opportunities, is also to change a family, a neighborhood, a city and perhaps a country,” states Pérez. “What we do is not just to educate better musicians but better citizens.”

About Danilo Pérez

Pianist, composer, educator and social activist, Danilo Pérez is among the most influential and dynamic musicians of our time.

Born in Panama in 1965, Pérez started his musical studies when he was three years old with his father, a bandleader and singer. By age ten, he was studying the European classical piano repertoire at the National Conservatory in Panama. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in electronics in Panama, he studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. From 1985-88, while still a student, he performed with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard, Claudio Roditi and Paquito D’Rivera. Quickly established as a young master, he soon toured and/or recorded with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie (with the trumpeter’s United Nations Orchestra, 1989-1992), Wayne Shorter, Steve Lacy, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, John Patitucci, Tom Harrell, Gary Burton, and Roy Haynes.

In 1993, Pérez turned his focus to his own ensembles and recording projects, releasing eight albums as a leader, earning a GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® nominations for Central Avenue (1989), Motherland (2000) and Across The Crystal Sea (2008). Additionally, Pérez released Providencia, his debut Mack Avenue Records album in August of 2010. The album was also nominated for a 2011 GRAMMY® Award in the category of “Best Instrumental Jazz Album.”

While he continues to lead his own trio, featuring Ben Street and Adam Cruz, and remains a member of the Wayne Shorter Quartet, Pérez also serves as Artistic Director of the Panama Jazz Festival, Artistic Advisor of the Jazz Up Close series at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Board Member at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, and Artistic Director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute at Berklee College of Music.

Pérez, who served as Cultural Ambassador to the Republic of Panama and Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF, has received a variety of awards for his musical achievements, activism and social work efforts. In 2009, he was one of five Panamanian individuals to receive the prestigious Legacy Award from The Smithsonian Latino Center in Washington D.C. The award recognizes Panamanian achievement in the arts, science and the humanities. Additionally, Perez was awarded the 2010 ASICOM International Award by the Ibero-American Association of Communication (ASICOM) and the University of Oviedo (Principality of Asturias). ASICOM gives this prize each year to individuals who have made or are making significant contributions in IBEROAMERICA, helping to build and rebuild that historical region through their work and vision. In 2010, he was also chosen as one of the Delaware Valley’s “Most Influential Latinos.”

The Panama Jazz Festival is made possible with the support of ATP (Tourism Authority of Panama), INAC (National Institute of Culture), The United States Embassy in Panama, The City Of Knowledge, and Mastercard, among other institutions.

The PJF contributes its proceeds to the Danilo Pérez Foundation educational programs.

For more information on the Panama Jazz Festival, visit:

panamajazzfestival.com

danilopérez.com

Tickets for the Panama Jazz Festival are available online at tuboleto.com.

For media information, please contact:

DL Media · 610-667-0501

Where: JAZZ STANDARD 116 East 27^th Street (Train 6 – 29^th St)

Who: John Benitez – acoustic & electric Bass; Yosvanny Terry –saxophone; Manuel Valera – piano; Tom Guarna – guitar; Francis Benitez – drums

How: $20.  Purchase tickets at www.jazzstandard.com or call 212.576.2232

Grammy Award-winning bassist John Benitez was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, and by age nineteen was the first-call bassist in San Juan’s thriving Jazz and Latin music scenes. Since moving to NYC in 1993, John has gigged and recorded with a plethora of jazz and Latin greats ranging from Wynton Marsalis and Ravi Coltrane to Ray Barreto and Mongo Santamaria. In 2001, John released his first album as a leader, “Descarga in New York”; a showcase for his prodigious talents as a bassist (both acoustic and electric), composer, arranger, and producer. “For me it’s all the same, one great dance music,” says John Benitze.  ”All the styles of the Caribbean, South America, and New Orleans are but an extension of African music with that special bounce.”

Music Charge: $20

Joining Sanchez on the 11-song set is multi-GRAMMY winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard. It makes sense that, for this project, Sanchez recruited fellow label mate Blanchard, a New Orleans native who literally grew up amid the Cuban and Latin jazz scene and a longtime fan of the music’s multicultural underpinnings. Blanchard has established himself as one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians and film score masters of his generation. As a film composer, Blanchard has more than 50 feature film scores to his credit. Currently at work on the score for George Lucas’s long-awaited upcoming movie, “Red Tails,” the Golden Globe nominee and four-time Grammy winner’s music was recently featured on Broadway in Chris Rock’s Tony-nominated play, “The Mother****** With Hat.” Blanchard is currently at work on the music for the Broadway remake of A Streetcar Named Desire and has also been commissioned by the Opera St. Louis for a project that will premiere in 2012. His latest CD, Choices, was released by Concord Jazz in 2009 to widespread critical acclaim.

“These two musicians were the pioneers of what is now known as Latin jazz,” says Sanchez. “Chano Pozo was a genius. He’s considered the godfather of conga drummers, and he’s someone whom I respect a great deal. And of course, Dizzy Gillespie was an iconic artist in American jazz. I had the honor and pleasure of working with him on several occasions. These guys were the first musicians to bring elements of Latin music to American jazz – which has resulted in some of the greatest music of the last 50 or 60 years. I felt that it was time to pay tribute to them and their accomplishments.”

While the album includes songs originally written and performed by the two legends, it also showcases compositions crafted by other writers that capture the flavor of traditional Latin jazz. Sanchez’s touring band assists with the songwriting and arranging. The studio ranks include: pianist David Torres, saxophonist Rob Hardt, trumpeter Ron Blake, trombonist/vocalist Francisco Torres, bassist Tony Banda, timbalist George Ortiz, and percussionist Joey De Leon, Jr.

“The great thing about this band is that they take a very traditional approach to Latin music,’ says Blanchard. “They pay a lot of attention to the detail of the specific rhythms they’re playing, and they understand the historical significance of keeping that heritage alive.”

Although born in Laredo, Texas, in 1951 to a large Mexican-American family, Sanchez grew up in a suburb of L.A., where he was raised on an unusual cross section of sounds that included straightahead jazz, Latin jazz and American soul. By his teen years, his musical consciousness had been solidified by the likes of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Wilson Pickett and James Brown. Along the way, he taught himself to play guitar, flute, drums and timbales, but eventually settled on the congas.

At 24, after working his way around the local club scene for several years, he landed a permanent spot in Cal Tjader’s band in 1975. “I learned a great deal from Cal,” says Sanchez, “but it wasn’t as though he sat me down and taught me lessons like a schoolteacher. Mostly it was just a matter of being around such a great guy. It was the way he conducted himself, the way he talked to people, the way he presented himself onstage. He was very elegant, very dignified, and when he played, he played beautifully. The touch that he had on the vibes – nobody has that sound. To me, he was – and is, and always will be – the world’s greatest vibe player.”

Sanchez remained with Tjader until the bandleader’s death in 1982. That same year, he signed with Concord for the release of Sonando, an album that marked the beginning of a musical partnership that has spanned more than 25 years and has yielded more than two dozen recordings. Chano y Dizzy! is the latest installment in that ongoing partnership.

Sanchez, Blanchard and company set the tone early with an opening medley of lively Pozo tunes: “Tin Tin Deo,” “Manteca” and “Guachi Guaro.” Blanchard delivers down some sultry trumpet lines over Sanchez’s percussion and vocals, while the rest of the band lays down a solid and spicy rhythmic bed throughout.

The followup track is a simmering rendition of Dizzy’s “Con Alma,” with numerous tempo changes that give Blanchard room to flex his muscles in varying rhythmic contexts within a single song.

Further in, “Siboney” is an old Cuban song by Ernesto Lecuona that’s consistent enough with the overall vibe of the record to make the cut. “Ron Bake called me and said, ‘Poncho, I’ve always liked this tune, but Chano didn’t write it and neither did Dizzy.’ I said, ‘It’s alright. It fits. It’ll be fine.’ I’ve always liked the tune myself, so I was glad that we finally got a chance to record it. I think it complements the artists and the period we’re paying tribute to.”

The light-hearted “Groovin’ High” is a Gillespie composition originally conceived as a swing tune, but Sanchez and company rearranged it here to fit more of a mambo vibe. The funky “Harris’s Walk,” another song penned by Blake, was written in the style of Eddie Harris, “but I liked it so much at rehearsal that I said, ‘We gotta put this on the record,’” says Sanchez.

“Jack’s Dilemma,” written by Francisco Torres, came together on the fly with a stripped down rhythm section consisting of Sanchez on conga and Joey De Leon on trap drums. “There are no timbales, no bongos,” says Sanchez. “The engineers in the studio sort of slapped together a drum set. Joey tuned them the way he wanted, and man, ten minutes later we were recording. In the end, I think it sounded great.”

The album ends just as it starts, with a staccato and highly rhythmic Pozo tune called “Ariñañara.” Recorded by several artists through the years, the song is what Sanchez calls “straight-up hardcore salsa music.” It serves close to a recording that celebrates some of the most innovative music to emerge from the 20th century.

“To me, Latin jazz is the world’s greatest music,” says Sanchez. “It has the melodic and harmonic sophistication of jazz and American standards, and the flavor and energy of Latin American music. What I’m most proud of is that this music – while it may sound exotic at times – is from America. It was born in New York City, when Chano Pozo met Dizzy Gillespie for the first time in the mid-1940s. They created something that didn’t exist before in this country. I’m very proud to take this music all over the world all the time.”