GRAMMY PROTEST Press Conference

GRAMMY PROTEST PRESS CONFERENCE

Please pass along to any musicians or anyone who may be interested in this.

Elena Martínez
City Lore, Folklorist
212-529-1955 x306
www.citylore.org
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. -- Plato

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Bobby Sanabria
May 9, 2011
Phone: 917.539.4647

E-mail: nujackrican@yahoo.com

May 22nd PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROTEST OF GRAMMY TRAVESTY
NARAS ERASES 31 CATEGORIES FROM GRAMMYS
OUTRAGED MUSIC COMMUNITY RESPONDS
The world-famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, N.Y., will host a press conference by artists, presenters, celebrities and media to voice opposition to the recent announcement by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) to eliminate Latin Jazz from Grammy consideration along with many other styles of music which represent the musical diversity of the American  musical landscape.

Sunday, May 22, 2011 -- 1 PM
Nuyorican Poets Cafe
236 East 3rd Street

between Avenues B & C
New York City

(212) 780.9386

There will be brief statements presented in support of the reinstatement of the eliminated fields followed by Q&A. Among the distinguished panel of presenters and others from the various musical communities affected by this decision will be:

•  Eddie Palmieri- Legendary pianist, 8-time Grammy winner and former NARAS Board of Governors member, responsible for getting Latin jazz recognized as a category

• Larry Harlow- Legendary Salsa pianist/bandleader, former NARAS Board of Governors member, responsible for getting Salsa recognized as a category, 3-time Grammy nominee

more...

• Arturo O'Farrill- Grammy winner, pianist, bandleader, educator
• Bobby Sanabria- Drummer, percussionist, bandleader, educator, 4-time Grammy nominee, May 22nd press-conference moderator
• René Lopez- Grammy-winning producer, Latin-music historian, advisor to Jazz at Lincoln Center
• Candido Camero- Legendary conguero, NEA Jazz Master
• Ned Sublette- N.Y. Times bestselling author of Cuba and Its Music: From The First Drums to the Mamboand New Orleans: After The Flood; President, QBA Disc Records
• T.J. English- N.Y.Times bestselling author of The Westies, Havana Nocturne, The Savage City;
• Chris Washburne- Trombonist, Professor of Ethnomusioclogy at Columbia University, Director of Jazz Studies
• Jochem Becher- President of ZOHO Records
• Ivan Acosta– Award-winning film maker, President of Latin Jazz U.S.A., NARAS Committee Member Latin Music
• Randy Klein- President of Jazzheads Records, pianist, composer, 4-time EMMY winner
• Jackie Harris – Executive Director, Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp; New Orleans, Louisiana.

And More….

THIS PRESS CONFERENCE IS COMPLETELY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,

NO RSVP NEEDED!!!
The ill-advised April 6th announcement by NARAS to cut thirty-one categories from the celebrated Grammy awards has been met withshock and loud protests nationally and internationally. Latin Jazz,
Contemporary Jazz, Cajun, Zydeco, Hawaiian, Polka, Traditional World, and certain gospel, Blues, R&B, and Mexican categories, among others, have all been unceremoniously erased. At various regional chapter meetings, NARAS has defended the cuts as being fair and well thought out, although they were made behind closed doors with no input from the membership nor from the respective boards of governors of the regional chapters. This action clearly caters to the established pop and commercial styles that have always dominated the Awards and the controversial annual TV show.
As the grassroots movement from the public sector is going viral, and the unrest and distrust from within the NARAS membership has skyrocketed from coast to coast, NARAS' stock responses have done little to quell the ground spring of questions about their motives. The May 22nd press conference follows one on May 9th at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA, where considerable opposition to  his unprecedented decision, as culturally insensitive and non-supportive of musical diversity, was made by leading musicians including 5X Grammy nominee, John Santos; Grammy-nominated vocalist, Sandy Cressman; members of the Carlos Santana band; Grammy-nominated trombonist, Wayne Wallace; Randall Kline, Head of the SF Jazz Fest; Peter Williams of Yoshi's and more.

For related background info, articles,
letters to and from NARAS,
growing petition with more than 2500
signatures, etc., please visit

www.GrammyWatch.info

####

The Real Threat

Where do we go from here? Osama Bin Laden is supposedly gone. For the moment there is justice in the hearts of many. The cheering crowds were caught and plastered all over the news. Where some cheer, some see the death of a man and others question whether there is political motive. The cheers are only awashed with the feeling that all is better now. That Osama somehow invented terrorism and that it died with him. There will always be disdain towards the American Empire so long as it continues to meddle in others affairs (US meddled in 50 nations over 130 times in 121 years). The empire always finds reason to plant itself somewhere where it isn't necessarily wanted. It was, after all, the invisible weapons of mass destruction that lead to the invasion of Iraq. Every word said then made it seem fine to some. It has always been the "excuse" factor applied to some type of national security.

In all, where does the island nation of Puerto Rico fit? Who on the island nation shared some patriotic glimmer of hope with the death of Osama? Statehooders? Was Osama and others that harbor hate towards the American Empire a threat to Puerto Rico? The real threat has always been and continues to be colonialism. Puerto Rico serves merely as a portal for the likes of the Osamas' of the world.

If the glimmer of hope is in following in the attitudes of the celebratory crowd then there is no hope. There is unemployment, poor social services, mental dependency and a sense of wanting to be a part of something bigger. Is Statehood the real answer? In the end, the fundamental problems will remain and the shout will be, "I told you so"! And then what?

La Muñeca by Rosalinda Vargas

La Muñeca

From Not Only Dark Poems by Rosalinda Vargas

 

No juegues después que el sol baja

La muñeca se enoja porque cansada ya esta

La madre explica el cuento de una bruja

Que con muñecas jugaba cuando era una chica

Y al desobedecer de no jugar después que el sol baja

Ahora la bruja es una muñeca sin madre y sin casa

Que mira por las ventanas en la noche buscando

Una niña desobediente que juega después que el sol baja

Si no me crees ve a la ventana y mira hacia el árbol

Allá arriba escondida esperando con ojos verdes

Andale rápido a la cama y ni siquiera mires

A tu muñeca después que el sol baja

No sea que se enoje y se cumple el cuento