California GRAMMY Protest

Musicians took to the streets to protest the Grammys after the decision to cut a shocking 31 Grammy Award categories out forever.

A heated demonstration escalated Thursday in Beverly Hills, California with angry musicians picketing and calling on the recording academy to restore the 31 musical categories slashed from the Grammy list.

As the defiant mob of musicians protested outside the swanky Beverly Hilton, the board of trustees for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) met inside.

NARAS eliminated 31 categories from the Grammy Awards, including Native American, Cajun, Hawaiian, Zydeco, Latin Jazz, Polka and Traditional World Music.

Adding to the shock, certain Gospel, Blues, R&B, and Mexican categories, among others, have all been unceremoniously flushed, sparking outrage in the music community.

The effect of the Grammy Award changes is especially devastating for roots music genres.

During the angry protest, demonstrators carried picket signs that declared "Re-instate Separate Categories" and "NARAS Kills Music." The protesters want the Academy's decision reversed.

Music Industry Professionals Speak Out

"Many races, colors and creeds embrace our music and to take that away from us is a slap in the face," declared Latin jazz musician Peter Escovedo.

"Reinstate the categories. Reinstate all of them Let the chips fall where they may, on the talent," said contemporary blues artist Pepper Mashay.

"We strongly protest this decision and we ask you to represent all of the colors of the rainbow when it comes to music and give ethnic music a place in the heart of music lovers everywhere," declared Grammy winner Carlos Santana.

"I believe the Grammys have done a disservice to many talented musicians by combining previously distinct and separate types of music into a catch-all of blurry larger categories," said Grammy winner Paul Simon.

"You say to the Grammys, 'What is next? Eliminate jazz because it isn't popular?' Frank Sinatra said in the first Grammys it is about excellence, not about popularity," said Grammy winner Oscar Hernandez.

"We're about diversity. This country is about diversity. We are not all one race. We are not all from England. We're from every part of the world. And yes, a lot of this music was created by immigrants but we're all the children of immigrants and diversity is what's important here and should be reflected," said African Latin Jazz musician Bobby Matos.

The recording academy declined to comment on the California Grammy protest or the reasoning behind their decision, but NARAS President and CEO Neil Portnow released a statement:

"After careful and extensive review and analysis of all categories and fields, it was objectively determined that our Grammy categories be restructured to the continued competition and prestige of the highest and only peer-recognized award in music."

Renowned Latin jazz musician Bobby Sanabria commented at length about the Academy and its practices:

"We've tried everything. They have been arrogant as well as disrespectful. We asked for meetings, they didn't respond. They were dismissive of everything we had to say. The worst thing was their clear message – forget about this year."

"The board does not have our best interest in mind. Many have conflicts of interest because they work for/have associations with big labels as well as the administration."

"In terms of the so-called 'restructuring'?  No one in their right mind would've done this. You have to realize they cut 31 categories. 70 percent of those categories are ethnically and color based. All of them represent the rich cultural diversity of this country. The message NARAS is saying is that we don't care bout diversity anymore."

"The cuts by the Academy signal something that the entire public should be concerned about. The Academy has sent a clear message that they wish to cut the increased power that independent record companies have attained and stacked the Grammy equation in favor of the majors. Their corporate spiel about achieving parity for everyone is an outright lie."

"They did this in secret without consulting the membership or the board of governors. Do you honestly think membership will increase after this? It will decrease as members in the affected categories realize there is no chance for them to be nominated and win a Grammy. It will eventually lead to homogeneity in all music."

"The economic hardship they have inflicted is drastic to these small independent labels and artists and it can only be repaired if they reinstate the categories. The categories cut represent the best of this country's musical and cultural diversity and are the basis from which the major categories draw upon for inspiration."

"The Academy has crushed the dreams of every young aspiring musician who is learning to play music from these categories by telling them, you will never be nominated and win a Grammy because you play these styles of music. Worse, they are keeping these genres of music from gaining larger recognition with the public at large giving the implicit message that they literally don't exist."

Grammy-winning music legend Carlos Santana and his wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, issued a response to the Academy:

"The biggest and most irresponsible cut to us is that you have eliminated Latin Jazz. Apparently the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences down-sizing (even though no categories were removed from the awards) is simply a bad move and makes us wonder if you are doing this for other motives."

"Without Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, João Gilberto and countless others, there would be no Santana. These Latin Jazz artists helped launch and craft countless genres of American and World music and are just as vibrant today as they were at any other point in history. To remove Latin Jazz and many other ethnic categories is doing a huge disservice to the brilliant musicians who keep the music vibrant for their fans, new and old."

The American music community has established the Grammy Watch website as an information clearinghouse regarding the Grammy changes.