Grammys Music awards accused of " subtle racism"

A high profile coalition of musicians and songwriters are challenging the decision of a major music awards organisation to close down recognition and awards for some categories of world music.

In April, the USA Recording Academy, the organisation that hosts the world renown Grammy Music Award's announced that they were getting rid of 31 music awards categories, changing some eligibility requirements and rewriting the rule on how members vote. Many believe the Academy is unfairly targeting ethnic world music.

For instance: Latin Jazz is no longer a Grammy category. Latin Jazz artists will now have to submit their work to the Best Jazz Instrumental Album or Best Jazz Vocal Album categories.

Gone are the separate categories for Best Hawaiian Music Album, Best Native American Music Album, Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album. All of those genres will now compete in the absurd Best Regional Roots Music Album category.

The attempt to reinforce particular music genres and marginalize others has attracted fierce criticism from top artists.

Musician Carlos Santana, along with his wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, wrote a letter to the Academy. They complained,

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.

Another world-recognised artist Paul Simon expressed his opposition to the ethnic culling of world music genres. Stars such as Herbie Hancok and Bill Cosby have joined him whilst musicians have been gathering in Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York, to arrange rally's and put pressure on the Grammys board of Trustees to reverse the decision. More rallies are due to take place.

Creating an ethnic musical ghetto category where a Hawaiian musician will be judged against a Zydeco band will simply discourage artists from submitting their work for Grammy nominations.

Bobby Sanabria, a four-time Grammy nominee in the Latin jazz category, goes so far as to call the changes a "subtle form of racism". He added,

We will ask people to stop watching CBS, boycott their sponsors and then write them. We're at a critical juncture.

Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow stated,

The most noticeable changes are in the stripping of gender-based categories in pop, R&B, rock and country. There will no longer be separate awards for male or female vocals, simply an award in each genre for a single "solo performance.

Several instrumental categories have been eliminated as well. Whatever the intention the effect is to clearly marginalize large sections of ' ethnic' music. There may be a boycott of the awards next year in protest. Racism has no place in music and this silly idea should be dropped. Keep the categories and respect the music.

CBS is scheduled to broadcast the Grammys next February from Los Angeles.

Lee Jasper