Kriss Worthington Councilmember, City of Berkeley, District 7 2180 Milvia Street, 5th Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704 PHONE 510-981-7170 FAX 510-981-7177 [email protected]

CONSENT CALENDAR March 20, 2012 To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council From: Councilmember Kriss Worthington

Subject: Letter Encouraging the Grammys to Reinstate 31 Ethnic Categories

RECOMMENDATION Send a letter requesting the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science (NARAS) reinstate the 31 ethnic categories that were eliminated.

BACKGROUND Recently, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science (NARAS) eliminated 31 ethnic categories. The NARAS website indicates that “The Academy's mission statement is simple, but represents the heart and soul of the organization's efforts: to positively impact the lives of musicians, industry members and our society at large.” The NARAS’ decision to cut off categories that represent some of our most creative “roots” genres and the 31ethnic categories.

Ironically, the NARAS has announced the induction of Big Bill Bronzy, Sergio Mendes’ Brasil ’66 and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. into the Grammy Hall of Fame at the same time that it has cut down the blues categories. Just under half of the categories cut were dominated by Latinos and other people of color.

The NARAS’ decision will have major ramifications of disenfranchising entire communities from the Grammy process. Artists and activists like Carlos Santana, Ruben Blades, Cornel West, Bonnie Raitt, Jesse Jackson, Alison Krauss and Paul Simon have demanded that genres be reinstated. Recording artist Bobby Sanabria recently filed a class action lawsuit against NARAS for the elimination of Latin Jazz and the 30 other categories.

John Santos a local bay area Latin Jazz musician was a NARAS member for some 25 years, supporting the organization with yearly dues and doing volunteer work for Grammys in the Schools programs. John says, “This disrespectful mandate sets the organization, civil rights and creative expression back several decades”.

The Grammy Awards is a major media event watched by tens of millions of people. Many staff and administrators are quietly admitting the move was a mistake. It’s time to correct elimination.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS None.

CONTACT PERSON Councilmember Kriss Worthington 510-981-7170

Attachment: 1. Letter to NARAS Board 2. Article

Dear NARAS Board,

The Berkeley City Council is deeply concerned with NARAS recent decision to eliminate a substantial amount of ethnic musical categories that often represent the accomplishments of our communities of color. These musical genres not only emerge from our minority communities but have also been part of important social movements throughout history. It is disappointing that these musical categories that embody such a wide array of diverse cultures in America have been pushed out of the Grammy Awards ceremony. Such categories like Instrumental, Pop, some Gospel, Hawaiian, Country and Rock among others, have been abolished.

It is important to make the Grammys more competitive and meaningful, but also recognize and award those that deserve the awards coming from various backgrounds and categories. “Music of all arts should be expansive and inclusive,” Rev. Jesse Jackson added.

We request that the NARAS revisit and reinstate as many ethnic categories as possible. We join those who have publicly condemned NARAS’ actions: The San Francisco Art Commission, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Palmieri, Paul Simon (also included in the Hall of Fame this year), Carlos Santana, Bill Cosby, Esperanza Spalding, Bonnie Raitt, Stanley Clarke, David Amram, Pete Escovedo, Oscar Hernandez, Ruben Blades, Alison Krauss, Paul Simon, Larry Harlow, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Cornel West and Bobby Sanabria.

Sincerely,

Berkeley City Council

Commentary: Elimination of categories robs Grammys of diversity and creativity By John Santos Contributor Posted: 02/01/2012 12:39:45 PM PST

It's Grammy fever time, and CBS is ramping it up with a barrage of commercials and specials leading up to the Feb. 12 telecast.

As the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) inundates the membership with nomination and voting materials and invitations to the big event and its many related parties, the public is treated to a classic full-press corporate campaign on TV, radio, print and social media.

But this year NARAS' brilliant Grammy image has a dark secret. All the smiling faces and multimillion dollar sets cannot hide the fact that a few months ago the organization unceremoniously eliminated 31 categories from Grammy consideration. It is particularly disgraceful that the nonprofit organization -- one that's supposed to honor excellence in our country's music and advocate for its membership -- lopped off categories that represent some of our most creative "roots" genres and what ethnic diversity the Grammys might claim.

The corporate music industry, which makes the lion's share of the profits generated by musicians and the Grammys, appears to be fully supportive of NARAS' narrow- mindedness. The Jan. 7 special issue of Billboard Magazine is nothing but Grammy propaganda, with full-page ads congratulating the stars and the newest hopefuls backed with huge promotional dollars for their nominations. There's not a single mention of the missing categories nor the growing international uproar condemning NARAS' actions.

On top of it all, NARAS has the gall to announce the induction of Big Bill Broonzy, Sergio Mendes' Brasil '66, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. into the Grammy Hall of Fame at the same time that it is cutting down the blues categories, eliminating Latin jazz (Sergio's 1966 group would not be eligible with this year's eliminations), cutting down gospel and R&B, and eliminating contemporary jazz.

Lumped together

A well-intentioned writer points out in Billboard, "This crop of inductees also fleshes out the story of Latin music in America." Actually, it does anything but that, though he does make the point that " ... the rich and far reaching legacy created by Latin musicians ... often gets lumped into one catchall category ... ." Which is, of course, exactly what NARAS has done with the 2012 awards, by eliminating the Latin jazz and traditional world music categories, and combining certain Mexican categories.

While NARAS officials write in Billboard about education and social strategy, they fail to see the hypocrisy and the ramifications of disenfranchising entire communities from the Grammy process. The cuts compromise not only the artists' earning capabilities but also the businesses and schools that present and teach the various types of music. Marginalizing their musical expression also carries repercussions that are even deeper than the immediate economic hits. Young people who have spent years studying these genres and have been taught to see music with a broad perspective are now confronted with the further invalidation of noncommercial music. It is also devastating to teachers like me 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.

NARAS claims the eliminated categories were cheapening the value of the Grammy award and statue, but I say it's done that with its own actions. The members say anyone can submit a nomination, but what's the point of competing in a category that isn't relevant and where the voting membership does not know our music? For example, Latin Jazz is performed by any size group, from duos to big band. 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 against our national art form -- and basically have a snowball's chance in hell of winning.

'Disrespectful mandate'

For me, this is also personal. My five nominations over a 40-year career were in three categories that have all been eliminated. I've been a NARAS member for some 25 years, supporting the organization with yearly dues and doing volunteer work for Grammys in the Schools programs. For years, I lobbied and wrote letters, attended countless meetings and had many a phone conversation with various administration and staff officials about how to improve the organization. While the progress has been slow, at least it was progress -- until now. This disrespectful mandate sets the organization, civil rights, and creative expression back several decades.

If this were not enough, many staff and administrators are quietly admitting the move was a mistake, yet they refuse to acknowledge or correct it. Perhaps they hope that since those who value those categories appear to be relatively few, we will just disappear behind the glitz and glamour of the Grammy machine. But we don't plan to let that happen. And we hope you will help us let NARAS, CBS and the Grammys advertisers know how we feel.

Among those who have already publicly condemned NARAS' actions are 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 Clarke, David Amram, Pete Escovedo, Oscar Hernandez and Larry Harlow.

We hope anyone who feels strongly about maintaining any semblance of diversity and who understands what the threat of capitalism-gone-berserk in the music business means to artistic freedom and creativity will join us by posting on the Internet and writing letters to the appropriate parties. We are extremely encouraged already by the continued international support and this week's news that both the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Cornel West have joined our ranks.

Though we do congratulate all the nominees and winners of the 54th Grammy Awards, we feel the telecast has been sold out in more ways than one. When our esteemed organization violates its 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 it from the heart instead of the wallet.