Sanz Wins Big at Latin Grammys

The second annual Latin Grammy Awards, an event that was relocated from Miami because of anti-Cuban protests and then put on hold in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, were finally announced Tuesday at a low-key news conference at the Conga Room in Los Angeles.

Spain’s Alejandro Sanz was the big winner with four awards, including best album, record and song. Colombian singer Juanes won three awards, including best new artist.

Compared to the glamorous, televised show planned for the Forum in Inglewood, which would have provided a worldwide platform for a galaxy of Latin stars, only a couple dozen artists gathered for the long-delayed awards announcement. The contingent fit in the nightclub’s small, elevated VIP area to the side of the stage, where winners were announced by actor Jimmy Smits and comedian Paul Rodriguez, both investors in the club.

Under this year’s extraordinary circumstances, only winners were invited to the news conference, so everyone else wouldn’t have to make another trip to Los Angeles in vain. Sanz said he was not disappointed to be celebrating his big win in the comparatively modest setting.

“This is fine doing it like this, because this is not the best time for much celebrating,” Sanz said in an interview before the presentations. “We’re just trying to bring things back to normal a little with our participation here.”

In the first Grammy victory of his career, the Spanish troubadour and flamenco guitarist was also honored for best male pop vocal. All four of his awards are for work on his album “El Alma Al Aire,” a stylish collection of dreamily textured love songs that blend tropical, pop and jazz harmonies with a dash of flamenco. The Madrid native cradled the gold trophies at Tuesday’s ceremony before dedicating his win to his 3-month-old daughter, Manuela.

Besides best new artist, Juanes was cited for best rock solo vocal album and best rock song, both titled “Fijate Bien,” his brooding but rhythmic exploration of personal loss and social unrest in his native country. Juanes had the most nominations of any artist, with seven, but lost to Sanz in the most high-profile categories.

Pre-Grammy proceedings were already underway in Los Angeles last month, with rehearsals taking place at the Forum and a gala banquet honoring Julio Iglesias held on the eve of the scheduled telecast. When the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon forced the cancellation, many top artists were stranded that week, and they staged a moving, impromptu benefit concert on Sept. 14 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for victims of the disaster.

Since then, efforts to reschedule the ceremony were fruitless, primarily because of the complex logistics of reuniting artists and their entourages from 20 countries.

“Some people were afraid to travel and we wanted to be respectful of that,” said Grammy spokesman Ron Roecker this week. “And many of these artists just wanted to get on with their lives. They’ve been kind of on the edge of their seats.”

The Latin Recording Academy decided on “something simple but elegant,” he said, to announce winners in 22 of 38 categories. The press conference at L.A.’s premiere Latin nightclub was attended by reporters from throughout Latin America and Spain, and was Webcast over the Internet.

The only performance of the day was delivered by Juanes, whom Smits called “one of the most clear, poignant, meaningful voices” in Latin music.

Dressed in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, Juanes took the stage and sang “Para Ser Eternos,” a yearning song to his late father that he dedicated to victims of the terrorist attacks.

“I feel so emotional,” said Juanes after the event. “I believe that, more than any other day, this has been an honest and peaceful event free of too much fanfare. We were all there just for the music.”

Ironically, the Cuban artists who had been the focus of the original controversy were mostly shut out in the balloting. Only one Grammy went to artists from the island, and that in a minor category: best folk album, to Cuban producer Caridad Diez and arranger Joaquin Betancourt for their powerful, multi-artist compilation of authentic rumba called “La Rumba Soy Yo.”

Cuban singer Issac Delgado came up empty-handed Tuesday despite two nominations for his progressive, highly acclaimed album “La Formula.”

Grammy voters played it safe in the salsa categories with awards going to established veterans, such as Celia Cruz, who won for best traditional tropical album for “Siempre Vivire,” featuring her version of the disco tune “I Will Survive.”

The best salsa album Grammy went to pianist Eddie Palmieri and the late Tito Puente for “Obra Maestra,” their first and only recorded collaboration. The album was completed just before Puente, the Puerto Rican percussionist whose career spanned more than half a century, died last year.

Several veteran Mexican artists were also honored Tuesday, with revered songwriter Armando Manzanero accepting his award for best pop album by a duo or group for “Duetos.” Ramon Ayala and his Bravos del Norte, decked out in black cowboy hats, accepted their Grammy for best norteno album, “Quemame los Ojos,” their 99th recording. Mariachi singer Pedro Fernandez won for best ranchero album.

This year’s awards seemed jinxed from the start. The show hit an early snag when Miami city officials allowed anti-Castro demonstrators to move their planned protest site close to the entrance of AmericanAirlines Arena, where the ceremony was originally to be held. The Cuban exiles wanted to protest against the show’s inclusion of artists from Cuba, whom they consider shills for Fidel Castro. The Latin Grammy organizers wanted them in a more distant location for security reasons.

Miami’s most powerful politicians and entertainment figures tried to mediate a compromise but failed. On Aug. 20, just three weeks before the planned show, Latin Recording Academy chief C. Michael Greene announced he was pulling out of Miami for the safety of nominees and guests. The sudden move shocked the Miami economy and put a damper on the traditional festivities, since labels had little time to plan new parties or local showcases for their artists on the opposite coast.

With Greene saying he felt betrayed by some Miami leaders, the show was moved to the Forum. Then, Miami-based producer Emilio Estefan Jr., one of the biggest proponents of holding the event in Miami, announced he would not attend in L.A. The show was barely emerging from the shadow of controversy when the terrorist disaster occurred, and it never recovered. Altogether, the move and cancellation cost the recording academy an estimated $4 million to $5 million, Greene has said.

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The Top Five

Record of the Year: “El Alma Al Aire,” Alejandro Sanz, Emanuele Ruffinengo (producer), Renato Cantele and Roberto Maccagno (engineers/mixers).

Album of the Year: “El Alma Al Aire,” Alejandro Sanz, Emanuele Ruffinengo (producer), Maurizio Biancani, Renato Cantele and Roberto Maccagno (engineers/mixers).

Song of the Year: “El Alma Al Aire,” Alejandro Sanz.

Best New Artist: Juanes.

Producer of the Year: KC Porter.