Everyone probably asks themselves what in reality happens before the Award show. Artists and songwriters start composing the previous year, so they can submit the songs to the Award show; Interestingly, most artists start promoting their work in one way or another; songs are submitted to the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (LARAS), which recruits 100 of its members to evaluate the songs; the songs are evaluated for placement into different categories, which may not be the ones intended initially by the composer; basically, the committees will have the authority to include the songs in whichever category they think is best. Best for who? It may not be good for music, but for some competing artists,because it is easier to be nominated or win in a category with less songs; again, the committees,in part are formed by Members of the Academy who belong to specific record labels or companies. This is bad because these people will benefit their own artists by including or excluding certain songs in a determined category.
After the committees meet and determine "everything", then, the ballots are sent to the Members of the Academy; By now, Mr Gabriel Abaroa is in the process of negotiating with the major record labels which artists are going to participate. For this matter, he meets with the different record labels; as I have already mentioned, most of the artists presenting or performing in the Award show are the same year after year.
Finally, after the first voting round is over, then a second round (the nominees) is sent to the Members for a final vote. A note of interest is that the voting ballots have the voting Member's name and identification number; this is conflicting, because in my experience, no voting ballot should have the name of the person or an ID number. I say so because the Academy should have no right in knowing the voting preference of a Member.The Academy by knowing the voting trend of a Member can target that Member if the Member does not conform to the Academy voting trend; certainly, this is not an example of transparency.
Another interesting fact is that Mr. Abaroa has said multiple times that nobody knows who the winners are until the day that the envelope is opened during the night of the Awards; I think Mr. Abaroa is trying to fool everyone, but in reality it is simple. How is it possible that 95% of the Members that present or perform at the Award show are winners. They have to know in advance who the winners are!
Another important aspect before the Show is that Mr. Abaroa gives multiple press releases.
One of the most relevant ones is that "an artist cannot buy a Latin Grammy.and whoever says that is a thief", says Abaroa. (http://www.eluniversal.com/arte-y-entretenimiento/121114/gabriel-abaroa-jr-los-premios-grammy-no-se-compran) I tend to agree with Mr. Abaroa. An artist can not buy a Latin Grammy because the Awards are given on a yearly basis; on the other hand I think the question to Mr. Abaroa should have been, can you "rent" or "lease" a Latin Grammy? And the answer is "yes".
Another important aspect of this article is that Mr Abaroa states :"La cantidad de artistas que hoy en día se quejan o hablan mal del Grammy nos dignifica porque quiere decir que algo de valor debemos de tener como para que la gente hable tanto, ya sea a favor o en contra", comenta el mexicano, quien está vinculado a la Academia desde 2003.
Certainly, Gabriel has a good sense of humor. He has to realize that when somebody badmouths the Latin Grammy's it is for a reason; so far the Latin Grammy's has plenty of reasons to be criticized! A clear example is when he is asked about a preference for Mexican artists (Mr. Abaroa is Mexican): "Yo he tenido reuniones con artistas y grupos regionales mexicanos que me reclaman airadamente que por qué los echo a un lado; es decir, todo el mundo tiene su propia interpretación. No existen esas teorías avasalladoras".
Well again Mr. Abaroa, you are wrong: " Sin embargo, un gráfico elaborado por la agencia AP muestra que México es el país que más premios ha ganado desde el año 2000, específicamente 117, que representa 29,77%, un poco por encima de Brasil, otro gran mercado, con 29,52%. "
Another example is about how "pure" the Awards are. El músico y productor compara el labor de la Academia, conformada por 3.000 miembros, con lo que hace el Pulitzer en el periodismo. "No somos un grupo de cinco personas de traje a los que nos gusta la música, escuchando todas las propuestas del mundo y decidiendo cuál nos gusta... Es el reconocimiento entre colegas, que es algo muy noble e interesante", comenta.
Yes Mr. Abaroa you just said it: the Academy has 3000 Members and only a few, for the past several years are the winners. Is it because of the voting process, or because of voting has to do with kickbacks, friendship, voting exchanges, or the "voting pool"? Gabriel, do not fool yourself, the Members of the Academy do not listen to all the songs submitted!
Moreover, when talking about the "losers", Mr Abaroa says : " Entonces lo que obsequio siempre es un calendario donde pongo la foto de mi madre e incluyo unos dardos para que los avienten directamente a ella sin necesidad de pasar a través de mí". Even though Mr. Abaroa makes this comment trying to be "funny", I think that such a comment degrades his personality as a gentleman and a son.
An issue that I have criticized in previous posts is that there are too many songs submitted for competition, and that Members of the Academy do not have the time nor the energy to listen to all the songs in order to properly evaluate and give a fair and honest vote. Recent post by Mr. Abaroa agrees with my previous criticism.
THE VOTING PROCESS STARTS!
In a few more days the Latin Recording Academy voting members will receive their ballots to exercise their right to vote.
There are, still, many issues and assumptions surrounding the Latin GRAMMY voting experience. For example, every year I receive the same suggestion: Why don’t you provide the voters with access to listen each and every one of the first round entries that are registered?
The answer is either complicated (legalities, technical issues, fairness in the quality and speed of access) or very simple: Can we really listen during the first round to more than 9,000 entries before voting?
So, what’s the best way to vote?
Perhaps a good way to start is by focusing in categories such as those where our professional activity makes us real masters and true connoisseurs. We will easily recognize those works that stand out due to their quality, level of excellence and why not, for being innovators in an industry that is begging for new sounds, new lyrics, new rhythms and music.
A second way is to read as much literature as possible (available in the internet) about specific recordings and we will have the points of view of music critics around the world. This will give us a hint on what to seek using legal instruments that provide on line access to specific songs, albums or videos.
Last but not least, asking to our colleagues to share their ”discoveries” is a great way to learn about new productions and new artists who may be the next superstars. Once we have received all of the above feedback then we should do our best (reaching the impossible) to listen to our targeted selections. Then we will be ready to exercise the vote in the first round.
There are, still, many issues and assumptions surrounding the Latin GRAMMY voting experience. For example, every year I receive the same suggestion: Why don’t you provide the voters with access to listen each and every one of the first round entries that are registered?
The answer is either complicated (legalities, technical issues, fairness in the quality and speed of access) or very simple: Can we really listen during the first round to more than 9,000 entries before voting?
So, what’s the best way to vote?
Perhaps a good way to start is by focusing in categories such as those where our professional activity makes us real masters and true connoisseurs. We will easily recognize those works that stand out due to their quality, level of excellence and why not, for being innovators in an industry that is begging for new sounds, new lyrics, new rhythms and music.
A second way is to read as much literature as possible (available in the internet) about specific recordings and we will have the points of view of music critics around the world. This will give us a hint on what to seek using legal instruments that provide on line access to specific songs, albums or videos.
Last but not least, asking to our colleagues to share their ”discoveries” is a great way to learn about new productions and new artists who may be the next superstars. Once we have received all of the above feedback then we should do our best (reaching the impossible) to listen to our targeted selections. Then we will be ready to exercise the vote in the first round.
http://www.latingrammy.com/en/the-latin-grammy-corner
With these comments, Mr. Abaroa has made it "crystal clear", that the voting process is not fair. Simple, the Members of the Academy can not listen to each and every song submitted! I will put emphasis on the last paragraph where he mentions "asking to our colleagues to share their discoveries..... I have learned that this behavior is forbidden by Mr. Abaroa, because it seems people are looking to get votes....
Another example of how to get votes by a Member of the Academy is as follows: a producer and manager of a Latin band from Los Angeles becomes a member of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts Executive Board. Certainly, by becoming a member of an influential board, this producer may have access to information that is not available to a "regular member" ( for example, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers and postal addresses); not only that but by just "figuring" as part of the Executive Board, he will be perceived as an influential person, and Members may vote for his "product" just based on that. Interestingly, that same Latin Band won a Latin Grammy.
I believe that The Latin Academy of Recording Arts should have frequent meetings with their Members to clarify multiple negative issues affecting the organization.
An important question I ask myself and every Member of the Academy should ask is : are the Latin Grammy's about quality or quantity?
