BBC News Online.
Tuesday, 4 September, 2001.
Cuban jazz pianist Chucho Valdes has said it is a "pity" that
politics has forced the Latin Grammys to change venue from Miami to Los Angeles.
Potential protests by anti-Castro groups over the presence of Cuban artists
forced the change for the 11 September ceremony.
There is also a question mark over the attendance of Cuban musicians like
Valdes - who is nominated with the acclaimed jazz-outfit Irakere.
"It's a shame, because music is a universal language, it's not
Esperanto, it's music and it belongs to everyone," Valdes said after
playing at Havana's Hotel Nacional.
The 59-year-old who has been playing piano since the age of three, said he
is anxious to put the protests to one side and attend.
"We have to fight to support culture," said Valdes who already has
two Grammy Awards for his innovative work in Latin jazz.
This year he is nominated with Irakere for best pop album by a duo and best
Latin jazz album.
A concert by Irakere In West Palm Beach, 65 miles north of Miami, has had to
be cancelled due to the threat of protests.
Other Cuban nominees include pop artist Andrés Alén, salsa
singer Isaac Delgado, singer Omara Portuondo of the Buena Vista Social Club
group, country artist Celina González, Afro-Cuban music singer Lazaro
Ross and salsa band All Stars group.
All the artists have been cleared to travel by Cuban authorities, and are
now awaiting entry visas from the US Government.
Valdes did not want to comment on the decision of Cuban exiles Gloria
Estefan and her music-producer husband Emilio not to attend the Los Angeles
ceremony.
But he said: "I think we should all be in this: those who live on the
island and those who live outside it, because we make culture and art is a
universal language." | 
