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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
 Posted - 03/11/2009 : 07:35:13 AM
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From Honolulu Weekly -- John Cruz comments on the Grammys:
http://honoluluweekly.com/qanda/2009/03/just-cruz/
What do you make of this whole Grammy thing with Tia Carrere?
[laughter] Hey, I just give props to Tia, because she gets up there and says “I’m not worthy.” She wasn’t joking. She wasn’t, man.
But what is she supposed to do? You know she’s gonna get all the criticism, but it’s not her that’s controlling the votes. [The problem is] the stipulations put on the Grammy people by the Hawaiian music industry. They wanted to control the process, just like they have controlled the [Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards] for years, they wanted to control who gets a Grammy.
How so?
If a song has any lyrics, they have to be 75 percent in Hawaiian for the album to qualify, that’s why. Why do you think there’s four slack key albums [nominated] every year? And then what does it do, it backfires on them. Amy [Hanaiali‘i Gilliom] or The Brothers Cazimero or Keali‘i [Reichel]…Grammy voters don’t know who these people are. So they go, “OK let me choose between Kelly Kamamalamamama….wait, here’s Hawaiian Slack Key! I’ve heard of that!”
Now the Hawaiian music industry is huhū because the Grammy [winner] has been all slack key, slack key, slack key and then what happens? All of a sudden, there’s something more famous than slack key! “Tia Carrere! I’ve heard of her! OK, I’ll vote for that.”
And with Tia, it’s not like she just started writing songs. She’s been writing songs since high school. I’m sure she’s serious about her music. All these people are dissing her for winning, but she was singing with all her heart. It’s not her fault.
There’s been a lot of talk about all of this lately.
This award, the whole controversy about the Hawaiian Grammy—a lot of people are upset because slack key doesn’t recognize Hawaiian people, doesn’t recognize Hawaiian culture. Hey, it’s not a cultural award. This whole idea that so-and-so deserves to win because they’ve been playing the longest or playing at hula festivals or parties or whatever. I’m sorry, this isn’t the Who’s Been Playing The Longest Award. It’s an art.
It’s so funny to watch this unfold. The Hawaiian Grammy was supposed to be celebrated by people in Hawai‘i. But with the stipulations about the lyrics, most of the time, the best album that comes out in that year in Hawai‘i, it’s not even nominated.
Have you talked to anyone about getting the language requirement changed?
I let people know how I feel, for sure. Look, the way it is now, people on the mainland are never going to vote for somebody if they can’t pronounce their name. If they hear Hawaiian music, they’re not gonna listen. They don’t know how good it is, because they don’t know what the f*ck we’re talking about! [laughs] The vocal is the most important track, and if they can’t understand what you’re saying, it’s not going to translate. And so unfortunately, if I want a Grammy, I’m gonna have to win the main one.
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Auntie Maria
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2009 : 08:13:07 AM
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Okay, I feel compelled to address a couple errors in this article.
First, the "75 percent" rule. Not true. The criteria for Grammy selection of a Hawaiian album include that Hawaiian must be used in a predominance of the vocal tracks on an album (if there are any vocals), but there is no number percentage attached to it. Not 75 percent, nor the often-bandied-about 51 percent.
Second, Tia did not write the songs on this CD. Maybe she's been writing songs since high school; if so, good for her. But the lyrics on this album are by Amy Ku`uleialoha Stillman, a respected scholar of Hawaiian language, culture, tradition, song and hula.
Lastly, I find his comments slightly amusing, since they come from a man who has chosen to write and record songs chiefly in English. Good songs, too - no dig meant against his talent. But each of his past two albums has featured only one Hawaiian-language song, neither of which were written by him.
What I don't appreciate is when musicians who are given voice in the media use the opportunity to spread falsehoods and inaccuracies. |
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hikabe
Lokahi
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2009 : 11:15:15 AM
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| John's point is that someone else should have won the award. I agree. From a musicians perspective, I don't believe the music on Tia's album is significant or important to Hawaiian music. I do think it is good music but not worthy of such a high distinction as the grammy awards should represent, and certainly not worthy of representing Hawaii. AmyG or Kealii should be elevated to that role on both music and merit. |
Stay Tuned... |
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keoladonaghy
Lokahi
257 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2009 : 1:15:51 PM
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While I have nothing but admiration for John and his skill as a musician, singer and composer, he is wrong on several levels here, some which have been pointed out above. NARAS folks have also made the statement "this is not a cultural issue." Excuse me, but when you put the label "Hawaiian" on it you make it a cultural issue and of represenation/misrepresentation. The local industry isn't the problem, it's the participation (i.e., voting) of individuals who do not know the music that is the problem. If they are not going to vote for an entry because they don't understand the language or at least have an appreciation for the significance of the language to the music, they shouldn't be voting for the award. However, NARAS doesn't look at it like that and would likely never restrict membership voting in the area.
John, or at perhaps his management/PR team, also contributes to the confusion on the award by promoting him as a "Grammy Winner". He is not. He contributed to a Grammy winning recording and it is not the same. See the Academy policy on it. This is not mean to be a slight at all. Many incredibly gifted performers and recording artists have never won the award. I think he's as talented (even more so) a singer/songwriter as any of the current crop of performers in that vein, he simply hasn't gotten the same level of exposure nationally and internationally. |
Edited by - keoladonaghy on 03/11/2009 2:07:56 PM |
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