Brazilian singer-composer Caetano Veloso, who is on a three-week tour of the United States and Canada, was awarded Thursday night, November 8, the Latin Grammy as best singer-songwriter for his album Cê. Veloso beat Oscar-winning Jorge Drexler, who was competing with "12 segundos de oscuridad".
The other challengers in this category were Amaury Gutiérrez with "Pedazos de mí," José Luis Perales with "Navegando por ti" and Silvio Rodríguez with "í‰rase que se era." The composer from Bahia wasn't present at the prize-awarding ceremony held in the Mandalay Bay Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas.
Veloso won a second Grammy for "Não me arrependo" in the Best Brazilian Song category, this in the section reserved only for Brazilian music. With these two awards, Caetano becomes the Brazilian artist with the biggest number of Latin Grammys: five of them.
The big winner of the night, however, was Dominican singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra, who got five Grammys: for best album of the year, best song of the year, best record of the year, best tropical song and best merengue album for his single and album "La llave de mi corazon."
Singer Daniela Mercury was another winning Baiano (from Bahia). On stage, upon receiving her award, Mercury joked with the audience: "What a joy, but I need to be serious. I hope that Brazilian music becomes better known in the United States. What we want is to take part in the main party," she confessed in a reference to the English-language Grammy award.
After getting her golden gramophone for Balé Mulato ao Vivo, in the Better Album of Regional Music or of Brazilian Roots category, Mercury told reporters:
"The interesting detail of this prize is that I'm getting it exactly 15 years after the release of the record that gave me international fame and put me in the large Brazilian musical scene."
The Brazilian singer disputed the prize with four other Brazilian albums: "Conterrâneos" by Dominguinhos, "Brasileira – ao vivo" by Margareth Menezes, "Tributo a Goiás" by Sérgio Reis and "Trilhas" by Naná Vasconcelos.
Singer Ivete Sangalo, another Baiano who also made the trip to Las Vegas, ended up losing to Puerto Rican Ricky Martin who won with "MTV Unplugged". Sangalo had her DVD "Multishow ao vivo no Maracanã" running for best musical video. Brazilian Chico Buarque with "A série" was also in the competition.
Other artists won in categories in which only Brazilians competed. They were among others: Best Brazilian popular music album – "Ao vivo," Leni Andrade and César Camargo Mariano; best Brazilian romantic music album – "Eternamente Cauby Peixoto – 55 anos de carreira," Cauby Peixoto.
Three Brazilian MTV productions got Grammys: "Acústico MTV," Lenine – Best contemporary pop album Brazilian; "Acústico MTV," Lobão – Best album of Brazilian rock and Acústico MTV 2-Gafieira", Zeca Pagodinho – Best samba/pagode album."
Maestro John Neschling from the São Paulo State Symphonic Orchestra (Osesp), won for best classical music album with "Beethoven Abertura Consagração da Casa Sinfonia Nº 6". Gospel singer Aline Barros also won a Grammy: the one for best Christian album in Portuguese language ("Caminho de milagres").
Here are the nominees and the winners of the categories in which only Brazilian artists and songs were running:
Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album
"Baladas do asfalto & outros blues ao vivo" (Zeca Baleiro)
"A gente ainda não sonhou" (Carlinhos Brown)
"Acústico MTV" (Lenine)
"Pedro Mariano" (Pedro Mariano)
"Prisma" (Paulo Ricardo)
"Multishow ao vivo no Maracanã" (Ivete Sangalo)
"Carrossel" (Skank)
Best Brazilian Rock Album
"Eu nunca disse adeus" (Capital Inicial)
"MTV ao Vivo – CPM 22" (CPM 22)
"Acústico MTV" (Lobão)
"Ao Vivo – Barbican Theatre, Londres 2006" (Mutantes)
"NX Zero" (NX Zero)
Best Samba/Pagode Album
"E Aí?" (Jorge Aragão)
"40 Anos de Carreira – Ao Vivo No Teatro Municipal Vol. 2", (Beth Carvalho)
"Do Brasil e do mundo" (Martinho da Vila)
"Mart'nália em Berlim – Ao vivo" (Mart'nália)
"Acústico MTV 2 – Gafieira" (Zeca Pagodinho)
Best Brazilian Popular Music Album
"Ao Vivo" (Leny Andrade e Cesar Camargo Mariano)
"Ao Vivo" (Gal Costa)
"Casa de Villa" (Guinga)
"Parceria dos viajantes" (Zé Ramalho)
"Noites de Gala, Samba na Rua" (Mônica Salmaso)
Best Romantic Music Album
"Ao Vivo – Em Goiânia" (Bruno & Marrone)
"40 anos de sucesso do bom rapaz – Ao vivo" (Wanderley Cardoso)
"Diferente" (Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano)
"Minhas canções" (Fábio Jr.)
"Eternamente Cauby Peixoto – 55 anos de carreira" (Cauby Peixoto)
Best Regional Music or of Brazilian Roots Album
"Conterrâneos" (Dominguinhos)
"Brasileira – Ao vivo" (Margareth Menezes)
"Balé Mulato- Ao vivo" (Daniela Mercury)
"Tributo a Goiás" (Sérgio Reis)
"Trilhas" (Naná Vasconcelos)
Best Brazilian Song (Composers Award)
"Berimbau metalizado" (Ivete Sangalo), de Miro Almeida, Dória e Duller
"Carta í amiga poeta" (Simone Guimarães), de Simone Guimarães & Francis Hime
"Não me arrependo" (Caetano Veloso), de Caetano Veloso
"Para lá" (Arnaldo Antunes), de Arnaldo Antunes e Adriana Calcanhoto
"Rosas" (Ana Carolina), de Antônio Villeroy
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Caetano Veloso's US/Canada Tour
November 4th 2007 – Washington, DC
Lisner Auditorium
November 7th 2007 – Chapel Hill, NC
Memorial Hall
November 9th 2007 – Ann Arbor, MI
Hill Auditorium
November 11th 2007 – Toronto – On, Canada
Massey Hall
November 14th 2007 – Pasadena, CA
Pasadena Civic Auditorium
November 16th 2007 – Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
November 16th 2007 – Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
November 17th 2007 – San Francisco, CA
Masonic Auditorium
November 19th 2007 – New York, NY
Nokia Theatre
November 20th 2007 – New York, NY
Nokia Theatre
November 23rd 2007 – Tampa Bay, FL
Carol Morsani Hall/ Tampa Bay Performing Arts
November 24th 2007 – Miami, FL
Gusman Center for the Performing Arts
