Sanz Scores Latin Grammy Rerun

Thu., Sep. 2, 2004 10:20 AM PDT by Charlie Amter

His new album title might translate to It's Not the Same, but when it came to Wednesday night's Latin Grammys, it was nothing but the same for Alejandro Sanz.

For the third time in the past four years the Spanish singer dominated the awards, this time taking home a leading four trophies at the 5th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, including a sweep of the top awards: Album of the Year for No Es Lo Mismo (It's Not the Same), and Record and Song of the Year for the disc's title track. He also snagged the prize for Male Pop Vocal Album.

Sanz--who won four awards in 2001 and three in 2002, sweeping the big three categories each time--was MIA from the ceremony, which was back in Los Angeles after a one-year experiment in Miami. Sanz is in the middle of a tour.

The night's other top winner, Brazil's Maria Rita, was on hand to haul in two trophies, for Best New Artist, Musica Popular Brasileira Album for her self-titled debut disc.

Other Grammy'd artists included 85-year-old Cuban exile Bebo Valdes (Traditional Tropical Album for Lagrimas Negras, his collaboration with Diego El Cigala), Los Tigres Del Norte (Norteno Album for Pacto De Sangre). Mexico's Cafe Tacuba won Best Alternative Album for Cuatro Caminos and the track "Eres" won songwriter Emmanuel Del Real the prize for Best Rock Song.

And late salsa queen Celia Cruz, who died last year, won a posthumous award for Best Salsa Album for Regalo Del Alma. Her tune "Rie y Llora" was named Best Tropical Song, with the trophy going to songwriters Sergio George and Fernando Osorio.

In a shameless attempt to boost viewership of the traditionally low-rated affair, CBS upped the star power. Jessica Simpson kicked off the show (being Latina was apparently not a key qualification for the gig) with her duet with Spanish singer David Bisbal. And Lindsay Lohan, whose primary Latin connection is her boyfriend, That '70s Show's Wilmer Valderrama, was tapped as a presenter.

George Lopez hosted the event, and somehow managed to sneak in a controversial dig at President Bush.

CBS suits manning the delay booth were sufficiently spooked enough to hit the bleep button after learning that one of the comedian's jokes turned into a profane jab at Dubya. Lopez said he understood that President George W. Bush speaks some Spanish. He then said something in Spanish that roughly translated to: "You lying piece of s---." In English, he joked that it meant: "Good luck in your future endeavors." The line was bleeped from the tape-delayed West Coast broadcast.

Lopez also cracked wise at the Gubernator's expense. He rode in on a horse because it's "the way we have to get around in Los Angeles since Governor Schwarzenegger took away our driver's licenses." He later said that "people like Schwarzenegger because he makes George Bush seem like he's hooked on phonics."

The highlights of the otherwise tepid show were mostly musical. Cafe Tacuba teamed with Incubus, and the buzzing Los Lonely Boys joined guitar god Carlos Santana on a a cover of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba" that brought down the house.

Despite the stunts, ratings for the telecast were way down from the 2003 Miami show, which drew almost 5 million viewers after a poor showing in 2002 and a canceled telecast in 2001. According to overnight ratings, the 2004 Latin Grammys attracted just under 3.3 million viewers.

The event is nowhere near as popular as the Grammy Awards, which pulled in nearly 57 million viewers last year--the show's highest television ratings in three years.

Here's the complete list of winners:

Album of the Year: No Es Lo Mismo, Alejandro Sanz Alternative Music Album: Cuatro Caminos, Cafe Tacuba Ranchero Album: En Vivo Juntos Por Ultima Vez, Vicente y Alejandro Fernandez Record of the Year: "No Es Lo Mismo," Alejandro Sanz New Artist: Maria Rita Female Pop Vocal Album: De Mil Colores, Rosario MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album: Maria Rita, Maria Rita Music Video: "Mas y Mas," Robi Draco Rosa Song of the Year: "No Es Lo Mismo," Alejandro Sanz, songwriter and artist Male Pop Vocal Album: No Es Lo Mismo, Alejandro Sanz Pop Album by a Duo or Group with Vocal: De Viaje, Sin Bandera Urban Music Album: En Honor A La Verdad, Vico C Rock Solo Vocal Album: Si, Julieta Venegas Rock Album by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Libertad, La Ley Rock Song: "Eres," Emmanuel Del Real, songwriter (Cafe Tacuba, artist) Salsa Album: Regalo Del Alma, Celia Cruz Merengue Album: Sin Desperdicio, Johnny Ventura Contemporary Tropical Album: Albita Llego, Albita Traditional Tropical Album: Lagrimas Negras, Bebo Valdes and Diego El Cigala Tropical Song: "Rie y Llora," Sergio George and Fernando Osorio, songwriters (Celia Cruz, artist) Singer-Songwriter Album: Soraya, Soraya Banda Album: Por Ti, Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga Grupero Album: Cuando El Corazon Se Cruza, Alicia Villarreal Tejano Album: Live En El Valle, Jimmy Gonzalez and Grupo Mazz Norteno Album: Pacto De Sangre, Los Tigres Del Norte Regional Mexican Song: "Tu Amor O Tu Desprecio," Marco Antonio Solis, songwriter (Marco Antonio Solis, artist) Instrumental Album: Obrigado Brazil Live In Concert, Yo-Yo Ma Folk Album: K, Kepa Junkera Tango Album: Postangos En Vivo En Rosario, Gerardo Gandini Flamenco Album: Cositas Buenas, Paco De Lucia Latin Jazz Album: New Conceptions, Chucho Valdes Christian Album (Spanish Language): Recordando Otra Vez, Marcos Witt Christian Album (Portuguese Language): Fruto De Amor, Aline Barros; Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album: Carlinhos Brown Es Carlito Marron, Carlinhos Brown Brazilian Rock Album: Cosmotron, Skank Samba/Pagode Album: Para Caymmi De Nana, Dori e Danilo, Nana, Dori e Danilo Romantic Music Album: Zeze Di Camargo & Luciano, Zeze Di Camargo & Luciano Brazilian Roots/Regional Album: No Seculo XXI, No Patio Do Forro, Banda De Pifanos De Caruaru Brazilian Song (Portuguese Language): "A Festa," Milton Nascimento, songwriter (Maria Rita, artist) Latin Children's Album: Ninos Adorando, Ninos Adorando Classical Album (tie): Carmen Symphony, Orquestra Simfonica De Barcelona I Nacional De Catalunya & Jose Serebrier; Jobim Sinfonico, various Artists Engineered Album: No Es Lo Mismo, Rafa Sardina, engineer (Alejandro Sanz, artist) Producer of the Year: Javier Limon