Berklee Alumni Nominated for 2017 Latin Grammy Awards in Many Categories
Tommy Torres B.M. '93 is nominated for a 2017 Song of the Year Latin Grammy for "La Fortuna."
Miguel Zenón B.M. '98 is nominated for a 2017 Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album Latin Grammy for his album, "Típico."
Gustavo Celis '94 is a Latin Grammy Album of the Year nominee this year for his work as recording engineer on Shakira's "El Dorado."
Thirteen Berklee alumni received as many Latin Grammy Award nominations for producing, mixing, engineering, songwriting, and performing across six categories. Ten alumni are nominated in the top three categories: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. First-time nominee Luis Saldarriaga B.M. '14 made history this year when the song he engineered, "Despacito," from Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee, became the most-watched video on YouTube, having now surpassed four billion views.
Winners will be announced at the 18th annual Latin Grammy Awards ceremony on Thursday, November 16, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Univision network will broadcast the proceedings live at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Since the Latin Recording Academy (formerly the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) founded the awards in 2000, 32 Berklee alumni or faculty have received 88 Latin Grammy Awards, in addition to 275 Grammy Awards. Previous winners who are nominated this year include Áureo Baqueiro '92, Gavin Lurssen '91, Tommy Torres B.M. '93, and seven-time Latin Grammy-winner Gustavo Celis '94, who took home a Latin Grammy for Record of the Year last year for his work as recording engineer on the song "La Bicicleta" from Carlos Vives and Shakira.
The complete list of Berklee Latin Grammy Award nominees follows.
Record of the Year
"Quiero Que Vuelvas," Alejandro Fernández
Áureo Baqueiro '92, record producer
"Despacito," Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee
Luis Saldarriaga B.M. '14, recording engineer
Watch the "Despacito" music video:
Album of the Year
A la Mar, Vicente García
Alex De Turk B.M. '03, album mastering engineer
Fénix, Nicky Jam
Carlos Paucar B.M. '93, album producer and mixer
Musas: Un Homenaje al Folclore Latinoamericano en Manos de los Macorinos, Vol. 1), Natalia Lafourcade
Gavin Lurssen '91, album mastering engineer
Residente, Residente
Francis Pérez B.M. '00, album producer
Palabras Manuales, Danay Suarez
Gennaro Schiano '03, recording engineer and album mixer
El Dorado, Shakira
Gustavo Celis '94, album recording engineer
Watch a music video for "Perro Fiel" from Shakira's El Dorado:
Song of the Year
"La Fortuna," Diana Fuentes featuring Tommy Torres B.M. '93
Watch the "La Fortuna" music video:
Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album
Típico, Miguel Zenón B.M. '98
Watch Miguel Zenón and bandmates discuss Típico:
Best Instrumental Album
Conversations With Vladimir Stowe, Gustavo Casenave '97
Best Engineered Album
Dance Of Time, Eliane Elias
Pete Karam B.M. '94, mixer
Ilusión, Gaby Moreno
Juan Pablo Berreondo B.M. '13, mixer