Grammy Revelers Spread Out Citywide

It was “a night of glorious dysfunction,” in the words of one celebrant, when 5,000 to 7,000 revelers hit the town after Wednesday’s Grammy Awards. “It’s like the music industry’s Christmas party” is the way EMI Records’ CEO Charles Koppelman described the evening.

Traffic jams, valet parking hassles and guest list mix-ups were just part of the joy that came with the Grammys’ L.A. return and with the archipelago of eight major parties that stretched from downtown to Century City.

Although the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, which puts on the Grammy show, hosts by far the largest party, with an estimated 4,000 at the Biltmore, artists traditionally avoid it. It might be compared to a high school graduation fete hosted by the principal--the kids want to party with their own.

In this case, artists wanted to gather with others of their own label. Just down the street from the Biltmore at Rex Il Ristorante, EMI celebrated its own kind of Christmas with 1,000 guests, including Janet Jackson, Arrested Development, Gloria Estefan and Tina Turner.

Koppelman was seated at a large banquette next to award winner Jon Secada. “Any time you win a major award, it’s a great night,” said Koppelman. Secada seemed stunned by the attention. “My feet still haven’t’ hit the ground,” he said.

This party was an opulent affair, centered on a two-sided 40-foot buffet laden with salmon, lobster and prosciutto. The food was important because, in the words of producer Don Was, the sole purpose of the Grammy night “is to get as much shrimp inside you as possible, then move on.”

Was’ next stop for crustaceans was Hollywood, for the Polygram Records Group party hosted by Al Cafaro at the A&M; records studio. This was probably the most lavish party of the evening. There were more than 1,200 guests, including Michael Jackson with Brooke Shields, Melissa Etheridge, Vanessa Williams, Peter Gabriel and Brad Pitt.

There were really three massive parties held in two tents and in what was once Charlie Chaplin’s sound stage. Each room was catered by a different local restaurant, Campanille, Cha Cha Cha and Patina.

Billy Ray Cyrus was surrounded in one corner of the sound stage, where he seemed awed by the party. “A year ago I was driving a bread truck,” he said twice.

A smaller party, though no less star-studded, was hosted just a few miles south at the Monkey Bar by the Atlantic Group. Among the 400 guests were First Brother Roger Clinton, Johnny Lydon, David Crosby, Mr. Big, En Vogue and Jack Nicholson.

Warner Bros. Records had the most to celebrate. Leading the guest list at Chasen’s was the night’s big winner, Eric Clapton, plus k.d.lang, Travis Tritt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. John and Sir Mix-A-Lot. Madonna also made an appearance. Each room had its own menu, with the Heavy Metal room having what one guest called “Chasen’s approximation of junk food.”

Electra took over Spago with 300 guests, including Natalie Cole, Jackson Browne, David Sanborn and Sergio Mendes. In Beverly Hills, RCA records took over Tatou, where it hosted 300 guests with a downstairs seafood buffet and a dance party in the upstairs club. Guests included Lita Ford, Restless Heart, Judy Tenuta and Lori Morgan.

Not far away in Century City, Sony Music filled Jimmy’s restaurant with 700 guests, including the Shields/Jackson duo, Mariah Carey, Kris Kross, Robert Blake, Peabo Bryson, Tony Bennett and Celine Dion.

The other major label throwing a party, Arista, had its event Tuesday evening when president Clive Davis hosted 500 guests, including Martina Navratilova, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. The night included performances by Kenny G, Brooks & Dunn and Toni Braxton. Davis might have spoken for a lot of execs when he said the Grammys gave him a chance to “bask in the reflected creativity of his artists.”