Ricky Martin’s Hip, Mana’s Not

Latin pop and traditional Mexican music were well-represented at the Grammys, with the awards going to each category’s best contender. But the vital genres of salsa and rock en espan~ol suffered from poor choices.

By giving a Latin pop performance Grammy to Ricky Martin over more conservative crooners, the voters sent a symbolic message to the industry: It is still possible to craft an album that captures the magic of decades past while sounding hip and contemporary.

In the tejano and Mexican American categories, awards to Flaco Jimenez and Los Super Seven were justly deserved. But in the rock en espan~ol category, rewarding Mana’s tepid “Suen~os Liquidos” over Aterciopelados’ visionary “Caribe Atomico” is more than a misfire. It’s a disheartening indication that crossover potential is preferred over the rare gift of an original voice.

The voters’ taste was equally off-base in the tropical music category, with Marc Anthony prevailing over excellent efforts by Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Eddie Palmieri. Anthony is a charismatic performer with a bright future, but his poppish “Contra la Corriente” simply doesn’t measure up against most of the competing efforts in his category.