We’ve been reporting on the backlash against NARAS’ decision to consolidate the number of Grammy Awards offered from 109 to 78. Here, we’ve focused on the decision to combine the Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album, Best Hawaiian Music and Best Native American Music Album into the Best Regional Roots Album. A June meeting in Vermilionville ended up with one producer being thrown out.

Outside of Louisiana, the biggest controversy is over the end of the Best Latin Jazz Album category. As NARAS’ Bill Freimuth said, there have been protests and now, lawsuits. Today, according to Grammywatch.com:

“Plaintiffs Bobby Sanabria, Ben Lapidus, Mark Levine and Eugene Marlow filed on August 1, 2011 their class action complaint against The Recording Academy and the Board of Trustees of The Recording Academy seeking reinstatement of Latin Jazz as a category of music eligible to compete for a GRAMMY Award. The plaintiffs encourage musicians from the other categories of music that were eliminated on April 6, 2011 to file similar lawsuits across the country.”

According to Digital Music News:

NARAS has brushed off the latest lawsuit as “frivolous.”  The artist consortium is merely seeking the reinstatement of its Latin Jazz category, though musicians from other chopped categories may also be stirred to legal action.