Sandra Monfort, Pep Gimeno ‘Botifarra’ and Maria are the main winners of the 6th Carles Santos Awards for Valencian Music, which the Valencian Institute of Culture (IVC) handed out last night at the Teatro Principal in Alicante.
The ceremony, broadcast by À Punt, had roots music as its plot axis, seen from a contemporary perspective. Miquel Gil, Flora Sempere del Diluvi, Ana Zomeño, Quiteria Muñoz, Andrés Belmonte, la Maria, Alberto Gambino and Marala performed versions of other artists with the backdrop of the band Niu, made up of Sílvia Martí i Lucía Zambudio, and with Marina Alcantud as musical director and Tere Núñez as co-director.
As it had been announced, the award of Honor awarded by the Ministry of Culture and Sport was received by the Valencian musician and producer Nacho Maño, from the director general of the Valencian Institute of Culture, Abel Guarinos.
The artist claimed the importance of these awards – “they are essential, we need this space,” he said – and reviewed some of his main musical influences. He also had a memory for Presuntos Implicados and highlighted that he has great affection “for what that music meant” to many people.
In addition, awards were given in 18 categories, which had 60 nominations in total, four per category. All nominees in the album categories were direct finalists in the best album and best song categories, and were also candidates to receive popular votes for the audience award.
One of the great stars of the evening was Sandra Monfort, who won the awards for best pop album and best album with ‘La mona’, and the award for best song for ‘Moreneta’.
Monfort listed personalities of Valencian culture, such as Manuela Ballester, Carmelina Sánchez Cutillas, Concha Piquer, Joan Fuster or Vicent Andrés Estellés, who “have always defended our language and culture from interference.” “And we will continue doing it but now with everything we have learned from feminism.” In this sense, he pointed out that we must continue to demand more female presence on stages, and exclaimed: “We are entering, girls. It is our time to shine.”
Also with three awards is Pep Gimeno ‘Botifarra’, who won the awards for best roots music album, best tour for ‘Ja ve l’aire’ and the Audience Award.
For her part, Maria won two awards: those for the revelation artist for ‘L’Assumpció’, her debut album, and also for the best design, which went to Branca Studio.
La Maria, obviously moved, mentioned in her dedication, in addition to her family and friends, the Palestinian people and “all the people who create quality culture.” In addition, she encouraged treating traditional music “with respect and without folklorizing it.”
The award for best rock album went to Ciudad Jara for ‘La velada del lobo’, while the best urban music album went to Maluks, for ‘Cor i foc’ and the best fusion and miscegenation album went to Plena 79 Salsa Orchestra, for ‘Land and freedom’.
The award for best author song album went to Carles Dénia, for his album ‘Mussol’; Pepe Zaragoza won the award for best jazz album for ‘Efímer’; In the category of best classical music album, the winners went to Spanish Brass, for ‘Resurrección’ and the award for best ancient and baroque music album, to Amystis, for ‘Alonso Xuárez. Sacred music’.
The winner in the category of best contemporary and experimental classical album went to María Rubio Navarro, for ‘Se Hace Know’. In the family music section, the best family music album went to Ramonets, for his album ‘Ramonets amb la Sedajazz Big band Kids’.
The award for best video went to Marc Guardiola, for ‘Navajera’, by Virgen de la Periferia. Finally, the public award, awarded by popular votes, went to Pep Gimeno ‘Botifarra’, who obtained 4,500 votes from the public in this category.
The jury of the VI Carles Santos Awards, in charge of choosing the winners from among all the finalists emerging from the first phase, was formed, in different groups of categories, by Jordi Casadesús, Carles Soler, Annabel Nadal, Aitana Cuétara, Martí Marfà, Joan Guàrdia, Vicent Llimerà, Mónica de 3 Quesada, Montse Faura, Enric Alepuz, Blanca Añón, Eva Sarasol, Oihane Zuazua, Oriol Roca and Vicent Martínez.
