GRAMMY season is in full swing — and the Recording Academy’s San Francisco Chapter knows how to throw a party. Just two weeks before the 2024 GRAMMYs, the San Francisco Chapter’s Nominee Celebration honored its nominees during a bright evening of musical cheer and togetherness.
Held at Berkeley’s Claremont Hotel on Jan. 22 and sponsored by Qobuz, the three-hour event welcomed all members of the music community — from Chapter board members to emerging professionals in GRAMMY U, all of whom were decked out in their rock formal attire. After grabbing a light bite and snapping photos on the red carpet with family and friends, creators hit the dance floor to DJ D-Sharp (the Official DJ of the Golden State Warriors), who kept the evening’s mood upbeat with much love given to the music of Bay Area legends.
While all the celebration’s attendees glittered in their rockstar outfits, the Chapter’s grinning nominees shone extra bright. The San Francisco Chapter boasts 15 nominees at the 66th GRAMMY Awards, with nods in a vast variety of genres. From rock and reggae to spoken word poetry and contemporary instrumental, the multitude of nominations reflects only a sliver of the San Francisco Bay Area's musical diversity.
"It was clear tonight how meaningful it is to our members to cheer on their fellow chapter-based nominees on Music’s Biggest Night!" Christen McFarland, the chapter’s Executive Director, tells GRAMMY.com. "The San Francisco Chapter members really turned out and brought the celebration energy — many complimented the immense cross-section of the Bay Area music community in attendance. For that we are very proud."
@grammys A magical evening at the San Francisco Chapter Nominee Celebration. We had a blast highlighting excellence. ✨ Don’t forget to tune into the 2024 #GRAMMYs on Sunday, Feb. 4th on @CBS. AND if you’d like to be there in person, enter our GRAMMYs ticket giveaway! 🎟🏆
Although this high-energy night marked the chapter’s 12th annual Nominee Celebration, the evening highlighted many exciting firsts. Board trustee Michael Romanowski was spotlighted as the first-ever nominee to receive four of five nominations in the Best Immersive Audio Album Category. First-time nominees Shawn William and Prentice Powell became the Bay Area’s first-ever Best Spoken Word Album nominees — and in just the second year of the newly-added category. Gods of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack), which Romanowski mastered and Anthony Caruso produced, also became the first video game soundtrack to be nominated for Best Immersive Audio Album.
Along with celebration, the SF Chapter’s joyous event supported advocacy, another one of the Recording Academy’s vital pillars alongside education and service. Indigenous Pomo artists Rich and Paul Steward of Twice As Good enlivened the ballroom with a surprise performance; the father-son duo blending traditional and contemporary blues and Indigenous music to get everyone on their feet. Later, during remarks from McFarland and Chapter President Nona Brown, Paul helped lead the Berkeley land acknowledgement of the Ohlone tribe in native language — a true highlight of the evening.
"The music community is a place where we can love and support each other, where we can join together and amplify the beauty we see in our communities," said Chapter Board Member and hip hop artist Mandolyn "Mystic" Ludlum, a GRAMMY nominee in 2002. In a world that has historically displaced the arts, Ludlum continued, music remains a special place where people can "be creatives and still thrive."
Leading with care, the Recording Academy serves the thriving music community by honoring the past as well as by inspiring new generations. Whether you’re feeling that collaborative spark in the studio or feeling free with friends at a life-changing concert, at the end of the day, music is about connection and support. The San Francisco Chapter Nominee Celebration honored this mission of the music community — to support not just creativity and innovation, but each other.
With warm congratulations and hugs all around, there’s no doubt the San Francisco Chapter Nominee Celebration was a momentous occasion for Bay Area, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado music professionals — so it’s hard to imagine that the party is just getting started. But Chapter President Nona Brown summed it up best: "We are so very proud of all our nominees, and we’re going to start the party here. Next week, we’re going to take it to L.A.!"