Rafa Sardina Nominated for Best Engineered Album. Top five catagory Nominations for Alejandro Sanz' No Es Lo Mismo Annouced At The 5th Latin GRAMMY Awards Best Album Of The Year Best Male Pop Vocal Album Song Of The Year Record Of The Year for the album's title track Best Engineered Album

L-R: Rafa Sardina, Lulo Perez, Alejandro Sanz, and Carlos Rufo at Hit Factory, Miami

August 10, 2004, Los Angeles, CA -- Multi-nominations for Alejandro Sanz' No Es Lo Mismo were announed earlier this month by the Fifth Latin Grammy Awards. Rafa Sardina engineered Alejandro Sanz' album which received leading nominations in top five categories, including Best Engineered Album. The album won a Grammy in the best Latin Pop category earlier this year during the Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles. Additionally, Sardina won Best Engineering Award during Music Awards held in Madrid, Spain earlier this year.

The title track says it all--"It's Not the Same." What is most compelling about NO ES LO MISMO is the way Sanz and his co-producer, the Cuban musician/arranger Lulo Perez (who wrote tracks for Ricky Martin's and Alexandre Pires' current albums), have synthesized separate yet complementary music elements -- Sanz' signature flamenco style, as well as bossa nova all set against a backdrop of blues, jazz, and a hint of disco --into one purely individual style. The sound was influenced by Sanz' diverse set of personal tastes, from the flamenco that he grew up listening to in Spain to more contemporary fare, "even some Linkin Park," Sanz admits.

In its first week worldwide the album generated ONE MILLION in sales and debuted at #1 in Spain, where it sold 500,000 copies, #1 in Argentina and Mexico, #3 in Chile and #2 on the Billboard Latin album charts in the U.S.
Sanz recorded the album in his native Spain, as well as Miami's Hit Factory with veteran guitarist Michael Landau and a jazzy rhythm section of Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Anthony Jackson (bass). Flamenco legend Paco de Lucia also makes a guest appearance.

Sanz's previous efforts have sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide, and he's enjoyed an increase in popularity in the U.S. after cleaning up at the Latin Grammys two years in a row.

"It was a pleasure working with Alejandro, Lulo and all the amazing studio musicians. They made my work sound as good as it gets," says Sardina.

The 5th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be supported on radio via Univision Radio (the official Spanish-language radio network of the Latin GRAMMY Awards), and highlighted on the Internet at www.latingrammy.terra.com (the official online partner of the Latin GRAMMY Awards). For a complete list of nominees, click here.

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Multi-Grammy winning engineer/mixer Rafa Sardina has an eclectic and impressive client list that includes artists: Alejandro Sanz, Macy Gray, Jessy Moss, Dru Hill, Kina, Mariah Carey, Luis Miguel, Soul Coughing, Angie Stone, Juan Gabriel, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Indian legend Yesudas, score for Oliver Stone film "Any Given Sunday," and IMAX movie "Michael Jordan- To The Max."

Sardina engineered Alejandro Sanz' Grammy winning Album, No Es Lo Mismo (Best Latin Pop Album 2004 Vocal or Instrumental) and mixed five tracks for "33" (certified Platinum X5 and nominated "Best Latin Pop Album" 2004) by international artist, Luis Miguel. Sardina engineered "Meditteraneo" for Rendez Vous artist Marc Antoine and mixed Antonio Orozco's new album "El Principio Del Comienzo" (New Beginning) for Universal Music (Number One In Spain)!
Sardina also produced/mixed and engineered "Sin Querer" for singer/songwriter Ana Pozas' second album including the song "Si Es Por Tí" featuring a duo with Ana and the new Latin pop sensation, Alex Ubago.

An avid ProTool user (HD system upgrade) Rafa is currently working on an International Pop Star's most anticipated record in a Hollywood studio.
Sardina is always developing new artists and working in his private new studio, After Hours, due to go on-line later this year. Sardina enjoys Apogee, Manley, DUY , JBL, Avalon and Audio Technica products.

Press contact: claris dodge/Cpr
818-990-3031 ph 818-990-3361 fx

For photographs, bio or additional info contact the above number/e-mail or visit:
http://www.rafasardina.com/