SINGAPORE – Singaporean jazz musician Jeremy Monteiro was in the audience at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, which took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb 4 (Feb 5 Singapore time).

The 63-year-old is a voting member of the organiser of the Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy, an organisation he joined in 1991.

Monteiro posted on social media photos of himself at the ceremony, which he attended with his good friend, lawyer Patrick Ee. The latter is a member of the fund-raising and gala committee of Jazz Association (Singapore), of which Monteiro is the executive director and music director.

As a member, Monteiro gets to vote in five categories, mostly in the jazz and classical genres, as well as in the two big prizes, Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

He told The Straits Times that his vote for the two big accolades went to jazz/R&B/pop singer-musician Jon Batiste. The prizes eventually went to pop stars Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, respectively.

Two of the acts he voted for did win, though: Count Basie Orchestra’s Basie Swings The Blues for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and Samara Joy’s Tight for Best Jazz Performance.

Monteiro did not get to meet Swift or any of the other stars in person. But he attended the official Grammy after-party at the Los Angeles Convention Center and watched performances by jazz singer Kurt Elling and R&B singer Ne-Yo.

Like the other attendees, Monteiro had to contend with the powerful storm that swept through Los Angeles, and his tuxedo was drenched because of the heavy rains. Trying to get Uber rides between the venues and where he was staying, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, was a “nightmare”, he says.

“Most attendees didn’t go for the Grammy after-parties because of the huge storm. Los Angeles declared an emergency, so I suppose they all took heed of the notice to get home as soon as possible.”

Monteiro’s Grammy attendance was part of a two-week United States work and leisure trip, during which he also visited New York.