Prediction

There’s no contest here: Ferrer is the obvious favorite, and the one artist who clearly deserves to win. His debut album expanded the formula of the original Buena Vista Social Club release by focusing on smoky boleros from the golden era of Cuban music. The results are spellbinding, making you realize the world would have missed out on a remarkable talent had guitarist Ry Cooder not traveled to Havana in 1996 on a musical journey. Fellow Cuban Amaury Gutierrez is a strong contender, but he has a lifetime ahead of him to win plenty of Grammys.