Despite not winning a Grammy Award for his album, The Final Battle: Sly And Robbie vs Roots Radics, Argentinian producer Hernon Sforzini says being nominated is a big deal for reggae in his country.

Sforzini attended the January 26 Grammys at Staples Center in Los Angeles with keyboardist Sidney Mills, who played on two of the album’s songs.

“The album was a blessing for me and my label, but most important for the musicians and engineers that worked on it. It is like a gift for 25 years of promoting reggae,” Sforzini told the Jamaica Observer.

Rapture by Koffee won the Best Reggae Album category. The other nominees were More Work to be Done by Third World, As I Am from Julian Marley, and Mass Manipulation by Steel Pulse.

Recorded in Buenos Aires and Kingston, ‘The Final Battle’ was released in April by Sforzini’s Serious Reggae label. It features several veteran artistes including Michael Rose, The Congos, and Lee “Scratch” Perry.

They were backed by Sly and Robbie’s Taxi Gang and the Roots Radics, led by bass player Flabba Holt. The Grammy nod, according to Sforzini, says something for Argentinian reggae.

“I believe that it is very important for Argentine reggae and its players; this work brings faith and hope for us to continue Jah work. It brings culture and knowledge and continues to spread Rasta message,” he said.

Sforzini, 43, is from Lanus in southern Argentina. He has produced shows and songs in his country by a number of roots-reggae acts including The Congos, Israel Vibration, Steel Pulse, and Andrew Tosh.

On February 4, the Argentina Embassy in Kingston will host a reception for artistes and musicians who played on The Final Battle: Sly And Robbie vs Roots Radics.