2023-05-10 12:15
Some of Tito Puente’s music reflected the influence Asian culture had on him. As we celebrate Asian month in the US, it’s essential to recognize those influences and how they enr… Read More
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Latin Music Blog for Latino music fans.
2023-05-05 13:20
Voting is ongoing for the 2023 La Musa Awards of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame (LSHOF) and is open to all music fans. The voting window will close on May 17, 2023.
The Latin Songwriters… Read More
2023-04-29 14:59
This review was written by former basketball player and photographer Conrado Pastrano on his Facebook account. I thought it was such an excellent piece of writing that with his permission we… Read More
2023-04-18 12:59
“The very first Mariachi recording” as identified in the cover of the Cuarteto Coculense 1907-1909 album, precedes the Mexican Revolution and is now at the US Library of Congress… Read More
2023-04-13 11:07
Tito Rodriguez was the ultimate Latin music entertainer of his time. Tito could sing equally well “guarachas” and “boleros“, he could dance, and play the timbales and… Read More
2023-04-10 20:24
During the 2023 Mastercard Jazz Fest in Puerto Rico, Eddie Palmieri shared that he originally wanted Andy Montañez as the singer for his album “The Sun of Latin Music“.
Pa… Read More
2023-03-31 17:26
Master percussionist Eguie Castrillo will commemorate the centenaries of Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez with the concert “The Mambo Kings – 100 Years” on April 6 at Berklee… Read More
2023-03-17 10:01
When I saw this video explaining why you shouldn’t play the cowbell in concerts, I immediately thought of those that do it at the Día Nacional de la Zalsa. He provides 5 reasons… Read More
2023-03-13 18:09
Giovanni Hidalgo released a classy and selectively different homage album to Tito Puente in “Tribute to the King“.
Fulfilled Promise to Puente
Four years before Tito Puente&rsquo&hell…Read More
2023-03-10 10:49
In the recent “Premios lo Nuestro” homage to Victor Manuelle, Tito Nieves forgot the lyrics of the song he was performing on national TV due to a failed teleprompter. This trigge… Read More
2023-03-02 01:20
With the celebration of Tito Puente’s centenary in 2023, Giovanni Hidalgo announced his “Tribute to the King“. This tribute comes in two formats; a just-released album, and… Read More
2023-03-02 01:20
With the celebration of Tito Puente’s centenary in 2023, you’ll be hard-pressed to experience a better tribute than Giovanni Hidalgo’s “Tribute to the King“. Th… Read More
2023-01-25 12:07
In our conversation with the maestro Humberto Ramírez about the Puerto Rico Jazz Jam 2023, we talked about the details of each of the musical presentations and what it takes to plan a… Read More
2023-01-09 12:29
This Christmas I gave my wife a record player as a gift, and we spent Día de Reyes enjoying the experience of listening to our vinyl LPs again. It was fantastic!
The Vinyl LP Experien… Read More
2023-01-05 15:55
I love to see that the tradition of the Tres Reyes Magos is still alive even in the diaspora, and although it has lost a bit of its importance in terms of gifts, this tradition reinforces ou… Read More
2022-12-16 20:31
During the Christmas season, many Puerto Rican churches transform their hymns into jíbaro rhythms. We owe this modality of the Misa Jíbara to the late professor and folklorist… Read More
2022-12-12 13:42
Parrandas are a source of inspiration for many of José Nogueras‘ songs. In our conversation with the singer-songwriter, producer, and author, we talked about the fact that altho… Read More
2022-12-09 10:05
We had the pleasure of visiting Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Nogueras in his studio to talk about his career, Christmas, his album“A Gozar la Fiesta“, Parrandas, Ti… Read More
2022-11-22 15:17
The first song I heard by Pablo Milanés was “Eternamente Yolanda” performed by the Puerto Rican “nueva trova” group Haciendo Punto en Otro Son.
It was because… Read More
2022-11-18 10:05
Ismael Miranda finished the ’80s with four Christmas albums (Part 3) and starts the ’90s by jumping into the Salsa Romántica craze. He extends that romanticism into a seri… Read More
2022-11-15 12:40
As this week Puerto Rico commemorates its “discovery” by Columbus (November 19) in 1493, our folk rhythm of “Plena” is still going strong over a century after its ori… Read More
2022-11-11 13:32
Ismael Miranda has many reasons to feel better today after the “Puerto Rico Saluda a Ismael Miranda” concert. Although still recovering from his 2021 stroke, Ismael enjoyed a con… Read More
2022-11-09 14:15
After a strong finish to his first decade as a solo artist (as we covered in Part 2), Ismael Miranda continued producing good Salsa albums towards the end of the Fania Records era. He even r… Read More
2022-10-31 10:05
The solo career of Ismael Miranda began incredibly well. His first three solo albums were so good and became so popular that they marked the rest of his career.
The impact of these albums wa… Read More
2022-10-25 19:49
“Sesiones Desde la Loma; El Evento” turned out to be an enjoyable all-day musical experience! I congratulate Norberto Velez and Gabriel Ramos for turning what started as a YouTub… Read More
2022-10-21 14:19
Calling all 2023 Grammy Award voters! The first round voting window closes this Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. We want to encourage all eligible voters to cast their votes.
Recording Academy Communi… Read More
2022-10-18 13:04
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) is an amazing place for music lovers. This museum in northern Phoenix, Arizona houses the largest collection of musical instruments in the world. As they… Read More
2022-10-14 01:15
Ismael Miranda, “El Nino Bonito” (the pretty boy) of Salsa music, is approaching 55 years of a very illustrious career in Latin music.
The phrase “lo importante no es llega… Read More
2022-10-12 00:45
I was thrilled today to see that Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 didn’t close without Google first recognizing another Latino; this time it was a Tito Puente Google Doodle.
Tito Puente wa… Read More
2022-10-10 17:05
“Sesiones Desde la Loma” is an enjoyable music video concept created by former NG2 Salsa band co-leader Norberto Vélez. Approaching its 3rd anniversary, “Sesiones&rd&hell…Read More
2022-09-26 16:11
I came across this article on social media and decided to share it. I am not a fan of Bad Bunny (Benito Martinez Ocasio) or most reggaetoneros, not so much for the rhythm but for the content… Read More
2022-08-12 17:26
The collective called Planet Drum released “In the Groove“, another collaboration of stellar percussionists led by Mickey Hart, and includes Puerto Rican drum master Giovanni Hid… Read More
2022-06-30 16:04
Oscar Hernández and his Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO) have been successfully delivering the art of Salsa for 20 years. And although it’s dance music, for Oscar it’s all a… Read More
2022-06-27 13:46
The new generation of talents in Salsa music shares a common challenge; an opportunity to get their music out and get the public’s attention.
Challenges for the New Generation
The new… Read More
2022-06-21 13:49
WordPress (WP) just released their platform version 6.0 which they called “Arturo” in honor of Latin Jazz great Arturo O’Farrill. WP tends to name its releases after Jazz g… Read More
2022-06-18 22:01
I thought writing about Salsa songs for Father’s Day would be fair since I previously wrote about Salsa Songs for Mothers’ Day.
I found a bunch of songs about father-son, but onl… Read More
2022-06-17 13:57
It was a fantastic idea to dedicate the 2022 edition of the Día Nacional de la Zalsa in Puerto Rico to Salsa’s new generation of musicians. However, I don’t agree with Sal… Read More
2022-06-14 12:56
The increasingly popular Cuban singer Aymee Nuviola ignited and delighted the audience at the Puerto Rico Jazz Fest 2022.
In what turned out to be an all-Cuban night, Aymee opened the last d… Read More
2022-06-07 12:52
Seeing Chucho Valdés and Paquito D’Rivera perform together after more than 40 years was a memorable experience for the audience at the Puerto Rico Jazz Fest 2022 edition.
M… Read More
2022-05-30 10:01
In the recent (May 2022) SalsaSwing concert in Puerto Rico, Rubén Blades may have hinted that he’s retiring from music. Or perhaps more specifically, from touring.
Is Rubé&hell…Read More
2022-05-26 13:23
Like everyone else in the music business, El Gran Combo was impacted at the start of the 2020 decade by the Covid-19 pandemic.
And like several other artists, the band tried to make good use… Read More
2022-05-24 10:00
No other word describes the Rubén Blades SalsaSwing concert in Puerto Rico but extraordinary.
The SalsaSwing Puerto Rico concert included a 3-song tribute to Cheo Feliciano, the entir… Read More
2022-03-08 21:07
This year we commemorate 100 years of Sylvia Rexach‘s birthday, and what a better way to do it by highlighting her achievements on International Women’s Day.
A True Latina Pionee… Read More
2021-12-31 13:46
This year 2021 has taken away several Latin Music artists. Especially several of the elite Salsa group, the Fania All-Stars of the ’70s.
Here’s some of the departed in 2021:
Janu… Read More
2021-12-06 10:01
Cheo Feliciano’s Salsa Navideña classic, “Felicidades” celebrates its 48th anniversary this year. A Salsa Dura album with great flavor, “Felicidades” bec… Read More
2021-12-05 11:31
My wife Ivonne found by serendipity a decorative figure of a black Santa Claus at a local Marshall’s store. There was something beautiful and special about this Black Santa that attrac… Read More
2021-11-22 17:38
Luis “Perico” Ortiz gives us another memorable musical visit with “Sigo Entre Amigos“.
“Sigo Entre Amigos” feels like a friend that after several years of… Read More
2021-11-17 20:35
Salsa Queen Celia Cruz has been brought back to musical life with a new single “La Bandera Que Canta“. The song is part of a project called “Spoken Music”.
“La… Read More
2021-11-15 10:01
In “Esperanzas/Hope” the Negroni’s Trio expands on their unique brand of Latin Jazz and adds selected guests.
In its 11th album, Negroni’s Trio continues its musical… Read More
2021-11-14 10:01
Why is it that in Puerto Rico I only hear the Tunas Estudiantinas at Christmas time?
I don’t know if the same thing happens in other countries. However, the other day I asked myself th… Read More
2021-11-11 13:21
The güícharo is perhaps the most delicate and the most widely used instrument in the güiro family.
In previous blogs, we discussed the Güiro and the Güira. In this… Read More
2021-11-03 18:10
If you want to experience new Salsa that sounds like Classic Salsa, then check out Willy Calderon’s “LA Impromtu“.
The young Colombian musician, producer, pianist, and perc… Read More
2021-11-01 12:15
It’s “supposed” because Hector Lavoe never attempted suicide by jumping from a 9th floor hotel room.
The general knowledge the public has is that Hector jumped to take his… Read More
2021-10-29 11:37
The Jazz / Latin Jazz album “Luz“, led and produced by Mauricio Rodriguez, was a delightful listening experience.
The Cuban bassist and producer assembled a nice group of musicia… Read More
2021-10-25 14:26
As part of the closing of Hispanic Heritage Month, BMI launched “Música y Más“, an interview series highlighting influencers in Latin music today!
The first episode… Read More
2021-10-22 19:02
This month we commemorate the 130th birthday of Rafael Hernandez “El Jibarito”, considered one of the best songwriters from Latin America.
I’ll share an anecdote my father… Read More
2021-10-18 13:22
The evolution of Salsa orchestrations during the ’70s dramatically increased its popularity and established it as a solid genre of popular music, not a passing craze.
Salsa Music in th… Read More
2021-10-15 11:15
I was mesmerized when I heard the first notes of Jose Aguirre’s Cali Big Band in “Gente con Alma“. It just got better from there.
This album, nominated for Best Traditional… Read More
2021-10-11 14:39
It’s a song, a protest, a call for justice! And it’s framed in the sound and history of the Marimba. “Mother of Song (Queen Marimba)” captures it all.
As you know, I… Read More
2021-09-28 13:14
I believe that there is a market for Hybrid Concerts, where an artist performs in front of a (socially distanced and/or fully vaccinated) live audience and via streaming simultaneously.
The… Read More
2021-09-20 16:59
Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with several online events and other goodies. There are artists’ interviews, panels, and a Spotify playlist that you c… Read More
2021-09-10 17:17
Carlos Henriquez, the talented Nuyorican bass player, released “The South Bronx Story” his third Latin Jazz album as a bandleader.
Henriquez is the bassist for Winton Marsalis&rs&hell…Read More
2021-09-03 19:12
Larry Harlow recorded 3 albums that helped elevate the orchestration in Salsa music, and catapult the genre to its apex. These were “Hommy“, “Salsa“, and “Live… Read More
2021-08-09 12:06
Lin-Manuel Miranda did it again in Netflix “Vivo”, an animated story anchored in Latin music.
In”Vivo”, Lin-Manuel gets a little help from his friends Gloria Este… Read More
2021-07-26 21:02
Following up on the previous blog on “Music & Domestic Violence“, we look back at how Salsa music reflected our society’s “machista” culture, contributing t… Read More
2021-07-05 15:00
After 9 years of recording silence, La Sonora Ponceña launched “Hegemonía Musical” which contains 8 songs of mostly classic Salsa music.
“Hegemonía… Read More
2021-06-22 19:11
I’m finally able to say that I’m back blogging at Latino Music Café! It has been 6 months and I’m anxious to share my thoughts with you!
Six Months of Hiatus… Read More
2021-06-21 10:00
I have little doubt that there is a link between the recent domestic violence cases in Puerto Rico and the woman-bashing songs in Reggaetón & Trap.
Reggaetón & Trap… Read More
2021-04-24 15:17
I believe, like most experts, that it’s too soon for in-person concerts.
God knows we are tired of this quarantine which has now been going on for over a year.
Note: I wrote a blog on… Read More
2020-12-31 17:05
This year, 2020, has been a devastating year for all of us, and on top of it all, the departed were great contributors to our Latin music.
I’ll make a brief review of those that depart… Read More
2020-11-27 12:58
The Christmas classic “Feliz Navidad” turned 50 in 2020, and Jose Feliciano is celebrating by inviting a few guest artists to sing along in a new version of it.
Perlude to &ldquo&hell…Read More
2020-11-25 16:46
I’m glad to announce that Latino Music Café debuts a new Events Calendar to list the virtual concerts offered for Latin music fans.
The idea is to list virtual events that will… Read More
2020-11-20 20:05
Tito Rodriguez’s “Live at the Palladium” gives you a front seat of a great performance recorded 60 years ago at this palace of Latin music.
In 1960 Tito Rodriguez and his o… Read More
2020-11-18 02:44
The list of nominees for the Latin Grammy 2020 Best Latin Jazz Album is really good this year. There are three well-known artists and two not-so-popular, but they are just as good nonetheles… Read More
2020-11-09 10:05
As always I like to look at the Latin Grammy 2020 nominees as a kind of recommendation list of best recordings to check out. I’ll start my Latin Grammy 2020 comments with the category… Read More
2020-10-31 10:05
Of course, it’s only my opinion, but to me, it’s clear that “Bobby Valentin Presenta a el Cano Estremera” was Cano’s best album of his career.
Before Cano&rsquo&hell…Read More
2020-10-30 10:05
I like to share good content from where ever it comes, and I highly recommend NPR’s Alt. Latino podcast on Cumbia music.
Insights on Cumbia
Instruments used to play Cumbia. These have… Read More
2020-10-23 10:05
In “Mil Años de Plena” Danny Rivera pays tribute to the late trumpeter and bandleader Cesar Concepcion with the backing of today’s acclaimed trumpeter and bandleader… Read More
2020-10-20 21:05
This pandemic has changed the lives of all of us, including the devotees who this year will have to participate virtually in the “novenas” for the Cristo Negro of Portobelo.
Virt… Read More
2020-10-19 22:06
“Cosa Nuestra” (1970), the 4th album by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe, turned 50 and its re-release now made it to the Billboard charts.
“Cosa Nuestra” #3 in Billboar… Read More
2020-10-12 21:06
I’m writing about Lalo Rodriguez‘s Salsa album “Simplemente Lalo” for two reasons; the album turns 40 and Lalo needs our support.
For me, “Simplemente Lalo&rdqu&hell…Read More
2020-10-08 03:05
In the mid 1970’s when the Salsa boom was at its peak in New York, brothers Andy and Jerry Gonzalez decided to form a group to experiment with the folkloric roots of Salsa.
But the rea… Read More
2020-10-02 10:01
The first versions of the song “Songoro Cosongo“, and the one made popular by Hector Lavoe, evolved from a literary revolution as we saw in Part 1.
Here’s the rest of the s… Read More
2020-09-30 10:01
The “Songoro Cosongo“ song made popular by Hector Lavoe, had its origin in the literary revolution against the racism rampant in the Caribbean during the first decades of the 20t… Read More
2020-09-25 20:31
In “Colegas” Gilberto Santa Rosa achieves three goals; goes back to his roots in Salsa Dura, sings retro Salsa songs, and shares singing duties with colleagues he admires.
This l… Read More
2020-09-23 20:32
From September 22-27, 2020, the Petronio Alvarez Festival, held annually in Cali, Colombia, will be offered virtually online.
You can participate in a great variety of activities and events… Read More
2020-09-16 17:09
It’s been 40 years since Ruben Blades released the masterpiece “Maestra Vida“, a double-album describing the life of its protagonist in a Latino neighborhood.
This was an a… Read More
2020-09-11 21:11
Myrta Silva had what Luis “Perico” Ortiz would describe as “el alma de un cantante errante” (the soul of an errant singer).
Unlike many of us, Myrta knew from a v… Read More
2020-09-05 18:11
One day in 1934, Rafael Muñoz was playing the bass with his modest band at an event, when two executives approached him with a business proposition. They wanted him to lead the house… Read More
2020-09-01 20:08
The güira has two distinct qualities when compared to the two other instruments in this percussion family; its the only one made of metal and its the only female.
The güira als… Read More
2020-08-26 16:40
The event that occurred in New York’s Cheetah’s night club the night of August 26, 1971 changed Salsa forever. The Fania All Stars made a popular genre in Latin music become inte… Read More
2020-08-22 12:33
To me Eydie Gormé represents one of the first artists to make a reverse cross-over, from the American market to the Latin American market.
I say this in part for the great quality of… Read More
2020-07-12 13:30
Cuban-Canadian pianist Hiliario Duran released “The Cuban“, the soundtrack of the movie of the same name that provides a journey through Cuban music.
“The Cuban” Musi… Read More
2020-06-24 12:22
In these times of racial tensions, José Feliciano released a new video of his new song “I’m America“, included in his latest album “Behind This Guitar“… Read More
2020-06-21 16:30
For this Father’s Day Special we honor two great father-son musicians in Hector (Atabal) Rodriguez and his son Caymmi Rodriguez.
Past Father Day Specials in Latino Music Café ha… Read More
2020-06-15 13:30
As we observed the Martin Luther King, Jr. day, I reflected on two books I read recently which pointed out racism in Latin music. Is there still racism in Latin music?
Note: I originally wro… Read More
2020-06-11 10:31
Bronco, the record label of legendary bassist, arranger, and bandleader Bobby Valentin, has now made their catalog available in streaming services.
If you’re a fan of old Salsa, this i… Read More
2020-06-08 17:02
Two Latin Jazz gems from the late vibraphonist Cal Tjader, “In a Latin Bag” and “Soña Libré” have recently become available through streaming services… Read More
2020-06-02 12:59
Charlie & Jerry are the favorite duo of El Gran Combo singers for the majority of Salsa fan who voted in the Latino Music Café poll.
But to understand the results, perhaps we shou… Read More
2020-05-28 13:12
This week El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico celebrated its 58th anniversary, and I couldn’t pass the chance to find out which is your favorite duo of singers.
As we’ve seen through th… Read More
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