Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2024: Reggaeton, Dembow, Latin Pop, Salsa,Bachata, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

Like many, I first heard her on an Almodóvar soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukzR6qrI6Xo

Which song title I often use to remember a subtle point of Spanish grammar.

Cool. Someday maybe I will learn Spanish.

The person who did this interview with Rauw Alejandro speaks Spanish and knows Puerto Rican slang.

https://crfashionbook.com/rauw-alejandro-interview/

As he begins to share more about the new album over a Zoom call, his cat—a fluffy, smoke-gray Maine Coon named Kemuri—starts meowing incessantly outside his door. Distracted, Alejandro walks over to let him in. “¡Meraaa!” he says, deploying a classic Puerto Rican exclamation. “Get inside,” he says lovingly in Spanish

I liked Alejandro's last album, but am wondering if I will like new one when it comes out (based on this quote)

It’s too early to tell what the direction of the new record will be, but he knows for a fact that it’ll be nothing like Saturno. He’s been listening to a lot of pop-punk and nu metal, of all things—Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Blink-182—although there’s been some jazz and classical music on rotation too. “I’m still cooking, developing a new persona—the whole look and feel,” he explains. “But I’m not someone who follows a formula. All my big hits are different musical styles,” he continues, citing the raunchy reggaeton heater “Lokera,” the synth pop sparkler “Todo de Ti,” and the kizomba-tinged “2/Catorce.”

I know a little bit of Spanish I should say. But not enough

https://pitchfork.com/news/new-book-switched-on-chronicles-latin-american-women-in-electronic-music/

Switched On book included Latin American women in electronic music

Wow

RIP Pete Rodriguez, born in 1932, a Puerto Rican American raised in the Bronx whose bugaloo piano playing on “I like it like that “ has inspired many

RIP

Just came across this Dutch singer who was born in Uruguay, started singing disco then went jazz with some big names and seems to do Latin stuff as well, Laura Fygi.

Made an album called The Latin Touch which has some familiar songs.

Found an Arielle Dombasle Latin album as well.

Listening to Agustín Lara right now

I only have heard Lara's boleros a bit. I think Chavela Vargas and Natalie Lafourcade have covered that late icon.

Yes, just discovered the recording by the latter.

https://www.bronxdoc.org/exhibits/conzo/detail

CONZO
A LOOK BACK AT THE BRONX, 1977-84

OPENING RECEPTION
MAR 22, 2024 | 6 - 9PM
ON VIEW
MAR 22 - APR 21, 2024

Opening Reception: March 22, 2024 | 6-9PM
On View: March 22 - April 21, 2024

Born in 1963 in the South Bronx, Joe Conzo Jr. acquired a passion for photography as a young boy. By some combination of luck and circumstance, as a teenager Joe found himself at the very center of cultural and activist movements changing the Bronx. His father was the personal confidant of Tito Puente, promoting some of the biggest salsa shows of that time; his grandmother, Evelina López Antonetty, was a community activist known as the Hell Lady of the Bronx; and Joe’s classmates at South Bronx High School were literally birthing the culture of Hip Hop.

Starting at the age of 10, Joe began to carry his camera daily, photographing everything from school walkouts to the infamous fires ravaging the Bronx, to rap battles between the Cold Crush Brothers and other foundational Hip Hop groups. Forty-five years later, Joe’s images provide an unmatched and intimate document of the complex forces that created today’s Bronx.

Ned Subl$tte is excited about

Thursday, March 28, 7:30 pm: José Aquiles Virelles, Terraza 7, Queens. From Santiago de Cuba, the trovador whose son and sometime collaborator, pianist David Virelles, is well known in NYC music circles.

Saturday, March 30, 8 pm: Sonora Ponceña, 70th anniversary concert, with guests Luisito Carrión, Pequeño Johnny, and Reynaldo Jorge. Lehman Center, in the Bronx.

La Sonora Poncena are also doing a Washington DC gig at Kennedy Center

Sonora Ponceña — all-time champions of "this album does not sound anything like I would have guessed based on its cover art".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Diabla_(Xavi_song)

Xavi "La Diabla" still topping Hot Latin chart

It's Mexican regional music with a bit of rap flavor

N$d Subl$tte re Eddie Palmieri from Ned’s latest email:

Music in NYC: Eddie Palmieri (!) Spring Residency, Blue Note, Apr 8, 22, May 6, 20, 27 . . . One of the great living American musical artists, the 87-year-old Mr. Palmieri is the inventor of an original, recognizable style of montuno and his own system of harmony, with a unique understanding of the structural drive of the son form. He's still playing, still available for hearing close up on a Monday night.

Cool! Wonder who’s in the band? Saw him at Dizzy’s but it was a while back so I’m due, much as I dislike the Blue Note experience

I see on Instagram that Ansonia Records and La Sala de Pepe in NY are presenting a new exhibit on Avenue C called Salsa Con Estilo , about the evolution of the music genre salsa. There’s a double album with that name too. Exhibit opens 5 to 8 tonight and goes to May 26

https://www.lasaladepepe.org/

The associated compilation is on Bandcamp; I think I might buy it:

https://ansoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/ansonia-records-presents-salsa-con-estilo-dance-floor-gems-from-the-vaults-1950s-1980s

Introducing "Ansonia Records Presents - Salsa Con Estilo - Dance Floor Gems from the Vaults: 1950s - 1980s," a vibrant compilation that traces the musical journey of salsa through the iconic NYC-based Latin label, Ansonia Records and its founder Rafael "Ralph" Pérez. A trailblazer in the U.S. recording industry, Pérez played a pivotal role in shaping the Latin music landscape, particularly during the label's heyday from the 1950s to the 1970s.

The album unfolds in two distinct parts: "Roots of Salsa" and "Salsa Boom."

"Roots of Salsa" invites listeners to explore the pre-1970s era, delving into the foundational recordings that laid the groundwork for the salsa phenomenon. These tracks boast danceable rhythms, vibrant brass, and the unmistakable influence of Afro-Cuban genres like son, guaguancó, and son montuno. The compilation carefully highlights key elements such as the coro, montuno, moña, and cierre, providing a rich historical perspective on the roots of salsa.

In the 1970s, when salsa exploded onto the New York scene, Ansonia faced formidable competition from larger labels. Despite being a small fish in a big pond, Ansonia persevered, releasing fantastic records that held their own against industry giants. "Salsa Boom" captures this dynamic period, showcasing the resilience and talent of Ansonia's artists. Despite limited airplay and media attention, these tracks stand as a testament to the label's enduring impact on the salsa movement.

As you embark on this revelatory journey through Ansonia's musical legacy, each track challenges preconceptions about the label. "Salsa Con Estilo" pays homage to one of Ansonia's legendary salseros, Frankie "Mr. Estilo" Figueroa, while celebrating the vibrant dance music that defined the label over the decades. Join us in rediscovering the hidden gems and untold stories of Ansonia Records, a family-run business that left an indelible mark on the Latin audience it faithfully served.

I'm not familiar with the label, but the few tracks I've sampled are good.

Ansonia has a lot of releases on their Bandcamp page. The album covers are very old-school, and it's mostly artists I'm not familiar with, though there's a Cortijo album and a Mon Rivera album that both look interesting.

https://ansoniarecords.bandcamp.com/music

Thanks for that.

One thing I really appreciate is that the individual album pages often have really detailed notes about the music. Check out the essay Pablo Yglesias wrote about the Cortijo album I mentioned, which is from 1970:

https://ansoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/noche-de-temporal-2

Good record geek salsa.

Meanwhile more popular salsa still gets some Sirius XM radio play on their Caliente station along side Latin pop, reggaeton, bachata, and a little Mexican regional meets hiphop.

My DC commercial Latin radio station still plays Marc Anthony , Victor Manuelle and others ( and Manuelle has a nearly sold out gig at Kennedy Center tonight. I found that his salsa romantica had more energy live than on recordings when I saw him a few years ago).

Saw Orquesta Akokan with new singer last night in DC. Good show. New guy can sing and dance . Nice set of pre-salsa mambo and such

I'm a dilettante, at best, wrt this thread's remit, but I quite like the new Reyna Tropical album

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/reyna-tropical-malegria/

I see that Isabelia Herrera likes it too in Pitchfork

The record is an imaginative meditation on the possibilities of diasporic genre collage: Reyna, Díaz, and new collaborator Nay Mapalo collect hues of Peruvian chicha, Mexican zapateado, Congolese soukous, and a handful of other styles, glazing them over each other like a highly saturated watercolor painting. With its loose construction, inventive arrangements, and liturgical tranquility, Malegría is an incisive exploration of the porosity of diasporic life.

I like it too.

And Ned S*blette liked pianist legend Eddie Palmieri on the first date of his Blue Note residency in NYC:

He's back, and as happy as everyone was to be hearing this music again, I don't think anyone was happier than him. It's a thoroughly satisfying, full-force musical experience. After all the times I've heard him play (must be at least 150 over the last 40 years), when he hits one of those fff percussive interjections during someone else's solo I still have the sense that I've never heard that exact chord before . . . as always with Mr. Palmieri, the band is top-notch and they make the arrangements sound: Luques Curtis (whose ongoing bass-and-piano conversation with Palmieri gets more intricate all the time), Jose Clausell, Little Johnny, Luisito Quintero on bongó, Brad Mason, and Jimmy Bosch, no less . . . Louis Fouché played what had been the lead vocal of "Adoración" on alto and rocked the house with maybe four choruses of fire . . . guest spot by Gregoire Maret on harmonica . . . Mr. Palmieri's jokes still need work, though . . . residency continues on April 22 and May 20 and 27 . . .

Ned liked pianist Omar Sosa and his band live too

Tickets for "The Buena Vista Social Orchestra" (whoever they are) are nearly gone and very expensive at the 1800 seat or so Warner Theatre in DC.

Google tells me the group is:

The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, under the direction of trombonist Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, continues the legacy of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club in an exciting new stage production featuring the ensemble’s greatest hits and deep-dive cuts.

In this inaugural tour, Ramos is joined by an all-star ensemble including three original BVSC members, "Betun" Luis Mariano Valiente Marin (Congas, Bongo), Emilio Senon Morales Ruiz (Piano) and Fabían Garcia (Bass), as they showcase the Cuban musical heritage that gave birth to Latin Jazz, Salsa and many other genres of music as we know them today.

Snenie doing the now 21 year old song by Julieta Venegas "Lento"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjGEem0WFbU

The SNenie version was highlighted here among other new Latin pop releases

https://remezcla.com/lists/music/15-new-songs-to-listen-to-this-week-from-ca7riel-paco-amoroso-to-luiza-brina/

New Marc Anthony album Muevense coming out

All I can think of is Jennifer Lopez's statement (in the documentary about the making of her recent album and its accompanying movie) that "the world is not clamoring for a new J-Lo record," and wonder who is clamoring for a new Marc Anthony record.

Do you ever say that about jazz musicians who are Anthony’s age or older?

Jazz and pop are entirely different things and the comparison is absurd. But you know what? My assumption was that Anthony was still out there trying to have pop hits, but looking at Wikipedia it seems like he's spent the last 15 years playing strictly to hardcore salsa fans. He hasn't done a Latin pop record since 2010. So let him do his thing.

I think any musician of any age or genre can put out music whenever they want even if "the world is not clamoring for" it. I am saying this even though my late Mom used to say that all old singers and musicians should give it up.

plenty of people have been listening to march anthony's music for years

*marc

Yep, I am a fan of Anthony's pop and salsa , and clearly the announcement of his latest album and his recent tours has generated excitement that I have seen. Regarding Unperson saying "he's spent the last 15 years playing strictly to hardcore salsa fans"....Marc Anthony just played the 20,000 seat basketball hall, Capital One Arena in DC in February 2024. Pretty sure not all those folks were hardcore salsa fans. The hardcore salsa acts coming to DC often play places ranging from 500 to 4,500.

Unperson, you don't have to like Latin pop, but cheap shots at the genre versus hallowed old school salsa and jazz, sounds just like the cliched rockists versus pop thing.

And speaking of genre prejudice, I like the Reyna Tropical album (Latin pop with soukous guitar and other influences discussed above in this thread) more than Still House Plants latest (Brit art-rock band on cover of the Wire, and called by a Guardian writer the most import band in Britain) or that acclaimed Cindy Lee album that's just on Youtube.

I don't think I said anything in either of my posts about the quality of Latin pop. I haven't heard nearly enough of it to have an opinion. I don't like Bad Bunny because his voice annoys me. That's literally about all I know about Latin pop in 2024. But one thing I do know is that pop music is a young person's game. Old people making pop records, especially after years away, with an eye toward the charts, Marc Anthony or Jennifer Lopez or anybody else, almost always only succeed in embarrassing themselves. The new song is the part of your concert where the audience pulls out their phone to check on the babysitter. It's much better for a performer over 50 to settle into a genre that embraces veteran artists, which is why I think Anthony sticking to salsa is a wise move. Hell, if he made a surprise appearance to sing with Eddie Palmieri's band at the Blue Note some night, that shit would probably be amazing and get him some of the most rapturous press of his life.

Have seen on Facebook some awesome videos by Colombia band Rancho Aparte at gigs in New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana during the festivals happening there.

I read that they’re going to do a US east Coast tour in September and October

On vacation in Texas and listening to Tejano radio, and might go see hipster band La Lom from Los Angeles who play chicha and cumbia. Saw a banner in San Antonio for a Conjunto festival

Andria Rose who's on the bill with La Lom sounds a bit like Kali Uchis , Latin pop-r&b