Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2017: Salsa, Bomba, Merengue,Reggaeton, Bachata, Latin Jazz, Bolero and more

I think he's doing alright without my career advice though.

Louie Ramirez y Sus Tesos, just a typical late 70s salsa album with instrumental covers of two songs from Abbey Road, and featuring three different major vocalists.

Did he borrow those Tesos from Fruko or is that Fruko's real name?

Haha, I borrowed them from Fruko! They are really his Amigos. Oops.

Yeah, this version of Something is still a problem for me. It doesn't really fall into the so bad it's good category either (maybe because parts of it are good?).

The name of the album, to be clear is LOUIE RAMIREZ Y SUS AMIGOS. I fucked up.

I think the cover of Because is more tolerable. Is it done as a danzon?

Lol

Anyhow, I still think the Azuquita songs on the album are the best of the bunch. He really shines on these songs.

(I haven't actually listened to this album straight through in a matter of years, despite owning a copy.)

Roberto Roena's La Octava Maravilla is fantastic, and I have a flawed, incomplete mp3 copy. That was reissued last year, digitally, as well.

Sure would be nice to have original release dates on these Fania reissues in Spotify.

the swirls and synths in the arrangement are an unexpected but lovely touch.

Listening again. They are a nice touch. I think what's surprising is how strong the sounds are, rather than the sort of watercolor synth washes one might expect.

Also, love the guitar right at 2:58. More of that. Less of "the kiiing."

Can't stop listening to it right now, despite the bits I don't like.

Funny, I don't remember posting that

Oh, wait

Sorry. Maybe adding an "o" will help.

I suppose you don't have much time for Romeo Santos? I have managed to mostly avoid bachata for a couple years, so new Romeo Santos (the best of the pop bachata world) is more welcome to me than it might have been a little while ago.

I am curious about young Peruvian salsa singer Cesar Vega. No reggaeton and bachata for him, I don't think

Bought PJ Harvey tix for tonight, so will miss the late announced Septeto Santiaguero from Cuba gig in DC tonight. I liked the 2 YouTube videos I saw. Nothing groundbreaking, but enjoyable

Friends who saw the Septeto Santiaguero gig were impressed.

Romeo Santos new album is out now.

So young (he's like 22 or 23) Peruvian salsa singer Cesar Vega does covers on his recent debut album. He's a big Hector Lavoe fan. Vega's dad was a singer and introduced his kid to Lavoe's singing when Cesar Vega was 9. Album is on Spotify. Media coverage of him is largely all in Spanish.

The Cubans are coming...

Fri. 8-4 Daymé Arocena at AMP (Cuban vocalist) in Rockville, a Washington DC suburb

Sat. 8-5- “Qban Fest” with Cuban band Pupy y los Que Son Son with Special Guests Mayito Rivera, Tania Pantoja, Pedrito Calvo and Pepito Gomez with a special performance by DC Casineros at Bethesda Blues and Jazz, another DC suburb

Missed both of those gigs. I heard the Arocena one was good. I liked Pupy y los Que Son Son the time I did see them. Pupy might have even been with Los Van Van when I saw them a long while back. Twenty-something Peruvian salsa singer Vega is coming my way also.

There is an extremely common horn lick loop that I just heard again and always wonder where it originated. First place I heard it was Benny Moré's "Que Bueno Baila Usted," so I always think it must be from there but not sure. Maybe I even brought this up before.

Don't know

Haven't heard.

Thanks anyway for responding. Here, at 0:42
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1VE56pc3Rk

Also, saw great Latin Jazz at Terraza last night.

I toyed with going to see young Peruvian salsa singer Cesar Vega Friday night, but I figured gig wouldn't start till 1 am and decided not to go.

http://africasacountry.com/2017/08/despacito-will-not-save-us/

This article tilts at windmills a bit--

So, “Despacito” will not save us. But wait! Isn’t it great that amidst the racism and xenophobia of the Trump era, people all over the world (including more than a few Trump voters) are shaking their butts to Despacito? Fonsi told NPR that:

The timing is quite perfect, you know, in this environment we live in… I don’t want to turn this song into a political environment, because it’s not. It’s a great song to make us feel good. But in the times that we live, where some people want to divide and want to build walls — we’re going through a lot of change, so it’s quite lovely that a Spanish song is No. 1 right now.

Except there’s this little thing called history, and it tends to repeat itself. The Mambo craze of the 1950s that sent many Cuban songs to the top of the charts did not end racism and poverty so why should we expect the current moment to be any different? Neither did the Latin explosion of 1999. Despacito, and the imitators that it will inspire, will do nothing to improve the cultural, political or economic status of Afro-Latinos. As Jezebel Culture Editor, Julianne Escobedo warns, “Don’t let Bieber play you!”

What is the point of decrying the many ways the music industry exploits Afro-Latinos when nothing can be done (and we haven’t even touched on the obvious problems of sexism in reggaetón and the music industry)? Capitalism is so entrenched, you may as well be tilting at windmills. Except, there is a growing movement to build a new, more democratic economy that empowers producers, including cultural producers, to control their production. Groups like Sol Collective in Sacramento and Rhythm Conspiracy in New Orleans are experimenting with cooperatives and other forms that allow artists to cut the middlemen, the gatekeeper publicists and the record labels.

Another take re "Despacito"--

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/whats-next-for-latin-music-after-the-summer-of-despacito/2017/08/24/703ba7de-8816-11e7-961d-2f373b3977ee_story.html?utm_term=.797a9cedc6f6

The success of “Despacito” and “Mi Gente” also has to be coupled with other mainstream media appearances and opportunities for visibility, explains Jack Rico, the host of the Latin pop culture podcast Highly Relevant. He points out that “Despacito,” with all its record-breaking accolades, was left out of this year’s Video Music Awards nominations. Rico says mass-media moments like these are critical blows to Latin representation....The current iteration of this Latin boom has also been very specific when it comes to those who benefit. Male artists who make music in the reggaeton-pop vein have a path to success, but that’s not necessarily the case for those who don’t fit the “Despacito” model. Spanish-speaking female artists are missing from the crossover conversation, which also doesn’t include lesser-known genres in the Latin music world.

Isabelia Herrera, the music editor of the culture website Remezcla, notes that the idea of “Latin music” itself is problematic, a broad umbrella term that encompasses dozens of countries and genres. All eyes on reggaeton-pop may not actually help genres that don’t sound like what’s trending right now.

“I think this pop moment that reggaeton is having is probably going to continue and be very successful. If you look at the Latin charts, it performs the best,” Herrera said. “But if we talk about regional Mexican, or salsa, I’m very hesitant. I don’t really know what’s going to happen with things that don’t fit into the construction of what outsiders think Latin music is.”

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7942283/john-leguizamo-essay-latin-underrepresentation-music-movies-vmas-despacito-snub

Yep.

Meanwhile Fania, I see in another Billboard article, is trying to promote their brand to a new audience via dj remixes:

“At Fania, we see working with DJs and creating remixes of the original classic as a huge opportunity to target a new audience and thus begin a lifelong connection with the Fania brand,” Skolnick said. “It’s working incredibly well. We’ve increased our social media engagement with 18-34 year olds by more than 150% in the last two years.”

Recently completing a tour in Europe, Marquez will perform at a record release party at Kinfolk as part of the Armada Fania DJ pop series in Brooklyn on Sept. 7, before going on an extensive tour throughout the U.S.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7941984/fanias-santiago-sessions-how-a-globetrotting-djs-childhood-led-to-him

Spanish-speaking female artists are missing from the crossover conversation, which also doesn’t include lesser-known genres in the Latin music world.

Oh no! Lesser no genres in Latin music continue to be obscure. It's all the fault of those outsiders constructing what "Latin music" is. Everyone knows that all Latinos (another problematic construction, admittedly) listen to all of Latin music in its entirety.

A lot of music writing (like a lot of other writing) seems driven by the need to say something, even if there's nothing that needs to be said.

The hand-wringing looks pretty funny to me at this point.

Everyone knows that all Latinos (another problematic construction, admittedly) listen to all of Latin music in its entirety.

That's why I used to hear Puerto Ricans blasting all that banda when I was living at 16th & Green in Philadelphia in the 90s.

The Despacito video breaks new ground, drawing attention to previously completely ignored Latina curviness.

But uncelebrated Latina asses remain uncelebrated. What is to be done?

Somewhere there is a reasonably good looking young Ecuadoran woman with not much of a booty at all. When will a major label put her in a video?

Meanwhile I see that El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico are doing a 55th anniversary tour that will bring them to the Palace, in Woodbridge , VA half an hour or so south of Washington DC Friday night. Only Spanish language bands play there. I think I saw the 50th anniversary tour.

https://www.tickeri.com/events/598255e3f6ebfc000bcdb91a/el-gran-combo-de-puerto-rico---celebrando-55-a-os-de-trayectoria-

I have basically zero sympathy for people demanding mainstream recognition of Spanish-language music in the U.S. That actor may have some points. I can't really comment on film and TV since I'm so oblivious to them. But Despacito is a pop reggaeton mediocrity, I don't care how many youtube views it has received, or how many times it has been streamed. (I would of course care if I were in the music industry.)

Me [while Africando's "Yay Boy" is playing in club]: This is a good song.
Puerto Rican salsera: Do you understand the words?
Me: No.
Puerto Rican salsera: How do you know it's a good song.

A lot of people think that way, not just white non-Hispanics.

True re how many people react to non-English songs. However while I recognize that statistically the likelihood of reggaeton or more obscure Latinx sounds becoming a regular part of the mainstream US pop culture may be small, I understand the desire for that culture to be represented.

So "Despacito" was played at a wedding that I was at over Labor Day weekend, and even two (likely Trump supporting )conservatives there that I know, danced.

Kind of like this, but the melodies seem very familiar and I suspect it's a cover:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cghPur_wWz0

New Plena Libre album.

I'm just looking through the very esoteric Spotify New Music Friday Latin playlist.

the melodies seem very familiar and I suspect it's a cover

Yeah - it's right there in the video description: "un remake del clásico de Jorge González"

Here's the original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZTp-jWf_GM

OK. I originally heard it on Spotify.

Thanks for heads up on new Plena Libre. Like them

Poor Puerto Rico...Hurricane hit it hard