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

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

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/arts/music/lin-manuel-miranda-puerto-rico-relief-song.html?_r=0

The charity benefit song "Almost Like Praying" is on Spotify. It's got its moments.

Rather than creating a mournful number, Mr. Miranda said in an interview, he hoped to capture “the spirit of the island.” As a result, the bilingual “Almost Like Praying,” which takes its title and chorus from Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s “Maria,” from “West Side Story,” is bursting with energy

an upbeat charity single featuring an all-star lineup of Latin artists from across genres and generations, including Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan, Fat Joe, Luis Fonsi, Rubén Blades, Camila Cabello, John Leguizamo, Rita Moreno and Marc Anthony....
Also featured on the song: Pedro Capo, Dessa, Juan Luis Guerra, Alex Lacamoire, Ednita Nazario, Joell Ortiz, Anthony Ramos, Gina Rodriguez, Gilberto Santa Rosa, PJ Sin Suela, Tommy Torres and Ana Villafañe.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igC2mWONVZQ

washburne is an all around cool dude

Have you met him?

yeah, coupla times. very friendly on those occasions and happy to talk details and history. also works with belafonte's social justice project teaching music to prisoners
https://www.sankofa.org/

Cool. Did you tell him about your dad?

heh, yeah i did because he was doing a show about the caribbean roots of ragtime and it seemed pertinent.

Was that for his latest project, Rags and Bones?

yep, i saw him do it with a full band; was one of my better shows of this year tbh

https://www.zohomusic.com/cds_detail.php?cds_id=171

Saw Washburne in visiting bands in DC a few times. Good player.

Unrelated. Caught some of this below linked PBS doc recently, that aired earlier this year. Some great 60s and 70s NY footage in this. Fania era

http://www.pbs.org/video/latin-music-usa-hour-2-the-salsa-revolution/

http://remezcla.com/lists/music/latinx-music-writers/

Mostly pop and reggaeton

N*d S*blette likes his live NY Latin Jazz

Cuban trovador José Aquiles (from Santiago de Cuba) with David Virelles (his son) at the Jazz Gallery on the 20th. I'd definitely go see Harold López-Nussa at the Blue Note (Oct. 23-24), and I'd go to Bobby Sanabria's PR benefit at Le Poisson Rouge (23).

... benefit organized by Miguel Zenón at Jazz Gallery Nov. 1,

. . . and to this one:>#POETSFORPUERTORICO / A Reading for Hurricane Relief / Saturday, November 4, 2017 / 6:00 p.m.
Poets House / 10 River Terrace / Corner Murray & River Terrace / New York, NY

Heard the J. Balvin remix of "Mi Gente" with Beyoncé on Spanish-language pop radio this morning.

i don't understand much spanish. i just learned what the chorus lyrics to becky g's "mayores" mean and O_o

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

yeah, huh.

> Singer orders all white audience members to stand in the back

> White female volunteer refuses

> Volunteer banned for being racist 🙈 pic.twitter.com/kPgHZNTJDL

— The Safest Space (@TheSafestSpace) November 4, 2017

It's okay to be white.