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

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.

What does that have to do with this thread?

http://uproxx.com/music/karol-g-casi-nada-acoustic-uncharted/

Reggaeton/ r’nb /Trap vocalist Karol G goes acoustic in the link

She's on tour in the US. With rapper Noriel. Karol G is from Colombia.

On a separate unrelated US tour is the current version of salsa band Grupo Niche, from Colombia.

from wiki--
At the age of 62, Varela was found dead in his Cali home on August 8, 2012, apparently from heart failure.[3] Jairo's daughter, Yanila Varela has been the Grupo Niche's owner since her father's death in 2012.

Karol G with reggaeton & "salsa Urbana" producers/performers LaFame. I kinda like this one too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7xZUPI4LwA

RIP percussionist Bobby Matos

Born in the Bronx, moved to Cali in the 80s played with lots of Latino and non-Latino acts (Miriam Makeba, Jim Croche)

http://www.mcny.org/exhibition/rhythm-power

Would like to see this Rhythm and Power: Salsa in NYC exhibit before it closes 11-26. But not sure I will be able to

I was up in NYC this weekend and made it to the Rhythm and Power: Salsa in NYC exhibit! It's small but enjoyable. A great dance video in the hallway that show's the outline of dancers doing various steps, plus a bunch of album covers and other artifacts and audio and photos. Some nice old Palladium ones from the 50s.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/11/17/arts/music/latin-grammys-despacito-lin-manuel-miranda.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

Wow, Ruben Blades won album of the year at the Latin Grammys in Vegas.

I was up in NYC this weekend and made it to the Rhythm and Power: Salsa in NYC exhibit! It's small but enjoyable.

Only open at Museum of City of NY through Sunday....

Wow, Ruben Blades won album of the year at the Latin Grammys in Vegas.

The album "Salsa Big Band" credited to Blades and Roberto Delgado & Orquesta does not appear to be on Spotify

I'm back in love with "Imitadora," but definitely despite Romeo Santos' ridiculous shtick.

His devoted fans like it, I guess

http://remezcla.com/lists/music/best-latin-songs-of-2017/

#2. "Tú y Yo" - La Favi

#3"Mi Gente" - J Balvin, Willy William

#4 "Soy Peor" - Bad Bunny

Those Armada Fania remixes mentioned upthread are fire btw

Cuban jazz pianist David Virelles is on Ben Ratliff ‘s best of album list in Esquire

NY Times jazz critic also has David Virelles on his album list for 2017.

NY Times critic Jon Caramanica has Ozuna on his album list and I think 3 or so Latin trap or reggaeton cuts on his single list.

Not seeing Ruben Blades (not on Spotify) Salsa Big Band album on any list (it won at the Latin Grammys though)

For those compiling your year-end lists, this playlist includes all the available tracks on this thread, organized roughly chronologically in order of mention:

ILM's 2017 Rolling Latin and Afro-Latin Thread Spotify Playlist

NPR album list for the year has Latin Jazz like Miguel Zenon

Almost everything I've heard by him has been utterly snooze-inducing. There, I didn't want to disappoint you by not making a predictable comment.

Miguel Zzzzzzzzzzzzz-on.

If Zenon were not constantly foregrounding his puertorriquenidad (and not even in musical ways, or musically interesting ways, a lot of the time), I wonder if he would attract so much attention. But then, I don't listen to much jazz and frequently don't get what it is that jazz lovers love about the jazz they love.

He's never impressed me either. I haven't listened yet to the other Latin jazz fave of critics for this year-Cuban jazz pianist David Virelles .

New Pete Perignon album. He has the advantage of being from a PR salsa family dynasty. I haven't heard it all yet, but I doubt it's going to set the world on fire. Not bad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT83bqrN9hI