Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2021: Reggaeton, Salsa, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Bachata, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

I really like this new Marc Anthony song (which is apparently a reworking of an Africando song I've never heard). His scraggly look and newly gravelly voice work well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EarnVR8_Og

Have never seen Marc Anthony live and am tempted to see him Friday night at Capital One Arena in DC but Live Nation isn’t requiring vaccinations at arena shows here until October, so I don’t quite feel ready for that ( plus wife and I will be helping out my elderly Mom anyway that night). Another time hopefully.

Interesting. Wanna say I never saw him live, but I did once, sort of.

Yeah Rauw Alejandro “Todas de ti” is pop disco that some say steals from others, but I still like it.

Also I like by others that I have heard on radio lately:
Nati Natasha las nenas
A Fruko y Tesos remix
Tata remix w/ several or more on it

I need to listen to Loud Podcast reggaeton history w/ Ivy Queen

they got el alfa and farruko on "si trucho no es trucho remix" and surprise surprise it sounds great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KktT_jxfR8s

Yeah Rauw Alejandro “Todas de ti” is pop disco that some say steals from others, but I still like it.

i like "desenfocado," which kinda sounds like phantogram or something

*desenfocao

X-post - I liked Marc Anthony’s scraggly look and his acting in the movie version of “In the Heights “ too

Ife “Fake Blood” on first listen is a kind of interesting mix of various styles w/ rapped lyrics about Black Lives Matter, some auto tuned chants, programmed synth and bass beats , and what sounds like maracas too

Isabelia Herrera in NY Times says it’s a revelation

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/magazine/dancing-new-york-summer.html

Fascinating to me article on dancing in the pandemic in Nueva York to various Afro-Latinx and black styles with bits about age, race, class and more

RIP ROBERTO ROENA 1940-2021 Roberto Roena was a Puerto Rican salsa music percussionist, orchestra leader, and dancer. Was in El Gran Combo and had his own band Su Apollo Sound who had records on Fania

https://latinomusiccafe.com/2010/01/24/the-legend-of-roberto-roena-part-1/

A detailed history sorta of Roena penned awhile ago

As I said in the obituary thread on ILE, I've heard the first 10 Apollo Sound albums and there's not a bad one in the bunch. The guy was a legend for a reason.

Meanwhile in Latin pop

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/9635302/2021-billboard-latin-music-awards-full-list-bad-bunny

Camilo got 10 Latin Grammys nominations , Juan Luis Guerra 6 and Bad Bunny 4 ( some others got 4 also)

Leila Cobo in Billboard says:

Overwhelmingly, this year’s nominations lean more toward fusions, reflecting tradition, but also a new Latin pop movement that easily coexists with urban innovators. In sharp contrast to 2020’s reggaetón-heavy slate of nominations, this year, save for Bad Bunny’s El Ultimo Tour del Mundo’s nomination for album of the year, reggaetón was mostly eschewed in the main categories. The only “urban” nominations in record or song of the year, for example, went to tracks that cross genres, like Rauw Alejandro’s “Todo de Ti,” Maluma’s “Hawai” and Tainy and J Balvin’s “Agua.”

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/9637170/2021-latin-grammys-nomination/

C. Tangana received five 2021 Latin GRAMMY® nominations for his breakthrough album ‘El Madrileño’ today. He has been nominated in the “Album of the Year” category, in the “Best Pop/Rock Song” category for “Hong Kong (Feat. Andres Calamaro)”, “Record of the Year” for “Te Olvidaste (Feat. Omar Apollo)” and a double nomination in the “Best Alternative Song” category for “Te Olvidaste” and “Nominao (Feat. Jorge Drexler)."

gonna check C Tangana album out too

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2021-10-06/ivy-queen-spotify-podcast-loud-gets-reggaeton-history-right

This 10 part podcast on the history of reggaeton is hosted by Ivy Queen and has been getting favorable writeups ( from what I have seen) . Alas, it was produced by Spotify

Felix Contreras of npr, writer Julyssa Lopez , and others re how reggaeton artists feel disrespected by Latin Grammys

https://www.kawc.org/post/reggaeton-rules-latinx-music-not-latin-grammys

Chilean singer Mon Laferte has been living in Mexico since 2007. While her last album had big band arrangements, salsa and some electro , her new one reflects traditional Mexican influences in part.

Washington Post writeup by a freelancer:

“It isn’t only mariachi,” Laferte says. “I tried to showcase music from different regions.” In “Seis,” there are collaborations with La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho, a brass ensemble from Sinaloa, and with Mujeres del Viento Florido, an orchestra formed by Indigenous Oaxacan women. Irreverent, soulful and self-assured, Laferte nails every note on “Seis” with style and originality

Laferte recently I just learned spent some time in Los Angeles and is releasing another album. This time Latin pop for 1940 Carmen album due Oct 29. Her prior one Seis, with the Mexican aspects, came out in April

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW6L_lTrIFg

On this C Tangana tiny desk home concert from some months back, the large ensemble suddenly do some nice a capella singing of New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle “(every time I see …get down on my knees and pray) in the middle

Reading Carina del Valle Schorske free subscription email about dancing in NYC. She wrote interesting NY Times magazine article I linked to above a little while ago. Latest email has details related to that article.

Because of family responsibilities I keep missing N#d S#blette’s Thursday night postmambo online events with movie docs and guest speakers. Tonight he is showing a doc Old Man Bebo about Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes .

At Birdland for Isaac Delgado now.

This is great! I knew some of the horn players but this keyboard player who I still don’t know the name of is killing.

Salsa dura, sabrosura!

Esto es el guaguanco!

I mean he didn’t sing that particular song, just a couple of other guaguancos.

Sorry, Issac Delgado

You may have seen Ned there. Or he went the night before I guess. Hmmm, trying to remember if Delgado has ever come down to DC. I dunno. Sounds like a good show. I don’t recognize band but Ned says band is :

. Let the record show that the band is: Issac Delgado Jr. (pno), Yorgis Goiricelaya (bass), Liván Mesa (keys), Marcos López (timbal), Camilo Molina (timbal, Fri and Sat), with a double conga chair -- Manny Márquez and Roberto Vizcaíno Jr. -- each with three drums and also each with a juego de bongó as well. Horns are Mike Rodríguez, trp; Román Filiu, sax; Carlos Pérez (former Havana d'Primera), bone

Reading a reference to Alvaro Diaz as emo reggaeton . Need to investigate

I like Alvaro Diaz on first quick listen

the workers painting my bathroom like listening to Dominican bachata singer Zacarias Ferreira as did one of the moving company employees. Ferreira also did 2 shows recently in the DC area

https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/2021-latin-grammys-winners-list-1234999583/

Latin Grammys

Saw a tweet saying reggaeton vocalist Myke Towers performed on Latin Grammys w/ salsa band doing “Perequito Pin Pin.

I wonder if this is on YouTube or a Latin Grammys page

Latin Grammys Honor ‘Patria y Vida’ and Celebrate Rubén Blades
The Cuban protest anthem was named song of the year. Camilo and Juan Luis Guerra tied for the most awards. Blades, honored as person of the year, also won album of the year.

Myke Towers rapping with salsa dancers and band on 2021 Latin Grammys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5wQq7xsX1o

Not amazing but I like that Towers live rendition even if that’s a Grammys cliche to get different generations to all enjoy

Eslabon Armado are a California based Mexican pop group with ranchera roots I think. This song is getting lots of radio and Spotify plays. I like it (kinda soft but that’s ok)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CULF9lXH87w

https://afropop.org/audio-programs/the-sound-of-new-york-latin-music

"The Sound of New York Latin Music" takes a deep sonic dive into the great New York Latin discography, with host Georges Collinet and guest host Ned Sublette, who produced and megamixed. Special guest Dr. Ben Lapidus, author of New York and the International Sound of Latin Music 1940-1990, tells us stories of the musicians and the conditions that made the city's music unique. With nonstop music by Ray Barretto, Jerry González and the Fort Apache Band, Markolino Diamond, a snippet of Joe Quijano's bugalú version of "Fiddler on the Roof," and about a thousand more.

Cool. I’ve seen Ben Lapidus play tres when Mike Eckroth does his Arsenio Rodriguez tribute, which is a lot of fun.

Didn’t know about his recent book though, nor that Chris Washburne had one as well.

Hmm. Looks like Mike Eckroth's sister Rachel is nominated for a Grammy. Maybe I will bring it up on the Rolling Jazz thread.

Haven't seen Lapidus play, but maybe someday. Oh wow, Washburne's Latin Jazz book came out in 2020. Who knew?

Here's sad news:

RIP flamboyant, brilliant Yale art and music professor Robert Farris Thompson. I saw him speak in DC twice and was wowed by his knowledge of African art, music, and religion as well as Afro-Latino art, music, and faith. This Texas raised guy, who spent some years living in Nigeria, schooled audiences ( including me) on the history of pre-salsa mambo music in an entertaining manner that was also scholarly. Beyoncé is seen reading his book Black Gods and Kings in her Black is King movie, and his Flash of the Spirit book on African art and culture inspired many.

I almost took his class Freshman year, but in the end I only sat in on the first few classes. Little did I know...

Was looking to see if any musicians commented on his passing. Didn't see anything right away but then finallly I saw a long post by Neil Clarke.

Eddie Palmieri tweet

Sending my deepest condolences to the family of my dear friend Dr. Robert Farris Thompson. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his depth of work as an art historian and including my musical contributions within the content of his many books and additional publications. 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/fYsRCq73SF

— Eddie Palmieri (@EddiePalmieri) November 30, 2021

Greg Tate-musician and critic in a public FB and IG post

A giant of African cultural scholarship no longer walks among us but along what Sun Ra called The Celestial Road. Professor Robert Farris Thompson’s lectures and books impact on C. Daniel Dawson,David Hammons. Jean Michel Basquiat, Kelly Jones, Kerry James Marshall, Henry Louis Gates, Judith Wilson, Sanford Biggers, and Arthur Jafa was immense, especially Flash of the Spirit which we essayed upon in Flyboy In The Buttermilk under the title ‘Guerilla Scholar On The Loose’. Peace go witcha Professor RFT.

Another book to add to the list...