
Classic Album: 'MTO² New Generation' by Don Omar
We revisit Don Omar's Album "Meet the Orphans 2: New Generation", released nine years ago. Full of surprises and without a shadow of a doubt, an album that made history in music.
The Sum of Tribes
What happens when three friends get together in a hut on a beach to jam? A best-selling album of course. Well, perhaps only if you are already best-selling superstars. Felipe Botelho Correa talks to Marisa Monte, Arnaldo Antunes…
Latin Londoner #20 ..Emeris Solis - Percussionist
Emeris is one of Europe’s best Latin percussionists and the epitome of the Latin immigrant who has earned success in London through his craft. Chilled, good humored, and professional, he is a master in Colombian folklore,…
Philippe Baden Powell: Notes Over Poetry (Far Out Recordings)
New era Brazilian Jazz rooted in its history
The Reggaetón Boss
Back in 2005, Daddy Yankee became the only Reggaetón artist ever to chart in the UK, with 'Gasolina' at #4. Now the same artist has again hit the spot and broken another record with his current song ‘Despacito,’…
THE SEPTEMBER REGGAETON RECAP
September brings a temperature drop but the artists’ this month are still making some fire records. From a bossa nova song performed in Portuñol to a track with six artists taking their turns to show off their fast and sharp flow…
Things That Matter to…Harold Lopez Nussa
Recently signed to Blue Note Records, Harold started piano when he was eight years old in Havana, Cuba. After graduating from the Instituto Superior de Artes, he toured with Omara Portuondo and in 2003, worked with the Cuban…
Ana Moura at the Cadogan Hall
Ana Moura’s last week’s show in London sold out weeks in advance. Yet the selection of the Cadogan Hall in the heart of Chelsea – home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) – seemed a good choice. The venue provides the…
Latin Londoner #47 - Esco, Music Producer
Esco is an young up-and-coming sound engineer and producer. Born in Camden to Jamaican and Colombian parents he has absorbed two musical cultures in a very London way. After being heavily involved in gangs as a teenager which…
Juan Luis Guerra’s Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need, to get you through those times of despair? Man cannot live on sun and fish alone right? Our castaway, Juan Luis Guerra, one of Latin America’s…
Susana Baca's Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need to get you through those times of despair? Our castaway this month is Susana Baca, the greatest international exponent of Afro-Peruvian music, having…
Danilo Perez' Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need to get you through those times of despair? Our castaway this month is Danilo Perez, the composer and pianist who has put Panama on the map of…
Total Eternal Gozadera
It’s not unusual for someone who’s never been to an ‘Amigos’ concert to emerge saying ‘that was the best concert I’ve ever been to.’ The energy and commitment to ‘total party’ in the live performances of Venezuela’s most popular…
Surrogate Latino #6: Jonny Liebeck, Latin Jazz Pianist and Bandleader
Jonny impressed us so much with his Latin soul/jazz/funk quartet at last year's London Latin Music Conference. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban, the young Liebeck is quickly making a name for…
Hustle and Grind in the Mexican Music Scene
Struggle is the name of the game in Mexican music, but the creativity and innovation keep flowing with eclectic genres and fusions blossoming from the land of the Aztecs
Carlos Vives’ Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need, to get you through those times of despair? Man cannot live on sun and fish alone right? Our castaway, Carlos Vives, one of the most emblematic…
Don Chezina, Wisin and Jon Z will put you on the beat of "3G
In the firstly, Wisin has united his voice to that of the Puerto Ricans Don Chezina and Jon Z for a new song that promises to make all reggaeton lovers to dance.
Things That Matter to...CRIOLO
Dubbed as "the most important figure on the Brazilian pop scene" by Caetano Veloso, Criolo is a hard-hitting MC of the people who has had massive cross-over success in Brazil.
Big Little Sister
It would be surprising if iLe, Puerto Rico’s latest hot musical export, had nothing to say. Not only was she the sole female vocalist in rap group Calle 13, she has been performing with her politically astute half-brothers, Rene…
APRIL REGGAETON RECAP
Latin women are dominating the documentary industry in the past four weeks. Whether it was Anitta's game-changing 'Larissa' dropping at the end of March or Karol G's 'Mañana fue muy bonito' and now…
Santo Domingo Blues: Los Tigueres de la Bachata (2004) by Alex Wolfe.
A genre once ignored and disrespected by the Latin American elite as no more than bawdy ghetto music, bachata has risen to stand beside the best of salsa and merengue, and arguably outstrip both in popularity around the world, to…
THE AUGUST REGGAETON RECAP
As we enjoy the last few days of sunshine and blue skies, artists have been dropping some upbeat melodies that are catchy enough to clear any summer blues. An American R&B songstress has decided to team up with a Baile funk…
Arsenio Rodriguez - Como se Goza en el Barrio. Havana & NYC recordings 1946-1962’
Grosso! Recordings Arsenio Rodriguez, aka the ‘Marvellous Blind man’ is one of Latin music’s greatest unsung heroes. A true genius, he created the roots s of what eventually would become Salsa. He died poor and forgotten in the…
Latin DNA by Dorance Lorza and Sexteto Cafe
The latest release from one of the UK's most outstanding Latin musicians
Caribbean Calm
Pedro Capó’s single featuring Alicia Keys and Farruko has become the song of this summer. With its feel good lyrics and calming reggae tinge, embodying the spirit of the Hispanic Caribbean, Calma has accrued 1.4 billion views on…
Grupo Niche 35 Aniversario (Codiscos)
This Colombian salsa institution shows no sign of stopping. Even after the death of its founder and musical brain Jairo Varela, this album shows how the Cali group has managed to keep the band going without losing quality or…
THE DECEMBER REGGAETON RECAP
This month is all about gift giving and these artists must’ve read our Christmas lists because they know exactly what tracks we’ve wished for. Everyone's favourite musical acts have been busy wrapping not just presents but…
The Midas Touch
While the whole world (yes even Simon Cowell) seems to have caught the Reggaetón bug and new talents (and not-so talented) are battling for no.1 hits on a weekly basis, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter has been riding on a high…
Ibero-African Tragi-harmony
Paco Peña, arguably the best-known flamenco guitarist and composer outside Spain, talks about the musical harmony and human tragedy of Africa’s relationship with Spain. In his upcoming dance show at Sadler's Well's…
The New Latin Hit-Makers
The last article in our series on Latin Hit-making, Jose Luis Seijas spots the emerging talent from Latin America who, with luck on their side, will be the Latin hit-makers of the next few years. These are the names to look out…
Eliane Elias: Dance of Time (Concord Jazz)
Eliane Elias breathes new life into samba in her latest album - a celebration not only of this uniquely Brazilian sound, but also of her collaboration with musicians who have played an important role in her career.
Bebel Gilberto's Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need to get you through those times of despair? This castaway, world renowned and multi-Grammy-nominated Bebel Gilberto, daughter of bossa nova icon Joao…
Salsa Hits of the 1980s
In the 1980s, salsa romantica was in ascendance with the likes of Frankie Ruiz and the tender melodies of Grupo Niche, while Ruben Blades and Willie Colón kept stretching the boundaries of political salsa. Whether in New York or…
Lenacay: A New Chapter
Ramón Giménez El Brujo talks to Latino Life about the transition from Ojos de Brujo to Lenacay.
The Good Vibe
Not only did he showcase Bossa Nova to the world, Sergio Mendes personifies how you don’t have to be a shark to succeed in the global music business. Due to play in London next month, the Brazilian music legend reminisces with…