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Uncovering B.Léza - Cesaria Evora’s songwriter
Few people had heard of Cabo Verde, an arc of islands off the coast of Senegal, until Cesária Évora put them on the map. B. Leza is one of the most important composers in the history of Cabo Verde, and anyone who knows Cesária…
THE POWER OF NOW: An Interview with Cultura Profética
Cultura Profética is one of Puerto Rico's most influential bands. Formed in 1996, the group came to encapsulate what it is to be Latin Caribbean with its unique fusion of Caribbean reggae and Latin genres such as bossa nova…
Things That Matter To...Flavia Coelho
From the morros of Rio de Janeiro where she was born to the paved streets of Paris, where she now resides, Flavia Coelho has travelled the world and is at home where her music feels welcome. Needless to say, the Brazilian has…
Reclaiming Tango: an interview with Maia Castro
Quality and passion never go out of fashion and the wonder of tango is that, though one of the most traditional music genres in Latin America, it keeps evolving and producing new and exciting singers. One of those is singer-…
Brazilian Strings: Interview with Cellist Tania Lisboa
Corina Poore interviews Brazilian cellist Tania Lisboa, who celebrates 30 years based in the UK with a charity concert playing the sublime music of Villa- Lobos, Debussy, Guarnieri and Bridge with Scottish pianist Elizabeth Mucha…
Salsa Albums of New York's 'Golden Era'
Over the years there have been so many different types of Salsa that it is impossible to do an over-arching Top Ten Salsa albums. Here are the best of New York's Golden Era. In the following weeks we'll be bringing you…
Cumbia Feminism?
What is Acid Coco? You surely are asking. Acid Coco is that first sip of Colombian coffee in the morning to get the day started right. Acid Coco is taking a stroll through ‘El Tayrona’ watching the sunset, making you feel in tune…
Cuba's Real Royalty
When Charles and Camilla visited Cuba in March this year they were probably unaware that Cuba has its own royalty in the shape of popular female Cuban Rap duo “La Reyna y La Real” (“Reyna” being a popular Cuban name which is…
The Juanes Mash Up
The Colombian music landscape has transformed dramatically over the last 10 years, with reggaetón becoming the new pop, but one Medellín rockero has transcended all trends and remains as relevant today doing the music he loves.…
Antonio Lizano's Jazz Eñe
To mark the end of this year's Flamenco Fetsival, Saxophonist Antonio Lizana played a variety of fascinating tracks at The Cervantes Theatre, exploring new pastures in Flamenco/Jazz fusion. The compositions of this cantaor/…
Paco de Lucia
Paco de Lucía: (Francisco Sánchez Gomez), guitarist and composer, born 21 December 1947; died 25 February 2014
The Modern Face of Fado
With a recent sold out performance at Cadogan Hall and fans including Mick Jagger and Caetano Veloso, public demand has already booked Ana Moura's return to the Barbican in September. Latinolife talks to Portugal's new…
MORAES MOREIRA - Brazilian Musician (1947-2020)
Antonio Carlos Moraes Moreira, the Bahian singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer known to his many fans as ‘o eterno novo baiano’ (the eternal new Bahian), passed away following a heart attack on 13th April at 72 years of age.
Things That Matter To...Antonio Lizana
Growing up immersed in the world of Flamenco, Cádiz-born Antonio Lizana studied Jazz in Musikene, the Advanced Music School in San Sebastián. Though submerged in jazz composition, he found that flamenco crept into every song he…
Mexican Mambo
Widely regarded as one of the most influential Mexican music bands of all time, La Sonora Santanera’s unique big band style with elements of mambo, cha cha cha, bolero, cumbia and merengue, has made it popular all over Latin…
10 Love Songs to play your Valentine
To be honest, we could make a hundred lists of Latino love songs, indeed we have, so this year we decided to put it out to the public. Here is what we got for the Valentine's Playlist 2023!
The History of Reggaetón
For those of you who've come to it late, here's a beginner's guide...
OUR TIME TO SHINE
Sons and daughters of immigrants, the UK’s first-generation Spanglish-singing Latino-Brits have been busy creating in the shadows of a bustling UK urban music scene. But with music in Spanish now making the global hits, they…
Top 10 Noughties Reggaeton Tracks
From Tego to Daddy Yankee here are the top 10 Noughties Reggaeton hits from our freinds at Reggaeton.co.uk! From early to mid 00's this may even be a younger generations "old school" list.
Birdsong in Quechua
Considered one of the most important indigenous singers to emerge out of South America over the last 50 years, through her 25 albums Luzmila Carpio has inspired millions while singing in both her native Aymara-Quechua language…
Daddy Yankee performs @ 02 Arena
London provided an electric atmosphere at The 02 but the performance by the King of Reggaetón didn't do it justice, says Abhijit Kapadia
Karol G has good results in the African continent singing in Spanish
The Colombian singer Karol G continues to go beyond with her music, and with her last presentation, she overcame cultural and language barriers, something that she herself did not believe. The artist participated this weekend at…
Spotlight on…Rubén Blades
There are many great salsa tunes; ones that, when you hear them in a club and you’re dancing, you don’t want them to end. And then there is Rubén Blades; the Panamanian song-writing law student with an abundance of rhythm,…
The Trailblazers of Latin Hit-Making
From Perez Prado and Vinicius de Moraes to Carlos Santana and Emilio and Gloria Estevan, in our series of articles on Latin-hit-making in the UK, we recognize the heavyweights from Latin America and the Latin diaspora, whose…
Remembering...Pablo Milanés (1943-2022)
Where Poetry and patriotism meet sublime musicality. Any Latin American will know the angelic voice of one of Cuba's most well known singer-song writers, who stands tall amidst a plethora of Cuban musical legends. Love songs…
‘Siembra’ and the Birth of The Latin Nation
In 1978, Ruben Blades, a young Panamanian “Sonero” and Willie Colon, a New York-born trombone player, producer and poster boy for the already booming salsa industry of New York, got together and released what would become the…
We Love Charlie Palmieri (1927-1988)
Pianist, organist, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator, Charlie Palmieri, Eddie’s older brother was one of the fundamental players in the development of Latin music in NY. His virtuosity and love for his art drove Charlie…
From The Docks To The Decks: The Cumbia explosion
Cumbia, a Colombian musical genre whose humble beginnings lie in the port of Cartagena, is finding its way into the hands of enthralled DJs and producers across the world. Why is it, asks Olly West, that a genre celebrated…
Things That Matter to...Luiz Morais
Composer, arranger and 7-string guitarist Luiz Morais was born in Fortaleza, Brazil. Based in London since 201, the 32 year-old Brazilian is a unique voice in contemporary Jazz guitar and a virtuoso performer. Graduated in…
“The Birth of Latin Jazz was simultaneous to the Birth of Jazz”
Associate Professor of Music at Columbia University, Chris Washburne is one of the world’s leading academics on both jazz and Latin music and a respected musician in his own right, having played with many of the artists he writes…
THE FABULOUS QUINTEROS
In most families, being a world class musician would be the pride of the family, but if you belong to the Quinteros of San Agustín, Caracas, it is merely fulfilling the duty of a long line of stellar musicians. Amaranta Wright…
Straddling Cultures and Continents
One wouldn’t normally associate musicians with early mornings, but Kevin Johansen is no normal musician. At 8.30 am Buenos Aires time, the Alaskan-born Argentine is just back from doing the school-run with his charm and warmth…
A Passion for Piazzolla
Astor Piazzolla has inspired many artists around the world, none more so than Ann Liebeck, creator of Violetta's Last Tango, the opera dance drama that premiered in Wilton’s Music Hall in 2017 and is streamed tonight. Here…
Roberto Roena Tunes That Rock the Dance Floor
What can we say about Roberto Roena and his Apollo Sound? Well, he went from dancer to Bongocero to bandleader and mastered all three tasks, becoming one of the most recognised salsa musicians ever. Apart from being the leading…
WOMEN ON THE VERGE: Iberian Female Talent on the Rise
In the last few years, in an attempt to catch up with the US-based powerhouse that has become Latin music, Spain’s musical output has been in overdrive. While Karol G overtakes her male counterparts as reggaetón’s most successful…
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