From the Underground to the World — and Back Again: The History of Reggaeton
Partying to the dembow rhythm - now a standard on the dance floors of the world, from London, Dubai and Cape Town to Medellín, Madrid, or Tokyo, it’s hard to imagine that reggaetón was once banished from Puerto Rican radio. The…
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…
Arcangel's Latest Album: Los Favoritos 2.5
The legendary Arcangel does it once again with this latest album Los Favoritos 2.5 filled with 15 songs. This album is not one to sleep on! It gives you the old school reggaeton vibes mixed with a few tracks with he new school…
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…
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…
Historic Beat Battle: Tainy Vs. Luny
As the government’s guidelines to quarantine are extended, creatives all around the globe have taken their hidden and not-so-hidden talents to the gram.
Paco de Lucia
Paco de Lucía: (Francisco Sánchez Gomez), guitarist and composer, born 21 December 1947; died 25 February 2014
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.
'AS YOU SEE ME NOW' by The Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with José Feliciano
A stunning 14-track collaboration between Puerto Rican guitar legend and Grammy Award winner José Feliciano and Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, you can really feel how these musicians enjoyed making these…
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…
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…
“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…
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…
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.…
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-…
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…
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…
Los Babasonicos @ The Dome, Tufnell Park, 27th October
A lack-lustre performance from the classic Argentine band, lacking its fans' enthusiasm for an Argentine night to remember in the classic North London msuic venue
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…
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/…
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…
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…
Latin Jazz Next Gen
Unlike other music, Jazz musicians get better with age. In Jazz linguistics, at 40, you’re a toddler just starting to talk! The following artists have pricked up our ears with their exciting new sounds. Both blessed and burdened…
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…
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…
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!
Music City Guide: Bogotá
Over the years, LatinoLife has built up relationships with amazing DJs worldwide, whose passion, knowledge and dedication to music we admire. In the second part of our new series MUSIC CITY GUIDES, where we ask DJs from around…
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…
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,…
Victor Jara presente – Across the World
'The Right to Live in Peace' and 'Manifesto': the two Victor Jara Songs of hope of the 1970s that became anthems for today's young protesters
‘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…
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…
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…
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…
Remembering João Gilberto
When we think of bossa nova, the revolutionary music that catapulted the evocative sound of Brazil onto the global stage, with think of João Gilberto, who gave voice to the extraordinary songs such as 'Desfinado',…