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

As always, we will define broadly what can fit here, but the emphasis should be on Reggaeton, Salsa, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Bachata, Merengue, Urbano

Here's last year's thread

Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2020: Reggaeton, Salsa, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Bachata, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

If you want a read a tribute to salsa singer Tito Rojas who died late last year (at too young an age), go to this Spanish language blog

https://latinosunidosonline.wordpress.com/author/latinosunidosonline/

way behind on my reggaeton listening.

Meanwhile, Latin Jazz continues on. Here are the top 2020 results from the NPR Jazz critic poll that has sepate Latin Jazz and jazz vocalists and jazz reissues categoreis

NPR Latin Jazz from above

Latin
1. Arturo O'Farrill/The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Four Questions (Zoho)
Votes: 18
Bandleader Arturo O'Farrill translates the essential inquiry at the heart of W.E.B DuBois' tract, The Souls of Black Folks, into an epic symphonic exploration. How does virtue face down violence? O'Farrill and his orchestra respond with polyrhythmic vivacity and harmonic elation. Yet, the lightly spoken sections — Dr. Cornel West's contribution — invoke the deep suffering that prompted DuBois to write more than a century ago, and O'Farrill to compose today. –Suzanne Lorge

2. Aruán Ortiz With Andrew Cyrille and Mauricio Herrera, Inside Rhythmic Falls (Intakt) 11

3. Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola, Viento Y Tiempo: Live at the Blue Note Tokyo (Top Stop Music) 6

3. Diego Urcola Quartet Featuring Paquito D'Rivera, El Duelo (Sunnyside) 6

3. Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours, Chapter 10: Breaking Cover (Picaro) 6

6. Dafnis Prieto Sextet, Transparency (Dafnison Music) 5

6. Manuel Valera New Cuban Express Big Band, José Martí En Nueva York (Greenleaf Music) 5

Bad Bunny is gonna be the guest on Saturday Night Live February 20

Right now I am watching a different style of Latin music-- "From Tuba to Cuba" doc for free on Tipitina's tv youtube site re New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band visit to Cuba and playing with Cuban bands in different locations across the country

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/rauw-alejandro-afrodisiaco-interview-1126311/

Interesting profile of Puerto Rican r’n’b & reggaeton artist Rauw Alejandro

Been listening to SiriusXM Caliente station in the car recently and 2 salsa singers, Gilberto Santa Rosa & Victor Manuelle , get played among the reggaeton and Latin pop stars who are on the charts. It’s interesting how radio playlist creators decide who can fit in their tight formats and who can’t. I wish their playlist would be more varied, but I am not in demographic surveys apparently.

Bad Bunny was ok on SNL. 1 st song was a duet with Rosalia . I’m a fan but his delivery of the 2 cuts didn’t wow me.

https://miguelzenon.bandcamp.com/album/el-arte-del-bolero

Miguel Zenon on link talks about how he listens to salsa and bolero singers for inspiration. This January album he is with Luis Perdomo. I haven’t listened yet. As I have noted on this board in the past, Zenon interviews always make me want to like his music, but then I do listen and he emphasizes improvisation, noise, and minimalism over rhythm and low-brow me gets disappointed. He is a MacArthur grant winner.

Becky G x Burna B:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz01aGerGcY
"Rotate"

Sounds good and is getting hype as part of a Pepsi ad ( with soccer /football in it)

ah, didn’t know that

hypnotic new Balvin track (with producer buddy Sky Rompiendo):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moFLjsO9TGA
J Balvin • Ma' G

New Balvin track didn’t wow me on first listen. I like some prior cuts that were more pop. Maybe on further listens the rhythm will feel more hypnotic to me, and the vocals will impress me more.

https://remezcla.com/music/anitta-kali-uchis-cazzu-respond-arcangels-insulting-instagram-story-slut-shaming-women/

Speaking of J Balvin, he’s also in this article. Didn’t know about his racist/sexist comment re Rihanna .

I have liked some of Arcangel’s music but his comments discussed in this story are hypocritical and problematic

Bad Bunny performance was great on the Grammys

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/eladio-carrion-monarca-interview-1138843/

Eladio Carrion

https://remezcla.com/features/music/si-tu-quiere-dembow-dominican-rappers-once-hated-dembow-now-theyre-its-vanguard/

Dominican dembow

https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/paulus-music-tokischa/

Paulus Music - Dominican dembow and trap

Thurs April 8 from 7-9 et via Eventbrite w/ a charge $

Join Radio Caña Negra as we kick off the first workshop in our community series with
@ReggaetonXGata This webinar delves into the historical and contemporary of plena, reguetón, perreo and race led by reggaeton historian and artist, Kathleen Eccleston

$40 seems a bit pricey
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/radio-cana-negra-presents-perreo-101-with-la-gata-tickets-147172317363

63rd Annual Grammy Awards WINNER · Best Latin Jazz Album · FOUR QUESTIONS · Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Haven’t listened to that O’farrill album yet. I wonder if he & his group add anything new or different to the standard Latin jazz structure?

so fucking ready for this Dominican banger to be the worldwide post-covid (or at least post-mass vaccination) party anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFTsv6IigQQ
Axel Rulay x Verbo Flow • Si Es Trucho Es Trucho

while the original has amassed 3M views on YouTube in less than two months, the remix with Farruko and El Alfa is at nearly 3.5M views in less than two *weeks*:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KktT_jxfR8s

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-03-29/karol-g-reggaeton-new-album-kg0516-anuel-aa

Interview w/ Latin pop/ Reggaeton vocalist Karol G . She has An Aventura guitarist on one track on her new album coming out Friday plus various other guests - J Balvin

First time hearing “si es trucho es trucho” and loving the vibe. Hope it becomes big in Mexico too.

Excited about the new Karol G album, will probably be the first massive album of 2021 in latinamerica.

"si es trucho es trucho" is a jam

From a press pr email about the April 17 Marc Anthony livestream concert ( where he will be joined by Daddy Yankee)

This coming Saturday, April 17th two of the most iconic Latin singers join the worlds of reggaetón and salsa music on stage to perform “De Vuelta Pa’ La Vuelta,” their latest single, which has spent 13 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Tropical Airplay, marks the first collaboration between the two Puerto Rican powerhouses

diggin dat Dominican dembow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4OCilO8oDo
El Alfa • Arrebatao

That’s a good one

Bad Bunny has announced a 2022 US arenas tour.

And it is selling out quickly.

Meanwhile the May 2021 LAMC is free and online

https://latinalternative.com/phone/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2lYgStaLOGm_ZbrKX8zpBfxJTE37QLAvyIIj8BmYMQD1sSWnSZR6BefzM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDr5FxxA58w

New Natalie Lafourcade duet Cien Anos, with Pepe Aguilar covering 1953 song popularized by Pedro Infante ; from her upcoming album Un Canto por Mexico, vol. 2.

The 'Un Canto' project benefits the cultural center El Centro de Documentación del Son Jarocho.

Marc Anthony concert stream Saturday night April 17 crashed as it could not handle demand

"si es trucho es trucho" is a jam

― dyl, Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Bad Bunny singing & dancing to “....trucho” on IG

"Young Zapatistas -- you know what they like?" He mumbled inaudibly into the microphone. "They like" mumble-mumble. "They really like" mumble-mumble. Finally, with reluctance. "They like -- reggaeton. There, you made me say it."

-- Subcomandante Marcos, quoted in Paul Theroux's "On the Plain of Snakes"

I didn’t remember to jump online quick to buy 2022 Bad Bunny tix, and now Stubhub, Ticketmaster etc are just selling them at insane prices. Maybe prices will drop close to show

Friday April 30, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.

(Bronx, NY) Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture presents “The Musical Journey of Jane Bunnett” on Friday April 30, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom, Facebook Live and YouTube. There will be tributes from percussionist Pedrito Martínez, pianist Hilario Durán, Yissy García of Maqueque and producer and writer Nat Chediak. The evening is hosted by Michael Ambrosino, producer and host of Currents, Dialectics & Dialogs at 33third.org

I missed that last night.

If you would rather catch up on reggaeton tv appearances than Latin jazz streams there is this

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/9548779/latin-artists-late-night-tv-2021-list/

amazing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jYEz66J_J4
Karol G ft. Mariah Angeliq • El Makinon

I need to pay so much more attention to Karol G. I also loved "Bichota", but she's got a whole album to explore, KG0156 - Moka mentioned it upthread.

there's also the Sech album 42 to check out. reggaeton needs more of my love, basically.

btw I’m including all the reggaeton/dembow/urbano tracks on this thread (there haven’t been all that many unfortunately) in an integrated Rolling Spotify playlist for all the Caribbean music threads (soca, dancehall, reggaeton/dembow/urbano, Martinique, other caribbopop). now 75 tracks in, feel free to follow:

ILM rolling Caribbean vibes 🥁🥁🥁

https://tidal.com/magazine/article/the-rise-of-dominican-dembow/1-56634

I missed the Friday May 7 Eddie Palmieri and small band stream $25 fee , via a Philadelphia entity . Not sure if still available

Apparently Latin Alternative Music Conference sessions are available now after that conference

https://latinalternative.com/phone/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2lYgStaLOGm_ZbrKX8zpBfxJTE37QLAvyIIj8BmYMQD1sSWnSZR6BefzM

great beat / riff:

original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N06bpHYU1ow
Nio García & Casper Magico • Travesuras

star-studded remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4pOLx72GkU
Nio García x Casper Magico x Ozuna x Myke Towers x Wisin & Yandel • Travesuras (Remix)

Tokischa, Haraca Kiko, El Cherry Scom: “Tukuntazo”

Plus 9 more

https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/the-10-best-songs-by-latinx-artists-in-2021-so-far/

some very nice tracks on that list, but no "Si Es Trucho Es Trucho", no glory.

posted Sofia Kourtesis' "By Your Side" on the Bobbins and Summer Hits threads.

Reggaeton star goes the 80’s disco pastiche route (ripping off a bit of Fergie in the process). Dropped a week ago and is climbing to the top of the charts in Spain and Latinamerica, seems like it will be an early summer anthem in there:

Rauw Alejandro - todo de ti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFPLIaMpGrY

^ reposting from the summer 2021 rolling thread.

If this ends up having stating power It’ll be curious to see if it ends up influencing other trap/reggaeton artists to shift into other pop territories. You can only do so many songs with the same dembow beat... after 4/5 years of almost every latin hit using a variation of it I think the audience might want a change.

*staying power

I know he’s not the biggest reggaeton/trap doing this shift. Bad Bunny has been hinting at an interest in doing pop/rock for quite some time and with guitars making a comeback in 2021 it might be the perfect time to release a song that continues on his “tenemos que hablar” route.

I could also see J Balvin following the guitar trend but we’ll see.

I don’t know if the audience is more tired of that same old reggaeton/trap beat or the disco pastiche sound though lol

either way i do like the song

Yeah I like it.

Not sick of the reggaeton beat tbh lol

https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/N/New-York-and-the-International-Sound-of-Latin-Music-1940-1990

Recent book by Ben Lapidus that author Ned Sublette mentioned he is reading

https://cri.fiu.edu/events/2021/teaching-the-cuban-discography-the-archive-as-clave/

Plus a free July 1 online Ned Sublette Cuban records talk

http://www.internationalsalsamuseum.org/advisory-board/

Some folks are trying to create a salsa music museum in the Bronx. They recently had a press conference

Rauw Alejandro in New York Times article by Isabelia Herrera

He adds house, bolero, baile funk, r‘’n’b to his sound

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/25/arts/music/rauw-alejandro-vice-versa.html

my favourite Rauw of the ones I’ve heard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mPXwuPc650
Rauw Alejandro ft. Mr. Naisgai • 2/Catorce

like it a lot more than “Todo de Ti” upthread

(he gets bonus points for his name too. that phonetic spelling of Raúl he goes by happens to also be a Dutch word meaning rough or raw - tho I guess the “raw” association (in English) may be deliberate on his part)

From Rauw's opening phrasing and pauses I can see why Bad Bunny is a fan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP9Bto5lOEQ

Patria y Vida” is song inspiring Cuban protestors

Patria y Vida has been a phenomenon since its release this year. The song is a collaboration between a group of Afro-Cuban reggaeton and hip-hop stars based in Miami, such as Yotuel Romero and Alexander Delgado, along with rappers Maykel Osorbo and El Funky, who live in Cuba. A YouTube video of the song has been viewed nearly 6 million times.

NPR article

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/13/1015318087/the-hip-hop-song-thats-driving-cubas-unprecedented-protests

I wonder if song “Patria y Vida” is getting any radio or or online streaming playlist attention outside of Cuban circles ? Or too political & not pop enough for mainstream Latinx marketing?

Old guys & older music nerds are seeing npr, The Guardian, & Rolling Stone articles about song shared online

Doh! Heard some Latinx pop and reggaeton I liked in car radio but didn’t figure out who the artists were.

But since then have been listening to Rauw Alejandro. Critics like to play up the songs that go beyond pop reggaeton , and he deserves credit for trying even if they don’t always work. I like the disco-y “Todo de Ti” and the more minimalist “2/Catorce “ mentioned above or elsewhere on ilx

James Redd may be the only person other than me who cares about this here, or mybe someone else on jazz thread (sent to me by a publicist though, so someone else must care)

The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA), in partnership with Lantern Organization and Mega Development, has announced, along with the New York City Department of Housing Development and Preservation, plans to bring a new 16,000 square feet Afro Latin Music & Arts Center along with 330 affordable housing units to East Harlem. The project, Timbale Terrace, will construct a new mixed-use development on the east side of Park Avenue between East 118th Street and East 119th Street (formerly a NYPD 25th Precinct Parking Site) with a performing arts center operated by the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. Timbale Terrace will offer housing to low-income families while the Afro Latin Music & Arts Center will provide community programs, music and technical production training, after-school programs, free arts education classes, community event spaces, world-class live performances, and more.

The opening of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance's very own Afro Latin Music & Arts Center affords an opportunity to advance a wider range of innovative Latin jazz programs to diverse communities across the metro area. Timbale Terrace consolidates and expands ALJA's varied initiatives offering comprehensive support to their close network of standout musicians and educators in the form of live performances, educational teaching ventures, individual artist grants, and an ability to participate in a citywide lottery for apartments at Timbale Terrace. 50% of the affordable units will be given a community preference status for residents who live in East Harlem. Many teaching artists and musicians will qualify as Timbale Terrace applicants based on their household income.

RIP Fania label legendary pianist Larry Harlow

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/20/1029760076/larry-harlow-salsa-music-icon-dead

rauw showed up on the ty dolla $ign/dvsn collab album. he sounds great on the track, but the track itself is pretty lifeless (unsurprising for a murda beatz production)

Was reading about a Canadian based producer who is mixing reggaeton and afrobeatS together

checked out the whole rauw album and it's very good imo. all his genre experiments work to some degree (especially the jungle/garage one), and he's got a stronger voice than basically all the mainstream reggaetoneros at the moment (maybe besides ozuna, but rauw's slightly lower pitch seems more english language-radio-friendly to me).

anyway, big fan of rauw, definitely think he can be the next balvin/bunny level star in this space.

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...

Bobby Sanabria said about Farris Thompson:

Professor of Mambo, Cool, and the Multiverse. I was honored to have him write the liner notes to our first Grammy nominated album, Afro-Cuban Dream: Live & In Clave!!! way back in 2000. His books are essential reading. His final book on Mambo will be forthcoming.

His tango book looking good to me.

7.
Rauw Alejandro
"Todo de Ti

NPR top song list

Pareles listed some alt Latino stuff in NY Times - Bomba Estereo and others

Pareles best 2021 album list in NY Times has Bomba Estereo, Mon Laferte, & Mdou Moctar in his top albums plus in his 15 more deserving albums -Arooj Aftab, “Vulture Prince”

Khaira Arby, “New York Live” and Cuban pianist Omar Sosa- East African Journeys

Jon Caramanica has reggaeton on his list including Rauw Alejandro

This C Tangana album that made Rolling Stone top 10 ( as did Rauw A ) is pretty good. He’s from Spain and used to write w/ Rosalia ( and they were together). He’s got rumba , flamenco, bachata, folk and rapping and singing on his 2021 album.

Still have yet to listen to Michele Rosewoman but she always seems to have a great band.

C Tangana is my most listened to album of the year according to my Spotify unwrapped. For a dabbler like me it's a nice dip into the various genres. My favourite is Ingobernable with the Gypsy Kings. NPR also has it at as their no.5 album. I had not paid any attention to him before this year and but then I realised most of the Rosalia's El Mal Querer album was co-written by him.

I really like the way C Tangana utilizes multiple genres and does so in a way that doesn't seem forced.

A decade old, but I just came across this whilst checking up on Kirk Lightsey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR5ezSoPCuw

Jerry Gonzalez has been gone 3 years now. His brother for a bit too. I liked their attitudes and their playing. Does Lightsey's 2021 Coltrane revisited have a Latin jazz feel to it?

Don't know, will check it out. I never even knew Lightsey and Gonzalez were so tight.

Did Greg Tate ever write about Latin jazz or salsa?

Not that I am aware of but it is certainly possible.

Feel like probably not much though.

He was a big fan of Robert Farris Thompson (an advocate for African and Latin), but Tate seems to just to have been into African music more than Latin (in addition to African-American)

2. Yotuel, Gente de Zona, Descemer Bueno, Maykel Osorbo, El Funky, ‘Patria y Vida’

Jon Pareles #2 song on his 2021 song list in NY Times

He has a C Tangana song too plus a few others that might interest folks on this thread

12. Jorge Drexler and C. Tangana, ‘Tocarte’

A Camilo song and a Yendry song too on Pareles list too

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/arts/music/best-songs.html

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-spanish-language-albums-2021-1269982/

Something for everyone--35 albums. reggaeton, pop, salsa, rock, folk . Well maybe not Latin jazz

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/22/arts/music/reggaeton-electronic-fusions.html

Reggaeton & edm hybrid songs plus some Reggaeton & r’n’b or house hybrids

Jazz Critics poll 2021 has a separate category for Latin Jazz

Latin

1) Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, El Arte Del Bolero (Miel Music) 23
2) Arturo O’Farrill, . . . Dreaming in Lions . . . (Blue Note) 21
3) Eliane Elias, Mirror Mirror (Candid) 8
4) (tie) Carlos Henriquez, The South Bronx Story (Tiger Turn) 7
4) (tie) Ches Smith & We All Break, Path of Seven Colors (Pyroclastic) 7
6) (tie) Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, Salswing! (Rubén Blades Productions) 4
6) (tie) Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Virtual Birdland (Zoho) 4

Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2022: Reggaeton, Salsa, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Bachata, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

new 2022 thread