Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2024: Reggaeton, Dembow, Latin Pop, Salsa,Bachata, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

Saturday Jan 13
Barbes and Electric Cowbell Present Secret Planet 2024 in NYC
7PM DJ set (Discolocas) (may start earlier..)
7:30PM Shoko Nagai’s Tokala
8.15PM Bombay Rickey
9PM Laberinto del Coco
9.45PM Loboko
10.30PM Combo Daguerre
11.15PM La Perla
12PM Cumbia Heights
12:30AM: DJ set (Discolocas)
Doors 6:30PM
$20
Drom
85 Ave NY, NY 20009

Loboko is a new NY based Congolese band , many others are from the Latin music world. Cumbia Heights is DC based as is Electric Cowbell promoter. Barbes is Brooklyn NY club and promoter

I wrote about how Fela Kuti's song "Shakara" became a hit in Colombia in the early '70s, including three very different cover versions.

Just read that .Nice piece . I had referenced the Fela song in that in the 2023 thread in mentioning the obit of Lisandro Meza, Afro-Colombian accordion player and more

Colombia sure does have lots of great music that is reflective of African styles but with their own twist

OTM. Including some folkloric stuff on the Pacific side.

although maybe that’s slightly different than what you are talking about here.

Yeah, curmudgeon, it was your posting of the Meza version that inspired the piece. I had multiple compilations that included the different versions and somehow the pieces had never clicked together in my head until then.

X-post - I think but am not sure that Meza is from Pacific side of Colombia, and yes his music is Afro-folkloric.

There’s an annual music fest on the west coast of Colombia that I would love to go too. I think author musician Ned Sublette wrote about it and may have even done of those music tours he leads , there

Liking video clips I have seen of El Laberinto del Coco, Puerto Rican group rooted in Bomba but with other elements. A percussionist from Calle 13 is in the group. They were just on a big bill at Drom in NY yesterday, and might be at the Global Fest at Lincoln Center in Ny today

https://ellaberintodelcoco.bandcamp.com/track/todo-va-a-estar-bien

Pepe Flores, musicologist/lower east side NY activist, introduced El Laberinto del Coco @ Drom in NYC

https://wgrl.nyc/puerto-rican-music-with-pepe-flores/

Selena - Ones (a compilation) is #1 Latin Pop album on Billboard. Aventura has the #1 Tropical album on Billboard.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/17/arts/music/ana-tijoux-vida.html

Chilean born rapper & singer Ana Tijoux out with first new album since 2014. Vida, the new one has her vocalizing over salsa on one song and afrobeats on another according to Jon Pareles who wrote the article. Tijoux lives in Barcelona now the article says. I haven’t heard the album yet , but I have liked her earlier releases

I liked Tijoux album on first listen

Another 2023 best of songs list

https://www.latimes.com/delos/newsletter/2023-12-14/top-latin-music-songs-2023-latinx-files-latinx-files

A worthy #1- 1. Eslabón Armado and Peso Pluma, “Ella Baila Sola”

Pedro Tovar, bandleader of rising “sad sierreño” act Eslabón Armado, gave the tough-talking corrido star Peso Pluma a makeover with this sensual ballad about a mystery girl who dances alone. Peaking at No. 4, “Ella Baila Sola” came to be the highest-charting regional Mexican song on the Hot 100 since the list’s creation in 1958.

There’s a weekly Latin jazz night at a Latino club in DC , and I see that in NY tonight Ben Lapidus and Tony Rosa are at Latin Jazz night at Misto in the Bronx . Gringo
Me might find the sound too rote after all these years, but it’s living on

Marc Anthony w/ bachata song Punta Cana

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

Was listening to El Laberinto del Coco last night. Led by Bomba percussionist Coco who was once in Calle 13, they meld bomba percussion, salsa horns, occasional Santana-esque guitar & call and response salsa, pop, & rap vocals .

Thankfully they don’t overdo the Santana funk rock guitar solos which are the weakest part of their sound

They did a free Kennedy Center gig some years back billed by Kennedy Center as Hector Coco Barez and El Laberinto del Coco. On Thursday February 1 of this year they will be at the U of Maryland Clarice Smith Center near me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx3mXp61myU

x-post - that new Marc Anthony song Punts Cana is now #1 on Billboard Tropical chart. His 36th Tropical chart top song

https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/marc-anthony-punta-cana-debuts-number-1-tropical-airplay-chart-1235594706/

Punta Cana

Afro-Peruvian singer Susana Baca is intensive care in a hospital in Peru. Apparently she’s also being mocked on twitter x by conservatives who don’t like her politics

Mon Laferte's 2024 North American tour has NY & Boston gigs , but then grrrr skips Washington DC and goes south

Listening to Orquesta Akokan, a retro Mambo & Cuban son group with NYC and Cuban members. I saw them on tour in DC back in 2018 (I think), and now they're touring the US again a bit in the spring. Daptone I think once put something of there's out, so yeah it's going for a throwback approach, but they do it well.

Chano Dominguez about to start.

Orquesta Akokan are so great

This is sounding great, despite the fact that I am downstairs since upstairs is sold out

“Someday, My Prince Will Come”!

And now special guest Mino Cinélu!

Introduced as the triangle player on Decoy.

Now he switched from triangle to cajón

Thanks for the Mon Laferte tip. Maybe I will try to go to the theater at MSG.

Just listened to the last album which I hadn’t been aware of and now watching some of the related videos.

And now some video of a song she did with Fito Páez that’s pretty good.

From several years back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JqyVoqavaU

Nice.

[googles Chano Dominguez and then I am reminded and remember --- Chano Domínguez is one of the most celebrated Spanish Latin jazz, post bop, and flamenco pianists of our time, having released over 20 albums as a bandleader, composer, and producer. Domínguez came to great international exposure in 2000 when he appeared performing his own composition, “Oye Como Viene,” in Spanish director Fernando Trueba’s Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz documentary, Calle 54, which also featured Elaine Elias, Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, and Tito Puente.

Lives in Brooklyn and has a Queens based label

Cool. Think he flew to Colombia to do some shows there, which is why there was no second set last night

looks like vocalist Jose “Pepito” Gomez is out of Orquesta Akokan . Jacob Plasse (tres) and Michael Eckroth (piano) who first formed group and brought Pepito Gomez on, are still there but Kiko Ruíz is now their vocalist.

Wait, Mike is in that group?

Ah you met him or know him, Michael or Mike of Orquesta Akokan. Their new singer Kiko Ruiz is Cuban. Was told that current bandmembers live in either NYC, Miami, or Havana now.

He moved to Florida where he has a teaching gig, can't remember what school. He used to live in my neighborhood though. And his in-laws still live nearby so when he is in town he stays with them. Last time I saw him he was at the coffee shop doing some grading. I've seen him play different gigs, thing I particularly like is his Arsenio Rodriguez tribute,

You know that both his sisters also play piano.

Oh, I see he is on a Fulbright now.

One sister anyway. She's played some pretty big gigs. Thought they had another sister too, but can't find mention.

Puerto Rican Dominican Jazz
Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra plays Puerto Rican Dominican jazz; at Sony Hall in the Times Square Theater District; on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 8pm. From $15.

Saw this on that Latin Things to do in NY email that I get , even though I don’t live up there

Just stumbled across a new Substack newsletter, Marco's Music Radar, covering Latin-American music (the writer's term) in English, from Colombia. I've subscribed — it could be interesting.

Thanks. Just subscribed to free version. His focus on post I looked at seems to be on indie/alternative rock .

To get that Latin Music in NY email I mentioned that lists salsa and latin jazz NY events, with a fair amount in the Bronx , go here -

https://www.newyorklatinculture.com/

Tonight in DC for free

"Fandango at the Wall" film 5 to 7 @ Library of Congress Pickford Theatre (Arturo O’Farrill and his Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra go to Veracruz, Mexico, to jam w/ “son jarocho" players

Arturo O’Farrill & his Afro-Latin Octet 8 to 10 @ Library of Congress Coolidge Aud

You gonna go?

Maybe to the show, but can’t get there early enough for the movie. Gonna try to stream that if available

I like it too.

And Ned S*blette liked pianist legend Eddie Palmieri on the first date of his Blue Note residency in NYC:

He's back, and as happy as everyone was to be hearing this music again, I don't think anyone was happier than him. It's a thoroughly satisfying, full-force musical experience. After all the times I've heard him play (must be at least 150 over the last 40 years), when he hits one of those fff percussive interjections during someone else's solo I still have the sense that I've never heard that exact chord before . . . as always with Mr. Palmieri, the band is top-notch and they make the arrangements sound: Luques Curtis (whose ongoing bass-and-piano conversation with Palmieri gets more intricate all the time), Jose Clausell, Little Johnny, Luisito Quintero on bongó, Brad Mason, and Jimmy Bosch, no less . . . Louis Fouché played what had been the lead vocal of "Adoración" on alto and rocked the house with maybe four choruses of fire . . . guest spot by Gregoire Maret on harmonica . . . Mr. Palmieri's jokes still need work, though . . . residency continues on April 22 and May 20 and 27 . . .

Ned liked pianist Omar Sosa and his band live too

Tickets for "The Buena Vista Social Orchestra" (whoever they are) are nearly gone and very expensive at the 1800 seat or so Warner Theatre in DC.

Google tells me the group is:

The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, under the direction of trombonist Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, continues the legacy of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club in an exciting new stage production featuring the ensemble’s greatest hits and deep-dive cuts.

In this inaugural tour, Ramos is joined by an all-star ensemble including three original BVSC members, "Betun" Luis Mariano Valiente Marin (Congas, Bongo), Emilio Senon Morales Ruiz (Piano) and Fabían Garcia (Bass), as they showcase the Cuban musical heritage that gave birth to Latin Jazz, Salsa and many other genres of music as we know them today.

Snenie doing the now 21 year old song by Julieta Venegas "Lento"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjGEem0WFbU

The SNenie version was highlighted here among other new Latin pop releases

https://remezcla.com/lists/music/15-new-songs-to-listen-to-this-week-from-ca7riel-paco-amoroso-to-luiza-brina/

New Marc Anthony album Muevense coming out

All I can think of is Jennifer Lopez's statement (in the documentary about the making of her recent album and its accompanying movie) that "the world is not clamoring for a new J-Lo record," and wonder who is clamoring for a new Marc Anthony record.

Do you ever say that about jazz musicians who are Anthony’s age or older?

Jazz and pop are entirely different things and the comparison is absurd. But you know what? My assumption was that Anthony was still out there trying to have pop hits, but looking at Wikipedia it seems like he's spent the last 15 years playing strictly to hardcore salsa fans. He hasn't done a Latin pop record since 2010. So let him do his thing.

I think any musician of any age or genre can put out music whenever they want even if "the world is not clamoring for" it. I am saying this even though my late Mom used to say that all old singers and musicians should give it up.

plenty of people have been listening to march anthony's music for years

*marc

Yep, I am a fan of Anthony's pop and salsa , and clearly the announcement of his latest album and his recent tours has generated excitement that I have seen. Regarding Unperson saying "he's spent the last 15 years playing strictly to hardcore salsa fans"....Marc Anthony just played the 20,000 seat basketball hall, Capital One Arena in DC in February 2024. Pretty sure not all those folks were hardcore salsa fans. The hardcore salsa acts coming to DC often play places ranging from 500 to 4,500.

Unperson, you don't have to like Latin pop, but cheap shots at the genre versus hallowed old school salsa and jazz, sounds just like the cliched rockists versus pop thing.

And speaking of genre prejudice, I like the Reyna Tropical album (Latin pop with soukous guitar and other influences discussed above in this thread) more than Still House Plants latest (Brit art-rock band on cover of the Wire, and called by a Guardian writer the most import band in Britain) or that acclaimed Cindy Lee album that's just on Youtube.

I don't think I said anything in either of my posts about the quality of Latin pop. I haven't heard nearly enough of it to have an opinion. I don't like Bad Bunny because his voice annoys me. That's literally about all I know about Latin pop in 2024. But one thing I do know is that pop music is a young person's game. Old people making pop records, especially after years away, with an eye toward the charts, Marc Anthony or Jennifer Lopez or anybody else, almost always only succeed in embarrassing themselves. The new song is the part of your concert where the audience pulls out their phone to check on the babysitter. It's much better for a performer over 50 to settle into a genre that embraces veteran artists, which is why I think Anthony sticking to salsa is a wise move. Hell, if he made a surprise appearance to sing with Eddie Palmieri's band at the Blue Note some night, that shit would probably be amazing and get him some of the most rapturous press of his life.

Have seen on Facebook some awesome videos by Colombia band Rancho Aparte at gigs in New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana during the festivals happening there.

I read that they’re going to do a US east Coast tour in September and October

On vacation in Texas and listening to Tejano radio, and might go see hipster band La Lom from Los Angeles who play chicha and cumbia. Saw a banner in San Antonio for a Conjunto festival

Andria Rose who's on the bill with La Lom sounds a bit like Kali Uchis , Latin pop-r&b

Am getting industry emails for Young Miko, hailed by The New York Times as one of the artists “shaping the sound of 2024, and going on tour

In the cover story of its Future Of Music issue, Rolling Stone said, “Funny, charming, and unapologetically raunchy, she’s the Puerto Rican star everyone wants to work with.” Young Miko was named Nuevo Artista Del Año (New Artist Of The Year) at the recent Latin American Music Awards while “Classy 101,” her collaboration with FEID, took honors for Canción Global Latina del Año (Global Latin Song of the Year) and Mejor Colaboración – Urbano (Best Collaboration – Urban). Earlier this year, Young Miko received the Impact Award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards and was named Best New Artist (Latin Pop / Urban) at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

x-post - so down in McAllen, Texas we went to the final night of the 3 night MXlan fest with live music, Mexican Lucha Libre wrestlers, fire-using acrobats, fireworks, and indigenous folk-dancing pole climbers. Music included obscure to us (and based on small size of the Sunday crown at the outdoors stage to everyone) : Sunday May 5 – MXLAN Pepsi Stage artists include:

06:00 – 06:30 – Dani Tiscareno

06:45 – 07:15 – Andria Rose

07:30 – 08:15 – Desta French

08:45 – 10:00 – La Lom

10:15 – 11:00 – Alta Ralea

Saw a bit of San Antonio Latin pop-r&b balladeer Rose with band and liked her. London England's Desta French alternated between sining Spanish bachatas and Latin pop and r& b and talking and rapping in Brit-accented English. Los Angeles' La Lom may be hipster in their choice of chicha and cumbia and surf but I liked their originals and their covers of "Hey There Lonely Girl" and Smokey's ""ooh, Ooh , baby, baby " . We didn't see Alta Ralea. The crowd was 99% Spanish speaking

Puerto Rican Mother’s Day Salsa
La India sings salsa for Mother’s Day at Lehman Center in Jerome Park, The Bronx; on Saturday May 11, 2024 at 8pm. From $58. 🇵🇷

Puerto Rican Festival
Los Pleneros de la 21 celebrate the Puerto Rican Las Fiestas de Cruz, at Julia de Burgos Cultural Center in “El Barrio” East Harlem; on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 7pm. 🇵🇷

was back at dayjob yesterday after vacation and then wimped out last night on going to see Lido Pimienta open for Chicano Batman. IG story videos I saw this morning of her looked impressive. I like her Latin pop w/ synths and more

She's Colombian but moved to Canada

She just did guest vocals on percussionist Mas Aya 's latest

https://www.stereogum.com/2262544/mas-aya-tu-y-yo-feat-lido-pimienta/music/

Pimienta opened for Chicano Batman in NYC too last night

Cool. Didn’t go but at interested

Am

I don't know if I'd exactly call it a movie, and there isn't a poster, but I want to show y'all an edit I've made (or will have made by then) of footage from our January Postmambo trip La Ruta de los Fundamentos, to sacred sites and events in western Cuba, focusing mostly on Yoruba and Kongo music in Matanzas, Jovellanos, Pedro Betancourt, Pinar del Río, Melena del Sur, and of course good old Havana.

Ned S ia showing this Thursday via zoom

Gonna miss Ned's Zoom movie thing tonight as I have something else happening

Meanwhile got an email in Espanol for an awards event I never heard of:

Conozca aquí el listado de nominados de los HEAT LATIN MUSIC AWARDS:

MEJOR ARTISTA MASCULINO

Feid

Bad Bunny

Peso Pluma

Carin León

Arcangel

J Balvin

Eladio Carrión

Chayanne

Carlos Rivera

MEJOR ARTISTA FEMENINO

Karol G

Shakira

Young Miko

Maria Becerra

Nicki Nicole

Anitta

Greeicy

Kany García

Kali Uchis

Kenia OS

Natti Natasha

More " Heat Latin Music Awards"

MEJOR GRUPO O BANDA

Morat

Eslabón Armado

Piso 21

Grupo Frontera

Los Ángeles Azules

Grupo Firme

RBD

Wisin & Yandel

Fuerza Regida

Reik

Monsieur Periné

Cultura Profética

Rawayana

MEJOR ARTISTA ROCK

Juanes

Morat

Molotov

Maná

Belanova

Jorge Drexler

Aterciopelados

Mar Rendón

MEJOR ARTISTA POP

Luis Fonsi

Greeicy

Sebastián Yatra

Manuel Turizo

Camilo

Carlos Rivera

Ana Mena

Aitana

Lasso

Maluma

Fonseca

Chris Lebron

Manuel Medrano

MEJOR ARTISTA URBANO

Feid

Karol G

Wisin

Ozuna

Young Miko

Blessd

Eladio Carrión

Duki

Anuel AA

Arcangel

J Balvin

Mora

Myke Towers

Rels B

Justin Quiles

Yandel

Nicky Jam

MEJOR ARTISTA TROPICAL

(Bachata, Merengue, Vallenato, Cumbia)

Romeo Santos

Carlos Vives

Silvestre Dangond

Prince Royce

Juan Luis Guerra

Grupo 5

Eddy Herrera

Felipe Peláez

Ke Personajes

Charlie Zaa

Olga Tañón

Jorge Celedón

Jandy Ventura

Servando y Florentino

MEJOR ARTISTA SALSA

Víctor Manuelle

Gilberto Santa Rosa

Willy García

Grupo Niche

Alvaro Rod

Christian Alicea

Yiyo Sarante

La India

MEJOR ARTISTA REGION SUR

Nicki Nicole

Ludmilla

Emilia

Anitta

Duki

KHEA

Cris Mj

Trueno

La Joaqui

Amy Gutiérrez

Cielo Torres

Tini

Milo J

Thiago PZK

Lit Killah

MEJOR ARTISTA REGIÓN ANDINA

Mike Bahía

Manuel Turizo

Camilo

Greeicy

Danny Ocean

Ovy On The Drums

Ryan Castro

Dayanara

Andreina Bravo

Elena Rose

Lasso

Farina

Jerry Di

Nacho

Fanny Lu

MEJOR ARTISTA REGION NORTE

Lenny Tavárez

Darell

Jay Wheeler

Young Miko

Lola Índigo

Rauw Alejandro

Quevedo

Eladio Carrion

Jhayco

St. Pedro

Kim Loaiza

Lunay

Álvaro Díaz

ARTISTA REVELACIÓN

Xavi

Kenia OS

Humbe

Joaquina

Saiko

Gabito Ballesteros

Junior H

Yng Lvcas

Elena Rose

Omar Courtz

Santa Fe Klan

Bad Gyal

A few more Heat Latin Music Award nominations-

CANCIÓN DEL AÑO

“Luna” -Feid, ATL Jacob

“La Diabla” - Xavi

“Que Chimba de Vida” - Karol G

“Mi Ex Tenía Razón” - Karol G

“Harley Quinn “- Fuerza Regida & Marshmello

“Lala” - Myke Towers

"La Víctima" - Xavi

“El Amor De Su Vida” - Grupo Frontera, Grupo Firme

PRODUCTOR DEL AÑO

Tainy

Ovy On The Drums

Big One

Master Chris

The RUDEBOYZ - Kevin y ChaN

Bizarrap

SOG

Sky Rompiendo

Icon Music - Jowan y Rolo

Sergio George

Andrés Castro

Edgar Barrera

ÁLBUM DEL AÑO

“Mañana será Bonito Bichota Season” - Karol G

“Ferxxocalipsis” - Feid

“Génesis” - Peso Pluma

“Colmillo de Leche” - Carin León

“Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana” - Bad Bunny

“El Comienzo” - Grupo Frontera

“Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” - Shakira

“Orquídeas” - Kali Uchis

“Un Sueño Llamado Ranchera” - Felipe Peláez

dug this one from rels b and junior h
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwKqIu-ZMZ8

the beat to "gata only" is a bit mesmerizing, my current lizardbrain obsession

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r687V8yqKY

X-post - like the reggae ish feel on some of that Rels B and Junior H cut.

Need to listen to “Gata Only “ again

Puerto Rican parade in NY this weekend

stumbled on this group by chance. wish i could find out more about them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy8AtVG_daI

i'm thinking maybe there is some crossover with this folkways release in terms of genre. another one of their videos they're playing a style or type of song called "torbellino"

https://folkways.si.edu/afro-hispanic-music-from-western-colombia-and-ecuador/african-american-music-latin-world/music/album/smithsonian

Will check it out. I am listening to WPFW DJ Jim Byers on the Latin flavor show play out of print 1949 Machito music now

Romeo Santos & Aventura farewell bachata music tour sells out arenas & is largely ignored by English language music media . Night 2 @ Capital One in DC was the other night. Back in 2007 as a freelancer for the Washington Post I pitched and then did a concert review of them. Washington Post runs less concert reviews now from freelancers alas.

x-post re Grupo Palmeras from Colombia. The government of Colombia's Ministry of the arts has a twitter x page and they shared photos and a video clip of the group back in April 2024

https://x.com/mincultura/status/1777798337053262059

Looks like there's a Facebook page also for a band of that name

cool!