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

Defining the music broadly here but trying to emphasize Caribbean & the Americas rooted Reggaeton, dembow, Latin pop, Salsa, Bachata, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Merengue, Urbano (more than pop-rock but occasional mentions of that genre are ok too). Hybrid music with Latin trap and Mexican Regional traditional styles combined are ok too

Here's last year's 2023 thread

Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2023: Reggaeton, Salsa,Bachata, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

https://hullworks.net/jazzpoll/23/totals-latin.php

X-post- the Latin Jazz poll results.

Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2 (Miel Music) 13
Aruán Ortiz Trio, Serranias: Sketchbook for Piano Trio (Intakt) 9
Harold López-Nussa, Timba a la Americana (Blue Note) 7
Hilario Durán and His Latin Jazz Big Band, Cry Me a River (Alma) 5
Susan Alcorn & Septeto Del Sur, Canto (Relative Pitch) 4
Sammy Figueroa, Something for a Memory (Busco Tu Recuerdo) (Ashé) 4
Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, Vox Humana (Jazzheads) 4
Edward Simon, Femininas: Songs of Latin American Women (ArtistShare) 4
David Virelles, Carta (Intakt) 4
Roxana Amed & Frank Carlberg, Los Trabajos Y Las Noches (Sony Music Latin) 3

That’s some of em. I think I liked the Zenon & Perdoma one slightly better than I liked prior Zenon releases, but he never has enough non-jazz rhythm for me .

Zenon & Perdomo is very pleasant jazz , but ( maybe it’s me), I don’t really hear the bolero mentioned in the album title

The Sanabria Big Band aren’t doing anything new, but they have that horns and more with vocals and percussive clave sound down

https://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2023/favorite-latin-and-global

Allmusic,com list of fave Latin and Global is more pop than the jazz critics list of course

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pete-terrace-mn0000523404

RIP NY Puerto Rican vibraphonist Pete Terrace at age 96. Just heard it mentioned on Jim Byers Metro Mambo show but it’s not on the websites I have looked at yet

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,

Xpost - nice that Sofia was still around and sat in .

Dominican dembow rapper Chamala has got one of those great cartoonish reggaeton voices on his song "Che Che" that has millions of Youtube views and lots of radio and streaming airplay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_g-RO3E6tE

Chimbala is his name . Ugh typos

It's a fun song but y'all are too busy listening to MJ Lenderman rock music

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Tropical_Airplay_number_ones_of_2024

that karol g song is fun, hear it a lot and always enjoy it

Yes, the opening just draws you in and her just tuneful enough voice over the catchy, repetitive Latino line-dance like bottom keeps one listening

Marc Anthony , Bad Bunny, and a few other musicians who fit in this thread have now endorsed Harris . Bad Bunny just did so today apparently after seeing online that guy speaking at Trump rally who said racist nonsense about Puerto Rico

Don Omar now backing Harris too.

Nicky Jam who Orangeman thought was a woman when he endorsed him and was with him in person, has now withdrawn his endorsement !

that was so funny

"do you know nicky? she's hot!"

Alas, the endorsements were not enough (although data shows Puerto Ricans were supportive of Harris more than Cuban Americans)

https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/karol-g-responds-57-song-criticism-1235825644/

Lyric controversy regarding lyrics by guest vocalists on Karol G new song blamed on Karol G

Need to get some albums here considered for 2024 critics polls

Latin Grammys took place last night and I was out seeing dub reggae producer Mad Professor and forgot to dvr them. Maybe performances will show up on YouTube or Grammys site.

https://people.com/latin-grammys-2024-performers-nominees-how-to-watch-8744142

Marc Anthony and La India revisited an old song

Aquí el video 👇🏼 #LatinGRAMMYpic.twitter.com/emMy6aOYcc

— Carla ❁ (@shannonlada) November 15, 2024

Jorge Drexler, Mon Laferte, and Ruben Blades won awards . Uh , Pitbull performed with Jon Bon Jovi

Juan Luis Guerra won biggest award and it seems Latin Grammys went with some safe , older picks. Not surprising

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/15/nx-s1-5191334/latin-grammys-juan-luis-guerra-edgar-barrera

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/eddie-palmieri-says-dont-call-it-a-comeback

A nicely written, detailed and long but readable article by Carina del Valle Schorske about 87 year-old Eddie's whole life and how he's still at it. The author noted on Facebook that this is the first ever feature article in the New Yorker's history on an artist associated with salsa in the magazine's history.

Saw some great Rauw Alejandro IG stories from his gig last night at Brooklyn Paramount

Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso: Tiny Desk Concert went viral a little while ago. They're Argentine pop and touring North America in April

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kqnsoY94L8

Natti Natasha sang a nice bachata song at the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade

Rolling Stone best album list has Alvaro Diaz “Sayonara “

At 16

At 16

NPR list has Kali Uchis

And Latin Mafia

can't stop playing ca7riel and paco amoroso lol

17. Omar Courtz, ‘Primera Musa’

The debut album from the rising Puerto Rican star Omar Courtz is a musically diverse approach to reggaeton’s future. He’s a sweet, sensual singer, and maintains a sense of playfulness in his songs that suggests a time back before the genre’s global-superstar era.

From Jon Caramanica’s list for NY Times

N7d S*blette is reporting in his email-

RIP Agustín Díaz Cano (Aug. 28, 1956 - Nov. 20, 2024), longtime member of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, who played seis por ocho (the mid-pitched of the three rumba drums, also known as salidor) with the group for decades, including their history-making 1992 US tour.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2024/12/05/arturor-sandoval-kennedy-center-honors/

Arturo Sandoval, Cuban American jazz trumpeter is going to get a Kennedy Center honor award. Washington Post sent their classical music reviewer to tell Sandoval’s story. There’s a little about his most recent album in the article and how he both practices everyday still and smokes cigars still. Much of the article retells his story of escaping Castro’s Cuba and his family doing so also and how difficult to do that was .

His family came over in a boat lift and suffered physical injuries.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-latin-albums-2024-1235191400/

Rolling Stone best 2024 albums list

I want to dig through that list.

This was last weekend -

Mega Bash 2024 by Alex Sensation is a night of dembow, reggaeton, trap, and urban pop at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey; on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 8pm (7pm doors). 🇨🇴 🇩🇴 🇵🇷

It’s always a great show. Alex Sensation is one of America’s top radio DJs. They don’t have to carry the whole show, so the talent is very relaxed. Many of these artists collaborate, so this is like a night out with friends.

Alex Sensation ~ Colombian reggaeton DJ @alexsensation 🇨🇴
Alexis y Fido ~ Puerto Rican reggaeton @alexisyfido 🇵🇷
Baby Rasta y Gringo ~ Puerto Rican reggaeton @babyrastaygringo 🇵🇷
Chimbala ~ Dominican dembow @chimbalaofficial 🇩🇴
El Mayor Clasico ~ Dominican dembow @elmayorclasico 🇩🇴
Farruko ~ Puerto Rican reggaeton @farruko 🇵🇷
J Alvarez ~ Puerto Rican reggaeton @jalvarezoficial 🇵🇷
La Insuperable “La Mami Del Swagger” ~ Dominican dembow @lainsuperable 🇩🇴
Lomiiel ~ Dominican dembow @lomiiel 🇩🇴
Nicky Jam ~ Dominican Puerto Rican reggaeton @nickyjam 🇩🇴 🇵🇷
Tito El Bambino ~ Puerto Rican urban @titobambinoelpatron 🇵🇷
Vico C ~ Puerto Rican reggaeton @soyvicoc 🇵🇷

i don't know anything about Mexican rap but heard this Tornillo song yesterday and liked it. it's from 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bD_9aDgO_o

accordion on it. Nice. I read that Tornillo has a cumbia -rap song out too. I think he's now a big deal in Mexican rap

Eddie Palmieri sad Instagram posting
An Open Letter to My Supporters and Fans

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that I must share some personal news. After recent consultations with my doctors, I have been advised to temporarily suspend all travel and live performances to prioritize my health.

This was not an easy decision to make, as performing and connecting with you has always been one of the greatest joys of my life.

(Full letter on Instagram with Spanish translation)

I need to re-read that Palmieri article in the New Yorker and research some stuff mentioned in there. Plus dig into the Rolling Stone best Latin list.

Saw this on someone's best of 24 list

Zaccai Curtis, Cubop Lives! (Truth Revolution Recording Collective)

Cool! Who else is on that, his brother?

Yes! Here's the list -Zaccai Curtis (piano); Luques Curtis (bass); Willie Martinez III (timbales); Camilo Molina (congas, pandero); Reinaldo DeJesus (bongos, chekere, guiro)

https://www.zaccaicurtis.com/articles/2024/10/7/bebop-spoken-here-album-review

Album melds old bebop and Latin jazz

https://www.zaccaicurtis.com/articles/2024/11/14/hartford-jazz-musician-gets-grammy-nod-for-cubop-album

Zaccai Curtis lives in Hartford, Ct . In this interview linked he says :

Curtis said "Cubop" was especially popular in the 1940s, made famous by artists like Tito Puente, before it was absorbed into other styles. So he's delighted at the critical recognition for this revival album.

"It's like a period piece record," he said in an interview. "It's not even the type of music I play every day. I don't hear too many people playing it. But it's the music I love. I absolutely love to play it and I study it."

Curtis, a pianist and composer, said he was lucky to find other musicians who could play Cubop, including his brother Luques Curtis.

While he is not Cuban himself, Curtis said "all jazz musicians do have a connection to Latin music or Cuban music. There is a common cultural connection with our music."

Curtis said two songs on the "Cubop Lives" album are original; the rest are covers "but each one of those arrangements are done very differently than anyone else has done in the past."

Although Curtis has played on other award-winning albums, this is the first time his own project has been nominated for a Grammy.
The awards ceremony takes place in February.

Maybe I will put this on.

Sounds pretty good a few seconds in

Typical me likes the more Afro-Cuban aspects on it than the Black American jazz parts which are good too but don't get me quite as excited

https://www.latimes.com/delos/story/2024-12-31/best-latin-songs-2024-peso-pluma-kali-uchis-karol-g-becky-g

3 writers choose their fave Latin pop, etc and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra makes an appearance for salsa

https://www.latimes.com/delos/story/2024-12-31/best-latin-songs-2024-peso-pluma-kali-uchis-karol-g-becky-g

Cool. Are you gonna roll the thread?

Also saw a video on social media of Luques playing behind Eddie, which made me smile.

Rolling Afro-Latin Music 2025: Reggaeton, Dembow, Latin Pop, Salsa,Bachata, Bomba, Latin Jazz, Merengue, Urbano and more Latinx

Rolling the thread to 2025 here