
LATIN LONDONER #2 Vanessa Carvalho - Brazilian Singer and Dancer
Vanessa Carvalho from Salvador, Bahia – Brazil. started singing and dancing at the age of 8 and performed with many Brazilian artists. She embarked on a musical adventure together with Leo Mantini from Rome, which became that…
Family Atlantica
Spanning Latin America, Africa and Europe in a single record is no mean feat. But Family Atlantica absolutely pull it off.
The Revenge of the Latin Oldies
First there was Buena Vista, now there is Ondatrópica, a new Afro-Latin big band embracing the past, present and future of Colombia’s cumbia sound, and bringing to the global fore some of the greatest talents from the seventies…
Did Salsa Dancers Kill Salsa Music?
Salsa promoters and musicians alike are lamenting the demise of live Salsa music as a culture and commodity people will pay to see. Some even blame the salsa dance and club culture which, they say, got cliquey with its over-…
For As Long As It Takes
The story of the men who have been camped on Buenos Aires’ Plaza de Mayo for two and a half years
Screaming for Justice
A Chilean brought up in Britain returns home to find that little justice has been achieved for Pinochet's victims, despite four years of a president, Michelle Bachelet, who was tortured under the dictatorship of General…
Argentina's strange brand of nationalism
Argentine nationalistic fervour rests on symbol and myth. This can be impossibly romantic – or eerily macabre. We look at the strange phenomenon of Argentine national fervour from Perón to the present day
Grupo 7 Dir. Alberto Rodriguez (2012)
A Spanish film about urban ‘clean up’ operations in the run up to staging international events, one which the Rio de Janeiro government members might want to watch
Federico García Lorca, Sketches of Spain, with illustrations by Julian Bell.
The Spectrum of Young Lorca.
Split Identity
Viggo Mortenson’s Argentine background (hence his perfect porteño accent) is unknown to most film fans. In this film, the actor famous for his role as Aragorn in Lord of The Rings, The Road and Eastern Promises embraces his ‘…
Things That Matter to...La Mala Rodriguez
La Mala Rodriguez is one of the most successful Hispanic artists today. When Rosalia was still in her nappies, Mala was recording with some of the world's most commercial Latino artists as the only Spanish rapper to gain…
Cuba's New Musical Messiah
Once a decade there emerges a particular talent in Cuba that inspires a generation; and it is no exageration to place Alexander Abreu in that category. Ahead of his imminent debut concert in the UK with Cuba's hottest…
Let Me Entertain You: Boris Izaguirre in London
Move over Graham Norton. He's in town for one night only, and he's bound to cause quite a splash. Award-winning novelist, beloved TV presenter, honorary Spaniard and gay icon Boris Izaguirre is much more than a…
From Cuba to Covent Garden
We track the rise and rise of Carlos Acosta, who recently won the LUKAS Lifetime Achievement Award 2013. There are more strings to his bow than you might imagine...
The Latino Behind the Legend: Phil Manzanera
Before being presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to British Music by PInk Floyd's David Gilmour at this year's the LUKAS Gala, few people knew much about this London born Latino. We invite…
Confessions of a Coolhunter
Amaranta Wright was hired by Levi's to travel through Latin America, befriending teenagers and reporting their ideas, hopes and aspirations. As time passed, the more sinister and divisive aspects of what she was being asked…
Argentina's Bi-Centenary: Something to Celebrate?
As several South American countries celebrate 200 years of independence, Nick Caistor gives a view from Argentina.
Richard Gott on Argentina's Bi-Centenary Celebrations
Renowned for his critical-thinking 'people's histories' of Latin America, the UK's most authoritative Latin Americanist - author of 'Land Without Evil' and 'Cuba: A New History' - explores…
Patrick Rice
The Irish Priest who became one of Latin America's most committed and loved Human Rights activists. He dedicated his life to the defence of human dignity and to the hope of a better world
MEDELLIN No.3...The Flower Fair
My girls expect me to spend my last day before leaving for Bogotá with them. It is a question of duty. They have embraced me, showered me with affection, and in return, they expect a certain loyalty. I have had to give back more…
... Latin American Revolutionaries
1. Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara – Ask anyone to name a revolutionary and, male or female, the word Che will ooze dreaminly from their lips. The straggly-haired, wispy-bearded, implausibly handsome Argentine hero of the Cuban revolution…
... Bogotá
Like strangling puppies or bankers’ bonuses, bullfighting does not enjoy a good press in the UK. Yet here and now in Colombia, it’s fashionable. As a resident of Bogotá’s La Macarena barrio, I could hardly be nearer to the…
Lost and Found in Mexico
An English boy follows the family myth of his great-grandfather's notorious adventures in Mexico in search of an ending, and finds more than he could ever have imagined.
London's Unlikely Latin Hero
When they arrived at Tottenham Hotspurs in 1979, hot off their World Cup victory, Ricardo Villa and fellow Argentine Ossie Ardiles, were the first Latin Americans to play in English Football. Honoured at the 25th anniversary of…
...Latino Legends of English football
With the signing of Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricky Villa after they helped Argentina win the 1978 World Cup, Tottenham Hotspurs began what was to be decades of UK Football clubs signing up the best Latin American players. From '…
Relishing the Magic of FC Barcelona
'Justify the meaningfulness of the football suffering fan if you like, while I bask in the glory of FC Barcelona magic'. Kings of the football world today, the great Barca has also had its share of suffering, on and off…
The Roma Gypsies of Colombia
Hazel Marsh celebrates the community that is conspicuously ignored by Latin American history books and modern day media.
2012 and The End of the World as we know it… Mayan Prophecy or Hollywood Hoax?
Based on the ancient Mayan prophecy, the recent Hollywood blockbuster 2012 depicts the imminent end of the world. How much of it relays truth as the Mayans saw it and, more importantly, what did the Mayans know that we don’t?
Lenacay: A New Chapter
Ramón Giménez El Brujo talks to Latino Life about the transition from Ojos de Brujo to Lenacay.
In Colombia, Who Needs to Invent a False Victim, President Santos?
While Santos enjoys an official visit to the UK, his inflamatory remarks about a group of human rights lawyers who have worked for years to end impunity in Colombia, has left them fearing for their lives in Bogotá. What does this…
Gay Marriage Legalized in Argentina Despite Huge Opposition From Church
On Thursday the 15th of July, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage, granting to gay and lesbian couples the same legal rights and benefits that heterosexual couples have traditionally…
…LATIN AMERICAN OLYMPIANS
This year, of all years, you didn't think you could get away without knowing your A-Z of Latin American Olympians did you? Here's something to set you on track when that pub quiz comes along. And if the subject doesn…
Making their Mark - the rise and rise of The Latino-Brits
First generation Latino-Brits are bubbling under the surface and seeping through into mainstream British cultural life.
Flamenco's Poetry in Motion?
Inspired by the purist Flamenco that he learnt from his teachers, Rafael Amargo, Spain’s most eclectic dancer and choreographer, was influenced by US contemporary dance schools such as the Martha Graham, while living in New York…