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Trovador Extraordinaire
In an era where bland music and meaningless lyrics pollute the airwaves, singer-songwriters such as Pablo Milanes, the legendary Cuban icon and one of the founders of Nueva Trova, are revered more than ever. His songs about the…
Percussion Prince
Venezuela is known for producing outstanding percussionists, who are scouted by the world’s biggest artists, from jazz to pop. Headed by the famous Quinteros family, Venezuela’s percussion royalty has planted its roots firmly…
Juan Formell (1942-2014)
Simplemente...without Juan Formell Cuban music wouldn’t be the same. Those of you who ever couldn’t stop humming Abre que voy, Me Pone la Cabeza Mala, or Me Mantego after an amazing party know very well what we mean…
The Salsa Group that IS Cali - an interview wth Grupo Niche
It has been said that 'Grupo Niche IS Cali and Cali IS Niche', indeed Niche is the most significant band to come out of the Colombian cIty that is known as the 'Capital of Salsa' more, and arguably out of…
TOP TEN Recent Latin Albums produced in the UK
Latin music is not an easy thing to produce, let alone promote, in the UK; you need real instruments, great musicians and arrangements to make it sound good, and there is rarely any money to work on. Despite the lack of exposure…
‘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…
Baila La Cumbia
Baila La Cumbia - Tropical tunes from the South West guaranteed to get your feet on the dancefloor!
Rediscovering The Big Apple
Revisiting the 80s from Latin funjk to smooth Cha Cha CHa - Los Charly's best work to date.
Cuba’s Magical Music Train (and its Driver)
How many musicians can boast a 40 year global music career? Cuba’s Juan Formell and Los Van Van are up there among the rare few, on a never ending Magical Mystery Train Journey which has them touring constantly around the world,…
Divine Sensuality: The Genius of Juan Luis Guerra
From his lyrics that verge on magical realism, to his intensely sensual melodies and his relationship with God, we praise the undecipherable enigma that is Juan Luis Guerra, one of Latin America’s most sublime music makers and…
Peru Maravilloso: Vintage Latin, Tropical and Cumbia
Peru Maravilloso: Vintage Latin, Tropical & Cumbia
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…
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…
...Cuban Tracks by DJ Javier La Maquina
This month's dancefloor hits by award winning Cuban DJ, Javier La Rosa, one of the busiest men in the UK latin club scene.
DJ Flecha's Top Ten Cuban Tunes
DJ Flecha has had an amazing DJ career, playing with the most famous Cuban bands such as Los Van Van, Charanga Habanera, Adalberto Álvarez, Manolito Y Su Trabuco, Paulo F.G, Pupi Y Los Que Son Son and Issac Delgado. This is his…
Keeping Cumbia Real
Whilst global explosion has taken cumbia on a wonderful, if sometimes weird, journey, pioneering producer, composer and bandleader Mario Galeano has found himself in the unlikely role of guardian of the cumbia truth. We speak to…
The Greatest Sonero Ever?
Well that’s a debate that will never end. In this interview with Oscar D’Leon, we explain why he has proved, atleast, to be the most important singer to salsa music, ever. And at his age, JOSE LUIS SEIJAS found him as we expected…
....CUMBIA TRACKS by DJ Russ Jones
From the DJ who brings you Britain's favourite Cumbia night "Arriba la Cumbia" gives you his favourite Cumbia tracks.
Voltio and the Salseros of the Carcel
Voltio's visit to London this week somehow got us walking down the nostalgia path of Latino music 'en la carcel'. It's a weird and wonderful journey behind the musical bars.........
Salsa Albums from 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…
Top 10 Colombian Salsa Albums
Colombian salsa is defined by its ability to add a unique touch to a synthesis of sounds and influences from all over the Caribbean and New York. From the romantic tenderness of Grupo Niche to the unique Timbao of Joe Arroyo to…
Colombian Cumbia Tracks
New York's DJ Bongohead, pioneering graphic designer, artist, DJ, writer and percussionist, has compiled collections for labels like World Music Network, Nascente, Fania, and Vapisoul. He has designed album covers and…
Cuban Salsa Tracks To Dance To
The best tracks to dance to, according to Kerry Ribchester, the lady who knows her stuff when it comes to getting into the salsa groove.
Venezuela’s Rich Musical Tapestry
Professor T.M. Scruggs, an ethnomusicologist at the University of Iowa, has spent six years specializing in Venezuelan music and culture. In this interview he paints a fascinating portrait of a musical heritage that is one of…
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…
Brown Girls in the Ring Make Argentina Sing…
How Cumbia conquered Argentina. The Cumbia invasion rides on populist political culture, but has urban snobs singing a different tune.
New York's Ultimate Latin Diva
The muse of Masters at Work's Little Lou Vega and Kenny Dope, India became the dance floor icon of the 90s when House and Garage ruled clubland. Latinolife caught up with the ultimate Latin diva.
The Phenomenon of Latin Music in the US
Back in the late seventies an outstanding documentary was made about Salsa in New York and its social significance. It became a seminal work. Thirty years later its director Jeremy Marre, commissioned by the BBC, went back to…
In Praise of Jairo Varela
A tribute to the founder and band leader of Grupo Niche, who put Colombian salsa on the global music map and helped make Cali the renowned capital of Salsa that it is known as today.
Rule Colombian Britannia!
This year the BBC Proms pays tribute to a new British-Colombian generation by featuring the London born and bred accordionist Jose Hernando who won the BBC Radio 3 World Routes Academy at only 19. Here the burgeoning star talks…
Going Back to Move Forward
If anyone knows the secret to moving ahead by looking back it is Juan de Marcos, the man behind the original Buena Vista Social Club Album and all that followed. He talks to Latinolife with frankness about Music, Cuban Identity,…
The People's Salsero
At first dismissed for his wordy complexity, Rubén Blades - composer, singer, salsero, lyricist, narrator, poet, social conscience and political activist - soon proved to be Fania's biggest money spinner. In this…
'The Marvellous Jew' - an interview with Fania legend Larry Harlow
Known affectionately as ‘the marvellous jew’ Larry Harlow was such a talent that the great Latino stars of Fania more than embraced him as one their own; they revered his musical leadership and vision. Jose Luis Seijas talks to…
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Salsa Hits of the 1960s
As we gear up for LatinoLife in the Park 2025 where we'll be celebrating one of Latin music…
Urban
APRIL REGGAETON RECAP
Latin women are dominating the documentary industry in the past four weeks. Whether it was Anitta…
Classical Jazz and Folk
The Fabulous Fattoruso Brothers
The Uruguayan Fattoruso brothers, Hugo on piano and accordion and “Osvaldo” on drums, were…
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Ballads and Boleros
LatinoLife's Favourite Mexican Male Singers of all Time
Since the days when Mexico was a serious rival to Hollywood in terms of film production and quality…
Urban
Top 10 Female Reggaeton Artists
We may have come a long way since the days of overt misogyny in Urban Latin Music, but the industry…
