10 Great Latino Albums of 2014

Source by Sandra Guzman

Some of the most notable Latin music recordings of 2014 celebrated and explored major themes—culture, race, national and ethnic identity and the sacred-- in all of their complexity. Even while singing or rapping to social and environmental injustice and exploitation, the thought-provoking music of new artists as well as Latin music legends provided lots of opportunities to dance, think, chill, or rock out.        
There were some fantastic collaborations that delved into love, romance, tradition, politics and the sacred, making 2014 a year of smart, elegant, and phenomenal music.        

Rootsy without being corny, the rich sounds, fusions, and rhythms of Latin America and the Caribbean are all present in these picks--from bachata, folk, Latin jazz and flamenco to merengue, experimental, alternative rock, sugary pop, salsa and bomba y plena.        

There was so much amazing music recorded by Latino artists; we highlighted 10 albums to give you a taste of what 2014 sounded like.

 

Listen to the music here.

The Year In Latino Books: Here's 10 Great Picks

Source by Sandra Guzman

From jaw-dropping celebrity memoirs to gorgeously illustrated picture books, from sensual and musical poems to whimsical young adult reads, by all accounts 2014 was a wonderful year for Latino letters.

Here are ten Latino books published this year and recommended by bookstore owners, book clubs and plain old book lovers that will have you and your family sitting in front of a cozy fire with some café con leche or chocolate caliente.        

Happy Reading!

 

 

Book details life of ‘forgotten’ U.S. Latino Scholar

Source by Russell Contreras, AP

George I. Sanchez regularly is left out of books on the civil rights movement. His role is seldom mentioned in studies on desegregation cases. Even people in his birth-state hardly know his name, though his imprint on New Mexico’s educational system still is felt today.

A new biography seeks to change that.

This month, Carlos Blanton released “George I. Sanchez: The Long Fight for Mexican American Integration.” He’s hoping the biography finally places the Latino scholar in his proper place among civil rights giants.

A project that took more than a decade, Blanton wrote the book after combing through previously unknown letters, writings and materials to reconstruct the life of a man who was at the center of some of most important civil rights moments in history.

“I started this book only thinking of him as a cultural scholar,” said Blanton, a history professor at Texas A&M University. “Then, I found a civil rights activist.”
Sanchez was born in Albuquerque in 1906. At 16, he worked as a public school teacher at a small rural school in Yrisarri, New Mexico. He became superintendent of the Bernalillo County school district six years later.

That experience sparked his mission to reform the state’s educational system, particularly IQ testing of Latinos and American Indians, which he viewed as racially biased. Eventually, Sanchez became what would be equivalent to the state’s deputy secretary of education.

Read more.

[Music] Latin Music We Loved In 2014: Texas Heat and Miami Soul

Source by NPR Staff

Throughout 2014, our friends Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras over at NPR's Alt.Latino have dropped by Weekend Edition to share new records they love with us.
This week, they're giving us a recap of their favorite artists of the year, from a soulful Miami singer who is taking a page from Janis Joplin, to a young Mexican American DJ who is mixing genres with surprising results.

Don't forget to let us know what your favorite records were this year, and check out Alt.Latino's complete list here.

Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe: Salsa's Original Gangsters

Source by Angel Diaz

 

Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe were very instrumental in Salsa's success during the late '60s and throughout the '70s and '80s. Under the banner of Fania Records, this duo pushed the boundaries of traditional Salsa, and, in turn, became worldwide superstars, touring Central and South America, and cities all across the Eastern Hemisphere, most notably, Paris.

To get a grasp of just how big these guys were, consider this: The Fania All-Stars shut down Yankee Stadium in 1973. The damage the stadium sustained during the show, caused by those in attendance dancing the night away, put Bronx Bombers' last month of home games in jeopardy. It was an electric time in New York City. Willie's revolutionary trombone-backed production shifted Salsa's mambo and boogaloo (Latin R&B) to a more street-oriented sound, with lyrics that reflected the harsh realities many artists skirted around. With the help of Hector's beautiful voice, the duo were able to have commercial success and still stay street.

Read more.

[VIDEO] Bamz On Using 'N' Word: "Latinos & Blacks Are The Same"

Source by Marjua Estevez

Newly signed to Duck Down Records, East Harlem spitter Bodega Bamz stopped by DASH Radio to chat about being single, groupies, his love for his native borough and his views on Latinos using the word “n*gga.”

“Spanish and Blacks, we the same,” he explained. “Where I come from, we’re the same. So to me, that word is not derogatory when a Latino says it.”

Of course, what Bamz meant when he said “Spanish” was “Latinos,” perhaps “Hispanic.” But not persons from Spain.

But what say you? People of all shades and ethnicities agree the ‘n’ word should be put to rest, Black people included. While some urge our generation to do away with the historically racist term, many remain it is an expression of endearment when distinguished from “n*gger.” 

Watch the video here.

Chris Rock Slams Hollywood, Says L.A. Is Mexican 'Slave State'

Chris Rock slammed Hollywood as a "white industry" and said when it comes to Mexicans, there is an acceptance "that there's a slave state in L.A."

In an essay written by Rock published in The Hollywood Reporter, the black comedian and actor blasted the entertainment industry for its lack of jobs for black and Latinos.

"But forget whether Hollywood is black enough. A better question is: Is Hollywood Mexican enough? You're in L.A, you've got to try not to hire Mexicans," said Rock, saying while it's the most liberal town in the world, there's "...just an acceptance that there's a slave state in L.A. There's this acceptance that Mexicans are going to take care of white people in L.A. that doesn't exist anywhere else. I remember I was renting a house in Beverly Park while doing some movie, and you just see all of the Mexican people at 8 o'clock in the morning in a line driving into Beverly Park like it's General Motors. It's this weird town."

"You're telling me no Mexicans are qualified to do anything at a studio? Really? Nothing but mop up?" wrote Rock. "What are the odds that that's true? The odds are, because people are people, that there's probably a Mexican David Geffen mopping up for somebody's company right now. The odds are that there's probably a Mexican who's that smart who's never going to be given a shot."

The story has been generating a lot of buzz on social media.

Why ‘Jane The Virgin' Star Gina Rodriguez Says ‘Latinos Are Not Limited By Their Culture'

Source by Carolina Moreno 

Gina Rodriguez has won the hearts of critics and fans on CW’s “Jane The Virgin,” and the actress now wants to “give her blessings away.”

The Chicago-born star with Puerto Rican roots will be hosting a "NUVO Point of View: The Emerging Latino Filmmakers" on Thursday at 8 p.m. In an exclusive clip given to The Huffington Post, Rodriguez spoke about why she is honored to host the special, her views on playing a virgin on tv and more.

The NUVOtv 3-hour special will showcase the top Latino screenwriters, producers, and directors chosen from more than 200 submissions. On the topic of presenting Latino films to a nationwide audience, the star said it was especially important when the stories don’t concern Latino issues.

Read more.

Prince Royce English Songs and Album

Source by Claudia Balthazar 

Latino Pop star Prince Royce is working on his first English language album hoping to follow in the footsteps of Spanish-speaking stars Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias.

"After releasing three Spanish albums, I felt more prepared as a musician and a songwriter," Royce said in an interview with Idolator. "I can now connect to many different English-speaking countries that don't know who Prince Royce is."

Price Royce has dominated Billboard's Latin Songs chart in the past few years with hits like "Las Cosas Pequeñas" and "Darte Un Beso." The heartthrob, raised by Dominican parents in Bronx, New York, was nominated for four Latin Grammys last month.

The singer has promised his fans that he is by no means leaving his Latin roots. Even in his English songs, there's a hint of his Latin and tropical sound.

Read more.

[Video+Music] Top artists to watch at Vive Latino 2015

Source By Eduardo Stanley 

Vive Latino, the most important music festival in Latin America, will take place in Mexico City March 13, 14 and 15, 2015. With names such as Siddhartha, Jimmy Page and Aterciopelados, the lineup was already announced and tickets went on sale right after.

Thousand of people from Mexico, USA and Latin America attend this annual musical event in part due to the organizers’ ability to bring a stylistically eclectic lineup, mixing traditional rock with the newest musical trends, and both local and international artists as well as a good combination of different generations of artists sharing stages.

Click here for show lineups and tickets. 

[MUSIC] Alt.Latino's Favorite Latin Music Of 2014

Source by JASMINE GARSD

As 2014 begins to wind to a close, Alt.Latino is spending this week looking back at our favorite artists of the year. It's an unusually varied list, and not just musically: Heavy-hitting veterans are included alongside new artists we expect to make a huge splash in 2015. As always, this list can't possibly be definitive, especially in a year with so many excellent releases. So help us out: What were your favorites this year?

List to the music here.

Ruben Blades, Sting Launch Quito’s 480th Birthday Bash

Ruben Blades and Sting mixed up a cocktail of salsa and rock to give a rousing start to the celebrations marking the 480th anniversary of the founding of this Andean city.

Before crowds gathered at the Bicentennial Park, the old airport north of Quito, Blades and Sting headlined Quitonia, a six-hour show that included Ecuadorian stars such as Tomback, rapper AU-D and singer-songwriter Juan Fernando Velasco. Read more.