Recommend some Good Latin..por favor

[YoungClayB]

This might sound crazy, but I like mexican food. I like margaritas too

Everytime I go to "On the Border" to eat, I really enjoy the latin music they have playing in the background. It makes me want to dance even though I know that I can't. Something tells me that the "house" music at the mexican retaurant is just the tip of the iceburg.

Can someone recommend some good latin music? I am looking for tight beats, horns, congas, the whole shabang....(shabang, not she bangs

)

 

[rlanger]

Check out Eddie Palmieri for some smokin' latin jazz.

 

[actorlife]

All of Marc Anthony Salsa CD's! Barreto Best of, Frankie Negron, Rey Ruiz Best of, Willie Colon Best of, Celia Cruz Best of(The Queen of Salsa), El Grand Combo Best of, Fania All Star best of, etc.

 

[FalconP]

For Salsa music with vocals, go for Celia Cruz. If you like conga drums, then by all means go for Poncho Sanchez -- he never did an album that is less than satisfying.

Then you may as well sample some Mariachi music, for example Nydia Rojas.

 

[apnk]

Mexican Rock? Check out Mana, Cafe Tacuba (check out their "Re" album, it's like one of the best cd's ever made), La Ley (not Mexican but Chilean).



BTW, check out all of the bands I mentioned MTV Unplugged albums.

 

[rsaavedra]

There are so many Latin styles. Some additional salsa performers you might want to check: Oscar de León, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Olga Tañón.

A very popular classic now: "Buena Vista Social Club."

Awesome music and awesome recordings, you might want to check "Cachao Master Sessions Volume 1", and "Volume 2", two separate CDs.

 

[GlendaleViper]

 

[s m @]

I'm no expert on this genre, but I really enjoy this latin jazz comp, and I think you might as well. Listen to the samples.....

 

[Michgelsen]

If you like it fast, try Elvis Crespo. It has all the tight beats, horns and conga's you ask for.

 

[skeeder]

How about Latin Salsa Dance music? I found some stuff that sounds pretty good. Gotta love the latin music...but I prefer things in spanish for it.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Ozomatli's self-titled debut is a must hear, with a good mix of raucous, danceable tracks, slow ballads and their trademark blending of positive rap in select tunes.

Ry Cooder is responsible for some great Cuban rhythms, most notably (recently, anyway) his involvement in Buena Vista Social Club and his follow up with Manual Galban entitled Mambo Sinuendo.

Roberto Delgado has also made some fun recordings of Latin standards, and a collection of 20 South American Dancing Hits entitled... wait for it: "20 South American Dancing Hits" is a fantastic package, including Guantanamera, Jump in the Line, Who's Got the Paper, Rum & Coca-Cola and on and on. Really nice stuff, but perhaps a little smooth or cheesy (see my earlier Herb Alpert recommendation) compared to modern standards.

[EDIT] I can't fail to mention Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto. Wonderful Bossa Nova (check Getz' earlier work too) and up there as one of the must-own Jazz albums of all time.

 

[tru blu]

The OP mentioned being in a Mexican restaurant, so it makes me wonder if the musical menu was strictly Mexican (norteño, Tejano, ranchera, mariachi) or a mix from Cuba (rumba, mambo, son), Puerto Rico (salsa, bugalú), Colombia (cumbia), the Dominican Republic (merengue), whatever. Those are all really different things. For reference, Mexican-influenced stuff is sorta like the non-rock music that the band Los Lobos plays. As an offshoot, two members of that band made a dreamy, impressionistic border-rock thing called Latin Playboys that I can't recommend highly enough. For more of a Tex-Mex thing (the Lobos are L.A. Chicanos) you might look for the singer-accordionist Flaco Jimenez.

Cuban music has probably had the most influence in America, through jazz and folks like Machito, Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri (both Puente and Palmieri are Puerto Ricans who excelled at Cuban-inflected music; their last collaboration, Obra Maestra/Masterpiece, is fantastic, although each has made many great records). Their stuff is more urban, so if you're looking for more rustic stuff like Buena Vista Social Club, you might try Septeto Nacional Igñacio Pineiro, Nico Saquito or Los Fakires.

Some great modern albums, from all over the place:
Cortijo y Su Combo Bueno, y Qué…?
Los Van Van Songo
Hector Lavoe La Voz
Rubén Blades Buscando America
The Rough Guide to Cuban Son

 

[davidr2287]

For spanish Rock .... Mana MTV Unplugged+amp+grado = AWESOME!

 

[FalconP]

Beside the usual Brazillian/Cuban suspects, there are much interesting music in the less-explored South American countries. Columbia hails Carlos Vives, who sings exuberant songs, accompanied by percussion, accordion and the occasional panpipes. His music is heavily flavored with rumba, and sounds like the Gipsy Kings go Hispanic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeder /img/forum/go_quote.gif How about Latin Salsa Dance music? I found some stuff that sounds pretty good. Gotta love the latin music...but I prefer things in spanish for it.

The Spanish Harlem Orchestra has some wonderful big-band salsa.

 

[pdennis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FalconP /img/forum/go_quote.gif Beside the usual Brazillian/Cuban suspects, there are much interesting music in the less-explored South American countries.

Great point. I've been really enjoying Susana Baca, the Afro-Peruvian artist, lately. Her music is not nearly so turbo-charged as the Salsa that's been mentioned here, and there's more of an emphasis on poetic lyrics (Salsa lyrics are often pretty lame), musical expressiveness, and rhythmic variety. Check out her self-titled album, and you'll hear some rhythms you've never imagined before. Or download the song, "Zamba Malato", for a sample. Her voice and her band are both amazingly good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FalconP /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Spanish Harlem Orchestra has some wonderful big-band salsa.

D'oh, you beat me to it! Just TRY to listen to "Se Formó la Rumba" and sit still. Not gonna happen!

Lastly, here's one of my favorite Latin Youtube videos - Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe, "Che Che Cole".