The PBS Latin Music program (Albuquerque, Cuba: live, moving, title)

[tecpatl]

If you haven't seen any of these fine programs, you should...assuming you like Latin Music.
The episodes this week are about Tejano, Chicano, Mexican American and the second about Latin Superstars, etc.
For myself, I especially enjoyed the first hour, with a lot of mid-1900's background and moving on into the 1990s and beyond. It didn't hurt that a couple of my favorites (Flaco Jimenez and Los Lobos) got a lot of well deserved attention. The roots of Conjunto/Norteno are explored. as well as Latin rock music.
I care a bit less about mega-music industry superstars, but that episode is interesting as well.
The shows last week were more jazz/Cuban/Puerto Rican oriented and also very interesting. Lots of great music from those days.
Anyway, if you like Latin music, or if you want some exposure to it, this series is really, really well done.
KRWG 8 pm Monday, same time in Albuquerque, I think. I think it will replay next Monday as well, but you need to check the listings.
Latin Music USA | PBS

[ApartmentNomad]

Originally Posted by tecpatl

If you haven't seen any of these fine programs, you should...assuming you like Latin Music.
The episodes this week are about Tejano, Chicano, Mexican American and the second about Latin Superstars, etc.
For myself, I especially enjoyed the first hour, with a lot of mid-1900's background and moving on into the 1990s and beyond. It didn't hurt that a couple of my favorites (Flaco Jimenez and Los Lobos) got a lot of well deserved attention. The roots of Conjunto/Norteno are explored. as well as Latin rock music.
I care a bit less about mega-music industry superstars, but that episode is interesting as well.
The shows last week were more jazz/Cuban/Puerto Rican oriented and also very interesting. Lots of great music from those days.
Anyway, if you like Latin music, or if you want some exposure to it, this series is really, really well done.Latin Music USA | PBS

Right, I was going to say: "don't just limit it to those who like Latin music," but I see you broadened it.

I haven't actually seen any of this yet (I don't have a TV connection), but from what I've see on the associated website, this should be pretty good. I know some people who know quite a bit about more of the salsa/Afro-Latin side of things (the side of Latin music that primarily interests me), and so far I haven't heard any really serious criticisms of the program, though one friend has said it was kind of Fania-centric, which is probably inevitable, but makes the genre seem narrower than it is. I can't say much about the other Latin music genres I'm not as familiar with, but salsa (in the broad sense) is in my opinion very under-documented, in English language writing and media anyway.

I intend to watch these episodes online, eventually.

Personally, I tend to like to stress the differences between the more Afro-Caribbean side of Latin music and the Mexican/Chicano side, partly because lots of my fellow Anglos (maybe not so much here in Albuquerque) just assume Latin music is Latin music and it's all one big thing; but it's interesting to note that, of course, there have been times when the histories of these musics have overlapped. Perez Prado, and mambo in general, was big in Mexico, and Benny More was loved there as well. The Cuban bolero form became enormously popular all across Latin America, with Mexico, I think, pioneering the bolero trio innovation (a sound I'm not crazy about, but something which lots of Puerto Rican Latin music fans I know absolutely love). Carlos Santana helped develop a Mexican-American rock sound, but one that also borrowed heavily from Afro-Latin music. Meanwhile, Mexican songs have sometimes been successfully re-made in a salsa mold, such as Eddie Palmieri's version of "Malagueña Salerosa" (at least I think that is originally Mexican).

[ApartmentNomad]

I know some people who know quite a bit about more of the salsa/Afro-Latin side of things (the side of Latin music that primarily interests me), and so far I haven't heard any really serious criticisms of the program

I spoke too soon. The main friend I rely on for opinions of this sort of thing just posted a rant about the last episode, complaining about it being white washed, and, for instance, including non-Americans like Shakira and Juanes, while leavings out any Dominican Americans (among whom Aventura--and Luny Tunes for pete's sake!--are certainly big enough to be worthy of attention in covering the poppier side of Latin music here).

But anyway. . . Back to New Mexico.

[songinthewind7]

I watch PBS every once in awhile and enjoy the nature shows mostly.
Thanks for posting this one about the music.

[tecpatl]

A-Nomad, Latin music is a pretty big and diverse subject even for a well produced 4 hour series, so I can't be surprised that a great deal was left on the cutting room floor, so to speak. Also not surprising that serious devotees like your friend can find much to complain about, for the same reason...it's a complex and complicated genre.
I give PBS major props for taking it on in the first place.
The variety and variations of music in Mexico alone is staggering, and when you throw the net wider to include the musical contributions of a continent it's clear to me that a series twice the length of Latin Music USA would still not cover it all.
I think the Shakira segment had more to do with her being a huge pop phenomenon, certainly of larger popular impact than anyone I know of from DR. But, as I said, the mega-star segment was not one of my favorites...but that's just my taste. I've been a casual fan of Afro-Caribbean music since my years of sailing SORC races all over Caribbean over 30 years ago. Learned to love Mt. Gay and Barbancourt rum, too.....

I did wonder, during the Conjunto/Norteno part, if a large percentage of Anglo America was scratching it's collective head and muttering " Polka and Oom-Pah music in Mexico and Texas??"

Some years ago my local weekly Michigan newspaper did an article on a Mexican-American man who had come to the area to pick fruit and never left. He started a business and did very well for himself and his family (still does), but one of the things they prominently mentioned was that he "even likes Polka music", as if that music was only interesting to the large local Polish population. Rogelio was too much of a gentleman to correct them, but I couldn't help writing a letter to the editor pointing out their innocent but ignorant assumption and inviting people to explore it a bit.
When I mentioned that in Southern border regions one was far, far more likely to encounter "polka" music on the car radio than in N. Michigan, a number of people took the time to ask me if I was kidding (which I was not) and express their disbelief. Sr. Rocky called me to share a laugh about that, and I lent out a few LP's (I said it was years ago to the curious.
Did anyone else watch this program?

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by tecpatl

Did anyone else watch this program?

Just the first hour so far. I enjoyed it.


Rich

[chrokee69]

I wishm that i would have seen it. I love the toe tapping it makes me do, and then I find myself getting up and wanting to dance.

[DOUBLE H]

Good subject here. Obviously from where I live, I'm unable to catch this program on the tube but will check PBS listings and see if it will show up in my area at some point.

As a music hobbyist, IMO there has been an interest in the Latin mambo artists for a long time. To collectors of 50's and 60's music, two artists stand out; Perez Prado and Tito Puente. Both recorded for RCA records in the 1950's and 1960's, and Puente's output is close to double that of Prado, releasing over two dozen lp's on the Tico label as well as his RCA releases. Tico Records was a label based out of New York City that specialized in Latin artists, and was a division of Roulette Records. Actually one of the more collectable lp's in this category is by Desi Arnaz. Desi had released a few 45's on RCA. Then when the tv show I Love Lucy started, a 10" album was released by Arnaz, called "Babalu". (RCA-LPM-3096) Good stuff!

[ABQConvict]

I hate it when people use the word 'Latin' in place of 'Latino' having studied Latin for many years and being a musicologist specializing in medieval and ancient music, you can see where I got super excited when I saw the title of this thread!

That said, I love Afro-Carribean (Cuban especially) music and would love to hear that program. Thanks for the 'heads-up' tecpatl.


ABQConvict