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By Carlos Quintana, About.com Guide

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Juan Luis Guerra Debuts 'Asondeguerra Tour' at #1 on Billboard Latin Music Charts

Friday May 24, 2013

This week, the number one spot of the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart belongs to Asondeguerra Tour, the latest compilation album released by Latin music superstar Juan Luis Guerra. This strong comeback not only consolidates the Dominican singer and songwriter as one of today's most influential artists in Latin music but also corroborates the timeless appeal of his music, which is widely embraced by different generations across the Latin world and beyond.

Apart from being this week's hottest debut on the charts, Asondeguerra Tour has also reached the number one spot on the Tropical Albums ranking, a significant achievement considering the almost undisputed dominance of Bachata superstars Romeo Santos and Prince Royce on that chart.

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Photo Courtesy Universal Latino

Upcoming Regional Mexican Music Tours and Concerts

Thursday May 23, 2013

Several Regional Mexican music artists are getting ready to hit the road this summer. While most of them have only scheduled a couple of concerts here and there, others are already busy with their tours across the country. From Intocable's 2013 tour to Los Tigres del Norte, the following are some of the top Mexican music concerts you need to be aware of.

Intocable Tour Dates

May 31 - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey Night Club.
Jun. 1 - Tucson, AZ - Tucson Convention Center.
Jun. 2 - Casa Grande, AZ - Pinal Fairgrounds.
Jun. 7 - Nashville, TN - Bucanas.
Jun. 8 - Dalton, GA - El Rio Bravo Ballroom.
Jun. 9 - Hunstville, AL - TBA.
Jun. 21 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues.
Jun. 22 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues.
Jun. 23 - San Diego, CA - San Diego County Fair.
Jul. 12 - Riverside, CA - Fox Performing Arts Center.

Pepe Aguilar Concerts

May 26 - Pico Rivera, CA - Pico Rivera Sports Arena.
Jun. 1 - Primm, NV - Star Of The Desert Arena at Primm Valley Resorts.
Sep. 5 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk.

Espinoza Paz Concerts

Jun. 9 - Del Mar, CA - Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Larry Hernandez Concerts

Jul. 20 - Lincoln, CA - Thunder Valley Casino Resort.

Julion Alvarez y Su Norteno Banda Concerts

Jun. 29 - San Jose, CA - San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
Jun. 30 - Del Mar, CA - Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Jul. 20 - Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

Ramon Ayala Concerts

Jul. 13 - Bakersfield, CA - Rabobank Theater and Convention Center.
Jul. 26 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk.
Jul. 27 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk.

La Arrolladora Banda El Limon Concerts

Jun. 15 - Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.
Jun. 16 - Del Mar, CA - Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Jun. 21 - Fresno, CA - Fresno Convention Center.

Alejandro Fernandez Concerts

Sep. 15 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Hotel.

Los Tigres del Norte Concerts

Jun. 20 - Highland, CA - San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino.
Jun. 30 - Mesquite, TX - Mesquite Arena.

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images

What Is Your Favorite Shakira Song in Spanish?

Wednesday May 22, 2013

It is always nice to revisit the music of a given artist especially if the person involved is one of the biggest Latin music stars in the world. Even though Shakira has built her worldwide fame singing in English, her Spanish-language repertoire is at the base of her overall success.

If you do not know that side of her repertoire, I would like to invite you to take a look at this compilation of top Shakira songs in Spanish featuring memorable tracks from albums such as Pies Descalzos, Donde Estan Los Ladrones and Sale El Sol. However, if you are familiar with most of the titles on this selection, I would like to invite you to cast your vote for your favorite track in the following poll.

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Photo Courtesy Sony

Gustavo Santaolalla Talks about Music, Career and Bajofondo

Monday May 20, 2013

This week, I am featuring an exclusive interview with Gustavo Santaolalla, one of the most creative minds in the Latin music industry. If you are not familiar with his name, he is best known for his Academy Award winning original scores for the movies Brokeback Mountain and Babel. However, those who are into Latin Rock know the impact that Gustavo Santaolalla has had in this genre as a pioneer of Argentinian Rock and music producer for bands such as Maldita Vecindad, Molotov and Cafe Tacvba.

In this exclusive interview, Gustavo Santaolalla talks about Latin Rock, his decision of moving to Los Angeles in the late 1970s, and his current work with the Latin Alternative band Bajofondo. In particular, he offers a nice introduction to Bajofondo's latest album Presente. Throughout this interview, he discusses the ideas that shape his music and the things that inspire him to produce it. If you are curious about all this, I highly recommend you to read everything that Gustavo Santaolalla shared with me.

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Photo Courtesy Picky Talarico

Regional Mexican Music Artists Take on Billboard Latin Charts

Friday May 17, 2013

While Marc Anthony's hit single "Vivir Mi Vida" is still the hottest Latin song in the country, this week's big news on the Billboard Latin music charts is the solid debut of two Regional Mexican music albums: Duelo's Libre Por Naturaleza and Vicente Fernandez's Hoy. While the former is the number one album on the Top Latin Abums chart, the latter grabbed the third spot of this ranking.

The new album released by the Tejano/Norteno band from Roma, Texas, has also taken the first spot on the Regional Mexican Albums chart. On that list, Hoy, the latest release from the King of Ranchera Music, sits at number 2 followed by the hugely popular albums from Jenni Rivera La Misma Gran Señora and Joyas Prestadas: Banda. Just another proof of the immense popularity that Regional Mexican music enjoys in the US.

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Photo Courtesy 1-2-3-4-GO!

Juan Luis Guerra Releases Live Compilation Album 'Asondeguerra Tour'

Wednesday May 15, 2013

Juan Luis Guerra, one of the living legends of Latin music, has just released his new album Asondeguerra Tour. This exciting production, which was recorded in front of 50,000 people during a concert at the Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, features some of the most memorable Merengue and Bachata songs ever produced by the Dominican icon including hits such as "La Bilirrubina," "Bachata Rosa," "Las Avispas" and "Bachata En Fukuoka."

The new album also includes duets with Bachata sensation artist Romeo Santos ("Frio, Frio") and Latin Pop and Rock superstar Juanes ("La Calle"). Besides the standard 14-track CD, Asondeguerra Tour was also released in a deluxe edition format that includes a CD and a DVD featuring the best moments from the memorable concert in Santo Domingo. The following are the 14 songs included in the regular edition.

'Asondeguerra Tour' Track Listing:

1. "Apaga Y Vamonos"
2. "La Bilirrubina"
3. "La Travesia"
4. "La Llave de Mi Corazon"
5. "Mi Bendicion"
6. "La Calle" featuring Juanes
7. "El Niagara en Bicicleta"
8 ."Visa Para Un Sueño"
9. "Frio Frio" featuring Romeo Santos
10. "Las Avispas"
11. "Bachata en Fukuoka"
12. "La Guagua"
13. "En El Cielo No Hay Hospital"
14. "Ojala Que Llueva Cafe"

If you are just getting into Latin music, I highly recommend this album. Asondeguerra Tour offers a nice opportunity to fully appreciate the music of one of the most influential artists in the Tropical field. This is definitely one of the best Latin music compilations of 2013.

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Photo Courtesy Universal Latino

Latino Artist Immi Touches Immigration and The American Dream on Debut Single

Tuesday May 14, 2013

There is no doubt immigration is a hot topic right now in the US. Today, different Latin music stars are using their music to address the struggles that illegal immigrants face when they decide to chase their American dream. After "ICE El Hielo," the powerful single included in La Santa Cecilia's latest album Treinta Dias, I would like to share with you another immigration-related song recently released by Immi, a rising Latino artist originally from Argentina who lives now in New York.

The name of the song is "Immigrant (Inmigrante)," a Latin Urban track defined by its decisive Reggaeton beat and Immi's bilingual flow throughout the melody. After listening to this meaningful song, which supports all of those who are currently pursuing their American dream, I had the chance to ask Immi some questions about immigration and this is what he shared with me:

Are you living your American dream now?

I believe I'm living a part of the American dream now. Working hard and having opportunities is definitely part of it, then comes raising a family and having the security, education, and being able to offer your child the best opportunities out there.

What do you think of immigration in the US today?

Immigration today is not really a simple matter. I believe that there needs to be reform and a clearer path for citizenship. This country does need immigrants but there are immigrants here already that have no way to apply.

How would you define your identity?

I would define my identity as an American Latino, even though I was not born here. I did go to school and have many friends that are completely American. I believe we are the future of this nation, we are multicultural bilingual people.

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Photo Courtesy Gray Devio

Marc Anthony's "Vivir Mi Vida" Reaches #1 Spot on Billboard Latin Music Charts

Saturday May 11, 2013

"Voy a Reir, Voy a Gozar..." I will laugh, I will have fun. These are the words of Marc Anthony's latest hit "Vivir Mi Vida." Very likely, this is also how he feels now that his catchy single has reached the number one spot on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs and Latin Digital Songs charts.

Besides his own success, this is good news for Salsa music fans. In fact, the genre has not been able to place that many hits on these ranking largely dominated by Latin Pop, Urban and Bachata songs. "Vivir Mi Vida," a Salsa version of Cheb Khaled's original hit "C'est La Vie," is the first single that Marc Anthony has released from his upcoming album due in July. Stay tuned for more news about this exciting production.

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Photo Courtesy Sony Music Latin

Natalie Cole To Release Spanish-language Album Featuring Latin Music Standards

Friday May 10, 2013

Following in the footsteps of her legendary father, multiple Grammy Award-winning artist Natalie Cole is about to release Natalie Cole en Español, the singer's first Spanish-language album featuring some of the most famous Latin songs of all time including tracks such as "Besame Mucho," "Oye Como Va" and "El Dia Que Me Quieras."

Beside being a wonderful compilation of Latin music standards previously recorded by Nat King Cole, the new album includes duets with the famous Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli ("Besame Mucho") and the iconic Dominican artist Juan Luis Guerra ("Bachata Rosa"). However, the most emotional piece of the album matches father and daughter in the single "Acercate Mas" using the same technology of the celebrated album Unforgettable.

Natalie Cole en Español was produced by the famous producer Rudy Perez and will be released June 25 on Verve/Universal. The following is the track listing of this exciting production.

Natalie Cole en Español - Track Listing:

1. "Frenesi"
2. "Voy a Apagar La Luz/Contigo Aprendi"
3. "Acercate Mas" with Nat King Cole
4. "Mañana De Carnaval "
5. "Besame Mucho" with Andrea Bocelli
6. "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas"
7. "Solamente Una Vez"
8. "Oye Como Va (Medley)"
9. "Yo Lo Amo (And I Love Him)"
10. "El Dia Que Me Quieras"
11. "Bachata Rosa" with Juan Luis Guerra
12. "Amapola"

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Angela Weiss / Getty Images

Spanish Artist Miguel Bose Selected as The 2013 Latin Recording Academy Person of The Year

Thursday May 9, 2013

In preparation for this year's Latin Grammy Awards celebration, The Latin Recording Academy has chosen the legendary Spanish singer Miguel Bose as the 2013 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. In honoring the iconic Latin Pop star, the Grammy organization highlighted the music career and humanitarian contributions of one of the most influential Latin music artists of the last decades.

"This year we take great pride in honoring a very talented performer and philanthropist whose immense talent and generosity have had a profound impact," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "We look forward to paying tribute to one of today's most respected and avant-garde artists as well as a man whose selflessness has benefited many around the world," added Mr. Abaroa.

Since the 1970s, Miguel Bose has been forging one of the most successful careers in the Latin music industry. He is one of the few artists whose career connects the popularity that romantic ballads enjoyed during the 1970s with the later boom of Latin Pop music. While he was the young kid of a group dominated by artists like Jose Jose, Julio Iglesias and Raphael, he has been a source of inspiration for singers like Ricky Martin, Shakira, Alejandro Sanz and Juanes.

From his 1977 debut album Linda to Papitwo, one of the best Latin music compilations of 2012, Miguel Bose has produced nearly 25 albums and memorable hits such as "Amiga," "Amante Bandido," "Sevilla," "Morir de Amor" and "Si Tu No Vuelves." Besides his music, Miguel Bose is committed to various humanitarian and social projects, including different initiatives through his own foundation Paz Sin Fronteras.

All things considered, I believe this year's choice of The Latin Recording Academy is excellent. Miguel Bose will receive this honor at a gala event on Wednesday, November 20 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, just one day before the Latin Grammy Awards. Stay tuned for more news regarding this special event.

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Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images

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