Reviews and Recommendations
By Tijana Ilich, About.com Guide to Latin Music
With all of the available Latin music, it's tough to decide which album is for you. Pick your style and read reviews of some you might want to pick up.
Hot Off The Press
Here are some of the most recent reviews for those interested in albums that are 'hot off the press.'
- Putumayo - 'Cafe Cubano'
- Sergio Mendes - 'Encanto'
- Nortec Collective - 'Tijuana Sound Machine'
- Grupo Caribe - 'Somos Caribenos'
Pop / Rock
If you like popular music, some of the best is in the Latin music world where pop and rock rhythms mix with those wild Latin beats.
- Gloria Estefan - 90 Millas
- Ricky Martin - MTV Unplugged
- Julieta Venegas - Limon Y Sal
- Aterciopelados - Oye
- Los Amigos Invisibles - Superpop Venezuela
- Los Lonely Boys - Cottonfields & Crossroads
- Obie Bermudez - Lo Que Trajo El Barco
- Fonseca - Corazon
Salsa
Born in the 1960s, salsa took Afro-Cuban rhythms and made them hotter and hotter.
- Oscar D'Leon - Fuzionando
- La Excelencia - Salsa Con Conciencia
- Spanish Harlem Orchestra - United We Swing
Bossa Nova / Samba
Journey through Brazil with the sounds of samba and bossa nova.
Afro-Cuban / Plena / Bomba
From Cuba to Puerto Rico, these are the native rhythms of the islands.
Tango
Here's a selection of albums that leave no doubt of Argentina's influence on world music.
- Maria Volonte - Yo Soy Maria
- GoTan Project - Lunatico
- Julio Iglesias - Tango
- Luis Bravo's Forever Tango
Merengue / Bachata
The Dominican Republic brings us merengue and bachata. Merengue is fast, bachata slower, but either can turn listening to a CD into a party.
- Juan Luis Guerra - La Llave De Mi Corazon
- Luis Vargas - Santo Domingo Blues
- Monchy & Alexandra - Exitos
Tejano / Norteno
Tejano north of the border, norteno south of the border, both varieties of Mexican music are music to the ears of millions of people.
- Cruz Martinez Presenta Los Super Reyes - El Regreso De Los Reyes
- Kumbia AllStarz - From Kumbia Kings To Kumbia AllStarz
- Jenni Rivera - Mi Vida Loca
- Los Tigres Del Norte - Historias Que Contar
- Conjunto Primavera - El Amor Que Nunca Fue
Urban Fusion / Hip Hop
A big city changes things. One musical form marries another and we get something unique.
