Latin Music Reviews & Recommendations
By Carlos Quintana, About.com Guide
Hot Off The Press
Here are some of the most recent reviews for those interested in albums that are hot off the presses.
- Prince Royce - 'Phase II'
- Brownout - 'Oozy'
- Ceu - 'Caravana Sereia Bloom'
- Marisa Monte - 'O Que Voce Quer Saber De Verdade'
- Bebo Valdes - 'Chico & Rita'
- Rodrigo y Gabriela - 'Area 52'
- Silvina Moreno - 'Mañana'
- Ana Tijoux - 'La Bala'
- Shakira - 'Live From Paris'
- Romeo Santos - 'Formula Vol. 1'
- Vicente Fernandez - 'Otra Vez'
Pop / Rock / Alternative
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.
- Brownout - 'Oozy'
- Shakira - 'Live From Paris'
- Silvina Moreno - 'Mañana'
- Kali Mutsa - 'Ambrolina'
- Mana - 'Drama Y Luz'
- Gaby Moreno - 'Illustrated Songs'
- Ricky Martin - 'Musica + Alma + Sexo'
- Shakira - 'Sale El Sol'
- Various Artists - 'El Justiciero, Cha, Cha, Cha'
- Enrique Iglesias - 'Euphoria'
Salsa / Timba
Born in the 1960s, salsa took Afro-Cuban rhythms and made them hotter and hotter.
- La Excelencia - 'Mi Tumbao Social'
- Willie Colon - 'El Malo Vol II: Prisioneros Del Mambo'
- 3D Ritmo De Vida - 'Que Siga La Rumba'
Brazilian Music
Journey through Brazil with the sounds of Samba, Bossa Nova, and more.
- Marisa Monte - 'O Que Voce Quer Saber De Verdade'
- Ceu - 'Caravana Sereia Bloom'
- DJ Seduce - 'Brazil: Sambossica 3'
- Luísa Maita – 'Lero, Lero'
Afro-Cuban / Traditional
From Cuba to Puerto Rico, these are the native rhythms of the islands.
- Los Zafiros - 'Music From The Edge Of Time' (DVD)
- Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca - 'Isabela'
- Perez Prado - 'The Best Of Perez Prado'
- Plena Libre - 'Evolucion'
Latin Jazz
A selection of works dealing with Afro-Cuban Jazz.
Tango
Here's a selection of albums that leave no doubt of Argentina's influence on world music.
- Diego 'El Cigala' - 'Cigala & Tango'
- Maria Volonte - 'Yo Soy Maria'
- GoTan Project - 'Lunatico'
- Julio Iglesias - '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.
- Prince Royce - 'Phase II'
- Romeo Santos - 'Formula Vol. 1'
- Prince Royce – ‘Prince Royce’
- Aventura - 'The Last'
- Juan Luis Guerra - 'La Llave De Mi Corazon'
Mexican Music
From Ranchera and Corrido to Tejano and Norteno, these Mexican genres are music to the ears of millions of people.
- Vicente Fernandez - 'Otra Vez'
- Los Tigres del Norte - 'MTV Unplugged: Los Tigres del Norte and Friends'
- Cruz Martinez Presenta Los Super Reyes - 'El Regreso De Los Reyes'
- Kumbia AllStarz - 'From Kumbia Kings To Kumbia AllStarz'
- Jenni Rivera - 'Mi Vida Loca'
Latin Urban / Fusion
A big city changes things. One musical form marries another and we get something unique.