1. Victor Manuelle - 'Muy Personal'
Puerto Rico's Victor Manuelle's new album is a collection of songs dedicated to his family: parents, brothers, children. A very personal album that includes a duet with brother Hector Gustavo.
2. Los Horoscopos de Durango - 'Pura Pasion'
Chicago-based Los Horoscopos de Durango palys Mexican duranguense music with an interesting twist - it's the females that take center stage, somethig that's not so common in the genre.
3. Tiempo Libre - 'Bach in Havana'
Now here's an interesting concept! Miami's Tiempo Libre is already well-known for their spicy, vibrant timba and Cuban son performances. Classically trained in Havana, in this album the group takes compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and sends them straight to the tropics.
You can watch a video where Tiempo Libre describes the concept and what they did with it.
4. Hip Hop Hoodios - 'Carne Masada:Quite Possibly The Very Best Of Hip Hop Hoodios'
Latin alternative music has seldom seen the like of Hip Hop Hoodios who bill themselves as a Latino-Jewish urban collective. Imagine the music! Well actually, you don't have to imagine it because this album comes with a money back guarantee if you buy it on iTunes in the first 2 weeks of its release (5/12).
But if you like alternative music or just a change of pace, don't bother with the gimmick. You'll like it.
5. Albita - 'Mis Tacones'
Albita Rodriguez is back with another album that contains some sizzling salsa with the help of Gilberto Santa Rosa, Alexis Valdes and Eddy K.
6. Bobby Sanabria - 'Kenya Revisited Live!'
Latin jazz gets a revamp as Bobby Sanabria and The Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra reimagine the numbers on the 1957 Kenya labum by Machito & the Afro-Cubans.
7. Cecilia Noel - 'A Gozar'
Compass Records
Cecilia Noel is a Peruvian Los Angeles-based salsa singer with her own brand of spicy music that she has termed 'salsoul.' A mixture of Afro-Caribbean and contemporary styles, A Gozar! mixes classic & new numbers fused with soul, rock, boogaloo, cumbia and more.
8. Son De Cali - 'De Cali Para el Mundo..En Vivo'
Son de Cali is a really steaming Colombian salsa band originally formed by two members from Grupo Niche. This album was recorded live in Cali at the Teatro al Aire Libre Los Cristales and has a companion DVD. Salsa dura fans should rejoice.
9. La Rondalla De Saltillo - 'El Ultimo Beso'
El Ultimo Beso is a new album of ranchera music from a popular and enduring group.
10. Andres Calamaro - 'Andres: Obras Incompletas'
Formerly with Los Rodriguez, singer/composer Andres Calamaro is a big name in Argentine rock though he's recorded quite a bit of tango as well.
