Wed, 16 May 2012 03:56:54 -0800WeeblyMon, 14 May 2012 12:28:33 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/05/calle-13-prepares-new-album-in-english.htmlAfter the tremendous popularity they enjoyed with Entren Los Que Quieran, an album that swept the Latin Grammy Awards last year, the members of the Latin Urban sensation band Calle 13 are already working on their next album. This time, the big news about the upcoming production is that Calle 13 is recording in English.

Because of this project, the members of Calle 13, Rene Perez (Residente) and Eduardo Cabra (Visitante) have already reduced their public schedule in 2012. In any case, the group is planning to give a concert in Puerto Rico where they will probably use the stage to speak up about their country's social and political environment.

The news about Calle 13 recording in English is something quite interesting. This is, in fact, a big challenge for a popular band like Calle 13. Having said this, what do you think about Calle 13 recording in English? If you have something to say about it, I invite you to share your thoughts here.
]]>Mon, 14 May 2012 12:23:52 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/05/the-best-latin-music-albums-of-2011-featuring-a-compilation-of-the-most-popular-cds-in-2011.html‘Illustrated Songs’ – Gaby Moreno...
Latin Alternative music enjoyed a good year in 2011. One of the best albums in this genre was Illustrated Songs by Guatemalan artist Gaby Moreno. This CD got outstanding reviews throughout the year thanks to its pleasant melodies and Gaby Moreno's powerful voice. Illustrated Songs is one of the best Latin music albums of 2011.

‘Musica + Alma + Sexo’ – Ricky Martin... 
Ricky Martin's Musica + Alma + Sexo was one of the most anticipated albums of 2011. This CD marked a solid comeback for one of the biggest Latin Pop stars in the world. The most popular single from this album was "The Best Thing About Me Is You".

‘Cigala & Tango’ – Diego ‘El Cigala’... 
Spanish singer Diego 'El Cigala' proved once again his talent to mix Flamenco music with other Latin music genres. Cigala & Tango received the Best Tango Album Award at the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards. Some of the best tracks include titles such as "Las Cuarenta," "El Dia Que Me Quieras" and "En Esta Tarde Gris". This is one of the best Latin albums of the year.

‘Sale El Sol’ – Shakira... 
Although this album was released in 2010, Shakira made the most out of it this year. The Colombian singer not only grabbed several music awards thanks to this album but also was able to maintain her music on radio stations throughout 2011. Songs like "Rabiosa," "Loca" and "Gypsy" enjoyed lots of popularity.

‘Planet Pit’ – Pitbull... 
Pitbull had a wonderful 2011. Pretty much everything he touched this year became gold. He enjoyed popularity as a featured artist alongside stars like Shakira ("Rabiosa") and Enrique Iglesias ("I Like It"). However, his album Planet Pit consolidated this Miami rapper as one of the absolute stars of 2011 thanks to tracks such as "Give Me Everything," featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, and "Rain Over Me," featuring Marc Anthony.

‘Prince Royce’ – Prince Royce... 
Prince Royce was the most popular Bachata artist throughout the year. This popularity was the result of his album Prince Royce, which included hit songs such as "Stand By Me" and "Corazon Sin Cara". Prince Royce was definitely one of the top Latin albums in 2011.

‘Euphoria’ – Enrique Iglesias... 
Thanks to Euphoria, Enrique Iglesias received more than 20 music award nominations in 2011. Even though this CD was released last year, the Spanish artist enjoyed tremendous popularity in 2011 with tracks such as "I Like It," featuring Cuban-American rapper Pitbull.

‘MTV Unplugged: Los Tigres del Norte and Friends’ – Los Tigres del Norte... 
The first ever MTV Unplugged album of Regional Mexican music was a hit. With 'MTV Unplugged: Los Tigres del Norte and Friends', the kings of Norteno music exposed this music genre to a broader audience. Tracks like "Golpes En El Corazon," featuring Paulina Rubio, and "La Jaula De Oro," featuring Juanes placed this album on top of Mexican music charts. Los Tigres del Norte delivered one of the best Latin music albums of 2011.

'Formula Vol. 1' - Romeo Santos... 
Even if Bachata was dominated by Prince Royce for most of 2011, Romeo Santos delivered one of the most popular albums of this genre towards the end of the year. Since its release, Formula Vol. 1 became a sensation not only among Bachata fans but also Latin music enthusiasts. The former Aventura member delivered a strong album that has transformed Bachata into an authentic mainstream phenomenon.

‘Los Vaqueros: El Regreso’ – Wisin Y Yandel... 
This was a good year for Reggaeton duo Wisin Y Yandel. These Puerto Rican artists enjoyed lots of popularity in 2011 thanks to the tracks included in the album Los Vaqueros: El Regreso. Songs like "Tu Olor," "Estoy Enamorado" and "Zun Zun Rompiendo Caderas" were among the most popular singles in the Reggaeton and Urban field.

‘Entren Los Que Quieran’ – Calle 13... 
Entren Los Que Quieran is by far one of the best Latin albums of the year. With this work, Calle 13 swept the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards. This album brings together a powerful combination of different music styles with a strong social voice. In 2011, songs like "Latinoamerica" and "Baile De Los Pobres" enjoyed lots of popularity.

‘Don Omar Presents: Meet The Orphans’ – Don Omar... 
Don Omar is another artist who had a fantastic 2011. His album Don Omar Presents: Meet The Orphans, which was released at the end of 2010, became a worldwide sensation this year thanks to tracks like "Taboo" and "Danza Kuduro". The latter became a sensation in YouTube where the video of this song captured the title as the most watched video for an artist in Spanish language.

‘Drama Y Luz’ – Mana... 
After five years away from the studio, the Mexican Rock band Mana did not disappoint anyone with their anticipated comeback album. Drama Y Luz consolidated Mana as one of the most important names in Latin music. The Drama Y Luz tour was the most popular live event in 2011 and people went crazy about the band's return. Mana definitely ruled this year.
]]>Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:42:50 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/04/2012-billboard-latin-music-awards-finalists.htmlLatin Urban music and Bachata brought the top nominees for the 2012 Billboard Latin Music Awards. With 16 nominations, Reggaeton star Don Omar topped the list of finalists followed by the popular rapper Pitbull who got 14 nominations.

In terms of Tropical music, this edition of the Billboard Latin Music Awards reinforced the already popular face-off between Prince Royce and Romeo Santos. The Mexican band Mana and the Colombian Pop star Shakira also grabbed a significant amount of nominations. The following is the full list of nomineess for the annual edition of the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Artist of the Year:

• Mana
• Prince Royce
• Romeo Santos
• Shakira

Latin Artist of the Year, New:

• Calibre 50
• Il Volo
• La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas
• Violento

Song of the Year:

• Don Omar & Lucenzo - "Danza Kuduro"
• Don Omar - "Taboo"
• Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - "Give Me Everything"
• Prince Royce "Corazon Sin Cara"

Song of the Year, Vocal Event:

• Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull - "Ven A Bailar"
• Don Omar & Lucenzo - "Danza Kuduro"
• Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - "Give Me Everything"
• Romeo Santos featuring Usher - "Promise"

Songs Artist of the Year, Male:

• Enrique Iglesias
• Don Omar
• Pitbull
• Prince Royce

Songs Artist of the Year, Female:

• Alejandra Guzman
• Jennifer Lopez
• Jenni Rivera
• Shakira

Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Julion Alvarez y Su Norteño Banda
• La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas
• Mana
• Wisin y Yandel

Airplay Song of the Year:

• La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas - "Te Amo y Te Amo"
• Don Omar - "Taboo"
• Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - "Give Me Everything"
• Prince Royce "Corazon Sin Cara"

Digital Song of the Year:

• Don Omar & Lucenzo - "Danza Kuduro"
• Pitbull - "Bon Bon"
• Shakira featuring El Cata - "Rabiosa"
• Shakira Featuring Freshleyground - "Waka Waka"

Hot Latin Songs Airplay Label of the Year:

• Disa
• Fonovisa
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latino

Hot Latin Songs Airplay Imprint of the Year:

• Disa
• Fonovisa
• Machete
• Sony Music Latin

Crossover Artist of the Year:

• LMFAO
• Katy Perry
• Rihanna
• Alexandra Stan

Album of the Year:

• Cristian Castro - Viva El Principe
• Mana - Drama y Luz
• Prince Royce - Prince Royce
• Romeo Santos - Formula: Vol. 1

Albums Artist of the Year, Male:

• Cristian Castro
• Gerardo Ortiz
• Prince Royce
• Romeo Santos

Albums Artist of the Year, Female:

• Natalia Jimenez
• Jenni Rivera
• Shakira
• Gloria Trevi

Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Camila
• Los Bukis
• Mana
• Wisin y Yandel

Digital Album of the Year:

• Mana - Drama y Luz
• Prince Royce Prince Royce
• Romeo Santos - Formula: Vol. 1
• Shakira - Sale El Sol

Top Latin Albums Label of the Year:

• Dasmi
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment
• Warner Latina

Top Latin Albums Imprint of the Year:

• Disa
• Fonovisa
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latino

Latin Pop Song of the Year:

• Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull - "Ven A Bailar"
• Mana - "Lluvia Al Corazon"
• Don Omar - "Taboo"
• Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - "Give Me Everything"

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Enrique Iglesias
• Don Omar
• Pitbull
• Shakira

Latin Pop Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Camila
• Mana
• Reik
• Wising y Yandel

Latin Pop Airplay Label of the Year:

• Interscope
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latino
• Warner Latina

Latin Pop Airplay Imprint of the Year:

• Machete
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latino
• Warner Latina

Latin Pop Album of the Year:

• Mana - Drama y Luz
• Enrique Iglesias - Euphoria
• Ricky Martin - Musica + Alma + Sexo
• Cristian Castro - Viva El Principe

Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Cristian Castro
• Enrique Iglesias
• Ricky Martin
• Shakira

Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Camila
• Il Volo
• Mana
• Reik

Latin Pop Albums Label of the Year:

• Bullseye
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment
• Warner Latina

Latin Pop Albums Imprint of the Year:

• Epic
• Universal Music Latino
• Sony Music Latin
• Warner Latina

Tropical Airplay Song of the Year:

• Don Omar & Lucenzo - "Danza Kuduro"
• Prince Royce - "Corazon Sin Cara"
• Romeo Santos featuring Usher - "Promise"
• Romeo Santos - "You"

Tropical Songs Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Don Omar
• Prince Royce
• Romeo Santos
• Shakira

Tropical Airplay Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Aventura
• Chino y Nacho
• Mana
• Wisin y Yandel

Tropical Songs Airplay Label of the Year:

• Sony Music Latin
• Top Stop
• Universal Music Latino
• Venemusic

Tropical Songs Airplay Imprint of the Year:

• Machete
• Siente
• Sony Music Latin
• Top Stop

Tropical Album of the Year:

• Aventura - 14 + 14
• Romeo Santos - Formula: Vol. 1"
• Hector Acosta - Obligame
• Prince Royce - Prince Royce

Tropical Albums Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Hector Acosta
• Prince Royce
• Romeo Santos
• Charlie Zaa

Tropical Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Aventura
• El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
• N'Klabe
• Nuevo Voces

Tropical Albums Label of the Year:

• The Entity
• Popular
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Latin Entertainment

Tropical Albums Imprint of the Year:

• Premium Latin
• Popular
• Sony Music Latin
• Top Stop

Regional Mexican Song of the Year:

• Julion Alvarez y Su Norteño Banda - "Olvidame"
• La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas - "Te Amo y Te Amo"
• La Original Banda el Limon de Salvador Lizarraga - "Di Que Regresaras"
• Fidel Rueda - "Me Encantaria""

Regional Mexican Songs Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Larry Hernandez
• Gerardo Ortiz
• Espinoza Paz
• Fidel Rueda

Regional Mexican Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Julion Alvarez y Su Norteño Banda
• La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas
• La Arrolladora Banda El Limon
• La Original Banda el Limon de Salvador Lizarraga

Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the Year:

• ASL
• Disa
• Fonovisa
• Sony Music Latin

Regional Mexican Airplay Imprint of the Year:

• Disa
• Fonovisa
• Mendieta
• Sony Music Latin

Regional Mexican Album of the Year:

• Los Bukis - 35 ANIVERSARIO
• Gerardo Ortiz - Entre Dios y el Diablo
• Los Tigres Del Norte - TR3S Presents: MTV Unplugged Los Tigres Del Norte
• Various Artists - Las Bandas Romanticas

Regional Mexican Albums Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Larry Hernandez
• Gerardo Ortiz
• Jenni Rivera
• Joan Sebastian

Regional Mexican Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• El Trono De Mexico
• Intocable
• Los Bukis
• Los Tigres Del Norte

Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year:

• Dasmi
• Platino
• Sony Music Latin
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Regional Mexican Albums Imprint of the Year:

• Del
• Disa
• Fonovisa
• Good I

Latin Rhythm Song of the Year:

• Don Omar & Lucenzo - "Danza Kuduro"
• Don Omar - "Taboo"
• Pitbull - "Bon Bon"
• Wisin y Yandel - "Estoy Enamorado"

Latin Rhythm Songs Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Daddy Yankee
• Don Omar
• Pitbull
• Tito 'El Bambino'

Latin Rhythm Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Alexis & Fido
• Chino y Nacho
• RKM & Ken-Y
• Wisin y Yandel

Latin Rhythm Airplay Label of the Year:

• El Cartel
• Sony Music Latin
• Siente
• Universal Music Latino

Latin Rhythm Airplay Imprint of the Year:

• El Cartel
• Machete
• Orfanato
• Siente

Latin Rhythm Album of the Year:

• Don Omar - Don Omar Presents: Meet The Orphans: THE KING IS BACK
• Pitbull - Armando
• Tito 'El Bambino' - Invencible
• Wisin y Yandel - Los Vaqueros: El Regreso

Latin Rhythm Albums Artist of the Year, Solo:

• Daddy Yankee
• Don Omar
• Pitbull
• Tito 'El Bambino'

Latin Rhythm Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

• Alexis & Fido
• Chino y Nacho
• RKM & Ken-Y
• Wisin y Yandel

Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year:

• Platino
• Sony Music Latin
• Ultra
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Latin Rhythm Albums Imprint of the Year:

• Machete
• Pina
• Siente
• WY

Latin Touring Artist of the Year:

• Enrique Iglesias
• Mana
• Ricky Martin
• Luis Miguel

]]>Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:57:30 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/04/prince-royce-phase-ii-cd-review-a-look-at-the-second-album-produced-by-the-bachata-sensation-artist.htmlVery often, artists who reach star level with a debut album fail miserably with the follow up work. Avoiding this trap was exactly the challenge that Phase II posed to the popular Bachata singer Prince Royce. After listening to Phase II, I think Prince Royce was able to meet that challenge with a production that consolidates the style of his self-titled debut album. The following is an overview of the way he managed that challenge.

Keeping The StylePhase II is an album that maintains the style Prince Royce consolidated with his previous work. This 'conservative' approach usually pays well for artists who hit the market with a hugely popular debut album. Just like the previous album, Phase II is a bilingual production defined by its romantic appeal.

Thanks to songs like the already popular hit "Las Cosas Pequenas" and additional singles such as "Eres Tu," "Dulce" and "Mi Habitacion," Prince Royce is able to reinforce a unique style defined by his fresh voice, romantic style, and soft Bachata arrangements.

Innovative Stuff Although Phase II maintains the style that Prince Royce has been defining since its debut work, there are a couple of songs featuring innovative elements that enhance the appeal of the whole album. One of them is "Incondicional," a single featuring a nice mix of traditional Mexican music with Bachata. Even though the sounds of Bachata prevails in the whole melody, the guitars and trumpets in the background add a nice flavor to this song.

Another interesting song is "Memorias," a track that combines Bolero with Bachata that reminds me of some of the famous Bachata-Bolero songs produced by Juan Luis Guerra. Both "Incondicional" and "Memorias" provide very romantic lyrics. This romanticism is one of the most evident imprints of this production.

Bachata Pop Phase II is marked by a sound where very often Bachata meets Latin Pop music. There is a good amount of tracks on this album that could easily make it to the top 40 charts as Pop songs rather than Bachata tracks.

Some of these singles include titles like "Addicted," "Close To You" and "It's My Time". In fact, if you listen to these songs without knowing who Prince Royce is, you would not be able to guess this is an album dealing with Bachata music.

Although I personally like the soft melody and nice guitar playing of the song "Addicted," I think the other tracks represent the weakest side of this album. They sound a bit too mainstream and commercial to me. I think there are thousands of songs out there with the beats of those tracks. In other words, I think Prince Royce is as his best when he gets closer to the sounds of Bachata.

'Phase II' - Bottom Line I think the most important thing Prince Royce achieved with Phase II was that of producing an album capable of meeting the expectations that he created with his debut album. With Phase II, the Bachata star consolidated his unique style and I would not be surprised if several of the tracks included on this album become hit songs in the near future.

Somehow, Phase II sounds a bit more Pop than Prince Royce. This element is reinforced by tracks that have a very mainstream, commercial style. Although I think this is the weakest part of this album, this can be normal for an artist who has transformed Bachata music into a mainstream phenomenon.

'Phase II' - Best Tracks

• "Incondicional"
  
• "Las Cosas Pequenas"
  
• "Addicted"
  
• "Memorias"
  
• "Hecha Para Mi"
  
• "Dulce"
  
• "Mi Habitacion"
  

]]>Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:32:59 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/03/aventura-profile-of-a-bachata-boy-band.htmlAventura was formed in 1994 by a group of teenage boys living in the Bronx, NY. They were like the thousands of teenagers who get together to make music in their parents' den or garage. They liked the music of their contemporaries, leaning towards R&B, hip hop and reggaeton. But, with roots in the music of the Dominican Republic, they also grew up listening to bachata, the indigenous Dominican genre that's known as the "music of sorrow or bitterness".

The Band Members:

• Anthony "Romeo" Santos: lead singer, composer 
  Lead singer Anthony "Romeo" Santos was born on July 12, 1981 in the Bronx, NY. His mother was Puerto Rican, his father Dominican. Anthony is also the featured composer of the group.
  
  
• Lenny Santos: guitarist, producer/arranger 
  Also native to the Bronx, Lenny Santos was born October 24, 1979, to Dominican parents. Lenny is the musical producer/arranger of the group.
  

• Henry Santos Jeter: singer, composer 
  Henry was born December 15, 1979 in Moca, Dominican Republic. His family moved to New York when he was 14 and he is Anthony Santos' cousin.
  
  
• Max "Mikie" Santos: bass, guitar 
  Max was born in the Bronx in 1982 and is the brother of Lenny Santos. Max is the rock/rap proponent in the group and sang the rap rifts on Aventura's albums.

Los Teenagers: The Santos boys started making music together while attending South Bronx High School. Their band's name was "Los Teenagers' and they performed for local events and competed against other local teenage bands.

Grupo Aventura: In 1999, the band was signed by BMG under their new name, Grupo Aventura. Their debut album was Generation Next, using an outside producer for the first time. This was the big era of 'boy bands' and there was some pressure to model themselves on successful groups like the Back Street Boys, but Grupo Aventura stood firm in defining their own style and retaining the bachata elements that were the foundation of their music.

We Broke The Rules: Generation Next really didn't garner much attention outside of their New York/Dominican fanbase. But their 2002 album We Broke The Rules surprised everyone when the album's break-out single, "Obsesion", became a smash hit, earning Anthony Santos the distinction of becoming the first Hispanic composer to earn an ASCAP award in the American market.

Aventura's continued to grow with their next albums and mobbed concert tours. In 2007, K.O.B. Live was nominated for a Latin Grammy as the 'Best Contemporary Tropical Album'. On the road to success, Aventura encountered much resistance from New York's bachata loving audiences who did not want their favorite music sullied with the sounds of modern hip hop and r&b. An audience holding firm to what they saw as 'traditional' music is ironic. Bachata was the bad boy of music in the Dominican Republic; bachata icon Luis Vargas talks about sneaking out to perform bachata while he was young - the form just wasn't considered acceptable.

Today, holding fast to the music they loved and the fusions they created, Aventura has the enthusiastic approval of not just New York's Dominican population, but has gained a large international following.
]]>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:42:32 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/02/bachata-the-music-of-bitterness.htmlThe word ‘bachata’ has gone through many transitions, meaning different things at different periods of Dominican history. It started out as just a word designating traditional guitar music, although in the 1960s it was used to label romantic guitar music. A ‘bachata’ was also a generic label for gatherings that took place at informal Sunday afternoon parties where guitar-based groups would play for casual recreation. It was also music that played a large role in entertainment in cabarets (which were actually brothels) and it is only recently that the stigma attached to word has been lessened.

Music of Bitterness: With the death of Rafael Trujillo in 1961, the music – then often called ‘bolero compensino,’ made its way to the capital of Santo Domingo along with a multitude of countryside compensinos that had been living in squalor during the dictator’s reign.

There the music changed from romantic boleros to stories about jealousy, rivalry, fights, poverty and life led in the barrios. It’s not surprising that bachata is equated to the Dominican version of the blues; with lyrics that reflected such dire and troubled lives, bachata became known as the music of bitterness or sorrow.

Jose Manuel Calderon: The first recognized bachata singles (“Barracho de Amor” and “Que Sera De Mi”) were recorded by Jose Calderon in 1961 although it was a decade before the word became commonly attached to a musical genre. In the 1960s, merengue continued to reign supreme in the Dominican Republic and ‘bachateros’ had no reliable outlet in higher social circles nor in the media. It was still embarrassing to be caught listening to bachata and musicians attracted to the genre would often sneak out at night to perform in clubs and bars where bachata was popular.

Modern Bachata: Modern bachata can be dated to sometime in the 1980s. At the time, bachateros were singing lyrics full of sexual innuendo and double entendre. In fact, bachata’s first superstar, Blas Duran, was king of this type of lyric. Duran simplified the music, making it easier for dancers and added electric guitar to his song “Consejo A Las Mujeres” in 1987. The tune became a huge hit, paving the road to bachata’s acceptance by a much wider segment of the population.

Bachata Turns To Romance: By the 1990s, bachata evolved the way music is prone to evolve, mutating and fusing with other genres. In the case of bachata, fusion occurred most often with the country’s dominant genre, merengue.

It was artists like Anthony Santos and Luis Vargas that, during this decade, focused bachata’s themes to the romantic, so much so that by the 1990s the genre dealt almost exclusively with love, most often unrequited or disappointed love.

Monchy & Alexandra: Even with the gradual gentrification of bachata, no one outside of a Dominican population was listening to the music. It took the duo of Monchy & Alexandra to raise international awareness of the music. Monchy (Ramon Rijo) and Alexandra (Alexandra Cabrera de la Cruz) started singing together in 1998 and their complimentary voices together with some clever pop-style arrangements made their albums and international tours huge hits. In the process, it opened the door to an appreciation of bachata by non-Donimican Latinos. (The duo broke up - 9/08).

Bachata in New York: Bachata originally reached the level of popularity that it enjoys today in New York rather than in the Dominican Republic, embraced by a Dominica migrant population that was less class conscious and eager to embrace the music of home. Influenced by rock, R&B and modern popular genres, bachata remains a dominantly romantic music.

Aventura: The group that is currently holding sway over the hearts and minds of bachata lovers is Aventura from the Bronx. Even with the addition of some urban elements, their music remains firmly in the realm of traditional bachata and is helping to win more and more Latin music fans to this distinctive Dominican musical tradition. 

If you're interested in a first-hand examination of the history of bachata, told by the artists that were instrumental to the genre's rise to international prominence, Luis Vargas' Santo Domingo Blues is a film not to be missed. 
]]>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:22:35 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/02/top-latin-urban-artists.htmlThe current popularity of Latin Urban music is quite significant. In fact, this genre includes some of the most famous Latin music artists and performers around the world. Artists such as Calle 13, Daddy Yankee, Ana Tijoux, and Wisin y Yandel belong to this music style. Let's take a look at some of the most influential Latin Urban stars.

Mala Rodriguez: Spanish singer La Mala Rodriguez became the first female artist to receive the Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Song. She owes that trophy to her hit song "No Pidas Perdon" included in the album Dirty Bailarina. Her style is mainly defined by Hip-Hop sounds.

Orishas: Orishas brought something totally different to Latin music producing amazing tracks that combined Rap and Hip-Hop with traditional Cuban rhythms in a very innovative way, which was quite different from Puerto Rican Reggaeton. If you are looking for a classic Latin Urban music album, you better get your hands on Orisha's A Lo Cubano.

Romeo Santos: Before moving into a solo career, Romeo Santos had reached the top of the world as a lead singer of the Bachata boy band sensation Aventura. Although his music falls into the grounds of Bachata, Romeo Santos is also an artist that belongs to the Urban field thanks to the Latin Pop and R&B sounds he has incorporated into his latest songs. His single "Promise," featuring Usher, is a good example of the Urban appeal Romeo Santos is building around his music.

Tego Calderon: Tego Calderon is one of the most iconic artists of Reggaeton music. He is one of the artists that has remained loyal to the original sound of Reggaeton. His debut album El Abayarde created a music star out of this Puerto Rican artist. Some of his best songs include "Pa' Que Retozen," "Metele Sazon" and "Punto Y Aparte".

Tito El Bambino: Since the late 1990s, Tito El Bambino has been defining the sounds of Reggaeton and Latin Urban music. Before moving into a solo career, Tito El Bambino produced various hits while he was a member of the duo Hector Y Tito. After the duo experience, Tito El Bambino has produced new music that combines Reggaeton with other genres including Latin Pop and Merengue. His hit song "Llueve El Amor" reflects the new influences Tito El Bambino has brought to his Urban style.

Chino y Nacho: With their music, Chino y Nacho are also shaping the sounds of the Latin Urban genre. This Venezuelan duo combines a romantic style with all kinds of rhythms ranging from Reggaeton and Rap to Salsa and Merengue. Their single "Niña Bonita" was the breaking point that launched this duo to the international scene.

Ana Tijoux: Chilean rapper Anita Tijoux is one of the most interesting stars of the Latin Urban field. Her music is defined by the sounds of Hip-Hop and her elegant rapping flow. Her album La Bala consolidated this singer as a leading star in the Urban and Latin Alternatice fields.

Pitbull: Pitbull is one of today's most popular Latin Urban music artists. This Cuban-American rapper has consolidated a unique style that combines Rap, Dance and Latin Pop music. Recently, he has produced various hit singles alongside stars like Shakira ("Rabiosa"), Enrique Iglesias ("I Like It") and Marc Anthony ("Rain Over Me").

Daddy Yankee: This Puerto Rican artist has created a whole brand around himself. Daddy Yankee is, in fact, one of the most influential Latin Urban music artists today. Although his sound was mostly Reggaeton at the beginning, his latest works have been influenced by other rhythms such as Dance music and Merengue. Hit songs by Daddy Yankee include "Lo Que Paso, Paso," "La Despedida" and "Gasolina," one of the best Reggaeton songs of all time.

Wisin y Yandel: Wisin Y Yandel are the most popular duo in Latin Urban music. These Puerto Rican artists gained worldwide exposure with their album P'al Mundo, which included hit songs like "Rakata," and "Noche De Sexo". Although their style is mainly defined by Reggaeton, the duo has also borrowed influences from Hip-Hop.

Calle 13: If there is one name that defines Latin Urban music in a perfect way, that name is Calle 13. Since the release of their hit album Residente o Visitante, this Puerto Rican duo has dominated the Urban genre for the past five years. That production included "Atrevete te te," one of the most popular songs of the Latin Urban music scene. Calle 13's album Entren Los Que Quieran received 10 nominations for the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards. Their music combines Reggaeton with various music styles.

Don Omar: Don Omar gained worldwide fame as a Reggaeton superstar right from his very first album The Last Don. Since then, this Puerto Rican artist has been constantly producing hit after hit. Despite being influenced mostly by Reggaeton, Don Omar has also became an innovative artists whose music includes all kinds of rhythms. The video of his hit single "Danza Kuduro" has become the most watched video for an artist in Spanish language in YouTube.
]]>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:51:21 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/01/bachata-songs-playlist-of-bachata-songs.htmlBachata songs may be the 'music of bitterness,' but they're also the music of romance -- well, usually unsuccessful romance. It is a fitting backdrop to those moments when you are feeling hopeless and blue but the music is often so pretty that it somehow is never depressing.

Here's a playlist of some of my favorite bachata songs. Feel free to sing along!

1. Hector Acosta - "Me Voy": Hector Acosta left the popular Los Toros Band in 2006 to form his own orchestra, a move that gained him an even larger following. The first album of this venture, 2006's Sigo Siendo Yo, generated the fan favorites "Me Voy" and "Primavera Azul." "Me Voy" featuring Anthony "Romeo' Santos from Aventura, also appeared on 2008's Mitad Mitad. 

2. Einllo - "Te Buscaria": Einllo is a Dominican/Puerto Rican singer, currently from New York via New Jersey. He's primarily a salsa singer although this bachata appeared on his debut album, Eternamente.

3. Aventura - "Mi Corazoncito": Currently the biggest name in urban bachata, Aventura has had over 20 hits emerge from their six studio albums. "Mi Corazoncito" was the big winner during the 2008 awards season takng home 'best song' at Premio Lo Nuestro, Billboard Latin Music and ASCAP Latin Music awards. 

4. Yoskar Sarante - "No Tengo Suerte En El Amor": A well-known name among bachateros, Yoskar Sarante is involved with nueva bachata, sometimes called 'bachateo' which is a mix of reggaeton and bachata. Whether a track is Dominican reggaeton, bachata or bachateo, the themes are almost always romantic.

5. Angel Y Khriz - "Carita De Angel" (Version Bachata): Although Angel & Khriz are billed as a reggaeton duo from the Luny Tunes stable of artists, their reggaeton is from the Dominican Republic which means there's lots of musical mixture with other music from their home island and they often perform the same tune in different styles. This is the bachata version of "Carita de Angel." 


6. Monchy & Alexandra - "No Es Una Novela": Dominican Monchy & Alexandra have almost single-handedly (or double-handedly) brought bachata to the top of the charts -- well, at least they were the first because Aventura has taken over the #1 spot. There were a lot of disappointed fans when the duo broke up in 2008. "No Es Una Novela" is arguably their biggest hit but it just never seems to get old, no matter how often its played on the airwaves. 

7. Alex Bueno - "Agarrense de las Manos": Dominican singer/guitarist Alex Bueno has been recording Dominican music since 1979. He's fought personal demons and drug problems during some of those years but his voice and music remain pure and popular. 

8. Daniel Moncion - "Decidi": The songs of Daniel Moncion have been performed by some of the most popular bachateros icluding Frank Reyes, Monchy & Alexandra and Alex Bueno. "Culpable" was the big hit from Moncion's sophmore album Decidi but I like this one better.


9. Erick Escobar - "Secreto de Amor": "Secreto de Amor" is a ballad that was originally written by Joan Sebastian. It lends itself well to the bachata format and is sung here by Erick Escobar. 

10. Domenic Marte - "Yo Me Equivoca": Another Dominican/Puerto Rican musician from the East Coast (Lawrence, MA), Dominic Marte composes much of his own music. His 2004 debut album Intimamente earned him an "Artist of the Year' nomination at both the 2005 Premio Lo Nuestro and Billboard Latin Music awards.
]]>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:30:47 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/01/pitbull-to-support-marlins-on-franchise-rebranding.htmlThe famous Miami rapper Pitbull will take some of his best dance songs to the show that the Marlins have prepared to celebrate their franchise rebranding. On November 11, the day the Florida Marlins will officially become the Miami Marlins, the popular MLB team will unveil its new logo and uniform. Both events, the unveiling ceremony and Pitbull's concert, will be held at Miami's new ballpark.

Pitbull is one of the top Latin Urban artists and the owner of popular hit songs such as "Give Me Everything" and "Rain Over Me," two singles that are currently placed on the top 10 of Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. The rebranding event will take place one day after the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the biggest Latin music event of the year where the Cuban-American rapper is competing for two awards in the Urban category.
]]>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:26:05 -0800http://www.salsaeddy.com/1/post/2012/01/latin-urban-music-reggaetons-evolution-overview-of-the-roots-and-sounds-that-have-defined-latin-urban-music.htmlSome of today's most popular artists and hits in Latin music belong to the so-called Urban genre. Although this music category is still largely related to Reggaeton and Hip-Hop, there is a new wave of sounds that is departing from the classic Reggaeton of the early 2000s.

Modern Latin Urban music is defined by a new crossover style that combines Reggaeton and Hip-Hop with other genres such as Latin Pop, Dance, Salsa, and Merengue.

The Origins of Reggaeton

Reggaeton was born by itself as a crossover style influenced by Reggae, Rap, Hip-Hop, and Caribbean genres such as Salsa, Merengue, Soca, and Puerto Rican Bomba. Pioneers of this genre include artists like Rap singer Vico C from Puerto Rico and Panamanian Reggae icon El General.

Many people, in fact, considered El General as the absolute Father of Reggaeton. His music, which initially was treated as Jamaican dancehall music, became known as Reggae in Espanol or Reggaeton because of the combination of Reggae beats with Spanish language lyrics. Throughout the 1990s, El General became a sensation thanks to songs like "Muevelo," "Tu Pum Pum," and "Rica Y Apretadita".

Reggaeton Fever

The music of Vico C and El General left a good foundation for a new generation of artist influenced by the beats of Rap and Hip-Hop. This generation flourished in the 2000s with the works of people like Tego Calderon, Don Omar and Daddy Yankee. These artists were among the most influential names of the Reggaeton fever that captured the world during that decade. Some of the best Reggaeton songs of that time included singles like Don Omar's "Dile" and Daddy Yankee's worldwide hit "Gasolina".

From Reggaeton to Urban Music

Towards the end of the 2000s, Reggaeton was moving into a new direction. Some of the artists who helped define the Reggaeton fever started to incorporate new sounds to the classic Reggaeton beat. These artists as well as newcomers in the field, brought all kinds of musical influences to their productions. From Rap and Hip-Hop to Salsa and Merengue, it was evident that there was a new kind of music that needed to be placed in a bigger world than that of Reggaeton.

At the beginning, it was not easy to categorize this emerging phenomenon. However, the term Urban soon became the favorite word to deal with this kind of music. This evolution was, in fact, acknowledge by the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards. That year, the ceremony honored Calle 13 with the first ever Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Song.

Since then, Latin Urban music has grown into a very popular genre within Latin music. Although this genre is still closely related to Reggaeton and Hip-Hop, Urban music has become the perfect word to define the music of artists like Calle 13, Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, Chino y Nacho and Don Omar, among others.

What Is Latin Urban Music?

Trying to define Latin Urban music is like trying to define Latin music: It is almost impossible. However, we can say that Latin Urban music is still largely defined by Reggaeton, Hip-Hop, and Rap. Probably the best way to get a feeling for this genre is by taking a look at some of the songs that belong to it. The following are some of the most popular hits of Latin Urban Music:

• "Danza Kuduro" - Don Omar
• "La Despedida" - Daddy Yankee
• "Atrevete te te" - Calle 13
• "Niña Bonita" - Chino y Nacho
• "No Pidas Perdon" - Mala Rodriguez
• "Give Me Everything" - Pitbull
• "Estoy Enamorado" - Wisin y Yandel
• "Hay Un Son" - Orishas
• "Mi Cama Huele A Ti" - Tito El Bambino
• "La Vida Es Asi" - Ivy Queen

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