Latin Alternative in NYC is a contemporary blend of Rock with Latin rhythms, usually sung in Spanish. It is really a catch-all term for the many fusions Latin artists are creating now.
The cover image is Puerto Rican percussionist, composer and leader Ama Rios, from her “PICC Flow Suite.” Ama was the first female Bomba prima (lead drummer) in Puerto Rico. Given that Bomba is a flirting dance between the dancer and lead drummer, having a female lead drummer, in a machista (male chauvinist) culture, was revolutionary. Ama is working her way through chemotherapy. She deserves all our support. Bendiciones Ama. 🇵🇷
Latin Alternative NYC
Summer’s LAMC Latin Alternative Music Conference is the highlight of Latin Alternative in NYC.
Edna Vázquez Blends Regional Mexican with Folk Pop Rock for Carnegie Hall Citywide at the LGBT Community Center
Monday, February 13, 2023
CARNEGIE HALL CITYWIDE
LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER
West Village, NYC
🏳️🌈 🇲🇽
Natalia Lafourcade Makes Her Carnegie Hall Debut With Music From Her Coming Album
Thursday, October 27, 2022
CARNEGIE HALL
Midtown, Manhattan
🇲🇽
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 2022 Brings A Global Party to Prospect Park!
June 8 – August 6, 2022
Circus, Cumbia, Global, Jazz, Juneteenth, Pop, Rap, Reggae, Rock, Vallenato
🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇦🇨🇴🇨🇺🇬🇭🇬🇳🇯🇲🇲🇱🇲🇽🇳🇬🇵🇷🇺🇸
Araceli Poma & Matt Geraghty Are Afro-Andean Funk
Saturday, July 30, 2022
CULTURE LAB
Long Island City, Queens
🇵🇪
Salt Cathedral Plays Latin Alternative at Elsewhere
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
ELSEWHERE
East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
🇨🇴
LAMC 2022 Brings Great Latin Alternative Artists to NYC
Tuesday-Saturday, July 5-9, 2022
DROM, SOB’S, CONEY ISLAND AMPHITHEATER, RUMSEY PLAYFIELD
East Village, Hudson Square, Coney Island, Central Park
🇨🇦🇨🇱🇨🇴🇨🇺🇩🇴🇲🇽🇵🇷🇪🇸🇺🇸
Kianí “Si tú supieras” (If You Only Knew) Single Release
Friday, July 1, 2022
STREAMING PLATFORMS
🇵🇷
Atabal’s “Remenéate” Fills the Heart with Afro-Caribbean Soul
June 23, 2022
YouTube
🇵🇷
El Laberinto del Coco Plays Bomba Fusion at CasaSaffra in Santurce
Thursday, May 12, 2022
CASASAFFRA
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
🇵🇷
February 2023
Edna Vázquez blends Mexican mariachi and American folk, pop and rock into something fabulous for Carnegie Hall Citywide; at the LGBT Community Center in Manhattan’s West Village; on Monday, February 13, 2023 at 7:30pm. FREE! 🏳️🌈🇲🇽
November 2022
Locobeach, and its own Cheo Pardo (DJ Afro), play Psychedelic Cumbia with Underground System (Afrobeat) for the World Music Institute at Nublu 151 in Manhattan’s East Village on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 8pm (7pm doors). From $20. 🇻🇪
October 2022
Mexican Pop-Rock-Folk singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade makes her Carnegie Hall debut on the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 8pm. 🇲🇽
What is Latin Alternative?
Latin Alternative is a blend of Rock with Latin rhythms, usually sung in Spanish. It’s an broadening and softening of the Rock form. Latin Alternative followed Latin Rock in the same way that Soft Rock followed Hard Rock, and Salsa Romántica followed Salsa Dura.
The term “Latin Alternative” is a catch-all for the many fusions Latin artists are creating now. There are many singer-songwriters and contemporary fusions of many traditional forms including: Haitian Kompa, Trinidad Soca, Guadalupe and Martinique Zouk, Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena, Honduran Parranda and more.
Some say Santana started the form when he mixed Rock with Latin on Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va” in 1970. “Bueno pa’ gozar.”
Argentine rocker and double Academy Award winner Gustavo Santaolalla (Arco Iris, Bajofondo, “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel.”) moved to Los Angeles in 1977 where he produced a lot of Rock en Español which evolved into Latin Alternative. He’s the padrino (godfather).
NPR’s Alt.Latino also played a role in the genre’s development.
Like most Latin music, Latin Alternative comes from a little bit of everyone.
