Yasser Tejeda in New York City Dominican alternative singer-songwriter Yasser Tejeda plays a special Uptown Nights Latin Music Series show for Harlem Stage, the World Music Institute and Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI). New York Haitian DJ Sabine Blaizin (Oyasound) keeps the room moving with a little Afro-Everything before and after the show at … [Read more...] about Yasser Tejeda Grows Danceable Latin Alternative From Dominican Folk Roots
Latin Alternative Archive
The Latin Alternative Archive contains New York Latin Culture Magazine's coverage of Latin Alternative music in New York City since 2012.
Go to Latin Alternative NYC
Latin Alternative is a contemporary blend of Rock with Latin rhythms, usually sung in Spanish. It’s a 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.
Latin Alternative is really a catch-all term for the many fusions Latin artists are creating now.
There are many singer-songwriters and contemporary fusions of traditional forms including: Haitian Kompa, Trinidad Soca, Guadalupe and Martinique Zouk, Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena, Honduran Parranda and more.
Afro-Andean Funk, featuring Araceli Poma & Matt Geraghty, Plays Cumbia for Dancing
Afro-Andean Funk is Peruvian singer Araceli Poma and American multi-instrumentalist Matt Geraghty. The New York City-based band fuses Afro-Peruvian musical traditions with American R&B and a world of influences. Afro-Andean Funk Afro-Andean Funk is a Latin Grammy-nominated band rooted in Afro-Peruvian tradition, but fused with R&B, rock and jazz. Their … [Read more...] about Afro-Andean Funk, featuring Araceli Poma & Matt Geraghty, Plays Cumbia for Dancing
Los Amigos Invisibles are one of the great Venezuelan Latin Alternative Bands
Los Amigos Invisibles are a really fun multiple Latin Grammy-winning, latin alternative band that started in Caracas, Venezuela in 1995. Venezuela has a strong tradition of abstract contemporary art. One of the characteristics of Los Amigos and its spin-offs is that they make great psychedelic videos. We are tempted to call the music psychedelic pop, because it's funky disco … [Read more...] about Los Amigos Invisibles are one of the great Venezuelan Latin Alternative Bands
Xiomara Fortuna, the Queen of Afro-Caribbean Fusion, Plays Hostos Center
Dominican singer-songwriter Xiomara Fortuna, The Queen of Afro-Caribbean Fusion, showcases her latest album “Etaquetúves” (It is what you see), at Hostos Center in Mott Haven, The Bronx, on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 8pm. $20. hostos.cuny.edu 🇩🇴 By "lo ko-Ki, ko Keith" Widyolar SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS, Dominican Republic, March 30, 2023 ~ Xiomara Fortuna is an … [Read more...] about Xiomara Fortuna, the Queen of Afro-Caribbean Fusion, Plays Hostos Center
Queens Theatre is the Premiere Performing Arts Center in Queens
The Queens Theatre, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, is the premiere performing arts center in Queens, NYC, America's most diverse county. It presents Latin dance, film, music, and theatre. The annual Latin Culture and Dance Fiesta is a great festival of us. Queens is the home of many Latin communities, and many immigrant communities. To be Latin is to be a little bit of … [Read more...] about Queens Theatre is the Premiere Performing Arts Center in Queens
Edna Vázquez Blends Regional Mexican with Folk Pop Rock for Carnegie Hall Citywide at the LGBT Community Center
Edna Vázquez is a Mexican mariachi singer-songwriter and LGBT advocate originally from Jalisco, Mexico, the mariachi heartland. She is known as a mariachi singer and you can hear those strains in her music, but Vázquez gathers many different influences into a bluesy personal style that might be called post-mariachi. She is what happens when you leave mariachi-land and that's … [Read more...] about Edna Vázquez Blends Regional Mexican with Folk Pop Rock for Carnegie Hall Citywide at the LGBT Community Center
Locobeach Plays Psychedelic Cumbia in the Sultan Room
Locobeach is New York Psychedelic Cumbia band. They call their music Psychedelic Disco Cumbia. It's not disco in the traditional sense, but it is dance music. Psychedelic Cumbia brings surf guitar styling to the music of coastal Mexico, Colombia and Peru. It's called "chicha" after the Andean and Amazonian corn beer. Cumbia is fun to dance to. It's a little more relaxed than … [Read more...] about Locobeach Plays Psychedelic Cumbia in the Sultan Room
Natalia Lafourcade Makes Her Carnegie Hall Debut With Music From Her Coming Album
Natalia Lafourcade is a Mexican Pop Rock and Folk singer who is one of the most successful Latin American singers. She blends Pop Rock and Regional Mexican musical traditions. She was born into a musical family in Mexico City in 1984, but considers herself from Veracruz, Mexico's Caribbean gateway city. Her father is French Chilean. Her mother is a pianist. Many Latin … [Read more...] about Natalia Lafourcade Makes Her Carnegie Hall Debut With Music From Her Coming Album
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 2022 Brings A Global Party to Prospect Park!
The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 2022 summer festival is at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park, Brooklyn from June 8 - Aug 6, 2022. There are a few benefit shows, but most concerts are free. bricartsmedia.org #CelebrateBrooklyn BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 2022 Free shows are first come - first serve. RSVPs are for information only. They do not hold a space. If you really … [Read more...] about BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 2022 Brings A Global Party to Prospect Park!
Salt Cathedral Plays Latin Alternative at Elsewhere
Salt Cathedral is a Colombian Electro Pop band based in Brooklyn that falls into the Latin Alternative category of Latin Music. It is fronted by Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada. Both are originally from Bogotá, Colombia's Andean capital. Salt Cathedral plays Latin Alternative at Elsewhere in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 8pm. $20.55. 🇨🇴 Salt … [Read more...] about Salt Cathedral Plays Latin Alternative at Elsewhere
LAMC 2022 Brings Great Latin Alternative Artists to NYC
The LAMC 2022 is a Latin Alternative music industry conference that brings some great music to New York City. There are workshops with industry players where you can make contacts and learn about all the things artists have to do to succeed these days. The LAMC is produced by leading Latin Alternative music label, Nacional Records of Los Angeles. LAMC 2022 The LAMC … [Read more...] about LAMC 2022 Brings Great Latin Alternative Artists to NYC
Kianí “Si tú supieras” (If You Only Knew) Single Release
Kianí Medina is a Puerto Rican singer known for her work on many of the wonderful fusions coming off the island now. The singer for Residente (Calle 13), El Laberinto del Coco and Lado Ve, is going solo as Kianí. She releases her first single and video, "Si tú supieras" (If You Only Knew) on all streaming platforms on Friday, July 1, 2022. YouTube Kianí #kianí … [Read more...] about Kianí “Si tú supieras” (If You Only Knew) Single Release
Atabal’s “Remenéate” Fills the Heart with Afro-Caribbean Soul
Atabal is a Puerto Rican Bomba Fusion band that was founded by Héctor Rodríguez "Atabal" in 1983. It was a different world then. The band is from Tras Talleres, Santurce (Behind the Workshops), a machine shop neighborhood that used to have workshops for the trains that once circled the island. Today Tras Talleres is known for Calle Cerra, Santurce's art mural district that … [Read more...] about Atabal’s “Remenéate” Fills the Heart with Afro-Caribbean Soul
El Laberinto del Coco Plays Bomba Fusion at CasaSaffra in Santurce
El Laberinto del Coco is the Bomba Fusion project of Héctor "Coco" Barez who is best known as Calle 13's percussionist. In the grand tradition of Rafael Cortijo, Ismael Rivera and William Cepeda, Coco is taking our little island's Bomba Puertorriqueña out into the world again. El Laberinto gets into Bomba Jazz, Bomba Rock, Bomba Hip-Hop, and straight-ahead Bomba. Every … [Read more...] about El Laberinto del Coco Plays Bomba Fusion at CasaSaffra in Santurce
Federico Aubele Drops “Old Spanish Films,” 2nd Single From Coming Album “The Holographic Moon”
Federico Aubele is a New York Argentine singer-songwriter guitarist who makes Latin Alternative music from a Tango reference, with electronica and dub flavors. He lives in Brooklyn. The Holographic Moon Aubele's sixth studio album "The Holographic Moon" drops on May 27, 2022. It features Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco (David Byrne, Forro in the Dark), and other … [Read more...] about Federico Aubele Drops “Old Spanish Films,” 2nd Single From Coming Album “The Holographic Moon”
El Laberinto del Coco featuring El Hijo de Borikén Plays Hip-Hop Bomba Fusion at La Respuesta, Santurce, San Juan
El Laberinto del Coco featuring Hijo de Borikén is Hip-Hop Bomba Fusion at La Respuesta, in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thu, Mar 17 at 9pm (8pm doors). This is a sponsored show, so entry is free. El Laberinto del Coco is the next project of Puerto Rican percussionist Héctor "Coco" Barez after his decade of work with Hip-Hop legends Calle 13. A Great Show The … [Read more...] about El Laberinto del Coco featuring El Hijo de Borikén Plays Hip-Hop Bomba Fusion at La Respuesta, Santurce, San Juan
Ama Rios PICC Flow Suite Goes Straight to the Heart
March 15, 2022, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico Ama Rios PICC Flow is the lead single of a new album from this super-talented Puerto Rican percussionist, music director and leader who is a legend in Puerto Rico's Bomba drum, song and dance community. Ama Ríos Ama Ríos is a Puerto Rican percussionist, music director and bandleader who flows like a river from the … [Read more...] about Ama Rios PICC Flow Suite Goes Straight to the Heart
LAMC 2021 Latin Alternative Music Conference Goes Virtual
The 22nd LAMC 2021 Latin Alternative Music Conference is virtual at latinalternative.com May 4-7, 2021. This virtual season is free and open to the public. Latin Alternative music is basically a blend of various rock and Latin styles. It's usually Rock en Español, but not always. Sometimes it's Latin music in English. Muy chévere (very cool). Latin Alternative is really the … [Read more...] about LAMC 2021 Latin Alternative Music Conference Goes Virtual
Ama Ríos Flows From Bomba to Reggaeton to Latin Alternative
Ama Ríos is a Puerto Rican percussionist, music director and bandleader who flows like a river from the bomba folk tradition into reggaeton and Latin alternative with a lot of girl power. Ama Ríos One of the first female bomba lead drummers in Puerto RicoReggaeton star Tego Calderon's touring music directorLeader of Émina, an all-female Afro-Caribbean Latin alternative … [Read more...] about Ama Ríos Flows From Bomba to Reggaeton to Latin Alternative
Pistolera, Latin Alternative
Pistolera is a great Latin Alternative, Mexican-American border band from Brooklyn, of course. Carnegie Hall Citywide at Flushing Town Hall Friday, February 14, 2020 ~ Pistolera plays a Valentine's Day concert of Latin alternative for Carnegie Hall Citywide at Flushing Town Hall in Flushing, Queens at 8pm. Free with RSVP (these shows sell out) to … [Read more...] about Pistolera, Latin Alternative
“iLe” the Multi Grammy-Winning Ileana Cabra is her Own Woman after Calle 13
Puerto Rican rapper and bolero singer iLe plays El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem for Carnegie Hall Citywide on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 4pm. FREE Info at www.carnegiehall.org In Puerto Rico, iLe is musical royalty, so her show is sure to be packed. Don't miss it and do go early. POSTSCRIPT: iLe has been la clave (the key) to my understanding of Puerto Rico and … [Read more...] about “iLe” the Multi Grammy-Winning Ileana Cabra is her Own Woman after Calle 13
Bomba Estéreo Colombian Pop
Bomba Estéreo is a psychedelic-cumbia band from Bogotá, Colombia led by bass and keyboard player Simón Mejía and singer Liliana "Li" Saumet. Bomba Estéreo translates literally as "stereo bomb," but is Colombian slang for a really great party. We know how to party. That's why you love us. Bomba Estéreo hits Terminal 5 Bomba Estéreo plays Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan … [Read more...] about Bomba Estéreo Colombian Pop
Bajofondo, Latin Rock from Argentina and Uruguay
https://youtu.be/nXFY0cn_GvY Highline Ballroom presents Bajofondo, club music of El Rio de la Plata (Argentina/Uruguay) that grew out of the Electro Tango movement, led by Gustavo Santaolalla who won Academy Awards for his scores of “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel” Sun Oct 14, 2012, 9pm (7pm door) About Bajofondo Bajofondo (originally Bajofondo Tango Club) grew out of the … [Read more...] about Bajofondo, Latin Rock from Argentina and Uruguay