Latin rock | |
---|---|
Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Late 1950s, Southern California, United States |
Derivative forms | Latin alternative |
Other topics | |
Latin metal |
Latin rock is a term to describe a subgenre blending traditional sounds and elements of Latin American and Hispanic Caribbean folk with rock music. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] However, it is widely used in the English-language media to refer any kind of rock music featuring Spanish or Portuguese vocals. This has led to controversy about the scope of the terminology.
Latin rock should not be confused with "rock music from Latin America" [6] [7] [8] [9] or rock en español. [10] [11] [12] It's also closely related to the Latin alternative scene (which combines Latin elements with alternative rock, pop, electronic music, indie or hip hop among others) [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] a term often used to refer the same phenomenon. [18]
Rock and roll music of the 1950s originated from a variety of sources including rhythm and blues, blues, gospel, country, bluegrass, western swing, and Tin Pan Alley pop music. Also, there was some influence of the traditional Latin music. Caribbean rhythms like calypso were used in surf music; and there were some rock and roll songs based on cha-cha-chá or mambo. [19]
Latin rock was born in the United States [20] during the late 1950s, [21] though the term was not yet created. In 1958 an adaptation of a Mexican folk song called "La Bamba" was recorded by the Chicano rock artist Ritchie Valens. [22] That same year, instrumental rock band the Champs released "Tequila", a song that incorporates clear Latin sounds and was composed by the band's chicano saxophonist Danny Flores).
During the 1960s, there were more examples of rock artists like Thee Midniters, Question Mark & the Mysterians, [23] Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs [24] or Sir Douglas Quintet [25] that included Latin rhythms on their compositions. Also Chicano rock became popular in California; although not all of these can be considered early Latin rock artists since many of them lacked the Latin folk influences. [26]
In some Latin American countries, Latin rock started to develop as well. In Peru, Colombia, Argentina, but specially Brazil [27] where Tropicália appeared in the mid-1960s [28] with the first releases of Os Mutantes, Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso from 1967 to 1970, [29] a music movement that merged rock music with bossa nova, psychedelia and other Latin elements, [30] and this can be regarded as the main root of the genre. [31]
In 1969, after the release of the debut album by Santana, the term "Latin rock" appeared in the US and other parts of the world. [32] It was an attempt to describe the band's music style as a fusion of Latin American and Caribbean rhythms, soul, jazz, funk, blues, psychedelia and rhythm and blues based on rock music. [33] [34]
Following Santana, other American bands appeared like Malo, Ocho, Mandrill, El Chicano, Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive, War, Sapo and Azteca in the early 1970s popularizing the genre in the USA and the rest of the world. [35]
The Latin American counterpart of Latin rock bands could be seen in Peru with bands like Telegraph Avenue, Traffic Sound, the Mad's, El Polen and specially Black Sugar melting rock with jazz music, Peruvian folk, progressive rock and Latin elements; in Colombia highlighted Siglo Cero, Génesis and La Columna de Fuego; in Argentina Arco Iris; and in Chile, Los Jaivas; in Brazil, artist such as Jorge Ben developed samba rock.
In the Philippines band, Maria Cafra fused elements of blues, rock, Latin and kundiman to mold their distinct sound.
The genre arrived in Europe with the Spaniards Barrabás, [36] Dutch Massada and African-British Osibisa. [37]
Meanwhile, reggae music achieved a great success around the world. This rhythm originated in Jamaica during the 1960s, evolving from ska, rocksteady and bluebeat. [38] Since its origins along with rock music and rhythm and blues with Jamaican folk rhythms, the Caribbean and Continental Latin America elements influenced the scene. [39] Nevertheless, Reggae or Ska are not considered as part of the Latin Rock. [40] On the other hand, disco also influenced Latin rock during the 1970s. [41]
After the birth of punk in late 1970s, the genre also was influenced by many other music styles. Some British punk and new wave acts like the Clash included elements that could be considered as "latin" in "Sandinista!" (1980). [42] Other bands such as Bow Wow Wow, Haircut One Hundred, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Modern Romance, Special AKA and Blue Rondo a la Turk did as well. [43]
In Spain, Los Coyotes, Los Mestizos and Radio Futura, that had emerged as new wave and post-punk acts, finally got influenced by Latin music at mid 1980s. [44] Spain would go on to produce some Latin acts like Macaco, Amparanoia and Jarabe de Palo.
In France, bands like Les Negresses Vertes played a fusion of rock with World music including Latin elements. But Manu Chao was the major success of Latin rock in France with the band Mano Negra (also as a solo artist) with a style that would be known later as Latin alternative. A mix of rock, with Latin elements, Arabic music, punk, rap, flamenco, ska and reggae. [45]
In the US during this period musicians like Los Lobos, El Vez, Sheila E., David Hidalgo, David Byrne (ex-leader of Talking Heads), and Cesar Rosas fused Latin music and rock music. [46] David Byrne was interested in Brazilian music.
The genre consolidated during the 1990s in Latin America. [47] Many bands appeared such as Rio Roma (Mexico), Maná (Mexico), Caifanes (Mexico), Café Tacuba (Mexico), Aterciopelados (Colombia), Paralamas do Sucesso (Brazil), Bersuit Vergarabat (Argentina), Karamelo Santo (Argentina), Maldita Vecindad (Mexico), Carmina Burana (Argentina), Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (Argentina), Soda Stereo (Argentina), Los Prisioneros (Chile), Los Tres (Chile), Octavia (Bolivia), Karnak (Brazil), Chancho en Piedra (Chile), Julieta Venegas (Mexico), Arena Hash (Peru) and Los Rabanes (Panama), that incorporated Latin folk rhythms on their compositions (especially Caifanes and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs). Ecuadorian rock incorporated recently indigenous musical influences.
During the late 1990s, the rising population of "Latinos" in the US [48] (term popularized since the 1960s due to the incorrect and confusing use of the term "Spanish" and the unpopular term "Hispanic") [49] led the music industry to create the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences as a sub-department of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Also, in 2000 the Latin Grammy Awards were created. Thus, a great part of the English media started to refer to any kind of music featuring vocals in Spanish as "Latin music". [50]
This term achieved a great success in some Latin American countries, where some of their regional press started to use the new terminology. [51] This phenomenon spread the use of the "Latin rock" term with a quite different meaning from the original one. [52] This led to controversy and confusion among many in the population.
The music of Latin America refers to music originating from Latin America, namely the Romance-speaking regions of the Americas south of the United States. Latin American music also incorporate the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Due to its highly syncretic nature, Latin American music encompasses a wide variety of styles, including influential genres such as cumbia, bachata, bossa nova, merengue, rumba, salsa, samba, son, and tango. During the 20th century, many styles were influenced by the music of the United States giving rise to genres such as Latin pop, rock, jazz, hip hop, and reggaeton.
Salsa music is a style of Latin American music, combining elements of Cuban, Puerto Rican, and American influences. Because most of the basic musical components predate the labeling of salsa, there have been many controversies regarding its origin. Most songs considered as salsa are primarily based on Son montuno, with elements of Guaracha, Cha cha cha, Guaguancó, Danzón, Bolero, Changüí, Charanga, Columbia, Guajira, Songo, Timba, Pachanga, Tumbao, Rumba, Yambú, mambo, Latin jazz, bomba and plena. All of these elements are adapted to fit the basic Son montuno template when performed within the context of salsa.
Tejano music, also known as Tex-Mex music, is a popular music style fusing Mexican and US influences. Typically, Tejano combines Mexican Spanish vocal styles with dance rhythms from Czech and German genres – particularly polka or waltz. Tejano music is traditionally played by small groups featuring accordion and guitar or bajo sexto. Its evolution began in northern Mexico.
Chicano rock, also called chicano fusion, is rock music performed by Mexican American (Chicano) groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture. Chicano Rock, to a great extent, does not refer to any single style or approach. Some of these groups do not sing in Spanish at all, or use many specific Latin instruments or sounds. The subgenre is defined by the ethnicity of its performers, and as a result covers a wide range of approaches.
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has been called the "quintessential Latin American romantic song of the twentieth century".
Norteño or Norteña, also música norteña, is a genre of regional Mexican music. The music is most often based on duple and triple metre and its lyrics often deal with socially relevant topics, although there are also many norteño love songs. The accordion and the bajo sexto are traditional norteño's most characteristic instruments. Norteña music developed in the late 19th century, as a mixture between local Mexican music and Austrian-Czech-origin folk music.
The folkloric traditional music of Paraguay is the Paraguayan polka and the Guarania. The Paraguayan polka comes from polka of Czech origin; that was danced for the first time in Asunción, on November 27, 1858. The guarania was created by the Paraguayan musician José Asunción Flores, in January 1925, after experiencing different arrangements with the old Paraguayan musical theme "Ma'erãpa reikuaase". Paraguay also has classical music and popular music consisting of rock and jazz music. The folk music uses a range of different instruments some of which include the Spanish guitar and the European harp.
El Gran Silencio is a rock en español band from Monterrey, Mexico that blends a variety of rock, reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop influences with traditional Latin American musical forms such as cumbia, vallenato and Norteño. Their lyrics tend to be bohemian and often talk about life in the “barrio” or poor neighborhoods of Mexican cities, especially Monterrey. As of 2015, they have recorded seven albums, eleven singles, six soundtracks, five tributes and seventeen collaborations and have toured Mexico and the United States.
Mexican rock music, often referred to in Mexico as rock nacional, originated in the 1950s. Standards by The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Nancy Sinatra, and Chuck Berry were soon covered by bands such as Los Apson, Los Teen Tops, Los Twisters, Los Hitters, Los Nómadas, Los Rockets, Los Rebeldes del Rock, Los Locos del Ritmo, Los Crazy Boys, and Javier Bátiz, which later led to original compositions, often in English. The group "Los Nómadas" was the first racially integrated band of the 1950s. Their lead guitarist, Bill Aken, wrote most of their original material, including the raucous Donde-Donde, and co-wrote the material for their Sounds Of The Barrio album, which is still being sold. Their 1954 recording of She's My Babe was the first top 40 R&B recording by a Latino band. In the southwestern United States, Spanish guitar rhythms and Mexican musical influences may have inspired some of the music of American musicians Ritchie Valens, Danny Flores, Sam the Sham, Roy Orbison, and later, Herb Alpert. Initially, the public exhibited only moderate interest in them, because the media attention was focused on La Ola Inglesa.
Ruben and the Jets was an American rock and roll band from Los Angeles, California. The band originated as an alias for The Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa's band, to release Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (1968). Later, musician Rubén Guevara Jr. continued the band with his own lineup. Guevara's "Jets" recorded two albums, For Real! (1973) and Con Safos (1974).
Rock en español is a term used to refer to any kind of rock music featuring Spanish vocals. Compared to English-speaking bands, very few acts reached worldwide success or between Spanish-speaking countries due to a lack of promotion. Despite rock en español's origins in the late 1950s, many rock acts achieved at best nationwide fame until the Internet consolidated the listeners. However, some rock en español artists did become internationally popular with the help of a promotional campaign from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s called "Rock en tu idioma". Some specific rock-based styles influenced by folkloric rhythms have also developed in these regions. Some of the more prominent styles are Latin rock ; Latin alternative, an alternative rock scene that blended a Latin sound with other genres like Caribbean ska, reggae, and soca; or Andalusian rock, a flamenco-influenced style that emerged in Spain.
Latino punk is punk music created by Latino people in Latin America and the United States. The angst and protest qualities of punk music and style have had a strong appeal to Latino youth in the U.S., and to the people in Latin America. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact location or moment when Latinos began engaging in the punk subculture. However, Latin American rock began showing aspects of punk music during the mid-1960s with the Peruvian band Los Saicos; this band reflected many aspects of other proto-punk bands such as the Yardbirds. The Saicos were predecessors to some of the most influential proto-punk bands in the U.S., such as New York Dolls, MC5, and The Stooges
Brown-eyed soul, also referred to as Chicano soul, is soul music performed in the United States mainly by Hispanic Latinos and Chicanos in Southern California, East Los Angeles, and San Antonio (Texas) during the 1960s, continuing through to the early 1980s. The trend of Latinos started with Latino rock and roll and rock musicians. "Brown eyed soul" contrasts with blue-eyed soul, soul music performed by non-Hispanic white artists.
Natiruts is a Brazilian reggae band from Brasília. Formed in 1996, Natiruts has released six studio albums and five live albums during a career spanning three decades. The group released its debut album Nativus in 1997 and increased in popularity through its 2009 album Raçaman and the accompanying single "Sorri, Sou Rei". The group's 2012 album Acústico was nominated for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album at the 2013 Latin Grammy Awards.
Latin alternative, or "alterlatino", is a brand of Latin rock music produced by combining genres like alternative rock, lofi, chillout, metal, electronica, hip hop, new wave, pop rock, punk rock, reggae, and ska with traditional Ibero-American sounds, in Latin Europeans and Latin Americans countries.
Lo Essential de Maná is a three CD box set of the first three studio albums under recording label WEA Latina from Mexican rock band Maná. Since they burst on the scene from Guadalajara, Mexico, in the early 1990s, Maná have reigned as the premier Latin rock band of our time. Led by the powerful and passionate vocalist-composer Fher Olvera, drummer Alex González, guitarist Sergio Vallín, and bassist Juan Diego Calleros blend American power rock with Hispanic folk idioms and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. This three-CD box set compilation contains the band's greatest hits, from their début album, Falta Amorto their third album Cuando Los Ángeles Lloran. A total of 37 songs from their favorites appear, including "Vivir Sin Aire," "Dónde Jugarán los Niños?", and the reggae-tinged "Selva Negra." Other favorites, such as "La Chula" and "Como Te Deseo," are remixed as pop-dance numbers.
Fogaraté! is the seventh album of the famous Dominican songwriter and musician Juan Luis Guerra. It was released on July 19, 1994. The album mixed a variety of music genres including rural and flolklroic rots of merengue called "Perico Ripao" with elements of African soukus music and Tropical Music such as Reggae with the collaboration of African guitarist Diblo Dibala and Dominican accordionist Francisco Ulloa, along with Son, Bachata and Salsa. Also, the album features a particular, bachata-styled adaptation of the Lacrimosa movement from Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor and Guerra's first song fully in English "July 19". Exploring lyrics and themes about magical realism of Latin American literature and commenting on the politics of the Caribbean, for many fans and critics, Fogaraté! is one of his most musically complex album.
Latin music is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America, which encompasses Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the Latino community in Canada and the United States, as well as music that is sung in either Spanish and/or Portuguese.
Kenny y los Eléctricos is a rock band founded in 1980 by the singer and band leader Kenny Aviles, who has been called "the mother of Mexican rock". The band started in Los Angeles, where they made their first public appearances under the name Kenny and The Electrics, playing in venues like Whisky a Go Go. They moved back to Mexico in 1980 and went on to be considered an internationally important Mexican rock band, emblematic of Mexican rock in the 1980s.
This article includes an overview of trends in Latin music in the 1990s, namely in Ibero-America. This includes the rise and fall of various subgenres in Latin music from 1990 to 1999.