Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion. The style was pioneered in the 1960s by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who is responsible for popularizing the style both within and outside Nigeria.
Antibalas is an American, Brooklyn-based afrobeat band that is modeled after Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive Orchestra. Although their music generally follows the musical architecture and language of afrobeat, it incorporates elements of jazz, funk, dub, improvised music, and traditional drumming from Cuba and West Africa.
Afro rock is a style of rock music with West African influences. Afro rock bands and artists in the late 1960s and early 1970s included Osibisa, Assagai and Lafayette Afro Rock Band.
Xiomara Laugart Sánchez is a Cuban singer currently based in New York City. Before emigrating to the United States, Laugart had an extensive career performing nueva trova music in Cuba and she has recorded over 17 albums.
Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez is a Cuban drummer and percussionist. He has played alongside Latin jazz pianists such as Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Michel Camilo, Chucho Valdés, Eddie Palmieri and Hilario Durán.
Paz sin Fronteras refers to a series of free outdoor concerts lead by the Colombian singer Juanes along with other internationally recognized artists. The first string of concerts took place in 2008 along the Colombia–Venezuela border on the Simón Bolívar International Bridge. The second took place in 2009 in Cuba's Plaza de la Revolución, and a third was planned for Caracas, Venezuela in 2013. The purpose of the first concert was to reaffirm the nonviolence message that Colombians, Venezuelans, and Ecuadorians are South American brothers, independent of the relation between the political orientation of shifting governments. It was organized by Juanes, who in turn was the show's host. It took place on March 16, 2008 between 1:35 pm and 5:40 pm (GMT) on the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, on the Colombia–Venezuela border located between the city of Cúcuta in Colombia and the town of San Antonio del Táchira in Venezuela.
The Sexteto Habanero was a Cuban son sextet founded in 1920 in Havana. It played an important part in the early history of the genre, contributing to its popularization all around Cuba. In 1927, the band incorporated a cornet player becoming the Septeto Habanero. Although most original members left in the 1930s, the band has continued to perform and record with different line-ups. Their last album was released in 2010 for their 90th anniversary.
The 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards took place on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was the second time the show took place in Las Vegas. Juan Gabriel was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on November 4, the day prior to the telecast. Calle 13 were the big winners, winning five awards including Album of the Year. 2009 marked the ten-year anniversary of the Latin Grammy Awards.
Descemer Bueno is a Cuban singer, songwriter, and record producer. His first professional gigs were playing bass with Cuban troubadour Santiago Feliú.
Andrés Levin is a Venezuelan-born American record producer, bandleader, filmmaker, recording engineer and philanthropist. After several nominations, Levin won a Grammy Award in 2009 for his production of the In the Heights cast recording. His Grammy-nominated Latin fusion band Yerba Buena was founded along with Cuban-American singer Cucu Diamantes.
Cucu Diamantes is a Grammy nominated Cuban-American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist. Her 2009 debut album Cuculand received a Latin Grammy Nomination for Best Alternative Song, "Mas Fuerte". Diamantes is also cofounder and lead singer of Grammy nominated New York City fusion band Yerba Buena. A frequent collaborator, Diamantes has worked with Carlinhos Brown, Yotuel Romero, Lenine, Fat Boy Slim, Meshell Ndegeocello, Vico C, Les Nubians, Rossy de Palma, John Leguizamo, Paulina Rubio, Aleks Syntek, and Beto Cuevas.
Motéma Music is a jazz and world music record label in the United States. It was founded in 2003 in San Francisco Bay Area. This record label’s catalog spans genres, cultures, and generations and has received Grammy recognition for over twenty-five albums in jazz, Latin-jazz, reggae, and R&B. Founded by label president and recording artist Jana Herzen, Motéma was the first to bring soul/jazz musician Gregory Porter to international attention with his Grammy-nominated first albums, Water and Be Good and his hit song "1960 What?" The label launched international careers for jazz piano star Joey Alexander, modern soul singer Deva Mahal, and Cuban musician Pedrito Martinez, among others.
Orquesta La 33 is a Colombian salsa music band. The collective was founded in Bogotá in 2001 by brothers Sergio and Santiago Mejía. The name is taken from the city's Calle 33, in Teusaquillo, the 13th locality of Bogotá, where the band first rehearsed.
La Noche Más Larga is the fifth studio album by Spanish singer Concha Buika. The record was released on June 4, 2013 via Warner Music Spain label.
Ron Blake is an American saxophonist, band leader, composer, and music educator. Born in the Virgin Islands, he attended Northwestern University, and now lives in New York City. Blake began studying guitar at 8 and turned to the saxophone at 10. He taught at the University of South Florida before moving to New York, where he spent five years in trumpeter Roy Hargrove's quintet, and seven years in flugelhornist Art Farmer's group. He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy. He completed a master's degree at NYU in 2010. Blake co-founded the 21st Century Band and the Tahmun record label with Dion Parson in 1998. He is a member of NBC's Saturday Night Live Band, and the Grammy award-winning Christian McBride Big Band. He is a professor of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School. He has more than sixty credits on his discography as a sideman and continues to work as a performer.
Estrellas de Chocolate is a Cuban son conjunto founded by conguero Félix "Chocolate" Alfonso in 1959. Its original lineup featured Niño Rivera (tres), Agustín Cabrera, David Palomares (piano), Armando Albertini "El Gorila" (trumpet), "Chino" León Lahera, Arístides Valmaseda, Filiberto Hernández (vocals), Sergio de Cuba and Pichi (bongo). Albertini and Palomares directed the band, while Rivera was responsible for the arrangements.
The 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards was held on November 16, 2017, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It was broadcast on Univision at 8PM ET\PT. This marked the tenth year Las Vegas hosts the Latin Grammy Awards and also marked the telecasts return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Ray Joseph Lugo is an American musician. Singing in English and Spanish, Lugo is internationally known for his prolific output and diverse solo work, as well as for leading the groups Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra, Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers and other projects.
Pedrito Martinez is a Cuban percussionist, drummer, singer, dancer, bandleader, songwriter, composer, and educator. He was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. He is a Cuban Conguero performing classic Cuban Rumbas, Afro-Cuban folkloric and religious music. He is a Santería priest. He came to the United States of America from Havana in 1998. He plays the Batá drum, conga, cajón, timbale, and bongo drums, among other percussion instruments. Pedrito learned his craft from the streets of Havana, Cuba. He has performed with Paquito D'Rivera, Arturo O'Farrill, Brian Lynch, and Bruce Springsteen. He settled in the New York City - New Jersey area in 1998.
Original Music from the Soundtrack to Piñero is the soundtrack to the 2001 film Piñero by producer Kip Hanrahan. Released in March 2002, the album includes performances by Horacio "El Negro" Hernández]], Robby Ameen, and Milton Cardona.
