De Musica Ligera – Ani Cordero

De Musica Ligera is our occasional feature on music from the Americas as well as a song from 1980s Argentine rock group Soda Stereo.

As the Brooklyn Vegan music blog recently described “Ani Cordero is a woman of many projects”.  Indeed, her work has included playing in the band Pistolera and participating as a touring member of famed Brazilian rock group Os Mutantes.  Her latest project is a solo album entitled Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love & Protest, which features songs “from the 1930s-1970s that highlight influential artists who provided the soundtrack for social change.”

Below is a music video from one of the songs on Recordar, a cover version of “Macorina” originally sung by the late Mexican singer Chabela Vargas:

Ani Cordero will be in concert on Thursday at Joe’s Pub in New York and on Sunday at Crossroads in Philadelphia.

Video Source– YouTube user Ani Cordero
 
Online Sources – Brooklyn Vegan; Official website for Ani Cordero

Today's Video: Pistolera Friday night!

If you're in the New York City area and looking for something to do tonight check out Pistolera at the Highline Ballroom. The group- who we highlighted last December- specializes in great politically-motivated tunes on topics like the immigration debate. (Opening for them is the also brilliant Forro in the Dark).

Below is the music video for Pistolera's catchy and satirical "Policia":

We'll return over the weekend for a few post-Thanksgiving posts. (Here is a hint at one of the stories we might tackle).

Online Sources - Highline Ballroom, YouTube, BBC News, The Latin Americanist

Today’s Video: Pistolera concert mañana!

Are you in the Big Apple and interested in attending a great live gig? Then head out Friday night to Joe’s Pub and catch “critically-acclaimed Latin folk-alternative group” Pistolera.

We’ve featured the group before and noted that their music tends to be politically-charged. “Cazador” is no exception as it pokes fun at anti-immigrant groups who patrol the U.S.-Mexico border:

Politics aside, Pistolera always puts on a great show. Please check them out either tomorrow or this summer at several concerts in the U.S. and Europe.

Online Sources- pistolera.net, Joe’s Pub, YouTube

De Musica Ligera: Tunes of ‘08

2008 is about to come to an end but before that why not enjoy some primo songs from the past year? Juanes, Sergio Mendes, and Julieta Venegas were a few of the great artists who released new and exciting music over the past year. The wide range of tunes released this year by Latin American/Latino musicians can satisfy just about every musical taste as evidenced by some of the exceptional songs below:

• Aterciopelados – 28 (Don’t forget to revisit our interview with Hector Buitrago!)
• Banda de Turistas - Todo mio el otonio (Very poppy, 60s- tinged music from an underrated Argentine band)
• Breeders - Regalame Esta Noche (Kelley Deal may not be fluent in Spanish but her emotion cannot be ignored in this ballad cover)
• Calexico – Absent Afternoon (Calexico’s music has a great Mexican folkloric sound which must be heard)
• Juana Molina - Un Dia (Sweet, slightly eclectic music from an excellent South American chanteuse)
• Nortec Collective - Akai 47 (One of the best representatives of the “latintronica” genre)
• Pistolera – Guerra (Great song with a political message from this New York-based band)
• Plastilina Mosh – Party (Do you remember Summerstage, Maegan?)
• Sonido Del Principe - El Principe (A Dutch DJ puts a modern tinge on tropical cumbia music)
• Yma Sumac - Bo Mambo (This isn’t a single from 2008, but its worth noting that the Peruvian singer died in November)
  

Image- daylife.com (Colombian rockeros Aterciopelados were one of several great musical groups with new albums and music in 2008)
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, yousendit.com

Today’s Video: Pistolera rocks!

Note: We’ll be taking a small time-out for the rest of the Labor Day weekend. We’ll be back on Wednesday to celebrate our third birthday (yay!)

We leave you with “Policia”- a music video from Latino “alt-folklorico” group Pistolera. The NYC- based band released their sophomore album “En Este Camino” in August and are currently touring. Go see them if you can; they’re incredible live!

Sources- YouTube, myspace.com