This week at various points throughout the New York City Latino music will be filling the bustling city streets thanks to Latin Alternative Music Conference. Hitting the city during the second week of July, the showcase presents the growing yet not yet renowned alternative Latin music scene to those who partake in the showcase.
With the Latino population rising in America, the culture’s alternative music scene of Latino rappers, DJs, rock bands, and pop stars have yet to receive any true radio airtime. These “underdog” performers find it hard to get their music played on English-language stations, yet find it more difficult to break into the conservative Spanish-speaking radio stations.
Over the next five days, the city will house musical artist from places like Mexico,Colombia, Argentina, and many other places including New York’s the Bronx giving them the opportunity to not only perform for crowds but to come together to network and expose a brighter light upon their genre’s alternative side.
The LAMC events are:
Tuesday at 7pm at Crotona Park, the Bronx (located on the corner of Claremont Parkway and Crotona Ave.): where DJs Raff and Latin Bitman come together to produce energetic electronica upon their respective turntables to the Eastern metropolis all the way from South of the border. The partnership of Raff and Latin Bitman’s musical talent can be heard from the duo’s joint cd called “Raff vs. Bitman,”.
The next night on Wednesday at 6pm at the Central Park Summerstage: singer Fat Joe will be headlining the event but will be joined by others. From the Bay Area, Los Rakas will be bring their caribeanan sound to the stage. From Panama, the duo will perform from their latest CD Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada which features a sound infused with beats from Jamican dancehall, Panamanian jazz, and Puerto Rican plena. The venue is free to the audience.
Also at Central Park Summerstage on Thursday at 6pm: Lila Downs will perform. Of Mexican and American origin, Downs will bring her modern and traditional sound to the stage. Along with Downs, Natalia Clavier of Thievery Corporation will be perform her femme fatale songs from her English and Spanish speaking album called Lumen.
Also on Thursday at 6pm at Sound of Brazil: Chilean singer Alex Anwandter will be recreating his synthetic beats and twisting melodies of 80s infused dance-pop. Anwandter’s career has gotten quite the attention for his songs condemning homophobia such as Como Puedes Vivir Contigo Mismo. The track’s video was inspired by the 1990 drag ball movie called Paris is Burning. Along with Anwandter, Chilean act Astro will be playing a few of their eccentric electrop-pop songs including Panda which earned the act recognition from the track being in a Bloomingdale’s ad.
Again on Thursday at 6pm at Marcus Garvey Park: Sofy Encanto, an electro-soul band from Miami, will be performing their soft swaying yet sultry moving songs. Also at the venue, Fania All-Stars Live in Africa will be screened, it is a record show filmed in the 70s which consisted of such acts as Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Ray Barretto, and many more. Audience members can see the show for free.
This Friday at 7pm in Crotona Park: The sounds of Californian funk band War will be performing their Latino-pop classics Low Rider to The World Is a Ghetto.. Known for influencing other Latin rockers, jazz, and rappers the group presents a free show that could influence future artists.
This weekend on Saturday at 3pm at the Central Park Summerstage: Tijuana singer, Julieta Venegas takes the stage performing her traditional sultry smooth songs. Also take part at his performance is Alex Anwandter. It is free admission at the event.
Also on Saturday at 7pm at Crotona Park: From the South Bronx the rocking doo-wopping The Ghetto Brothers take the stage. Compared to the Beatles but with a garage rock sound, the band that rose up from through the 70s living in one of New York City’s borough perform at this free show. Also, From Mambo to Hip-Hop will be screened. The documentary is about how an infusion of Puerto Rican music and soul help birth Hip Hop.
So if you’re in the city with nothing to do or some spare time check out one of the showcases of theLatin Alternative Music Conferenceand see if you like the alternative sounds of Latino music.
