Latin music played a significant role in the development of American culture throughout the twentieth century and beyond, but it remains one of the most misunderstood pieces of the United States’ musical landscape. The use of term “Latin” starts the confusion, as it packages a multitude of cultural traditions and heritages into a single generic term. A good chunk of the American population can’t tell the difference between music from Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, or Puerto Rico – and in many cases, a majority of listeners wouldn’t think twice about the differences. A wave of popular culture sensationalism only served to worsen matters, enforcing stereotypes, pigeonholing the music as party fodder, and once again blurring connections to rich cultural traditions. As music from Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba mixed with African American styles and more, new blends were born, such as Latin Jazz, salsa, boogaloo, Latin rap, and Rock en Español. These new genres captured the attention of United States audiences, and a distinctly different artistic identity emerged. Links to authenticity became less obvious and in some ways less relevant as music from these different cultural traditions found a home among American artists. Latin music became undeniably intertwined with American culture, but it still sat in the background behind the latest pop sensation. Despite the fact that the influence of Latin music touches every piece of the modern American musical world, most listeners remain unaware of its existence.

The four-part PBS documentary Latin Music U.S.A. tackles the issue of audience education, debuting in October with a multi-media onslaught. Each episode will last an hour, using a combination of concert footage, interviews, and popular media clips to highlight a specific historical focus. The first part of Latin Music U.S.A. will showcase the rise of Latin Jazz, the popularity of Latin dance crazes across the country, and Latin influences in early rock. The second hour delves into New York of the sixties and seventies, tracing the birth and subsequent explosion of salsa. The documentary’s third piece focuses upon Mexican-American culture in the West, the creation of Latin Rock, and the musical movement around civil rights. The last episode will examine the modern marriage of Latin music and pop, looking at eighties icon Gloria Estefan, all the way up to current Reggaeton and Rock en Español groups. All four parts of the documentary will be broadcast in both English and Spanish, ensuring a connection with a diverse audience. The documentary will be supported by an extensive interactive online presence at pbs.org that will allow viewers to further explore Latin music and experience special features. A series of 12 informational podcasts (6 in English and 6 in Spanish) will be distributed both online and through radio, providing yet more material to educate listeners. Latin Music U.S.A. holds the potential to create a major impact upon the cultural understanding of American audiences, clarifying important issues, and spreading the influence of multiple Latin styles.

Latin Music U.S.A. will cover Latin Jazz and move far beyond, but the educational element and search for cultural understanding is an important task that goes beyond stylistic boundaries – you can expect some good coverage of the documentary here at LJC. Our Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix gets the ball rolling with some promotional clips from PBS. The first video is a short commercial for the upcoming documentary that shows bits of everyone, from Tito Puente to Shakira, Ray Barretto to Los Lobos. The second video features an interview with Latin Jazz historian, drummer, and bandleader Bobby Sanabria who served as a consultant on the documentary. It’s a good introduction to an important documentary that will hopefully open some eyes about the importance of Latin music. Enjoy!

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PBS Commercial For Latin Music U.S.A.

Bobby Sanabria Interviewed About Latin Music

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Latin Music U.S.A. will air in October; here are the dates:

Monday October 12, 2009: Part 1 & Part 2

Monday October 19, 2009: Part 3 & Part 4

For More on Latin Music U.S.A., check out:
The Latin Music U.S.A. Website
The Latin Music U.S.A. Facebook Group

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Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in – it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans – let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Sofia Rei Koutsovitis & Avantrio
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Tutuma Social Club
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Annette Aguilar
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Jovino Santos Neto

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