Gracias, Gustavo.

Rocker. Poet. Icon. Gustavo Cerati, Soda Stereo lead singer now rests in peace after four years in a coma. He lit up stages, dance floors, and many hearts.
Hoy, lloramos por ti, pero seguiremos buscando ese "Zoom" en tu honor.

Gracias, Gustavo.

unHappy Birthday to the Rey of L.A.

Steven Patrick Morrissey. Countless numbers of Latinos in L.A. can claim this man as an essential part of their musical library. He is 55 today. There are documentaries and articles following and dissecting the abundance of Latino Moz fans. Those who are fans can claim passion for his music which has depicted subjects including heartbreak,obsessive and devoted love, and political outrage...themes that have and will continue to strike a chord with Latinos in L.A. #alatinamericaninla #morrisseyfansinla #moz #morrissey # unhappybirthday

Miercoles de Musica: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Vicentico and Sr. Flavio, core members/founders of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, constructed a band whose sound is as diverse as spanish rock gets. To even label the Argentine band as purely "rock" is useless. Tracking their 20 plus years, one can listen to their influence in all of their songs: Refences to the Panamanian salsa legend Ruben Blades, who they collaborated with on "Hoy Llore Canción." Reggae covers in the Cadillacs' native Spanish tongue of The Specials' "Rudy," The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go," as well as "Revolution Rock,"and The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever," which was a collaboration with unmistakable vocals by Debbie Harry. Jazz cannot be left out of the styles that influenced Los Fabulosos: They throwback to Thelonious Monk in "La Marcha del Golazo Solitario," and a tribute to Dave Bruebek's famous "Take 5" quintuple meter in "Niño Diamante."

Whether Los Fabulosos sang songs of heartbreak, ("Venganza," or the mournful "Rio de Lagrimas,") love's happiness or scornfulness: (the tender collaboration with Celia Cruz in "Vasos Vacios" and "No Pienses Que Fui Yo,") songs with sense of humor which showed of every brass and percussion instrument within the band: ("Surfer Calavera,"/ "El Muerto,") and politics: The defiant "Manuel Santillan el Leon," Latin Americans in L.A. have had plenty of canciónes to draw upon and relate to. For those who are not so diehard fans, one can at least remember dancing at fiestas or singing along to "El Matador,"which, thanks to D.J.s at numerous backyard fiestas and clubs has turned into a pop dance tune despite its political undertones, as well as "Mal Bicho." 

Fabulosos, you are as ecclectic as our Latino culture itself. Gracias for giving us much to choose from and appreciate. 

Miercoles de Musica:Caifanes

From the sacred to the secular ("Miercoles de Ceniza"/ "Hasta Morir") to the mysical ("Ayer me Dijo Un Ave,") to the traditional, be it indigenous influence or Latin scales ("La Celula Que Explota"/ "Piedra,"/ "La Negra Tomasa"). This band has been passed on by family to our first generation L.A. Latinos. Their records shall be passed on through countless "Rock en Español nights" in clubs, many quinces you've been to when they played "Ojo De Venado" to death, and dark, dark, bedrooms. Gracias, Caifanes.  #miercolesdemusica #alatinamericaninla #loscaifanesnosgustan #lalatinamerican

Photo: plug.mx

La Ventana

A mother with her two daughters looking into a bridal store window in Azusa, CA. One can only hope these little girls, no matter what career path they choose, do not succumb to a stereotype and statistic and settle to make marriage the one and only priority, as past generarions have within our culture. One hopes they understand it is alright if they decide to fit into the framework of marriage if they desire, but if they choose to marry, that these girls would be able to buy their own dresses from their own  income if they wanted to.

A Fine Fania Find

Ruben Blades. Tito Puente. Celia Cruz. Johnny Pacheco. Hector Lavoe. Eddie Palmieri. These names echo in the ears and memories of those of us who saw our mamás dancing beautifully to these salsa greats' songs. They made up the legendary salsa collective Fania All-Stars. Music transcends boarders, of course, and without excluding our Mexican hermanos,we can say: To find this shirt as a non-Mexican individual warms our hearts and we are proud to claim salsa as ours.  In between t-shirts donning Jenni Rivera and Vicente Fernández's faces on them and with speakers constantly blasting Banda el Recodo through them, and finding Mexican food joints on every corner, a South American,Central American, and the Caribbean person can get over whelmed. Where are we? Well, we are here. Not just near MacArthur Park, but in a thrift store in Covina as well. We are everywhere. This shirt is a reminder that we brought our rhythms with us to SoCal when making our migration here. It was an amazing find in a thrift store for two dollars, but what it means is priceless.

Meet "El Palomero"

Bargains, food, and socializing. This is what swap meets have provided Latinos with for a long time. Among these staples, we also find one of a kind characters. 

At Bassett Swap meet in La Puente, everyone Sunday you can be sure to find Pedro Aguilera, songwriter and vendor, at his post near the second part of the swap meet.

 With his eccentric suits and warm personality, Aguilera proudly displays a collage at the front of his post, with which has had customers stopping and staring. It consists of shaking hands and posing with famed Mexican ranchera and regional artists and actors such as Vicente Fernández, Lola la Trailera, La Tigresa, and Pepe Aguilar. He has met and befriended many of these artists through his career as a songwriter and actor. One can look forward to him exchanging his stories of these encounters, among with some consejos:

"El exito no te lo van a dar en un papel celofán. Te lo tienes que ganar."

"El deseo es lo que lo lleva uno al éxito.

And referring to the youth and opportunities:
"Todas las puertad están abiertas para uds."

Gracias, Señor Aguilera. See you next Sunday.