Category: Latino

Blood, Drugs and Hitmen: Where to find Info. on Organized Crime and Narcotrafficking in Mexico and Latin America

Drug cartels in Mexico who once operated in the shadows announced their entrance into mainstream society with a number of beheadings in 2006 that marked the beginning of a wave of unprecedented violence that still consumes parts of the country. Gun fights in broad daylight occur regularly in parts of Nuevo Leon, Michoacan and Chihuahua. Cartels have also moved on to methods more sadistic than beheadings via vats of acid and even a car bomb or two.

Flag of Los Zetas by cartoonist Jose Hernandez (monerohernandez.com.mx)

Much of Mexico continues to live normally despite the violence in some areas. Traveler extraordinaire Rick Steves celebrated the coming of 2011 in Mexico City with nary a hint of drug-related violence in sight. My relatives in the state of Jalisco continue to live in peace. My friends with families in Juarez, unfortunately, cannot say the same. They have suffered extortion and violence at the hands of cartels and corrupt law enforcement.

Most Mexican news organizations can’t or won’t cover the situation in-depth because of threats and attacks by cartels on their headquarters and journalists. U.S. news organizations can’t or won’t because it’s not in their interest to do so save for lazy, fear-mongering tales of spillover violence and anarchy.

So where do concerned citizens and interested parties turn to for accurate information and comprehensive analysis of events in Mexico? Read on after the jump to find out:

Continue reading “Blood, Drugs and Hitmen: Where to find Info. on Organized Crime and Narcotrafficking in Mexico and Latin America” →

Carla Morrison Sings for Every Broken Heart

Carla Morrison. Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone Mexico

Count Carla Morrison among the current crop of Mexican artists whose fame has exploded seemingly overnight. The singer/songwriter has won over millions of fans in her native Mexico and is slowly repeating that performance stateside.

The young starlet grew up in Tecate, Baja California (yes, that’s the city where THAT beer is brewed in) and studied in Mexico City and Phoenix, AZ where she performed with various musicians, most notably Babaluca.

Morrison (no relation to Jim) released her debut EP, Aprendiendo a Aprender (Learning to Learn), in 2009 and followed it up with Mientras Tú Dormías (While You Were Sleeping) the following year. She most recently wowed audiences at SXSW and at her album premiere show at Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s “Day of the Dead” festival.

“So what’s the big deal?,” you ask. At this point I must admit that any attempt at describing her music will fall flat despite the fact that she is armed with nothing but a guitar, an incredible voice and an enormous heart worn on both sleeves. Instead, I’ll let her music speak for itself.

Una Salida (An Escape) – acoustic version

Continue reading “Carla Morrison Sings for Every Broken Heart” →

Latin Alternative Music Club Mucho Wednesdays at La Cita to Close, Promoter to Launch Monthly Concert Series at The Echoplex

Latin alternative music fans were dealt a heavy blow days ago when club promoter Ricky Garay announced the end of his much-loved club night Mucho Wednesdays at La Cita. The weekly, bilingual dance party was the only place in town where people could dance to equal doses of Depeche Mode and Plastilina Mosh. This is the second party to announce it’s departure from the downtown club in recent weeks. As Nightranger Lina Lecaro reported,Mustache Mondays just moved to The Belasco.

The news proved to be bittersweet as, days later, Garay announced Mucho’s move to the Echoplex this July June where he will host a monthly concert series featuring Latin alternative acts. “We have something extra special scheduled for July,” said Garay of his upcoming partnership with the Echoplex. “It’s going to be a celebration of us doing Latin alternative events in Los Angeles as an independent group of people.”

Read more at LA Weekly.