Category: Music

Finally, a Celebration of Afro-Latino Music That Doesn’t Ignore Hip-Hop

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Kahlil Cummings is one of many performers scheduled at AfroLatino. Photo by Safiya Dawuni.

The sounds and rhythms of West African drums, the sharp slaps on the djembe and the cavernous thumps on the dunun, will echo and bounce out of the recently reopened John Anson Ford Theatres and off into the hills surrounding the Cahuenga Pass this Saturday, Sept. 10. Those drums will mark the first lesson of many in a two-hour session about the long history of musical collaboration between the African and Latino diasporas that continues today in Los Angeles.

“AfroLatino – A Celebration of the African and Latino Diasporas” is a dive into understanding the Afro-Latino identity with an ethnomusicological twist. Numerous artists from L.A. and beyond will trace the history of African people in the Western hemisphere through the impact and influence of their music.

Continue reading at LA WEEKLY.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Presents 17th Annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration, the largest Day of the Dead celebration outside of Mexico, returns for its 17th edition.

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This year’s theme is “El Arbol De La Vida/The Tree Of Life,” with a focus on sculptural traditions of the town of Metepec near Toluca de Lerdo.

Music this year will be provided by:

Julieta Venegas

Buyepongo

Alejandro y Maria Laura

Mitre

Mariachi Flor De Toloache

Here’s my rundown of last year’s event, which celebrated the culture of Mexico’s indigenous Huichol people, visited by 40,000 people and featured musicals artists Lila Downs, Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, Huichol Musical, and others.

More info at ladayofthedead.com.

Gepe at The Echo [photos]

Chilean indie/pop maestro Gepe performed at The Echo on his most recent tour. He performed songs from his latest album, Estilo Libre, and others. Wendy Sulca wasn’t with him to perform their popular duet on his track “Hambre” but he did receive help from a pair of wonderful backup dancers in traditional dance outfits for a few songs.

The full set of photos is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/afroxander/albums/72157668010430406

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My Coachella coverage for LA Weekly

I spent the past weekend at Indio covering the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival with a team of writers, photographers from LA Weekly & OC Weekly. It made for great times and even greater stories.

Below are the three stories I wrote about the festival for LA Weekly:

The Slow Death of Coachella’s Local Vendor Economy

The Date Farmers’ Art Exposes the Economic Divide of Coachella

What’s It Going to Take to Bring More Latino Artists to Coachella?