Excellent History of the Latinos/Hispanics and their Influence to American Music
348605
First things first. I feel that I need to respond to the previous moron's review. A person named Garcia should really do some deep study, not only on Latin Music but also on his/her own Latin culture. To say that Selena brought Latin music to the awareness of the American and Hispanic people is a travesty and an insult to pioneers like Richie Valens, Desi Arnaz, Celia Cruz, Xavier Cougat, Santana and the list goes on and on. Please Garcia, try to sound somewhat intelligent and don't sound off at all. Thank you!

That off my chest, I give this series 5 stars. It has been presented well with research and documentation. It truly gives the background through the eyes of the artists themselves and those who worked with them. It shows how Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans and others influenced the Latino music culture in the U.S. I watched this series on PBS and I highly recommend it whether you are Hispanic, African-American, Anglo or any other culture that wants to find out the background to one of the great music genres that melt in to the great American music melting pot.
3669977
This book was extremely informative and well written. I learned a lot of new and interesting facts about one of the most influential Bands in American Music history.
3288181
A very interesting read if you grew up with an ear to the radio in the 60's and 70s. Your favorite music probably wasn't made by your favorite artists, but by a small number of very pro, reliable and musically trustworthy guys and one girl. Not a juicy gossip book, but an enlightening telling of the way the music business worked in the golden age of rock and roll. There are good stories and personal histories of some of the talents who made all the hit recordings in the LA music scene. A very integrating and informative read.
4337743
You don't have to be Latino to enjoy Lalo's Guerrero's new CD.The lyrics are a delightful mix of Spanish, English and Spanglish. The musical selections include comedy, romantic love songs, and the big band sounds of  the 40's. My own favorite is the beautiful ballad Barrio Viejo--the Old  Neighborhood. With his guitar and his voice, Lalo evokes memories of  vanished places and childhood friends for everyone who hears him--even  those of us who have never lived in a barrio. This CD serves as a reminder  that no matter where our grandparents were born, we have a common language  in music.
4758710
Leave it to Ken Burns to compile a "history" of America's music !  THis CD set traces the roots of Jazz from it's beginnings and greatness (Sachmo, The Duke) to current masters ! The evolution of Jazz mirrors the history of the U.S. from it's early beginnings in the 1900's to the constantly changing music of today's Jazz.  Ths sound quality is excellent and the enclosed bookelt is very informative.  I would also highy like to recommend the Ken Burns book Jazz as it makes a great companion to the music.  Beg or borrow this CD set, it is amazing, only regret is that it's only 5 CD's !!  Can you say Volume 2 !!
3310705
I enjoyed reading this book, The Birth of the Bakersfield Sound, and would recommend it to anyone who loves country music. I grew up listening to the country artists in Lawton Jiles book. But only after reading his book did I know the history behind them which made all those songs so much more meaningful. Each chapter focuses on one country star or those who helped to make the Bakersfield sound such an important part of America's music world.
2056955
Though this well-written and beautifully illustrated book focuses on the music scene in Chicago in the 60's and 70's, it serves as a wonderful historic document for all of America's music during that time. From folk to blues, to jazz to bigband, the author leaves nothing of significance out of this loving tribute to the musicians, the club owners and the music itself. I enjoyed the book immensely, both the text and the great  photos of the musicians. For a student or lover of American music, the book is a must read.
4795069
I reviewed this book as sold in another form. It is a very well-researched and written history and sociology of Doo-Wop. The author for many years was the (white) guitar player backing up The Cadillacs. He became a close colleague of "Speedo" Earl Carroll, one of the great lead singers of Doo Wop. This book uses the particular story of this group to tell the history of the genre. A fine job.
3633648
Even if you've never been in Chicago and know nothing about its vibrant music scene, reading The Drummer Drives and discovering the colorful career of percussionist Harry Brabec will bring a smile to your face. Lovingly written by his widow Barbara, the book is not only rich in biography but also offers a time capsule glimpse into a long gone but pivotal period in American music and how one dedicated, passionate and caring drummer-philosopher-comedian kept his head above water. For those with an interest in classical music, the sections devoted to the legendary conductor Fritz Reiner will be a reconfirmation of the many stories that have entered into a  special category of music history but other chapters cast a spotlight on  popular music  in which Harry was often the "driving" force.
From the  early days of a young couple trying to make a buck to the last years plagued by ill health, the personal and professional anecdotes are  hilarious and  sometimes sad but Harry's kindness and positive spirit shines through every page. The ease of writing in this well researched and documented book makes you feel that you've known the Brabecs for a long time
 As a young performer I worked together many times with Harry as a freelancer with the Chicago Symphony and other classical and popular engagements. It was very obvious to me that this was a musician you could learn something from and best of all he was always willing to share his knowledge and experience. The humor which is well documented in the book was the icing on the cake.

Jim Gordon
Timpanist, Holland Symfonia ( retired )
4484473
I became aware of this group when living in Puerto Rico in 1975-1979.  They were the first to incorporate the sounds of the natural world part of their recordings.  They used traditional instruments and played traditional music in a wonderfully updated style.  I probably wore out my albums listening to them so often.  I remember attending a concert they played with Roy Brown, another neo-traditionalist, but Roy's songs were more politically oriented.  There was great controversy and some radio stations refused to play their music because it was considered too revolutionary, and might encourage support for the Puerto Rico Independence Movement.  This group is magnificent and their music should not be missed.  Their sound influenced, if not actually started, the global music tradition.
87614
This book simply shares how music been created and how it reached to us. I loved music and I loved reading everything that regards to music and that included is the history. It's pretty amazing that the author input everything here which include prehistoric sounds, pop, jazz and many other. So far it was written well, and recommended to someone who loves to know more about music history.
2211586
A lot of people don't know that film has been around for a century and they REALLY don't know that Latinos have been depicted in them since the beginning.  Defeating notions that Latinos have only been in Hollywood since they were about to become the largest minority group, this documentary is a brilliant investigation of both Latinos and Hollywood.  This is strong cultural studies in which the interviewees make clear why the analysis of race and representation is so crucial to academics, politics, and modern life in general.
This film should be applauded for its gender-inclusivity.  Not only are Latino and Latina interviewees featured, but the depictions of Latino masculinity and Latina femininity are examined as shown in film.  Further, the narrator is a woman (Wanda de Jesus) at a time when most narrators are male (think of the narrator for VH-1's "Behind the Music", for instance).  However, Ramon Novarro is mentioned as the first Latino Hollywood star, yet it's never mentioned that he was openly gay.
While most of the film characters are Chicano, the interviewees range the gamut in terms of Latin American ancestry.  The film not only features actors and actresses; it includes Latino directors, producers, set designers, and others.  For readers of Latino film studies, it is great to see the faces behind prolific academics such as Noriega and Ramirez-Berg.
This documentary is excellent in terms of covering film issues, but also Latino issues generally.  The film mentions that Mexico banned American movies for a long time due to their negative depictions of Mexicans.  Thus, politically-correct readings and protests are nothing new.  The NAACP's boycott of "Birth of a Nation" was not the only time in which people of color fought Hollywood racism.  The film mentions the civil rights movement, the Monroe doctrine, the bracero program and other events that affected Latinos inside and out of Hollywood.
Latino actors talk about others encouraging them to change their names or dye their hair:  issues that Latino non-actors face too.  Further, the actors complain of Latino character roles going to white actors when perfectly good Latino actors are available.  Thus, the controversy over the first film about Frida Kahlo is nothing new.  Additionally, Latino actors talk about the crummy jobs they had to take to first break into film:  matters that all actors face.
The documentary is not perfect.  The chronology falls about at places.  There are two sections on the 1960s for no reason.  There is a discussion about gang films from the 1980s and 90s before they even discuss Latino films from the 1970s.  In order to get Latino actors to talk about their experiences, they have to avoid being critical of their work.  For example, Ricardo Montalban defends the Latin lover type even though many would have problems with it.  Elizabeth Pena is feature frequently, even though she has played highly degrading depictions of Latinas.  Moreover, it must be noted that A-list actors are missing from this work (Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Benicio del Toro).  One wonders if they can't expose and critique the Hollywood that has made them so rich and famous.
The sections of this documentary are written in grainy chalk writing for some reason.  Additionally, this DVD had no Spanish subtitles or dubbing.  In the US, the majority of Latinos are still foreign-born and many have difficulties speaking and reading English.  I understand that documentaries don't have big budgets to include cool extra features.  Nevertheless, the lack of a Spanish translation of this work will leave many viewers who would love this piece out of the loop.  It's a true shame.
Despite my critiques, this was the best thing I have ever rented in a while.  I think this film says so much about Latinos in general, not just in Hollywood.  I applaud everyone who was a part in its production.  This will be worth everyone's time.  It's an eye opener and nourishment for the brain.
2517316
I really enjoyed this album by Patricia Petibon, who has rapidly become one of my favorite modern singers. This Latin-themed record features excellent performances in a variety of styles with Spanish or Portuguese roots as the common theme.

For a coloratura soprano, Petibon has a remarkable range, and her mastery of deeper registers as well as the high end is well on display here. A few works -- including selections from Xavier Montsalvatge's "Cinco canciones negras" -- were actually written for mezzo soprano.

As usual on Amazon, the list of works provided doesn't give insight into the composers. Here is a quick breakdown:

1. Enrique Granados - Tonadillas: La maja dolorosa II: Ay majo de mi vida
2. Xavier Montsalvatge - Cinco canciones negras: Cancin de cuna
3. Xavier Montsalvatge - Cinco canciones negras: Canto negro
4. Joaqun Nin y Castellanos - Veinte cantos populares espaoles: El vito
5. Heitor Villa-Lobos - Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: I. Aria (Cantilena)
6. Joaqun Turina - Poema en forma de canciones: Cantares
7. Gernimo Gimnez - La Tempranica: La tarntula  un bicho m malo (Zapateado)
8. Rafael Calleja Gmez, Tomas Barrera Saavedra - Emigrantes: Adis Granada
9. Manuel de Falla - La vida breve, Act I: Vivan los que ren!
10. Federico Moreno Torroba - La marchenera: Petenera
11. Enrique Granados - Tonadillas: El mirar de la maja
12. Jos Serrano Simen - La cancin del olvido: Marinela, Marinela
13. Traditional, Francisco Ernani Braga - Ogund uarer
14. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: A la mar
15. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: Silencio mi nio
16. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: Hay quien dice
17. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: Solo

There are only a couple of instantly recognizable "standards" -- the first movement of Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 and the rousing selection from "La Tempranica" by Gernimo Gimnez. I do regret that Petibon didn't include the second movement from Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5, as an integral performance would probably have made this my favorite recording of Villa-Lobos' most popular work.

But apart from that regret, I found the selection of material very satisfying, and was happy to gain exposure to a number of Spanish, Catalan, Cuban and Brazilian composers that are off the beaten path of standard classical repertory.

The centerpiece of the CD is the new song cycle "Melodias de la Melancholia", written specifically for Petibon by contemporary French composer Nicolas Bacri. While his French status does fudge the album's Iberian theme a bit, the Spanish text -- and more importantly, the rich expressiveness of the music -- more than make up for this. This is a well-rounded song cycle that takes us through a variety of melancholy moods, from languished to anguished. Very nice indeed.

I am very happy that Patricia Petibon is gaining wider exposure and recognition. My perceptions of her as a performer were skewed for quite a while. A few years ago I lived in Europe and was an avid viewer of the French classical cable channel Mezzo. Between longer programs, Mezzo would regularly play short classical video clips, MTV-style, and Petibon was in their constant rotation -- but only with strange, quirky bits featuring her in various outlandish hairstyles. These were mainly, but not exclusively from her role as Olympia in Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffmann". Mentally, I guess I wrote her off for a while as a talented novelty singer.

My perceptions began to change seriously when I saw the video of her singing "Der Holle Rache" -- the aria of the Queen of the Night from "The Magic Flute". Shot in the recording studio with no makeup or pretense, there I saw a singer with power I had not imagined before, coupled with humor and easy grace. I started listening to more Patricia Petibon and became hooked as a real fan. This album confirms her power and personal charm as a performer, as well as her status as one of the top talents around today. Highly recommended.
2306625
A really good read, not only because of what it tells you about Henry Darrow but what it tells you about Latino culture and the obstacles early Latino actors faced in a television world that was pure WASP.  Thankfully, gone are the days when a Latino actor had to change his name to get roles that did not limit him to the "Frito Bandito" variety, but that was the world that faced Enrique Delgado in the early 1960s.  "The High Chaparral" began the change that put Latino families into the world with the same standing as Anglo families on TV, and Darrow was at the forefront of what has turned out to be a huge change how Latinos are presented and the work they are able to take on now.  Now, without even a blink, we watch Latino news reporters on TV cover every kind of story that any Anglo reporter would cover, and roles are not always exclusively "Latino" or "Black" or "Anglo."  Not so when Darrow began his career, and behind the camera he had a lot to do with the change.  This book covers all of that, as well as Darrow's colorful and not always easy or squeaky clean life, with flat out honesty.  Not a celebrity tell-all, just a really good history of a man and a culture as they work their way into the American mainstream.
2253666
Includes indepth studies of the Storz, MacLendon, Bartell, and Plough chains, as well as a study of the forces in the United States that gave rise to the Top 40 format.

The emphasis is on the "industry" not the personalities or the music. It is definitely NOT a Rock and Roll book.  But, it's worth looking for a copy.
1523707
Henry Louis Gates Jr. isn't one of my favorite black historians, but I'll give him a thumbs up on this DVD. Black history in Latin countries is an avoided subject. I saw the show on PBS, and I decided to buy this DVD. It shows the African contributions to Latin America that many people don't know about or deny it outright. Maybe Mr. Gates will get a chance to do a few more Latin nations.

 The DVD is 4 hours long. He talks about 6 Latin nations and their African roots and slavery: Haiti, The Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil. Mexico, and Peru. The DVD talks about the racism that still exist in these nations today.  Anyone who is interested in black history should purchase this DVD. I recommend it.
1833262
Latino Crossings is an eye-opening study at a propitious time. The book helps dismantle generalizations about the "latino" population in the US, while also bringing the question of citizenship into a new light at a time of heated public debate on the immigration issue. The authors, in an ethnographic study in Chicago, look at issues of "legality" and social tensions between the Mexican and Puerto Rican populations there. For those already versed in such dynamics, the theoretical approach through the racialization lens offers new ways of deconstructing the institutional racism in the United States. Finally, for beginners like me, the introduction juxtaposes the migration of Mexican and Puerto Ricans into US society in an interesting way.