In this episode, we shift focus to consider another important cultural vein, brought here by the Spanish, and rising out of the American west and Southwest as well as New York City – and obviously all of Central and South America,  Cuba and Puerto Rico.

A few things have struck me as I’ve been putting my thoughts together for these next few episodes.  Of course, the first thing is that – just like in earlier genres that we’ve talked about – the music we hear today has gone through a long journey of changes.  Second, like jazz and the blues, the music often gives voice to the frustrations and struggles Latin Americans have experienced while hacking and carving out their own rightful place in America.

In this episodes, we’ll explore the origins of Latin music, – not just in the United States, but on a wider level, across most of the New World.  When the Spanish and Portuguese came to the New World, they brought European music traditions with them, including the influences from several hundred years of Moorish occupation of Southern Spain.  They were coming to a land that had already been hope to millions of Native Americans - stretching from the Bering Strait to the southern tip of Argentina - and the people that lived here had their own musical traditions that made their way into Latin music.  African slaves also brought their rhythms.  Like we've seen in American music, African traditions would have an enormous impact on music that would develop over centuries.

This is a fascinating musical journey -  I’m so excited to share it with you!

In Today's Episode:

Gypsy Kings - Una Amor
Ancient Consort Singers - Serenisima Una Noche
Spanish-Arabic Music of Andalucia
Flor De Un Dia
Djembe tribal drumming
Native American Flute with Tribal Drum
Jorge Reyes - Native American (Mexico) Music
Traditional Inca Music Being Played in Cuzco
Los Monjes del Monasterio de Silos - Gregorian Chant
Gloria Missa de Los Angeles - JUan Bautista Sancho - 18th Century California Mission Music
Zephyr -El Cantico del Alba - A Choir of Angels II:  Mission Music
Charles Lummis Wax Cylinder - Corrido de Leandro Rivera
Lydia Mendoza - Mal Hombre
El Vez - Rock and Roll Suicide/ If I Can Dream