Ecuador

Jayac

A lot of people I know, think Latin American music is salsa (I have learnt the basics of salsa dancing, so being familiar with the music helped a lot) or Andean flute music  like Jayac from Ecuador (whom I saw in Bristol in 1994) that was my first taste of Latin American music and I love their music to this day Jayac’s Website
The first album I bought by Jayac was Camino de mi Pueblo (1989) on tape!  I’ve also have the album Luz de mi vida
There is so much more to Latin American music, especially in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Mexico (I’ve not really explored any of the other countries yet, any recommendations would be appreciated) Contact me via my lastfm profile as I’m on there a lot Last Fm Profile
Colombia
I was first introduced to rock music from Colombia;  the song was Florecita Rockera by a band called Aterciopelados I couldn’t even pronounce or spell Aterciopelados at first, (it means the velvety ones) now it’s a breeze. I really like Aterciopelados songs. The ones  I adore are El Estuche , Bolero Falaz, Complemento and my favourite  Baracunatana and especially the singer Andrea Echeverri’s solo album, aptly titled Andrea Echeverri Songs from that album I love are – the beautiful Fulgor, A Eme O and Amortiguador and many more.

Héctor Buitrago and Andrea Echeverri
I then met various people from Peru, Colombia and Mexico on Last fm and was introduced to more music. One of them was  a Vallenato singer from Colombia called Kaleth Morales who was involved in the La Nueva Ola (The New Wave) style of Vallenato, sadly he was killed in a car crash in August 2005 aged 21, before he died he made some lovely music and this man’s music really touched my heart. My favourite songs by him are Mis Cinco Sentidos,  Ella es mi todo and Vivo En El Limbo. I’m not really that familiar with that many Colombia artists (Rock/Punk/Electronic/Post-punk & Vallenato), and I’m not really into Colombian pop music (Juanes/Shakira etc) Other bands/ artists I have heard a little of are Bomba Estéreo, Sataray and La-33 (great salsa group)

Kaleth Morales
Peru
La Sarita are from Lima in Peru and I’ve loved them for ages now,  La Sarita’s sound is alternative hard rock fused with a latin flavour, peruvian folkloric music and afroperuvian sounds. I love Más Poder, Lobos de Mar, Guachiman and Nos Quieren Gobernar I’m still exploring Peruvian music, other bands I’ve listened to a little from Peru are Frágil, Cementerio Club and Leusemia
Mexico
Mexico has a a lot of great bands and artists, here’s a few I like: Julieta Venegas is a Mexican singer, Julieta plays many instruments including acoustic guitar, accordion, and keyboard. Her style over the years has changed she is more pop orientated now. Here is a list of her albums (1997: Aquí, 2000: Bueninvento, 2003: Sí, 2006: Limón y Sal, 2007: Realmente Lo Mejor, 2008: Mtv Unplugged, 2010: Otra Cosa) I saw her play live in London last year and she was really good live. I like Eres Para Mi, Me VoyAndar conmigo and Sería feliz and my favourites from her are the brilliant  De Mis Pasos and Me Van a Matar
Julieta Venegas
San Pascualito Rey are a recent addition to my music collection and were recommended to me, they play dark electronica: fusiona rock con trip hop, lounge, canción romántica y música folklórica mexicana (roughly translates as fusion rock with hip hop, lounge, romantic songs and mexican folk music) They have released one album called Sufro Sufro Sufro
Porter are a Mexican band I adore, they have released 2 albums that I know about Atemahawke (2007) and Donde Los Ponys  Pastan (2004), Their singer Juan Son has a unique voice which I feel totally complements the music the rest of the band are: Giovanni Paolo Lechatelli (Drummer), Villor (Guitarist, Pianist), F-Air (Guitarist), Bacter (Bassist, Synth and Programmer)
The songs I love are from Atemahawke are Cuervos, Host of a Ghost,  the amazing Xoloitzcuintle Chicloso and Vaquero Galáctico and the epic Este Cosmos. Their album Donde Los Ponys Pastan also has excellent songs I love all of them actually, my beloved favourite is Daphne, I love the fact they sing in Spanish and English

Lyrics to Daphne :

So blue and violently calm I drowned but yet I feel so fine and some how…..
Don’t know why I love it down here (EHH)
Sale el sol y aunque ahogado veo el resplandor (EHH)
Ya me fui mas sigo en el fondo so blue and violently calm
I drowned but yet I feel so fine and some how…..
Don’t know why I love it down here (EHH)
Sale el sol y aunque ahogado veo el resplandor (EHH)
Ya me fui mas sigo en el fondo I thought you did but you don’t know me…..
(EHH) sale el sol y aunque ahogado veo el resplandor (EHH) ya me fui mas sigo en el fondo
I thought you did but you don’t know me…..
Another song I love off the album is the lovely Girl

Girl Lyrics

Feeling your heart beat
Are you now my girl
Day on the street yeah..
As long as I live
wake up and tell me
what is what you dream
feeling useless, you are my only girl
My sleeping beauty
I’m right beside you you you….
Feeling your heart beat
Are you now my girl
Day on the street yeah..
As long as I live
wake up and tell me
what is what you dream
feeling useless, you are my only girl
Six months and you are still my sleeping beauty
You don’t talk
but you are a miracle
so peaceful like
a beautiful angel
you are my only love
Other great songs are: Interlude Complicado, No Te Encuentro, Bipolar, Espiral, Interlude Dos Viene, and the wonderful Espiral (En Vivo Guadalajara 08/10/05)
Mexico also has some other great artists/bands including  Café Tacvba (also spelt Café Tacuba), Plastilina MoshLila DownsMaldita Vecindad y los Hijos del Quinto Patio, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Caifanes. These are the ones I’m familiar with, there are many more from Mexico I’ve not really had a chance to look at  yet.
Chile
I’m not familiar with any bands from Chile apart from the wonderful Lucybell, They have released a plethora of albums (about 10!), they are very, very good!, I adore them….. hmmmm where to start?? I’m ploughing my way through their albums… it may take quite a while, so I’ll just tell you what songs I like and what album it’s from: I’ve still got lots of their songs to listen to….
Caballos De Histeria from Lucybell , Mataz from Sesión Futura, No Naceré from Lucybell , Vete from Peces, Eternidad from Comiendo Fuego, Carnaval from Sesión Futura Desde Acá from Peces, Rojo Eterno from Lucybell, Tropezar Al Andar from Viajar, Entre El Sol Y Dos Ojos from Viajar, Viajar from Viajar and Sesión Futura (this version is incredible and helped me to learn the word viajar (thank you!)

Desde acá (this is one of my favourite songs)

Desde acá
Quisiera ver
Las grutas de tu piel
Como soñé
Mi mano en tu mano
El resto es obvio
¿Cómo dormir?
Con ese adiós
Adiós…adiós…adiós…
Desde acá
Quisiera ver
Las grutas de tu piel
Como soñé
Mi mano en tu mano
Acá
Me arrimo al hielo
Acá
Ya no te veo
Acá, acá
Sin tí, sin tí
¿Cómo dormir con ése?
Con ese adiós, adiós
Acá
Me arrimo al hielo
Acá
Ya no te veo
Acá
This is part 1, I’ll be looking at Argentina in Part 2