8 Tracks: From Latin America With Gaby Hernandez

Music

June marks the next installment of Gaby Hernadez's illustrious career. She is set to release a new album on Mr Bongo which features an all star cast on production which reflects the capabilities of her incredible vocal talent. Kamasi Washington, Lapalux, Dexter Story, Carlos Niño and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. "Spirit Reflection" is due for release on the 9th next month, we invited her to talk music of Latin America as she explains below:

"When I scour the internet for songs or artists that I love I often I find myself looking for live versions. Not just because I like to hear how artists
and their bands interpret songs in a live setting, but also because you get a little insight into their personalities. You get to see their spark and how they interact with each other. I tried to find as many live performances in my journey through Latin America as possible but I came up short on the first three. Still the journey is very diverse, as diverse as Latin America and its ethnic landscape. I hope you all enjoy as much as I did searching."

Pre-order the new album HERE.

LISTEN

Violeta Parra - Mazúrquica Modérnica

Violeta Parra, Chilean like my mother, is very dear and close to my heart.
Most times in political protest, her songs always take me back to family
stories about why our entire family decided to come to the US. The political
climate was getting too dangerous for them to stay. I hear the heart of the people in her voice and her accent makes me feel right at home.

Violeta Parra - Mazúrquica Modérnica

Violeta Parra, Chilean like my mother, is very dear and close to my heart.
Most times in political protest, her songs always take me back to family
stories about why our entire family decided to come to the US. The political
climate was getting too dangerous for them to stay. I hear the heart of the people in her voice and her accent makes me feel right at home.
Telegraph Avenue - Something Going

Instead of going to what I would “normally” look for in the music of Peru, I decided to dig further back and a bit off centre and ended up with a little
psych rock from 1971. I really love when bands from other cultures do
rock and soul giving it their own twist and flavour!
Hielo Ardiente - Te Quedaste Mama (El Salvador 1974) - Grupo San Miguel

Here I went to El Salvador where my father is from. In my minimal
research on music from EL Salvador I haven’t been able to find music
native to the country. I’m sure at some point the indigenous cultures that inhabited the land before colonisation had their own music. In more recent times, I feel like they have just adopted other genres and
styles. Here is one of my favourite Latin/Funk/Soul tracks from the smallest country in Central America.
The Latin Brothers Con Piper Pimienta Diaz - Las Caleñas Son Como Las Flores

Wow!!! When I found this I was floored!!! What a performer!
I’ve heard this piece of music for so long. Anytime a good DJ is
playing a Latin set this record will surely be in their bag and the dance
floor will fill up. I had no idea the singer got down like this!!! African
soul coming through like fire!!!
Bethânia E Gal Esotérico

This group Doces Barbaros: Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil,
Maria Bethania and Gal Costa is one of my favourites.
So much concentrated talent in 1 place. This song is my
favourite on their album and Gal Costa and Maria Bethania’s
voice are so completely different yet complimentary. I love
them both.
Simone - Grandes Nomes - Cigarra - 1980

Nothing but love in this live performance. Not only does the
melody touch my heart, because Milton Nascimento is one
of the most incredible song writers, but the love you feel between
him and Simone is so strong! Makes me want to cry.
Oggun: An Eternal Presence

Lazaro Ros is on of the most well known singer’s in the Lukumi tradition in Cuba. This video shows him singing at a drumming ceremony done
to call on Orisha to manifest. There are countless recordings of him singing the songs that call to the different Orisha’s but I wanted to find a live clip of him singing to the Orisha Ogun to who he is an initiated Priest.
Aurelio - The Laru Beya Sessions, Part 1

Aurelio Martinez of Honduras made this beautiful album in 2011.
Always going deep into his Garifuna roots, on this record
he connects back to Africa having Youssou N’Dour from Senegal featured on 2 songs. There is something so heartfelt and authentic in this piece. It’s like pieces of a puzzle coming together and creating the whole complete picture.