Alt.Latino

Series produced by NPR Music

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Alt.Latino hosts Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd introduce listeners to the latest Latin alternative music, including diverse genres such as cumbia, Mexican garage rock, Panamanian rap, heavy metal mariachi and many more boundary-blurring sounds from around the world. In addition to music, Alt.Latino features interviews and insightful conversation about politics, literature, and Latino cultural identity.

Alt.Latino introduces listeners to new alternative Latin music, including diverse genres such as cumbia, Mexican garage rock, Panamanian rap, heavy metal mariachi and many more boundary-blurring sounds from around the world. In addition to music, Alt.Latino features interviews and insightful conversation about Latin events and culture.

Hosts Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd's discussion of music and culture reflects their experiences as Latino immigrants (third and first generation, respectively), and is informed by Felix's long career covering Latin music and culture for NPR, NBC and Univision. Alt.Latino listeners actively contribute to these conversations and share their thoughts on music, politics, literature and cultural identity via Facebook and Twitter.

Jasmine and Felix are also frequently heard on NPR's news programs, where they speak to millions of listeners about the latest in Latin alternative music and the experiences of Latinos in the United States and abroad vis-á-vis music.

Now offered on the radio, Alt.Latino has a dedicated and growing web audience: Tens of thousands listen to Alt.Latino on the web and via podcast every month.

Stations interested in this show must contact NPR for rights clearance and fee information. Access is subject to NPR approval. Email programservices@npr.org. Thanks. Hide full description

Alt.Latino introduces listeners to new alternative Latin music, including diverse genres such as cumbia, Mexican garage rock, Panamanian rap, heavy metal mariachi and many more boundary-blurring sounds from around the world. In addition to music, Alt.Latino features interviews and insightful conversation about Latin events and culture.Hosts Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd's discussion of music and culture reflects their experiences as Latino immigrants (third and first generation, respectively), and is informed by Felix's long career covering Latin music and culture for NPR, NBC and Univision. Alt.Latino listeners actively contribute to these conversations and share their thoughts on music, politics, literature and cultural identity via Facebook and Twitter.Jasmine and Felix are... Show full description


23 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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On this show...a mix of Cuban soul, Colombian dance, Mexican-American hip-hop and a way cool mix of vintage Latin pop music that Felix 'discovered'...

Bought by WART FM, WKAR, and KMUN


  • Added: Mar 12, 2015
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 3
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This week, Alt.Latino plays songs sung in indigenous Latin American languages: Mapuche, Tzotzil, Guarani, Quechua and Tz'utujil from Chile, Argenti...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WCNY, WART FM, KRZA, WKAR and more


  • Added: Mar 12, 2015
  • Length: 28:58
  • Purchases: 7
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Whether you're in a convenience store in Ushuaia, the southernmost tip of Argentina, Mexico City or East L.A., you're likely to hear cumbia blaring...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WART FM, WKAR, KRZA, KMUN and more


  • Added: Mar 04, 2015
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 6
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NPR Music announced its first-ever Tiny Desk Concert Contest. Bands from all across the U.S. should sent in videos of themselves performing behind ...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Mar 04, 2015
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 3
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Following the time honored Alt.Latino tradition of hating on Valentine's day, we're revisiting the greatest villains -- men and women- of Latin lov...

Bought by WART FM and WKAR


  • Added: Mar 04, 2015
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
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Chocolate and bacon, watermelon and vinegar, soda and wine — all combinations that shouldn't necessarily work, but do. This week on Alt.Latino, we...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Feb 05, 2015
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 3
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Hear a track by Chilean singer Camila Moreno... a brilliant guitarist, as well as a fantastic lyricist who sings skillfully about politics, love an...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Feb 05, 2015
  • Length: 28:57
  • Purchases: 3
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This week, we've invited music teacher Dinorah Marquez to the show. Eleven years ago, she started the Latino Arts: Strings program in Milwaukee. Th...

Bought by KGLP, WART FM, 'The Sea', WKAR, and WABE


  • Added: Jan 22, 2015
  • Length: 28:58
  • Purchases: 5
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It's such a pleasure to have two groundbreaking Latinos on the show. Lalo Alcaraz is a Mexican-American cartoonist, best known for being the author...

Bought by WCNY, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Jan 22, 2015
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 3
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On this show, we explore the elusive word Saudade. It has many definitions, including a melancholy nostalgia for something that perhaps has not ev...

Bought by WCNY, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Jan 22, 2015
  • Length: 28:58
  • Purchases: 3
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Let's start the year right! NPR's Otis Hart stops by to spin some hot new Latin electronic dance music.

Bought by RADIOLEX, WCNY, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Jan 22, 2015
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 4
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For our holiday special we turn to the healing and uplifting power of the human voice with the Washington, D.C.-based group, Cantigas. The group's ...

Bought by High Plains Public Radio, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Dec 23, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 3
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Listeners chime in with their own favorites, including Chicano Batman and Helado Negro.

Bought by WART FM, WKAR, and KRZA


  • Added: Dec 18, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 3
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We get so much fantastic music that a lot ends up getting cut out. This week, we share some of the artists we feel we neglected unfairly in 2014.

Bought by WART FM and WKAR


  • Added: Dec 18, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
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As 2014 begins to wind to a close, Alt.Latino is spending this week looking back at our favorite artists of the year. It's an unusually varied list...

Bought by KMXT, WART FM, and WKAR


  • Added: Dec 04, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 3
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For this year's Thanksgiving mix, we bring you music — like rapper Azealia Banks' playful Spanish-language turn — that will help you dance and dige...

Bought by WART FM, KBBI Alaska, and WKAR


  • Added: Dec 04, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 3
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NPR's Anastasia Tsioulcas recently returned from Womex 2014, an international world music festival with a bag of musical goodies that are anything ...

Bought by WART FM and WKAR


  • Added: Dec 04, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
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We invited Billboard's Judy Cantor-Navas to help us pick out some nominated artists who make great music and deserve the spotlight the 15th annual ...

Bought by WART FM and WKAR


  • Added: Dec 04, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Carlos Santana uses music to reflect on his career in this week's episode of Alt.Latino. , Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
This month the Latin music legend publishes his memoirs, The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story To Light. Alt.Latino grabs him for a rare interview ...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WART FM, WKAR, and KMXT


  • Added: Nov 05, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Cafe Tacvba's 1994 album Re changed Latin music as we know it. , Credit: Courtesy of Cafe Tacvba
This week is an all around treat: we have some of our favorite new artists releasing new music that is driving us crazy. We also are celebrating th...

Bought by RADIOLEX, WART FM, WKAR, and KMUN


  • Added: Oct 24, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 4