Latin American culture

A scene from the upcoming Fox animated series, "Bordertown."

Lalo Alcaraz warns the sensitive to avoid his new show, ‘Bordertown’

Culture

Renowned Latino cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz is hitting the screen as a writer for a new Seth MacFarlane show set in a town on the US-Mexico border. And while issues of immigration and identity are old stuff for him, he’s happy they’re getting an airing — especially a sharp-edged one — on TV.

The World

Music heard on the air for August 18, 2014

Music Heard on Air
The World

Why musician Rubén Blades made the switch from salsa to tango

Music
The band El Conjunto Nueva Ola performs in Mexican wrestler masks.  In fact, they wore their masks the whole time Betto Arcos talked to them for this story. He never saw their faces.

This Cumbia band plays covers of the Sex Pistols — in Mexican wrestler masks

French-Chilean singer Ana Tijoux

Singer Ana Tijoux blends traditional ‘altiplano’ sounds with rap in the soundtrack of Chile’s student protests

Arts, Culture & Media
French-Chilean singer Ana Tijoux

Singer Ana Tijoux blends traditional ‘altiplano’ sounds with rap in the soundtrack of Chile’s student protests

Arts, Culture & Media

You might not have heard of altiplano music before, but Ana Tijoux, a French-Chilean singer, effortlessly melds the Andes highlands sounds with rap music on her new album Vengo.

BossaCucaNova

There’s a new kind of bossa nova coming from the group BossaCucaNova

Arts, Culture & Media

Tom Schnabel from KCRW shares some of the music from a new CD by a group that is updating bossa nova. Tom Schnabel from KCRW shares some of the music from a new CD by a group that is updating bossa nova.

A mariachi plays a red trumpet during the International Mariachi Parade in Guadalajara September 2, 2012.

Want to study and become a mariachi musician? In Mexico, now you finally can

Arts, Culture & Media

For Mexicans who wanted to become mariachi musicians, there used to be just one path: learn it by playing it. For the first time in Mexico now, musicians are starting to teach mariachi in school.

A mariachi plays a red trumpet during the International Mariachi Parade in Guadalajara September 2, 2012.

Want to study and become a mariachi musician? In Mexico, now you finally can

Arts, Culture & Media

For Mexicans who wanted to become mariachi musicians, there used to be just one path: learn it by playing it. For the first time in Mexico now, musicians are starting to teach mariachi in school.

An anti-World Cup "Roman" takes a breather after hours of singing and dancing at a Rio carnival party.

At Rio’s carnival, as long as you’re dancing, why not make it a protest

Global Politics

This year, Rio’s Carnival features protests masquerading as street parties. Protesters are upset about how much the country is spending to host the World Cup.