On Saturday, I went to go see a band, Ultima Nota, play at a Cuban restaurant in suburban Charlotte. Ultima Nota plays a mix of rock, bossa nova, boleros, and other Latin styles, covering popular songs in both English and Spanish. Or what could be called cheesy, dinner/lounge music. While it might seem like sort of a drag, the music actually sounds interesting, because they tend to change the songs up and make them their own.
What draws my attention is how gracefully they blend what might seem like disparate musical styles, playing North American pop songs like Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" with Latin American hits like Juan Luis Guerra's "Burbujas de Amor." A salsa classic follows an American pop ballad, a rock en espanol cover comes after their interpretation of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff." But what I find out when I talk and hang out with musicians is that these are the songs they grew up with. These songs are becoming "standards" in the sense of jazz standards because everyone knows them and the songs' structures lead to easy reinterpretation. Although you may never hear these songs played back to back on the radio or pandora, here they coexist easily.
I like that Ultima Nota performs songs with different muscial styles and in different languages together, like I do on my ipod. It's interesting to think of the pop music we grew up listening to in the US as "standards." Alternatively, is there any pop music from Latin America that you think is or will become "standards" in the US?
ReplyDeleteBecause when i think suburban Charlotte, oh yeah, I think Cuban restaurants!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Latin American songs becoming standards in the US, for a mainstream, English speaking audience it's hard to say because most Americans (and I generalize here) just don't want to learn other languages and feel uncomfortable interacting with other cultures except in a very superficial way at a resort, as part of exotic fantasy, or in a taco bell commercial.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the Latino music and associated music scenes in the US, I think there are a lot of potential Latin American standards that have made their way into the repertoire of bands and DJs. For example, the salsa club dance scene, which includes Latinos, but also some whites and African-Americans, has songs that are common currency. Oscar D'Leon's "Lloraras" comes to mind.
The Suburbs:
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