JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates Sen Dog’s 60th birthday.
Tag: Latin music
New Video: Mariachi El Bronx Shares Stylish Visual for Swooning “Forgive or Forget”
Started back in 2008 as both a side project and creative experiment for the members of Los Angeles-based punk rock The Bronx, Mariachi El Bronx — Matt Caughthran (vocals), Joby J. Ford (guitar, vihuela, accordion), Jared Shavelson (drums), Keith Douglas (trumpet), Ray Suen (violin), Brad Magers (trumpet), Ken Horne (jarana), and Vincent Hidalgo (guitarrón)– has long been deeply rooted in their deep connection to the Hispanic music and culture of their hometown. Although seemingly different, the and doesn’t see punk and mariachi as mutually exclusive. Instead, they view both genres as spiritually entwined forces anchored in resilient storytelling. “Punk rock and mariachi music are very similar in soul,” The Bronx’s and Mariachi El Bronx’s Matt Caughthran says. “It’s working class music. It’s real music.”
Despite almost two decades of success, that has included sharing stages with Foo Fighters and The Killers; sets across the global festival circuit, including Coachella and Glastonbury; performances on Late Show with David Letterman to NPR’s Tiny Desk; and theme songs for shows like Weeds and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the members of Mariachi El Bronx still consider themselves lifelong students of the art form. That reverence carries over to their charro suits, which often attract as much attention as the music itself. The band has long turned to Boyle Heights-based Casa del Mariachi, a historic Los Angeles area landmark, where Jorge “Mr. George” Tello has been handcrafting the traditional suits for over 50 years. “This band has always been about learning and exchanging culture through music and art,” says Caughthran. “That’s what it’s all about! Everything we do comes from the heart and soul.”
Mariachi El Bronx’s long-awaited fourth album, the John Avila-produced Mariachi El Bronx IV is slated for a February 13, 2026 release through ATO Records. The album, which is the first album from the project in a decade, sees the trailblazing alter-egos of The Bronx continuing to embody the same ethos that sparked their creation — honoring the rich Hispanic music and culture that has always surrounded them in their hometown, while pushing creative boundaries.
Clashing emotions of profound loss and overwhelming love shaped the album’s themes. The songwriting “started as a battle between love and death but became a way to process all the chaos of the world,” Caughthtran explains. Throughout the run of the album’s 12-tracks, the band documents the stories of gamblers, former playboys, warriors and lovers — characters that became vessels for the specific pressures of modern life.
Returning after a decade away felt “joyous and familiar from the jump,” the band’s Joby J. Ford says. But the album’s recording process proved to be much more complex than expected. Within the year that he began writing the album’s lyrics, Caughthran contended with the deaths of several loved ones. And as they tracked the album’s material at producer John Avila’s San Gabriel Valley studio, the Eaton Canyon wildfires blazed across East L.A. “We came out of the studio one night, the entire side of the hill was just on fire,” Ford recalls.
While dealing with grief in his personal life and within Los Angeles, Caughthran also got married in the same year. All of these very profoundly human experiences and feelings have informed what may arguably be Mariachi El Bronx’s most emotionally resonate work to date.
Mariachi El Bronx IV’s first single, album opener “Forgive or Forget” features violinist Ray Suen on a swooning and galloping track that captures the nostalgia, bitter heartache, the longing to forget that heartache, and the desire to move forward with a seemingly booze-tinged haze. Fittingly, the song is rooted in a complicated and uneasy mix of despair and hope that feels lived-in and familiar.
The accompanying video for “Forgive or Forget” features the members of Mariachi El Bronx in the traditional mariachi charro suits performing the song in silhouette in front of colorful backgrounds. It reminds me quite a bit of the ad campaigns for Apple iPods back in the day.
New Audio: Mariachi El Bronx Shares Swooning “Forgive or Forget”
Started back in 2008 as both a side project and creative experiment for the members of Los Angeles-based punk rock The Bronx, Mariachi El Bronx — Matt Caughthran (vocals), Joby J. Ford (guitar, vihuela, accordion), Jared Shavelson (drums), Keith Douglas (trumpet), Ray Suen (violin), Brad Magers (trumpet), Ken Horne (jarana), and Vincent Hidalgo (guitarrón)– has long been deeply rooted in their deep connection to the Hispanic music and culture of their hometown. Although seemingly different, the and doesn’t see punk and mariachi as mutually exclusive. Instead, they view both genres as spiritually entwined forces anchored in resilient storytelling. “Punk rock and mariachi music are very similar in soul,” The Bronx’s and Mariachi El Bronx’s Matt Caughthran says. “It’s working class music. It’s real music.”
Despite almost two decades of success, that has included sharing stages with Foo Fighters and The Killers; sets across the global festival circuit, including Coachella and Glastonbury; performances on Late Show with David Letterman to NPR’s Tiny Desk; and theme songs for shows like Weeds and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the members of Mariachi El Bronx still consider themselves lifelong students of the art form. That reverence carries over to their charro suits, which often attract as much attention as the music itself. The band has long turned to Boyle Heights-based Casa del Mariachi, a historic Los Angeles area landmark, where Jorge “Mr. George” Tello has been handcrafting the traditional suits for over 50 years. “This band has always been about learning and exchanging culture through music and art,” says Caughthran. “That’s what it’s all about! Everything we do comes from the heart and soul.”
Mariachi El Bronx’s long-awaited fourth album, the John Avila-produced Mariachi El Bronx IV is slated for a February 13, 2026 release through ATO Records. The album, which is the first album from the project in a decade, sees the trailblazing alter-egos of The Bronx continuing to embody the same ethos that sparked their creation — honoring the rich Hispanic music and culture that has always surrounded them in their hometown, while pushing creative boundaries.
Clashing emotions of profound loss and overwhelming love shaped the album’s themes. The songwriting “started as a battle between love and death but became a way to process all the chaos of the world,” Caughthtran explains. Throughout the run of the album’s 12-tracks, the band documents the stories of gamblers, former playboys, warriors and lovers — characters that became vessels for the specific pressures of modern life.
Returning after a decade away felt “joyous and familiar from the jump,” the band’s Joby J. Ford says. But the album’s recording process proved to be much more complex than expected. Within the year that he began writing the album’s lyrics, Caughthran contended with the deaths of several loved ones. And as they tracked the album’s material at producer John Avila’s San Gabriel Valley studio, the Eaton Canyon wildfires blazed across East L.A. “We came out of the studio one night, the entire side of the hill was just on fire,” Ford recalls.
While dealing with grief in his personal life and within Los Angeles, Caughthran also got married in the same year. All of these very profoundly human experiences and feelings have informed what may arguably be Mariachi El Bronx’s most emotionally resonate work to date.
Mariachi El Bronx IV’s first single, album opener “Forgive or Forget” features violinist Ray Suen on a swooning and galloping track that captures the nostalgia, bitter heartache, the longing to forget that heartache, and the desire to move forward with a seemingly booze-tinged haze. Fittingly, the song is rooted in a complicated and uneasy mix of despair and hope that feels lived-in and familiar.
Throwback: Happy 101st Birthday, Celia Cruz!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 101st anniversary of the birth of the legendary Celia Cruz.
New Single: Carmel Shares Gorgeous Ballad “Mariposa Al Fuego”
Spanish-based singer/songwriter Carmel proudly boasts having mixed Moroccan, Argentine and Middle Eastern heritage. And her music reflects that heritage, as she blends flamenco, soul and other global sounds with lyrics written and sung in Spanish, English and Hebrew.
Her debut EP, Contraste will see her continuing her genre-blending sound and approach through collaborations with musicians and producers from diverse backgrounds, including Spanish flamenco guitarist José De Maria, as well as Latin and global producers.
The Spanish-based singer/songwriter’s latest single “Mariposa Al Fuego” is a flamenco-tinged pop ballad that according to Carmel is inspired by the image of a butterfly being irresistibly drawn to a flame with the song diving into the pull of destructive relationships and the struggle to break free from dysfunctional patterns. The song’s cinematic arrangement serves as a lush bed for the Spanish-based artist’s pop ballad belter-like voice. At its core is a message of self-awareness, self-love, resilience and resolve, seemingly rooted in lived-in experience.
“We’ve all been that butterfly at some point—drawn to what we know will hurt us .This song is that mirror, but also an invitation to choose ourselves,” Carmel says.
New Audio: Los Cenzontles Shares Defiantly Hopeful “Somos Semillas”
Deriving their name from the Nahuatl word for mockingbird, the Richmond, CA-based Los Cenzontles (pronounced senn-SONT-less) — is an acclaimed touring and recording band and a nonprofit cultural arts academy for kids. Over their three-plus decade history, the recording and touring outfit has dug deep into cultural traditions, creating a vibrant, contemporary sound infused with the gutsy soul of Mexico’s rural roots, recording and releasing over 30 albums.
The collective have supported those albums with tours across the US, Europe, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico. And they’ve collaborated with an eclectic array of acclaimed, internationally recognized artists including The Chieftains, Los Lobos, Los Tigres del Norte, Ry Cooder, David Hidalgo, Linda Ronstadt, Taj Mahal and a lengthy list of others.
Their core members of the recording and touring band also serve as the programming staff and teachers of Los Cenzontles Academy, where they have been passing on musical traditions to new generations and inviting their students to perform with them on stage and participate in production projects since 1994.
The acclaimed collective’s latest single “Somos Semillas,” is the first of five new singles that they’ll be sharing this month. Written in Spanish by longtime member of Los Cenzontles, Verenice Velázquez, the track is performed by a unique cross-generational ensemble of Los Cenzontles Academy’s students, teachers and alumni, including a spoken-word recitation by Raúl Rivera, a 15-year old student, accompanied by Verenice dancing zapateado; and a Hector Espinoza-written arrangement performed by 18-year old Camila Ortega on quijada, a percussion instrument made from the dried and hollowed-out jawbone of a donkey, horse, mule or a cow, in which the animal’s teeth act like a rattle; 19 year-old Daniel Ortega on tuba and saxophones; 19 year-old Cruz Torres on accordion; 16 year-old Natalie Caldera on bass; 16 year-old Joshua Cerecedo on tololoche, a Mexican version of a double bass that’s smaller than the European double bass that’s traditionally played with a percussive, slapping technique; 17 year-old Eric Garcia on 12-string guitar; Los Cenzontles alumni Fidel Lopez on trombone; and Los Cenzontles faculty members Silvestre Martinez on cajon, a box-shaped percussive instrument that the player sits on and plays by tapping and/or slapping the front and near-facing sides; and Eugene Rodríguez on guitar.
The arrangement fuses elements of son jarocho, corrido tumbado and banda to create a sound that lovingly and proudly bridges generations, heritage and traditions, while being remarkably contemporary. The song’s lyrics touch on themes of community, migration, resilience and hope in a way that’s desperately needed in such dark, uneasy times. It’s reminder that joy, hope and pride in your heritage can be defiant and revolutionary in the face of rampant racism and fascism.
“This song represents the heart of Los Cenzontles . . . young people rooted in deep tradition, expressing themselves in ways that feel current and alive,” Los Cenzontles founder and Eugune Rodríguez says. “’Somos Semillas’ reminds us that our culture continues to grow and thrive through each new generation.”
Throwback: R.I.P. Eddie Palmieri
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the life and music of the legendary Eddie Palmieri.
New Audio: French Producer HOJII Shares Summery ” Báilalo”
HOJII is a mysterious and emerging, French electronic music producer. His latest single “Báilalo,” is a summery, hook-driven blend of Latin house and reggaeton, anchored around skittering beats, a chopped up vocal sample, a looping and arpeggiated synth melody and a bombastic horn line. Inspired by the club music of 2000s era Latin clubs, “Báilalo” sees the French producer specifically crafting a song meant to get you to get on that dance floor and move your body. But it you’re old enough, it’ll remind you of sweaty night’s at BOB’s,. The Canal Room and Webster Hall.
News/Announcements: FME Announces 2025 Venue Showcase Lineups
FME announces the venue showcase lineups for the 2025 edition.
Throwback: Happy 79th LInda Ronstadt!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Linda Ronstadt’s 79th birthday.
New Audio: San DIego’s Franhaus Shares Breezy and Nostalgia-Inducing “No Puedo Ser”
San Diego-based electronic music producer, singer/songwriter and DJ Franhaus, who specializes in creating what he believes is a new wave of Latin music that combines lived-in, earnest lyrics written and sung in Spanish with slick, dance floor friendly melodic, deeply emotional house.
The San Diego-based artist’s latest single “No Puedo Ser” is a breezy, nostalgia-inducing tune anchored around glistening synths, tweeter and woofer rattling thump, skittering beats and bursts of squiggling guitar. The Ibiza-meets-Tame Impala-like production serves as a lush bed for Franhaus’ yearning delivery while showcasing an artist, who can craft a catchy hook.
New Audio: Music 4 Diana Shares Heartfelt Ballad “Mil Años”
Diana Jiminez is a Colombian-American, New Jersey-based singer/songwriter and creative mastermind behind the emerging recording project Music 4 Diana. Jiminez’s latest Music4Diana single “Mil Años” is a slow-burning ballad that showcases Jiminez’s gorgeous vocal and deeply heartfelt lyrics.
The emerging New Jersey-based artist explains that the song was written to pay tribute to her father. And as a result, it captures a sense of gratitude while being anchored around a message about love, legacy and the eternal bond between a daughter and her father.
New Video: Rafa Tena Teams Up WIth Las Negris on Mischievous “Morcilla”
Rafa Tena is a Madrid-born singer/songwriter, composer and music producer. His career started in earnest, behind the scenes as a lyricist and composer, who wrote material that became internationally recognized hits performed by other artists. Tena has also spent several years working as a producer, musical director for TV and as an apprentice poet.
Enamored with Cuban music, the Madrid-born artist has spent lengthy stints living in Havana, where he collaborated with some of Cuba’s most prominent artists, before eventually stepping out into the spotlight as a member of Son DOS, with whom he’ll release an album inspired by Cuba’s beloved son music.
But in the meantime, the Spanish-born singer/songwriter, composer and producer, who’s best known for work in pop and rock, recently collaborated with gypsy band Las Negris on “Morcilla,” a rowdy and raucous tune that will get the party started. Sonically, the song sees Tena and Las Negris meshing elements of flamenco tango and Cuban guagancó and pairing that with mischievous lyrics that reference morcilla, a blood sausages that’s a beloved delicacy across the Spanish speaking world — with some regional differences in ingredients and how its prepared. The song also references Tena’s travels between Spain and Cuba.
The accompanying video is a surreal and playful visual that features Tena and companions at a long dining table with wine, morcilla and other items. We also see Tena calling a someone from a banana phone, while his bags are packed, ready to hit the road. And of course, there’s a ton of dancing.