Horizontes host, Michael Crockett, aka DJ Canoso, highlights–twenty latin & world must-see artists at SXSW 2015.
You can listen to some of these artists through our post of Latin SXSW 2015 Spotify playlist.
Danay Suarez– I first heard this singer on Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura compilation few years ago and have sought out her every recording since. Her music ranges from hip-hop to reggae to Afro-Cuban to jazz. Listen to her profile and catch her shows below.
Wednesday, March 18: Half Step, 12:40 midnight (official showcase)
Thursday, March 19: Flamingo Cantina, 12:00 midnight (official showcase)
Diana Fuentes– A new Cuban singer to my ears with a new album produced by husband Eduardo Cabra (aka Visitante from Calle 13) that shows her ability to sing and write in many styles of Latin music. Listen to her profile and catch her shows below.
Thursday, March 19: Departure Lounge, 10:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Friday, March 20: Emo’s, 10:00 p.m. (free)
Macaco– Barcelona singer represents the diversity of the music scene in his city with a sound that mixes rumba flamenco, reggae, and pop with smatterings of English, Portuguese, Italian & French mixed in with Spanish. Fans of Manu Chao will like this guy. Listen to his profile and catch his shows below.
Thursday, March 19: International Day Stage Austin Convention Center (Ballroom G), 1:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Friday, March 20: Lucille (Sounds of Spain), 12:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Centavrvs– Mexican “neoregional electronica” is what they call their music that mixes cumbia as well as other Mexican musical genres with electronic music. Of the plethora of electro-cumbia and cumbia-rock bands out there these guys are the best. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Wednesday, March 18: Icenhauer’s, 12:00 midnight (official showcase)
Thursday, March 19: International Day Stage Austin Convention Center (Ballroom G), 4:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Thursday, March 19: Palm Door on Sixth, 1:oo a.m. (official showcase)
La Guacha– Chilean groups are making some very catchy pop music these days and this band has songslike “Amor Platonico” that you can’t get out of your head. Go ahead and get infected like I am. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Saturday, March 21: MaggieMaes (Sounds of Chile), 1:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Saturday, March 21: International Day Stage Austin Convention Center (Ballroom G), 1:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Tunacola – Another great Chilean band providing a party atmosphere with a mashup of funk, hip-hop and a bit of Sergeant Pepper’s thrown in as well. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Saturday, March 21: Maggie Mae’s (Sounds of Chile), 11:00 pm (official showcase)
Monophónicos– Colombia band likes to repurpose classic pre-stereo Latin cumbia, mambo, bolero radio hits with electronic beats and samples. You should tune them in. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Thursday, March 19: Speakeasy, 9:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Saturday, March 21: Flamingo Cantina (Sounds of Colombia), 11:00 p.m.
La Inédita– Peruvian band plays what they call “Chicha muffin” an urban mix of Peruvian cumbia called “chicha” and “ragamuffin” reggae. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Thursday, March 19: Russian House, 1:00 a.m.
Saturday, March 21: Flamingo Cantina, 8:00 p.m.
Famasloop – This Venezuelan group plays an entertaining rock/pop/electronic mix they call “Cucu Pop” with some witty and biting social commentary. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Friday, March 20: Flamingo Cantina, 10:30 p.m. (official showcase)
El General Paz Y La Triple Frontera – Rock fusion with a positive vibe from a Buenos Aires-based group with members from Brazil and Uruguay as well as Argentina. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Friday, March 20: Russian House, 1:00 a.m. (official showcase)
Saturday, March 21: Flamingo Cantina, 10:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Fede Graña Y Los Prolijos – Uruguayan rock group has a softspot for American bluegrass which shows on their latest album, “Pasto Azul” where they play some Uruguayan rock hits acoustically. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Wednesday, March 18: Speakeasy (Sounds of Uruguay), 8:30 p.m. (official showcase)
Friday, March 20: Russian House, 9:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Raquel Sofia – Puerto Rican rock singer-songwriter looks to bedeservedly on the verge of stardom. Catch her here before she’s playing in less intimate venues. Listen to her profile and catch her shows below.
Thursday, March 19: Departure Lounge, 11:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Friday, March 20: Half Step, 11:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Silva – Brazilian singer calls his music “dream pop” and his songs do have an ethereal quality which will creep up on even a Brazilian music traditionalist like me. Listen to his profile and catch his shows below.
Friday, March 20: BD Riley’s, 10:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Levante – Italian indie-pop singer came out of nowhere in 2013 with a Top 10 hit in Italy called “Alfonso”. Listen to her profile and catch her shows below.
Friday, March 20: Esther’s Follie’s, 10:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Mighty Sparrow – In minor disbelief I saw the name of this calypso/soca legend appear on the bill of SXSW first ever Trinidad music showcase. Listen to his profile and catch his shows below.
Saturday, March 21: Karma Lounge, 11:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Mungal Patasar – In Trinidad, the large East Indian population calls its soca music “chutney”. The sitarist/leader of this band adds reggae and jazz into the mix as well. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Thursday, March 19: Flamingo Cantina, 8:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Saturday, March 21: Karma Lounge, 8:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Mekaal Hasan Band – South Asian jazz-rock fusion with Sufisinging closes an all-Pakistan music showcase at the Victoria Room at The Driskill on Wednesday night. Listen to his profile and catch his shows below.
Wednesday, March 18: Driskill, 1:00 a.m. (official showcase)
Thursday, March 19: Russian House, 8:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Toffee– Taiwanese group plays what they call “mandopop” a wonderful fusion of Chinese traditional music with western pop music. Listen to their profile and catch their shows below.
Thursday, March 19: International Day Stage Austin Convention Center (Ballroom G), 3:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Saturday, March 21: Icenhauer’s (Taiwan Music Night), 12:00 midnight (official showcase)
Serge Beynaud – Ivory Coast singer croons sweetly over French West African “soukous” music at an all-African showcase. Listen to his profile and catch his shows below.
Friday, March 20: Palm Door on Sixth, 11:00 p.m. (official showcase)
Ibeyi – French/Cuban sister duo, the daughters of Cuban percussionist Anga Diaz , sing songs in English and Yoruba, the African language brought to Cuba, with one sister on piano and the other on percussion. Listen to his profile and catch his shows below.
Friday, March 20: Central Presbyterian Church, 9:30 p.m. (official showcase)
Saturday, March 21: Bungalow, 10:00 p.m. (official showcase)
–Michael Crockett
