La canción de la semana #973

...is Como Duele Una Traición by Ernestina Reyes "La Calandria" (1925—1994). This song appears on the (highly recommended) compilation Edna Martinez Presents Picó: Sound System Culture From The Colombian Caribbean.

La canción de la semana #972

Remembering the great late Eddie Palmieri (15 December 1936 — 6 August 2025) with Revolt/La Libertad Lógico, the opening track of his classic 1971 album Vamonos Pa'l Monte. Here is a solo piano version of La Libertad from Palmieri's Tiny Desk Concert (26 August 2016).

La canción de la semana #951

...is Esos Ojitos Negros by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico!

La canción de la semana #939

...is El Que Se Fue, Sí Hace Falta by Frankie Figueroa y su Orquesta La Madre, from the 1976 album Tu Solo Tu. This song is featured in Gia Fu's latest compilation of gems from Ansonia Records catalogue.

La canción de la semana #936

...is Lloré y Reí by La Sonora Ponceña, from the Puerto Rican band's 1974 album Sabor Sureño; the 50^th Anniversary Edition is out now on Craft Records.

La canción de la semana #929

...is Lamento en Celinés by Fabiola Méndez, from her 2024 album Okantomi. I discovered this Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and cuatro player, naturally, thanks to the recent Tiny Desk Concert (30 September 2024).

Fabiola Méndez: vocals, cuatro puertorriqueño Juan Maldonado: bass Miguel Martínez: percussion, güiro puertorriqueño William García: drums

La canción de la semana #912

...is El Silencio by El Laberinto del Coco featuring Kianí Medina & Ama Ríos. This song also appears on the Puerto Rican band's recent Tiny Desk concert (5 April 2024).

La canción de la semana #878

The Tiny Desk was spoiling us with some great Spanish-language music during this "Latinx Heritage Month". That's where I discovered for myself Ivy Queen (Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez) — I would have discovered her years ago if I were into reggaeton, which I am not. So, ladies and gentlemen: Menor Que Yo by the one and only Ivy Queen.

Ivy Queen: vocals Barba Blanca: percussion, piano, musical direction Marco Jiménez Santana: violin Adriana Lizardi: double bass Lourdes Naomi Negrón: viola Javier Tirado: cello

La canción de la semana #874

...is DPM (De Pxta Madre) by Kany García. The song was released two years ago but I first heard it in Kany's recent (and gorgeous) Tiny Desk Concert.

Kany García: lead vocals, steel guitar, ukulele Antonio Alonso: drums, percussion, background vocals José M. Gómez: keyboards, accordion, background vocals Olga I. González: background vocals, shaker, tambourine Bryan Pérez: bass guitar Cristian F. Rivera: music director, steel guitar, ukulele, background vocals Ricardo Rodríguez: classical guitar, background vocals

La canción de la semana #867

...is Se Acabó by Ani Cordero. This song appears on the Puerto Rican singer's new album Anamores.

La canción de la semana #818

How come I never published this song here? Well, better later than never: Ven, devórame otra vez, the 1988 hit by Palmer Hernández made famous by Lalo Rodríguez. This song was covered by many artists and remains as popular as ever. In Spain, a rumba flamenca version by Azúcar Moreno is probably better known. Still, nothing beats the Rodríguez' original.

La canción de la semana #711

...is Te Amo Idiota by amazing Raquel Sofía, from her 2015 EP Te Quiero Los Domingos. I first discovered the acoustic version of this song, naturally, in her NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, and I still prefer it to the "official" version, which is also great.

La canción de la semana #684

Yet one more fine band discovered (by me) thanks to fantastic NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert series: the New York-based Spanglish Fly. According to the band's website, their "multicultural cast has origins in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, Japan, and Upper Manhattan". This week's song is Boogaloo Shoes from the band's 2018 album Ay Que Boogaloo!

La canción de la semana #670

...is impossibly beautiful Triángulo by iLe (Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar). This song apears on her 2016 album iLevitable. For more music, check out the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter's recent NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.

La canción de la semana #563

...is UMBO (Come Down) by Puerto Rico-based electronic outfit ÌFÉ. The band's debut album IIII+IIII is out now.

La canción de la semana #565

Maite Hontelé has been already featured on this blog, and for a good reason: she is so good! Last night, she was performing once again in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and this time the weather was just perfect.

This week's song is Perdón, another famous bolero by Pedro Flores. This version, sung by Oscar D'León, appears on Maite's 2013 album Déjame Así.

La canción de la semana #558

I'm sure that you heard this song — with half an ear, maybe, but heard nonetheless. Unless you've spent this year on another planet, that is. On this planet, there's no escape. Luckily, the song is not half bad. Maybe there is a reason why Duele el Corazón got to all those chart positions other than just being performed by Enrique Iglesias with Wisin.

La canción de la semana #503

...is Hecho En Puerto Rico by Conjunto Sabrosura, a salsa band hailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and featuring Cuban, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan musicians.

La canción de la semana #362

Bebo Valdés, Cuban jazz piano legend, died today aged 94.

Obsesión, a bolero by the Puerto Rican composer Pedro Flores Córdova. Bebo Valdés, piano; Dieguito El Cigala, vocals; Javier Colina, bass; Israel Porrina "Piraña", cajon; El Niño Josele, guitar.

La canción de la semana #357

...is Rafael Cepeda's bomba classic Habla Cuembé performed by Plena Libre. This song appears on the band's new album Corazón, to be released on 26 February 2013.