La canción de la semana #1016

...is dandovueltasdandovueltasdandovueltasdandovueltas (yes, that long) by Naomi Ramírez Rivera aka RaiNao, a duet with great Omara Portuondo. I first heard this song on the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter's Tiny Desk Concert (20 May 2026).

RaiNao: vocals, tenor sax, maracas Frido Vargas: guitar, timbal, backing vocals Emilio Mendez Ramirez: keys Giovanni Ortiz: bass LuisFra Colon: tenor sax, güiro, flute Jahaziel Garcia: trumpet Joey Oyola: trombone Nubia Marina Garcia: percussion Naisa Suané: percussion Deborah Amanda: backing vocals Veronica Rolon: güiro, backing vocals

La canción de la semana #979

...is Falta Algo by Chuwi. The Puerto Rican band are the stars of today's (25 September 2025) 'El Tiny' Desk Concert.

Lorén Aldarondo: vocals Wilfredo "Willy" Aldarondo: vocals, bass, tres cubano, percussion Wester Aldarondo: keys, piano, percussion, background vocals Adrián López: percussion, background vocals Jan Angelo Marrero Báez: French horn, background vocals Jorge Gabriel López: percussion, background vocals Abneris Jasmin: background vocals Carolina A. López Soto: background vocals, electronics

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 #961

...is Velacandela by Velaviee. Watch the live version of this song in the recent La Biblioteca Sessions concert.

La canción de la semana #951

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

La canción de la semana #950

We're in the middle of carnival, and I think it's time to put on something carnivalesque. In our local supermarket, Hiperdino, they were playing this song a lot during the past few weeks, so here it is: Cómo están las cosas by María Peláe and our very own Estefanía Correia González, better known as NIA.

Las month, NIA won Gaviota de plata in the international competition at the LXIV Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar, the biggest music festival in Latin America. She is performing at the Carnaval de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria this Saturday, 8 March (Plaza de Canarias, 18:30).

La canción de la semana #940

...is Adiós by Mel Muñiz, from the Argentine artist's 2023 album La Santa Patrona de los Corazones Negros. An acoustic version of this song appears in the recent concert En La Casita (2 December 2024) of Mel in duo with Juan Pablo de Mendonça.

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 #934

You can say it louder, but not clearer: don't spoil a perfect drink with inferior liquids. Just don't. So says Conjunto Papa Upa (self-described as "a psychedelic journey with a possessed voodoo priest piloting a half-broken 1970's Caribbean space ship") in No le pongas Coca Cola, and I couldn't agree more. This song appears on the Amsterdam-based band's new album Fruta Madura.

No le pongas Coca Cola Una tendencia agravante De incortonables factores Andan diluyendo el ron Con líquidos inferiores Le dan nombres atractivos para poderte engañar Llenan el vaso de hielo y te cobran un dineral Los incautos no perciben que esto es una atrocidad Compran esa porquería sin ninguna calidad ¿Sabes lo que cuesta hacerlo? Son siglos de tradición Sino te gusta no lo bebas Fácil, sin complicación Vamos a ponernos serios Acá en la licorería Ahorremos los improperios No hay que decir groserías Aunque me saque la piedra, yo me voy a controlar Tanta chavacanería que me cuesta soportar Quien te ha dado a ti el derecho de arruinar el elixir Una chaborrada de esas no lo puedo permitir Ponle dos piedritas de hielo Si acaso una rueda de limón Pruébalo y llega hasta el cielo Así es que se bebe un ron No seas tan ordinario, respétalo No le pongas Coca-Cola, por el amor de Dios Tú jamás de comerías un sushi de cambur Por favor ten un poquito de glamour No me le pongas Coca Cola al ron No me le pongas.

La canción de la semana #932

...is Ay Que Dolor (1971) by Estrellas De Plata.

La canción de la semana #922

...is Cha-Cha-Cha Pa'Ca by Orquesta Akokán featuring Carolina Oliveros. This song appears on the Cuban-American collective's new album Caracoles.

La canción de la semana #913

...is La Música by Ketekalles feat. Balkan Paradise Orchestra and La Dame Blanche. This song appears on the Catalan band's 2023 album Antiheroína. Check out the live version with El Plan de la Mariposa at CC Konex, 17 March 2024 (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

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 #892

...is De Monteadentro by Luz Dary y su orquesta "La Decisión". I first learned about this Colombian artist from Gia Fu's brand new set "Women in Salsa Records: Mainstream & Beyond".

La canción de la semana #890

...is Amantes Suicidas by Mon Laferte, from her stunning 2023 album Autopoiética.

La canción de la semana #881

...is Homenaje al Tres by La 5^ta Galaxia, from their eponymous 1982 album. Another gem found thanks to Gia Fu, this time in her mix Salsa Records From Venezuela.

La canción de la semana #875

...is Papa Upa by Babalu, Eddy Mar Salsa y Sabor, from the band's 1976 record Tranquilisate. I'd never known who they were if not for Gia Fu's programme Salsa Records From Curaçao, full of equally obscure and wonderfully catchy tunes. I didn't even know they played salsa in Curaçao. Now I know.

La canción de la semana #847

...is Guanabacoa by Ana Carla Maza Quartet.

Arnaud Dolmen: drums Fidel Fournneyron: trombone Ana Carla Maza: cello, vocal Vincent Peirani: accordion

La canción de la semana #845

...is Pa' mi tres by Yarima Blanco, from the Cuban tresera's album of the same name.