Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
Me siento parte del rock, aunque el disco sea más pop explains Coti Sorokin (known to his fans simply as “Coti”) in an interview with MTV España. His talent is widely respected, having composed songs for the likes of Alejandro Lerner and Diego Torres, and served as producer for Los Enanitos Verdes.
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
Gala shops for a new camcorder from the point of view of the display model, leading us into the show’s intro and theme song, "Me Llamas", by José Luis Perales. Perales got his first record deal as a student in Sevilla in 1970, and his romantic ballads have graced the charts ever since.
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
You may get the feeling that Soledad didn’t have the most stable childhood, but she’s a survivor, and she assures her aging uncle that she’ll stick by him too. Gloria, meanwhile, is telling her young son, who hasn’t yet started school, how academic grading works.
Difficulty: Beginner
Venezuela
Emiro used to live in oil-rich Maracaibo, where his father was headmaster of the school system Shell oil ran for the children of employees. (Did you know: Venezuela is the only country in the Americas that’s a member of OPEC? And a founding member at that!)
Difficulty: Beginner
Venezuela
Emiro spent years crewing an oil tanker, and many more as a fisherman commanding his own lancha, so it’s no surprse to find him at the helm of his own seaside kitchen, the Pimienta Café in Adícora. Join us as we drop in to check out the menu!
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
This is one of those tunes that might stick in your head, but don’t worry, it’s a good one! From the album that bears the same name as the song, Amores Lejanos, the prolific Enanitos Verdes sing about the trials of distant love. Go ahead and sing along, no one is watching!
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
In this fun video that reminds us a bit of Elvis Costello, Enanitos Verdes front man Marciano Cantero contemplates new looks, and a bevy of fine looking ladies give their critique. The band formed in their native Mendoza back in the late 70s, but still cranks out hits to this day.
Difficulty: Beginner
Puerto Rico
This video will introduce you to the Yabla Player and how to use it, focusing on the key features such as integrated dictionaries, slow play, navigation and the Yabla Game.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
With Amargo Adios, Inspector mixes up border sounds and border iconography in this paean to unrequited love.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Hailing from Monterrey, Inspector has got to be one of the most inspired ska bands south of the Rio Grande! This tune features guest artists Rubén Albarrán (a.k.a. “Rita Cantalagua”) of Café Tacuba and Roco of Maldita Vecindad.
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuba, Spain
Ever find it nearly impossible to get home after a rough night out? Javier Garcia gives musical life to just such a scenario in A Casa. Cuídate, it’s a catchy tune!
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina, Spain
We’ve all heard of the bolero, which has its modern roots in nineteenth century Santiago de Cuba (even though we might not be able to hum one on cue). But what about the cuartetazo? Born in Córdoba, Argentina, and derived from Spanish and Italian dances, the name is derived from the fact that the earliest players were invariably four-piece bands. The rhythm is similar to merengue.
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina, Spain
¿Quién es Javier García? With his producer (and two-time Academy Award winner) Gustavo Santaolalla, Javier Garcia talks about his roots and influences. Also, we learn about some noted musicians who contributed to the album 13, including the great trumpet player, Arturo Sandoval.
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuba, Spain
If Javier doesn’t get you swinging, swaying and stumbling over your two left feet with this tune, you’re at the wrong site! The trumpet is courtesy of the incomparable Arturo Sandoval, who we had the pleasure of seeing at the Blue Note a while back. A drunken and noisy Tom Jones showed up mid-set with full entourage, causing the fiery Sandoval to call for ¡cállate!
Difficulty: Beginner
Venezuela
José Rodriguez, the caretaker of a beautiful finca, or farm, is kind enough to show us around and tell us a bit about the area and himself. You will probably realize that pues, as José employs it, is a common muletilla (“filler” word), used to add a bit of emphasis or just as a matter of speech style, and doesn’t really always have to be translated (though it can often be thought of as akin to “well”).
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