Willy learned to play guitar mostly by himself, but he soon discovered the importance of having people to share his passion with. Then he talks about how New York changed his musical tastes.

Colombian musician, Willy, continues to explain to us about his creative process as well as what music means to him.

In the fourth and final part of his interview, Colombian musician, Willy, explains what he feels making music requires and how it it enriches his life.

Argentinean singer/songwriter Vincentico was part of the acclaimed group, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, before becoming a solo artist in 2001. His cover of the poignant song, "Los Caminos de la Vida" [The Roads of Life], was released as a part of his second solo album, "Los Rayos" [The Rays] in 2004 and speaks to the fact that the reality of life is often different from what we expected.

In this episode of Sonido Babel [Babel Sound], we'll learn a bit about the origin and history of rap music. We've even invited rapper Junior High to join us, who'll help you learn more Spanish with a very special rap.

Babel Music introduces us to the quitiplás, a fascinating musical instrument from Mestizo America that is made of bamboo and comes in different sizes and pitches.

In this episode of Sonido Babel, we'll learn about plena: a musical genre from Puerto Rico that is played with a multitude of different instruments and deals with a plethora of topics from religion, events, recipes, advice, and even superstitions.

In this episode of Sonido Babel [Babel Sound], we are introduced to Venezuela's national instrument: the cuatro, which can be heard in almost all Venezuelan folk music.

In this second part of our series on the Venezuelan cuatro, musician Leonardo Lozano explains to us how the manner in which this traditional instrument is played varies between geographical regions.

In this third part of the series on the Venezuelan cuatro, Leonardo Lozano shares with us the names and functions of some of the parts that comprise it.

Take it from the boys in Skampida, the best ways to learn a language are 1) to watch a lot of tv (yabla!) and 2) to find yourself a native girlfriend/boyfriend! Skampida is one of the best bands ever from Bogotá, and we caught up with them while they were spending some time hangeando in The Big Manzana.

Salsa dancing arrived in the city of Cali, Colombia in the sixties. It became deeply ingrained in the city's popular culture and is still danced there today

This episode gives us a glimpse into the rigorous daily workouts the Swing Latino salsa dancers must endure to prepare for their upcoming competitions.

Let's get to know Gato Amantu Cabascango Garzon, a world-renowned violin maker who resides in Otavalo, Ecuador.

The Peruvian group Novalima took a break from their European tour for an interview. Learn about the branching out and coming back together that the band members went through to achieve their rich and eclectic sound.

Continue learning about what specific kinds of music go into the mix to make the special sound that is Novalima.

Novalima is very aware of the importance of Peruvian folk music, not just in their sound but in another musical genres as well. Paco de Lucía, a Spanish flamenco musician, might have made the sound of the “cajón” (a box-like musical instrument) famous, but that sound is Peruvian as it gets.

Michael shares with us his knowledge about the tarka, an Andean musical instrument played often at traditional celebrations in Bolivia and Peru.

Michael shows us yet another enchanting Andean instrument called the hualaycho, which is typically played in January and February during the Carnival celebrations in Potosi, Bolivia.

South America's Andean cultural legacy is one of the most interesting and beautiful on the continent and includes music from countries like Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Michael delights us by playing a variety of different rhythms from these countries and more.

Accompanied by his impressive violin playing, Michael shares with us the use of this instrument during various Andean festivities as well as its origin and evolution since the times of the Spanish conquest.

In this episode of his series on Andean music, Michael shares with us some interesting facts about the guitar's origins and evolution.

Michael Guajan surprises us with yet another Andean instrument, in this case, the quena. Michael tells us about its origin, its different varieties, and its use in both Andean and world music.

Let's learn about the Andean transverse flute, an age-old musical instrument that is typically played during baptisms, wakes, and the Inti Raymi celebrations in June in Otavalo, Ecuador.