美国国家公共电台 NPR Here Are 4 Latin Albums To Get You Through This Summer

 

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

Are you looking for some music to get you through the summer? Well, Felix Contreras of NPR Music's Alt.Latino is here to talk about some upcoming albums that got him excited and that you might want to check out.

(SOUNDBITE OF CACHAITO'S "WAHIRA")

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Felix, welcome.

FELIX CONTRERAS, BYLINE¹: Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: What are we listening to? I love it.

CONTRERAS: OK. This is a new album that's actually old. This is Orlando Cachaito Lopez or just Cachaito. But this is a rerelease of an album that came out in 2001. Cachaito was the bassist for the Buena Vista³ Social Club. He's also from very storied lineage. His father and uncle, Orestes and Israel, now, they're often credited with having a hand in creating the rhythm we know as mambo, believe it or not.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Oh, wow.

CONTRERAS: So his uncle Israel also played bass². And he was known as Cachao, so Cachao, Cachaito - little Cachao.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yeah.

CONTRERAS: Get it?

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Got it. Got it. Got it.

CONTRERAS: This album didn't get the recognition it deserved, I think, back in 2001. It swerved⁴ away from the tradition of the Buena Vista Social Club and explored Afro-Cuban music in a way that laid the groundwork for so many other Cuban releases since then. It's remastered. It's repackaged with a 12-page booklet with history and pictures and a way-cool 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. This track is called "Wahira."

(SOUNDBITE OF CACHAITO'S "WAHIRA")

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So what else do we have to get us into summer? Because it is important for me because I am actually going on vacation.

CONTRERAS: Oh, my gosh.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So I want some recommendations.

CONTRERAS: OK. All right, so - all right. Check this out. We have two singles from two of the most talented Latin musicians out there, each in their own way expressing the depth of Latin expression. And I'm so excited about this first one. This is Alejandro Escovedo.

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO SONG, "SONICA USA")

GARCIA-NAVARRO: All right. That's got some jam.

CONTRERAS: There you go.

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO SONG, "SONICA USA")

CONTRERAS: If you don't know Alejandro Escovedo, he is the punk queen of Latin music, OK? Now, he's led a number of bands over the years that have explored punk and country, punk and chamber⁵ music and punk singer-songwriter. Now, my take - his entire career is notable for intelligent, passionate⁶, finely crafted music that's always just curious enough to keep a respectable distance from the lame⁷ part of the...

GARCIA-NAVARRO: (Laughter).

CONTRERAS: ...Mainstream⁸, OK?

GARCIA-NAVARRO: That sounds a little judgy there.

CONTRERAS: (Laughter).

GARCIA-NAVARRO: But I'll let you get away with it.

CONTRERAS: This new album is called "The Crossing." And it's a suite⁹ of songs about two young teenage immigrants who come to the U.S. - Salvo from Italy and Diego from Mexico. And the album chronicles their experience looking for the American dream.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: That sounds timely.

CONTRERAS: And in their case, the American dream includes music from punk pioneers The Stooges and MC5. And what they find through the course of the record is a culture that accepts blandness¹⁰, endorses¹¹ racism¹² and turns away immigrants. And it's all expressed through song.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SONICA USA")

ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO: (Singing) Little Johnny (unintelligible) MC5. (Unintelligible) classic five. (Unintelligible) This is America. I want it all. Feel the power, the people's parade. Sonica USA.

CONTRERAS: I think this may be Alejandro Escovedo's best album yet. It's going to be released in September 14. But this single, "Sonica USA," is out now. And it features Wayne Kramer of MC5 on guitar.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Wow. Speaking of timely, you just published a podcast about musicians who are using their art to protest the policy of separating families at the U.S.-Mexico border. And one of the artists you featured was Gaby Moreno. And you brought in some new music from her, as well.

CONTRERAS: Yes. Now, Gaby Moreno is originally from Guatemala. And she's very aware of the issues that affect immigrants. And she lent her voice in a song toward the chorus of people who are protesting what was a policy of separating families at the border.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE IMMIGRANTS")

GABY MORENO: (Singing) America, remember Ellis Island. We all came here to take the plunge¹³.

CONTRERAS: This track is called "The Immigrants." And it's from another album that's expected in the fall. It marks a fascinating new adventure for Gaby because she's recorded this album with a guy named Van Dyke¹⁴ Parks, who's sort of a musician's musician. You know, he's an arranger, writer. He made records with Brian Wilson and a bunch of other folks since the 1960's. This new single gives you an idea of what to expect. There's really lush arrangements with lots of musical references in the instruments, the rhythms and the lyrics¹⁵.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE IMMIGRANTS")

MORENO: (Singing) Like a punta, rock and the salsa samba. (Singing in Spanish).

In other words, yeah. This is a different kind of apple now - New York City.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: But I take it for our last song, we're going to go in a bit of a different direction.

CONTRERAS: Completely different direction, OK? This is a guy from Spain named Diego Garcia. He's also known as El Twanguero - or twang, right - a guitarist who minds what he calls Latin twang. And it sounds like this.

(SOUNDBITE OF TWANGUERO SONG, "RASKA YU")

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Oh, how interesting.

(SOUNDBITE OF TWANGUERO SONG, "RASKA YU")

CONTRERAS: OK. He was raised in Spain. He studied flamenco with teachers. But then he became fascinated with western swing and ragtime¹⁶ from here in the U.S. And along the way, he developed his sound and technique that just is clearly his, right? He forged a path doing things his way with a very distinct sound. People like director Pedro Almodovar had used his twanguero sound in his films. His new album is called "Electric Sunset." This track is called "Raska Yu." And it features a Lebanese violinist by the name of Ara Malikian.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "RASKA YU")

DIEGO GARCIA: (Singing in Spanish).

GARCIA-NAVARRO: And on that note - literally¹⁷ - Felix Contreras is the host of Alt.Latino from NPR Music. Once a month, he drops by to restock our playlists. I now have something to listen to on vacation.

CONTRERAS: Have a good time on vacation. Keep that foot tapping.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: (Laughter).

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "RASKA YU")

GARCIA: (Singing in Spanish).

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

3 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

4 swerved   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
• The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

7 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

8 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

9 suite   

n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员

参考例句：

• She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
• That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

10 blandness   

n.温柔，爽快

参考例句：

• Blandness in the basic politics of the media became standard. 传播媒介在基本政治问题上通常采取温和的态度。 来自辞典例句
• Those people who predicted an exercise in bureaucratic blandness were confounded. 那些认为这一系列政治活动将会冠冕堂皇的走过场的人是糊涂和愚蠢的。 来自互联网

11 endorses   

v.赞同( endorse的第三人称单数 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• There isn't one country in the Middle East that now endorses the Eisenhower Doctrine. 但至今没有一个中东国家认可它。 来自辞典例句
• Whether any of this truly endorses Dr Patel's hypothesis is moot. 这些视频能否真正证明帕特的假设成立还是个未知数。 来自互联网

12 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

13 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

14 dyke   

n.堤，水坝，排水沟

参考例句：

• If one sheep leap over the dyke,all the rest will follow.一只羊跳过沟，其余的羊也跟着跳。
• One ant-hole may cause the collapse of a thousand-li dyke.千里长堤，溃于蚁穴。

15 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

16 ragtime   

n.拉格泰姆音乐

参考例句：

• The most popular music back then was called ragtime.那时最流行的音乐叫拉格泰姆音乐。
• African-American piano player Scott Joplin wrote many ragtime songs.非裔美国钢琴家ScottJoplin写了许多拉格泰姆歌曲。

17 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。