Los Amigos Invisibles win Latin Grammy

Los Amigos Invisibles win Latin Grammy

Venezuelan artists were lauded, applauded and showered with victory on Thursday night at the 10th Latin Grammy Awards at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

First, Jose Antonio Abreu, the man who started the youth orchestra system picked up a Grammy for his work with shanty town and underprivileged kids.

Then, Los Amigos Invisibles picked up the gong for "Best Alternative Music Album" for their latest Cd "Comercial" - beating the other artists in the category, Babasonicos, with the album “Mucho”, Kinky with “Barracuda”, Novalima with “Coba Coba” and Zoé with “Reptiletric”.

The first single from the album, "Mentiras", has been a massive hit for the band across Latin America and the USA.

Los Amigos were still walking the green carpet when their award was presented. “We thought they would give it to another band,” a band member joked backstage.

"Comercial" was produced by Cachorro Lopez and Dimitri from Paris and features guest vocals by Natalia lafourcade. It was recorded in New York studio The Magic Shop and mastered at Stearling studios.

This is the Venezuelan band's first Latin Grammy and will bring their work to a much wider audience.

To buy Los Amigos latest CD "Commercial" click here:

Los Telecaster - Todo Muerto

"Todo Muerto" - the latest single by Venezuelan rock band Los Telecaster - has just been released with a video set in Mexico City directed by the L.A.-based Venezuelan filmmaker David Ramos and his brother Saul.

The song comes from the band's new EP, also called "Todo Muerto", which includes the tracks "Taxi", "Toronja", "Siete Cueros" and "Buen Doctor".

The new tracks were recorded at Grabaciones Jamaica in Mexico City, produced by Santiago “Chango” Gonzalez and David Francis O. Gorman and released on the Discos Tamarindo record label.

Video: Los Telecaster - Dandy Boy

Blanquito Man and Celso Piña - El Tren

After a long hiatus that has seen him working on solo projects with Mexican band Control Machete, Puerto Rican rappers Calle 13 and Los Amigos Invisibles (on a cover version of the Fabulosos Cadilacs' "Mal Bicho"), Jose Andres Blanco, AKA Blanquito Man is back with a new King Chango album in the works called "The Return of King Chango".

The rapscalious Venezuelan rude boy also has a new moniker: "Zuzuko, the Generous Giver of Uku Uku".

As a taste of what's to come, here's a cumbia-tastic collaboration Blanquito Man did with Mexican accordion legend Celso Piña from the album "Mundo Colombia".

Dame Pa Matala - Venezuela

Oscar D'Leon, Amigos Invisibles at Latin Grammys

UPDATE: Los Amigos Invisibles win their first Latin Grammy

Three important Venezuelan music legends have been nominated to the Latin Grammy Awards this year: Salsa king Oscar D'Leon, Latin pop-rockers Los Amigos invisibles and balladeer Franco de Vita.

Oscar D'Leon is competing in the category for Best Salsa Album with his latest CD "Tranquilamente... Tranquilo", a triumphant return to top form.

Oscar will be going to head to head in the Salsa category with Cuban salsero Isaac Delgado and Gilberto Santa Rosa.

The video shows the first single off the album "Ni Frio, Ni Calor" ("Not cold, Not Hot").

Los Amigos Invisibles are nominated for Best Alternative Music Album with their latest CD "Comercial" - featuring the single "Mentiras", a massive hit for the band across Latin America and the USA.

The Invisible Friends face stiff competion from the Peruvian electro-folk group Novalima and Argentine rockers Babasonicos.

Veteran balladeer Franco de Vita's CD "Simplemente La Verdad", meanwhile, is up for Best Singer-Songwriter Album, alongside the Guatemalan singer Ricardo Arjona and the Brazilian Caetano Veloso.

The 10th annual Latin Grammy Awards will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on 5 November, and fireworks are expected as the top talents from Latin American and the USA take to the stage.

Leading the list of nominations are Puerto Rico hip-hop group Calle 13 with five nods, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Urban Music Album, Best Alternative Song and Best Short Form Music Video for "La Perla", which features salsa legend Ruben Blades.

A special Person of the Year award will be presented to the Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel.

The event will be broadcast live on the Hispanic channel Univision.

Musica Llanera: How to dance Joropo

If you ever wondered how people in the Llanos dance a traditional joropo then here is your answer.

The word "joropo" originally meant "a party" but has come to mean both the traditional music of harp, maracas and cuatro played in the vast prairies of Venezuela and Colombia known as Los Llanos and also the dance - a kind of waltz that works up to a series of faster and faster twists of the woman and a cockroach-stomping display by the man that echoes the frisky footwork of a young colt or a fighting cock.

These dances still take place in Los Llanos at town fairs, village fetes and house parties and are very much a part of Llanos life.

Sadly, I have no information on who the dancers are or where the event took place but it's a great video, despite the unnecessary camera tricks.

Bacalao Men - Malibu Azul

A great video from Caracas band Bacalao Men of their song "Malibu Azul" made on paint.