NPR Music: Alt.Latino

Episode: Chicano Soul, Canary Islands Merengue, and a Percussion Supergroup
Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Felix Contreras & Ana Maria Sayer

Episode Overview

This vibrant episode of Alt.Latino delivers a joyful, in-depth tour of new and surprising expressions within Latin music. The hosts explore unexpected histories behind merengue, trace the evolution and significance of Chicano soul, and celebrate the borderless creativity of contemporary Latin artists. Alongside candid conversations, anecdotes, and plenty of musical snippets, Felix and Ana Maria highlight how Latin sounds continue to evolve by borrowing, blending, and reconnecting across genres and geographies.

Main Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Setting the Scene: New Music and Podcast Updates

• (00:14–01:01) The hosts announce the consolidation of NPR music podcasts into the “NPR Music” feed, assuring listeners that favorite shows remain unchanged in content, just streamlined into one destination.

2. Merengue from the Canary Islands: Quevedo’s “Mi Borracho”

• Song: “Mi Borracho” by Quevedo
• (01:15–05:15)
  • Ana Maria introduces a contemporary merengue from Spanish singer Quevedo, notable as an homage to his home, the Canary Islands.
  • Explains Quevedo’s status—“probably one of the most, if not the most, famous singer in Spain right now.”
  • Connects the cultural history: “Apparently most of the immigrants from Spain migrated... from the Canary Islands to the Dominican Republic, and they brought an early variant of merengue with them. So merengue... has some really strong origins specifically in the Canary Islands.” (03:48 – Ana Maria Sayer)
  • Discusses Carnaval in the Canary Islands, which is centered on merengue. The song became, “the most listened to song in Spain.” (04:54 – Ana Maria Sayer)
  • Felix muses on musical migration: “It completely blows my mind about that trace, that journey that music makes from there and how it gets mixed up… I never would have associated merengue with the Canary Islands.” (04:59 – Felix Contreras)
  • Playful banter about dancing and generational differences.

3. Chicano Soul’s Legacy: Joey Quinones and the California Sound

• Song: “Driftin’” by Joey Quinones
• (05:25–12:48)
  • Felix spotlights Joey Quinones, frontman of Thee Sinseers and central figure in the Chicano soul revival.
  • Nostalgic Reflection:
    • “I want to play something... that influenced Chicano soul. It’s called ‘Yes, I’m Ready’ by Barbara Mason from 1965.” (07:56)
    • Explores how Chicano soul was born from “African Americans and Chicanos living side by side and making music together, listening to a lot of the same stuff.” (07:56 – Felix Contreras)
    • “Oldies, lowrider music reflects that OG cultural mashup... between African Americans and Chicanos.” (09:04 – Felix Contreras)
  • Ana Maria adds:
    • “Chicano soul serves as this really important... distinguishing marker... the purity of Chicano culture. The fact that it is so heavily influenced by... soul music being made by black people in this country shows really... the disparateness of the cultures, right, from Mexico.” (09:32 – Ana Maria Sayer)
    • Shares a story about the distinct nature of Chicano versus Mexican culture, highlighting California’s unique blend. (10:10)
  • Discussion of Quinones’s role in various bands and his influence in reinvigorating the Chicano soul scene, especially in gentrifying East L.A., positioning the music as assertion of cultural permanence.
    • “Because a cultural lineage from the 50s, 60s is a pretty big deal for California.” (11:12 – Ana Maria Sayer)

4. The New Wave: Argentine and Brazilian Collaborations

• Song: “Amina” by Carolina Mama (with production from Brazilian artist La Noa and American Emily Elbert)
• (12:48–15:37)
  • Ana Maria raves about Carolina Mama’s album “Amina,” a cross-regional project blending Argentine songwriting with Brazilian rhythmic and production influences.
  • Observes how Brazilian sonic textures are increasingly woven into South American music:
    • “Brazil really is being exported in some interesting ways these days.” (14:10 – Ana Maria Sayer)
    • Felix admires the folk instruments and intricate layering:
      • “It’s all rhythm, but it’s... part of the whole pastiche. It’s like a quilt, right? Like you take one little shaker out and the whole thing falls apart.” (15:13 – Felix Contreras)

5. Percussive Virtuosity: The Supergroup Ellipsis

• Song: “Suru” by Ellipsis (Michael League, Pedrito Martinez, Antonio Sanchez)
• (17:51–21:41)
  • Felix introduces Ellipsis, an experimental “all-star group” of two drummers and a bassist/keyboardist.
  • Breaks down their backgrounds:
    • Pedrito Martinez: Afro-Cuban percussion master and vocalist;
    • Antonio Sanchez: Acclaimed Mexican jazz drummer;
    • Michael League: Bassist and leader of Snarky Puppy, jazz-fusion icon.
  • Explores how the album is a mashup of traditions: “If you listen to the whole record, there’s a lot of different ways to get into it and all the different mashups of traditions and cultures. And it’s not a traditional song... It’s like a big, giant jam session with all these wonderful elements.” (20:23–Felix Contreras)
  • Memorable moment:
    • “It may just be a Felix thing, but I know they’re out there touring... so other people like it.” (21:02–Felix Contreras)
  • Ana Maria: “Honestly, who cares if the drummers are the ones that get the girls, when you can just stay at home and learn the conga parts on every Pedrito Martinez song.” (21:08–Ana Maria Sayer)

6. Global Diasporic Sounds: Da Cruz and the African Diaspora

• Songs: From “Som Sistema” by Da Cruz (Incl. “Chatta,” “Tudo Bem Mas Complicad”)
• (21:41–26:01)
  • Ana Maria highlights Da Cruz, a Brazilian-born, Switzerland-based singer whose work is “an exploration of all of the sounds of the African diaspora.”
  • “On this record she switches from South African amapiano, Brazilian baile funk, Caribbean chatta, new African club music... Angolan kuduro... a survey of the African diaspora.” (23:04–Ana Maria Sayer)
  • Discusses Da Cruz’s background (seventh daughter of a cook and a cotton picker), and the album’s themes: the “long term effects of colonialism, social upheaval, land grabbing from indigenous people in Brazil,” yet all “in a really danceable, really exciting, really fun way.” (23:36–Ana Maria Sayer)
  • Felix hears the connections: “It’s not a lot different from the album Ellipsis with all the drumming... everything just sort of layers on top of everything. Just like on the other record, they’re just doing it with vocals.” (25:11–Felix Contreras)
  • Big-picture sonic point: “What you’re hearing is Africa. And you can call it all these different... diasporic names... But it’s really all the same thing.” (25:20–25:47–Ana Maria Sayer)

7. Vocal Innovation: Sofía Rei’s Collaborative Project

• Songs: “Zigzag” feat. Daymé Arocena, “Rótulo” feat. Gaby Moreno
• (26:06–31:05)
  • Felix shares two new singles from Sofia Rei’s upcoming collaborative album “Antonima,” which features “a variety of vocalists from various Latin American countries.”
  • Details the ambitious vocal layering and stylistic breadth: “She’s raising the bar for music that explores the human voice. Not just singing, but layering like a choir... harmonizing with these different musical textures and instruments.” (27:19–Felix Contreras)
  • Notable guests: Daymé Arocena, Mireya Ramos, Pedrito Martinez, Juana Luna, Gaby Moreno, among others.
  • Ana Maria is impressed: “I was shocked by that Daime track, Felix. It’s so outside of anything I’ve ever heard her do. It was like almost like bordering on a Björk style type of thing.” (31:05–Ana Maria Sayer)
  • Both agree it might be a standout release of the year.

Notable Quotes

• On Merengue’s history and migration:

  • “Apparently most of the immigrants from Spain migrated... from the Canary Islands to the Dominican Republic and they brought an early variant of merengue with them.” (03:48 – Ana Maria Sayer)

• On Chicano soul:

  • “Oldies, lowrider music reflects that OG cultural mashup... between African Americans and Chicanos.” (09:04 – Felix Contreras)
  • “Chicano soul serves as this really important... distinguishing marker... the purity of Chicano culture.” (09:32 – Ana Maria Sayer)

• On musical fusion:

  • “What you’re hearing is Africa. And you can call it all these different... diasporic names... But it’s really all the same thing.” (25:47 – Ana Maria Sayer)
  • “She’s raising the bar for music that explores the human voice.” (27:19 – Felix Contreras)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Podcast feed/name update: 00:14–01:01
• Quevedo & Canary Islands merengue: 01:15–05:18
• Joey Quinones & Chicano soul: 05:25–12:48
• Carolina Mama’s cross-regional project: 12:48–15:37
• Ellipsis percussion supergroup: 17:51–21:41
• Da Cruz and Afro-diasporic dance music: 21:41–26:01
• Sofía Rei’s collaborative voice album: 26:06–31:05

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode balances deep musical insight with lively, humorous banter. Hosts share personal memories, make room for tangents (especially on musicianship and identity), and consistently ground discussion in the ongoing evolution of Latin music as a cultural force—open, hybrid, and joyous.

For Further Listening

• Joey Quinones – “Driftin’” (album “In a Soul Situation” due May)
• Ellipsis – “Ellipsis” (touring now)
• Da Cruz – “Som Sistema”
• Carolina Mama – “Amina”
• Sofía Rei – “Antonima” (due April; singles “Zigzag” and “Rótulo” out now)

Summary prepared for Latin music lovers, crate-diggers, and anyone seeking inspiration or surprising connections in the contemporary global soundscape.