All Songs Considered Alt.Latino: Portraits of Jazz and Identity in Latin America
Nov 5, 2025
Sofia Rei, a bold vocalist and composer from Buenos Aires, explores the vibrant fusion of Argentine folk and jazz. Claudia Acuña, a Chilean jazz singer, shares insights from her long career and discusses blending cueca with jazz through her stunning arrangement of 'Prelude to a Kiss.' Magos Herrera, a Mexican musician based in New York, delves into cultural influences in her work. Roxana Amed highlights the connection between Argentine identity and jazz through her unique interpretations of rock. Together, they redefine Latin American jazz.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Dreaming Jazz In Spanish
- Claudia Acuña recounts falling in love with jazz as a teen and dreaming of singing jazz in Spanish after hearing Dizzy Gillespie's Afro-Cuban fusion.
- She later recorded Duke Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss" using a Chilean cueca rhythm to realize that vision.
Jazz As A Hemisphere Connector
- Sofia Rei argues jazz functions as connective tissue linking North and South American traditions rather than a single confined sound.
- She sees folk artists like Violeta Parra as experimental voices that naturally intersect with jazz's openness.
Gato Barbieri's Early Fusion Legacy
- Felix highlights Gato Barbieri's 1970s records that fused South American folk with robust tenor sax, predicting today's movement.
- Sofia Rei confirms Barbieri opened doors for South American sounds within jazz decades early.