Oye como va! : hybridity and identity in Latino popular music /

Hernandez (anthropology and American studies, Tufts) offers a thought-provoking analysis of the history and cultural issues related to Latino popular music in North America and its global dissemination through the music industry. She highlights the essence of Latin music as a continually fluid cross-fertilization of various musical resources that create distinctive hybrid styles, such as boogaloo and salsa. Much of the book focuses on Latino contributions and conflicts with rock music and its development, which was largely unrecognized until the emergence of Carlos Santana as a rock icon in the early 1970s. The author addresses cultural labels and stereotypes as they relate to popular music, such as Chicano rock and the emergence of reggaeton. Her criticisms of the music industry, which generally fails to recognize the diverse background of the Latino community, are complemented by thorough reviews of distinctive Latino popular musical styles, such as merengue and cumbia, which are not considered part of the mainstream market. The book is void of any musical analysis or comparison of styles, so those unfamiliar with Latin popular music genres will need to look elsewhere for a basic introduction. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. A. C. Shahriari Kent State University

Pacini Hernandez (director, American studies & Latino studies, Cornell Univ.; Bachata: A Social History of Dominican Popular Music)-a resident of South America and the United States with Italian and Colombian heritage who is a fan of traditional Latino music and some of the various international hybrids-brings an anthropologist's eye to the history of Latin music and the many ways it has been hybridized in America. She traces the beginnings with Tito Puente's groundbreaking Oye Como Va from 1963 and Carlos Santana's updated 1970 version and follows the development of many newer kinds of music, including popular artists such as Los Lobos and the modern amalgam known as reggaeton. Verdict This somewhat scholarly exploration will probably not appeal to casual fans of Latin-flavored music. Best for readers interested in music as culture and those who want to understand what forces have shaped the diverse landscape of Latin hybridized musics in America and worldwide over the last 40-plus years.-Bill Walker, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., Manteca, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.