Classic Latin and Reggaetón

My grandfather showed me Classic Latin, my Puerto Rican friend showed me Reggaetón. And now I need your help.
I want your recommendations on classic Latin and Reggaetón artists, albums, or songs. All help will be greatly appreciated.

Oh I love Latin Music, like Son and stuff, if that's what you mean:


Let's start!

!Cubanismo!
Afro Cuban All Stars (the first two CDs are the best, last one isn't that great, similar to though better than Buena Vista Social Club (same artists, but less annoying stuff from Ry Cooder.))
Ibrahim Ferrer
Ruben Gonzalez
Maraca (he's a flautist, but he does a lot of 'classic' latin jazz and newer stuff like Reggaeton.)
Compay Segundo (more guitar based Cuban folk latin music.)
Tito Puente
Poncho Sanchez (much like Tito Puente)
Charlie Sepulveda (more jazzy)
David Sanchez (again more jazzy)
Eddie Palmieri (big band latin music like Tito Puente)
Chucho Valdes (he plays very good Latin piano, if you like his stuff check out his father Bebo Valdes, he's more 'classic' I guess (plus I like him a bit better than Chucho))


Hope that helps! There's also a lot more I could recommend in the Brazilian area if you're interested in that!

I don't know where I would be without you, Pra. I'll check them out as soon as I get off school tomorrow.
And yes, I am interested in the Brazilian area.

Brilliant! Well I know mostly about the bossa nova and samba thing. There are newer genres now like the lambada, if you're into dancing, but I'm not all that familiar with that particular genre.

Joao Gilberto (very smooooooth guitar bossa; I don't think I've met anyone who doesn't like him.)
Astrud Gilberto (she's Joao's wife, and sung the song Girl from Ipanema with Stan Getz on the sax; she's got a more 'shy' voice.)
Seu Jorge (he's made some acoustic stuff for Life aquatic. His other CD Cru is more 'folky' and Samba Esporte Fino is very very good samba music.)
Sergio Mendes (very good pianist, check out Mas Que Nada, it's probably on e of the more recognizable songs for the samba genre.)
Paulinho Da Costa (very good voice!)
Luis Bonfa (this is more acoustic type music; he plays 'classic guitar' bossa nova, but I really enjoyed his CDs.)
Charlie Byrd (he did a lot of jazzy bossa nova stuff with the guitar. I recommend his work very highly, nearly as high as Joao Gilberto's.)
Stan Getz (sultry bossa nova sax!)
Celso Fonseca (he's much like Joao, but some people are more 'turned off' to him for some reason. Still if once you love the bossa, you'll really appreciate his work.)

There are more I can tell you of later!


You'll find that the nature of Bossa Nova and Samba is such that it allowed a lot of musicians from the west, particularly jazz musicians, to adapt to it. Its laid back approach was very copacetic to jazz, and it allowed for a more 'personal' interaction than the more vigorous, yet equally enjoyable, Cuban movement, which become 'big' through big band..

I'm still on Ibrahim Ferrer.

My god this man is a great singer.