A Latino musical exhibit is currently on display at the S. Dillon Ripley Center’s International Gallery in Washington DC. The exhibit is called “American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music”. It joyfully brings to life the sights and sounds of what inspired and defines Latino music of yesterday and today.
Latino music covers a wide range of types of music, even though it is from the same culture. That being said, musical palettes of all kinds will enjoy learning about this part of Americana which gains popularity each year.
Ranald Woodaman, of the Smithsonian Latino Center, commented on what you can expect to find at the exhibit, saying: "In a huge way, what this [exhibition] is about is not just Latino music in a bubble, which, as we know, never exists in a bubble. It really is a huge story about Latin music, kind of at the heart of America."
A truly interesting part of the exhibit is how it highlights music from five cities which became known as hotbeds for Latin music production. Those cities are: Miami, New York, San Antonio, L.A., and San Francisco. The exhibit also features the pioneers of Latino music history, as well as pieces from momentous eras.
You will be aware that you have arrived when music and treasured Latino items start to flood your senses. Promotional posters, films, original records, and fliers are just a few of the things to enjoy while you are there. Items from Gloria Estefan and Ruben Blades will also be on display. There is even a dance floor to help you move to the music.
If you cannot visit the exhibit in person, an online version is available to enjoy. Just go to the website of the same name as the exhibit to check it out. There, you can try your hand at mixing music, or reading one of the many biographies of great Latino artists. There is also an awesome online jukebox with more than 40 selections to choose from.
Woodaman enthusiastically added: "I'd like people to come to this exhibit and basically get a sense of how varied, especially by region, Latino music traditions really are. It's really old, it's been in the United States for a long time and ... at the end of the day, what we call Latin music is part and parcel of the American experience."
The exhibit will be at the International Gallery until October 9th. If you cannot make it in person, don’t forget about the online version. CAISO is proud to support music based community events and exhibits.
