Escuchar al Istmo: Las Tiendas de Música Latina y los CDs
10.12.25
Between South and North America, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, exists an isthmus made up of seven countries, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize, also known as Central America. Escuchar al Istmo, Listen to the Isthmus, focuses on the diverse musical and cultural landscape of Central America. Through music, vinyl record collections and special guests, the show explores cultural context, nostalgia and experiences of the diaspora. Tune in to hear the past and present sounds of the many cultures of Central America.
This month is dedicated to the CD format and the “Musica Latina” stores here in Los Angeles. I recently was able to visit 11 locations in LA that still show remnants of their past. A time when these stores specialized in selling Latin music in vinyl, tape, and CD formats. Although many of them no longer sell music and most have become shipping and phone services, they still leave memories of those times. I believe these stores are part of an important history and trajectory that have also helped to promote Central American music here in Los Angeles. They were the spaces where the community sought out and purchased the music they loved, evoking a piece of cultural memory. This mix is a collection of songs from the CDs I found at these stores. Tracks cover a range from reggaeton and dancehall to punta rock and punta and finishes off with cumbia and a special Garifuna hip hop song at the end, all from the peak CD era of the 90s and 00s.
Tracklist:
“Ritmo Latino – Venta de Aniversario | 1996 [RARE]” – YouTube: VXA TV Archives Macaano – Te Va Doler (Panamá) DJ Sy – Baila (Honduras) La Cripta Internacional – Provocando (Panamá) DJ Sy – No Lo Dejes Caer (Honduras) La Factoría – Yo No Soy Tu Mujer (Panamá) La Cripta Internacional – La Última (Panamá) Chino Espinoza & Los Dueños Del Son – Yeah! (Como Goza Mi Morena) Version Reggaeton (Costa Rica / Los Angeles) La Factoría – Mal Polvo (Panamá) El Chombo & Latin Fresh – Untitled (Panamá) El Chombo & Keribel – Untitled (Panamá) DJ Sy y Los De La Flota – La Melaza (Honduras) DJ Sy y Los De La Flota – Hierba I Love Your Ways (Honduras) La Cripta Internacional – El Perro Volador (Panamá) DJ Pablito y La Factoría – Intro (Panamá) DJ Pablito y La Factoría – Hombre de Poco (Panamá) JR Ranks – Dale Candela (Panamá) Impacto MC – Poder De Reggae (El Salvador / Honduras) Big Thurro – El Poder Del Amor (Panamá) Aziatic – Warasan (Belize) Chico Ramos – Aramaguifi Punta (Belize) Chico Ramos – Punta rockers (Belize) Chico Ramos – Sopa de Caracol (Belize) Grupo Kazzabe – Si Pudiera Yo (Honduras) Los Silver Stars – Somos Garífuna (Honduras) Las Chicas Rolands – El Nuevo Baile (Honduras) Garífuna Legacy – Suavecito (Belize / Honduras / Guatemala) Los Ramblers – El Calendario (Nicaragua) Jhosse Lora – Hombre Loco (El Salvador) La Chanchona de Tito Mira – La Cumbia del Sobakiado (El Salvador) La Chanchona de Arcadio – Nena Linda (El Salvador) India Maya – Pollito Con Papa (Guatemala) Ecos Manzaneros – Mi Razon de Ser (Guatemala) La Raza Band – Voto de Castidad (El Salvador) “BusqueLoAqui – TV Spot – Ritmo Latino – Santa Ana – 2002” – YouTube: casamorata19 Garifuna Legacy – Punta Rock (Hip Hop remix) (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras)
