Latin Grammy Awards, Latin Alternative Music Conference celebrate 20th anniversaries

Both entities celebrating with joint concert featuring ChocQuibTown, Vicente García, Guaynaa, and Macaco

The Latin Recording Academy, in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference, have announced a joint concert featuring Latin GRAMMY winners ChocQuibTown; three-time Latin GRAMMY winner Vicente García; emerging artist Guaynaa; and Latin GRAMMY nominee Macaco as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations. The concert will take place on Saturday, July 13th from 2-7 pm at SummerStage in Central Park in New York City.

“We are thrilled to kick off our anniversary festivities in New York City, a city that symbolizes what Latin music has become — a fusion of many sounds and cultures, joined by common languages bringing the world together,” states Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “We launched the Latin GRAMMY Awards 20 years ago to spotlight the great work of music makers in various Latin genres, and since then they have become the premier international showcase for diversity, relevance, and excellence of Latin music. This great mix will be on display during this special summer concert.”

The concert is one of many Latin Academy events scheduled ahead of the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards. The Biggest Night in Latin Music will air Thursday, November 14th live on the Univision Network from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The three-hour telecast will begin at 8 pm ET/PT, preceded by a one-hour pre-show at 7 pm ET/PT. The nominees for the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be announced on Tuesday, September 24th.

The Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) returns for the 20th time to New York City this summer from July 9-13th, boasting dynamic panels, powerhouse showcases, and a wide range of events. With past conferences averaging more than 1,250 music industry attendees and 25,000 concert fans each year, this LAMC promises to be yet another exciting year.

“We’ve had the pleasure of being supporters and friends of the Latin GRAMMY for these past two decades, and we thought it was fitting to celebrate both of our milestone 20th anniversaries together at the LAMC’s big, free show at SummerStage, Central Park,” states Tomas Cookman, founder of the The Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC). “The show’s lineup is a testament to the diverse sounds in Latin music and to the crossroads where the LAMC’s efforts to promote and nurture left-of-center genres of Latin music meets the Latin GRAMMY celebration of Latin music in all its shapes, forms, and sounds. And what better way to celebrate que un verano en Nueva York!”

“We are thrilled to host this year’s 20th anniversary celebration with The Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) and The Latin Recording Academy, two of Latin music’s most important advocates. LAMC has been one of SummerStage’s longest running and most valuable partnerships,” comments Erika Elliott, Executive Artistic Director, SummerStage. “And, like all years prior, the breadth and quality of talent we will be presenting together is unparalleled.”

ChocQuibTown is a Colombian hip-hop group composed of Carlos “Tostao” Valencia, Gloria “Goyo” Martínez, and Miguel “Slow” Martínez. The band’s music draws influence from a wide variety of modern genres, including hip-hop and more recently electronica, combined with traditional genres such as salsa, Latin jazz, and Afro-Latin rhythms. At the 16th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, the group won for Best Tropical Fusion Album for El Mismo.

Vicente García is a Dominican musician, singer and composer. At the 18th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, he was awarded Latin GRAMMYs for Best New Artist, Best Tropical Song for “Bachata En Kingston,” and Best Singer-Songwriter Album for A la Mar.

Guaynaa (Jean Carlos Santiago) is an emerging urban artist from Puerto Rico. He launched his career in 2017 with the single “María,” which featured powerful and painful lyrics that touched the hearts of many after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Today, Guaynaa has recorded more than 30 songs produced by DJ Nelson and Angelo Torres.

Macaco (Daniel Carbonell de las Heras) is an influential Spanish artist who mixes rap, rhumba, pop, funk, and reggae in his work. He was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY in the Best Alternative Song category for “Moving” at the 10th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com