Salsa City Forum » News and Chat » Latin Music, Mondays in the Oz Bar

Mikey, you say...

And lets just put it this way about the history thing. ORIGIONAL does not count. and it is always better when the people doing a latin/salsa/merengue night are from actual south america.

Sounds like you might be... just a little bit racist.

Are you saying for instance that Latin bands don't play as good Rock, Hip hop, Drum & Bass, House, Dance, R&B as European & North Americans where the music originates, cause I just don't happen to agree with you. Where you come from has nothing to do with your appreciation of Music, another persons culture or your ability to play music, Dj or promote a good night.

You may be well intentioned and you may put on a great Party but my point was that people should judge you by your actions and by the quality of your night. I was not passing judgement on you or insulting you, as I don't know you or how good a promoter / Dj you are.

You may not wish to poach people (and I hope you are one of the good guys) but many people do. They start up and often fail after poaching people away from promoters who have taught them. Being Latin you should appreciate this as it can be no good for the promotion of Latin culture in the UK when these nights often fail.

I'd suggest if you want British people to turn up as well as Latins to your Party (and in this business you need both) then start by not insulting them.

I don't think Mikey's point has anything to do with racism but I was expecting someone to make the accusation.

Spanish-speaking dj's do have an advantage when researching and choosing Latin music. They have the cultural experience and the contacts, they can choose tracks with appropriate lyrics even if their audience can't understand them and they are helped by their ability to read and understand reviews and CD notes written in Spanish.

The music selection in some Latin nights promoted by English-only speakers is appalling, the same dull old tracks played in the same order every time.

(Belief in, adherence to, or advocacy of) the theory that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, qualities, etc., specific to that race, esp. distinguishing it as inferior or superior to another race or races; prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism based on this.

There you are Hugh, straight out of the dictionary.

He may not be a hard assed racist, full of hate for others, but the above statement is by definition racist.

You say...

"The music selection in some Latin nights promoted by English-only speakers is appalling, the same dull old tracks played in the same order every time".

Agreed, but here is the difference... you say 'some' he says 'all'

It's equally true that some English-only speakers promote great nights and some Spanish-only speakers promote awful nights.

I'd say that for a Latin night to work in this country you need to attract people from both communities and to do that you need to understand and cater for the sensibilities of both.

Perhaps on reflection he'd change his definitive point of view.