The Latin implosion

Just a few years ago, we all experienced the "Latin Explosion." Names like Marc Anthony and Ricky Martin dominated the radio and TV. Now all that's left seems to be Jennifer Lopez and maybe Enrique Iglesias. Last week's charts show just how quickly we've forgotten. In fact, aside from J-Lo's No. 17 spot, no one else even made the Billboard Top 100. \nApparently, Martin's eloquent songwriting skills begin and end with lines such as "her skin's the color mocha." It may be a little early to celebrate the end of this horrible trend, but it is nice to not be forced to hear "Bailamos" every time I turn the radio to a pop station. \nI'm not saying that Latin music in general is bad. It's just that the watered-down, fashion-oriented "Latin Explosion" made me long for the bland mid-1990s pop-rock that I could zone out to so easily. I'd even take Gloria Estefan over this.\nI have a theory that this all started because of that timeless classic known as "The Macarena." But seriously, a saturation of the market is probably the cause for what seems to be the quick demise of Latin pop music. It could have lasted longer or at least sounded better had the producers and artists focused more on crafting their own sounds and personalities than carbon copying others. Many bands, Little Feat, for example, used regional and cultural characteristics to define and enrich their unique sound. But I guess it's also nothing new to turn a once respectable genre into a gimmick. \nAnother reason for the short-lived Latin music movement is hidden by our delusions of having the ability to dance. Plus, the tempos were so fast that you'd have to have been an aerobics instructor to keep up after a few hours in a club. This music's dependence on dancing reminded people of disco but with fewer drugs and less eccentric clothing.\nCarlos Santana payed the ultimate price for winning his numerous Grammys. Now that his reputation has been tarnished as a sellout, his name will be remembered better, but at what cost? After decades of charged live shows and an impressive catalogue of albums through the late 1960s and 1970s he traded unfair amounts of obscurity for the mass appeal that put his name among the other Top 10 throwaways. Sure Supernatural was one of the more deserving pop albums, but who could stand to hear "Smooth" one more time? And when's the last time you've even heard anyone play that CD? \nAs for Lopez, she's one of the few "musicians" I can think of whose career is more dependent on visual performances than musical creativity. She's clearly better at dancing and acting than singing. Because she obviously doesn't need make-up, MTV and a pitch corrector are Lopez's best friends. Oh yeah, and it doesn't hurt to date P. Diddy, an artist whose work is almost as dynamic as his name. \nCheck out some classic Los Lobos, Paco De Lucia or Latin jazz bands like The Gypsy Kings and Tito Puente. I don't think they dance, but if you actually know how you should have no trouble dancing to their music. These talented musicians set a great example of how fiery and complex pure Latin music really sounds. Their music speaks for itself without the added elements of hip-hop and techno or the slick productions and management gimmicks that permeated Latin pop music and brought it down.