The Latin Tinge: The Impact of Latin American Music on the United States

by John Storm Roberts

The Tejano superstar Selena and the tango revival both in the dance clubs and on Broadway are only the most obvious symptoms of how central Latin music is to American musical life. Latino rap has brought a musical revolution, while Latin and Brazilian jazz are ever more significant on the jazz scene. With the first edition of The Latin Tinge, John Storm Roberts offered revolutionary insight into the enormous importance of Latin influences in U.S. popular music of all kinds. Now, in this revised second edition, Roberts updates the history of Latin American influences on the American music scene over the last twenty years. From the merengue wave to the great traditions of salsa and nortena music to the fusion styles of Cubop and Latin rock, Roberts provides a comprehensive review. With an update on the jazz scene and the careers of legendary musicians as well as newer bands on the circuit, the second edition of The Latin Tinge sheds new light on a rich and complex the crucial contribution that Latin rhythms are making to our uniquely American idiom.

Genres: Music, Latinx

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 1979

About the author

John Anthony Storm Roberts was an ethnomusicologist and co-founder of of the mail-order distributor of world music, Original Music.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the historical development of Latin styles within the United States. The text is organized by decade, and a good deal of it is dedicated to Latin jazz; I found the book particularly effective at filling in some gaps in my knowledge of that style. The library copy I read was the original edition, which concludes with the 1970s. While an update would obviously be appreciated, I can't blame the author for a lack of precognition when writing this edition. To his credit, he even correctly foretold that salsa music would not break into the mainstream market. A certain degree of moralizing is appropriate in this sort of text, and Roberts rightfully comes out swinging against the showtune "Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)," yet he treats the even more heinous "All Dressed Up, S*** and Spanish" with a disconcertingly neutral tone—was he unaware of the racial slur? Desi Arnaz features prominently in the narrative, yet his family's tumultuous relationship with the music that made him famous goes overlooked. Roberts also makes the glaring error of claiming in both the main text and the glossary that the Cuban tres has nine strings (it has six strings in three courses). The Latin Tinge can be appreciated for what it is, an introduction. More reading is certainly needed to fill in the music's history in Latin America, and the music's history in the United States post-1980.

[AlexWatson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an classic text for anyone deeply exploring latin music. I would advise, however, spending some significant time listening to these musics first, then addressing Roberts' monograph. feature: excellent glossary. Academic-grade coverage of the roots, foundations, and watered-down Hollywood/Broadway fads is integrated with the watershed post-war scene emanating mainly from a hard core New York City underground enthusiastic about mixing Jazz (and later Soul & Funk) with authentic Afro-Cuban /forms/styles. Adequate coverage is given to Brazilian, and Chicano developments. At the very least this is a book undergraduate students of American music will be exposed to on any basic syllabus. The serious ones will read it. Excellent glossary. A big critique: This book needs a follow-up, it's quite a musical generation out of date. I only hope that the writer handles the material with the skill displayed by John Storm Roberts.

[Randy O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great look at how Latin sounds have shaped American pop culture, from the Tango boom in the 1910s to more recent developments like the influence of Puerto Ricans on early rap. Probably even more rewarding if you understand technical aspects of music, but good for anyone!