» Download the Antonio Carlos Jobim Festival playlist Caribe Latino Monday, 10pm-midnight Caribe Latino is a music program that features various types of music from the numerous Latin Caribbean communities. Such popular Latin rhythms as Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Latin Jazz take center stage throughout the two hour program. The show has also evolved into a cultural/historical exhibition. The roots of the popular Latin rhythms heard throughout the world today are examined and challenged as they are played side-by-side with classic tunes of the same genre. Furthermore, guests are frequently invited to share their latest projects while others are invited so that they may be honored for their contributions to this great music. Finally, the community is kept abreast of the "goings-on" in and around the metro area. It is Latin music for the die hard aficionado and the casual listener alike. The Latin Jazz Hour Mondays, midnight-1am The Latin Jazz Hour explores the music of contemporary artists throughout the world while acknowledging the stylistic foundations established by Charlie Palmieri, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Tito Puente, Machito, and other legends. The Latin Jazz Hour showcases artists such as David Sanchez, Danilo Perez, Ray Vega, Ralph Irizzary and Timbalaye, Chucho Valdez, Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, William Cepeda and others, all of who have been pioneering new forms with the genre. The show aims to be sincerely provocative and musically conscious, bringing to light the works of artists in the thriving latin jazz community and serving as an educational forum for interested listeners. Música en Nueva York Wednesdays, 10pm-11pm Musica en Nueva York is a one-hour exploration of afro-latin music, with particular emphasis on the different styles and rhythms that have originated in New York City across the years. Both the old and the new converge in this program, with the only criterion for inclusion being high musicianship. On occasion, prominent artists passing through or residing in town are interviewed. The show aims to appeal not only to the area's large Hispanic population, but also to all those who feel the appeal of Latin music - and they are legion. The program is hosted both in Spanish and in English. Musica en Nueva York has been on the air since September 1997, restoring a tradition, started in the early seventies and still remembered by the public, of broadcasting Latin music on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night basis. Som do Brasil Wednesdays, 11pm-1am Every Wednesday night from 11pm - 1am you can hear the numerous and enchanting rhythms of Brazil. Brazil is a large country, roughly the size of the United States and there is no shortage of musical styles, from samba and bossa nova to MPB. In addition to playing music, Som do Brasil connects with the community. Brazilian event announcements for the New York City area give the community a chance to experience Brazilian culture first hand. In addition, Som do Brasil promotes local musicians and artists to help them gain further exposure. Some recent guests include local artists Ze Luis, Vanessa Falabella, and the Brazuca Band and world famous Sergio Mendez, Simone, and Jair Rodriguez. Som do Brasil was started in September of 1997 by Eduardo Delgado, reviving a Street Samba show held in previous years. One of the most loved aspects of the show is the Antonio Carlos Jobim Birthday Broadcast every January. This April, Som do Brasil held a special 500 Years of Brazil broadcast, featuring 8 hours of Brazilian music from the earliest recordings to new releases. Sonidos Colombianos Fridays, 10pm-11pm Sonidos Colombianos presents the music from one of the most culturally diverse countries of Latin America: Colombia! Every Sunday night join us as we explore the sounds from the legendary town of "Macondo". Our bilingual musical tour is guaranteed to include not only "cumbia", but also the guitar-based "bambuco" from the Andean region, the harp "llanero" music from the Eastern Plains, and the accordion-driven "vallenato" of the North Atlantic Coast. Sonidos Colombianos also features the big band music from the 50's, to the newer afro-caribbean music called "champeta". And let's not forget the "salsa" from Cali, the "salsa capital of South America". The last program of each month focuses on one specific musical genre, group or composer. Since the show's inception on January 13, 1991, Sonidos Colombianos has interviewed numerous local and international musical groups such as Foncho Castellar y sus Alegres de Colombia, Alquimia, Grupo Niche, and Miguel Morales. On July 20, 1998, Sonidos Colombianos presented a 13-hour music festival to mark Colombia's independence day. Unprecedented on the New York FM airwaves, this festival featured extensive and detailed educational segments, including: never-heard-before recordings of vallenato accordionists competing for the "Rey Vallenato" title in Colombia, interviews with an American and Colombian musicologist on the local New York "coste–o" music scene and the carnival music of Barranquilla, and several on-air interviews with WKCR listeners about how they felt about their music. Of course, the festival ended in the WKCR jazz tradition by playing Charles Mingus' piece, "Cumbia and Jazz Fusion". The Mambo Machine Friday, 11pm-2am The Mambo Machine is the longest running salsa show in New York City. Jose "Cheo" Diaz founded the program in 1971, and retired from hosting it thirty years later. The show started out as more of a mambo/Latin jazz show, as Monday and Wednesday night already had salsa covered. In its present version the show plays a wide spectrum of Afro-Latin rhythms, combining new and old into an exciting and elegant mix.

Latin programming on WKCR began in 1970. At the time, the only other Latin music available on the radio was via commercial stations that played older music and romantic ballads. This all changed with WKCR's introduction of salsa to the airwaves. Our team of Latin programmers was especially interested in the history of the music and took every opportunity to inform their audience through oral histories and musician interviews. This created a big surge among musicians, who began to vie for airtime on the one station that was playing their kind of music. Some famous musicians interviewed over the years have been Machito, Tito Puente, Ray Baretto, Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, and many, many other famous and local musicians. Because WKCR's Latin programming had gained so much popularity in New York City, colleges in the area soon followed WKCR's lead and started other Latin programs. Commercial radio stations also followed this lead and changed their format to the type of music which was becoming popular, salsa. But these stations cannot compete with the consideration WKCR has for the community, the birthday and memorial broadcasts, and the exceptional programming with its consideration for quality over popularity. Over the years, the Latin department has developed a reputation as a leader in Latin music broadcasting, and it is this tradition that is passed along to each new generation of programmers