Small World Music and Lula Lounge present a six week-series of the next wave of the Nuevo Latino Movement. Across the Americas, young musicians in urban centres such as New York City, Cartegena, São Paulo and Havana are simultaneously exploring the fusion of traditional Latin and Brazilian rhythms and melodies with contemporary rock, funk, hip hop, jazz, techno, and reggae. The huge success of Reggaeton artists such as Daddy Yankee and Ivy Queen as well as Mexican born singer composer Manu Chao points to the power of these hybrid Latin forms. Toronto's own incredible diversity makes our city the ideal crucible for the exchange of musical influences that characterize the Latin Alternative Movement. Movimiento is the musical combustion of "las calles de Toronto."

Named for a slang term that in the African Caribbean dialect means "it’s going to rain" WAYOVÉ sets the tone for Lula's Lounge's six-week series of nuevo latino culture - MOVIMIENTO - where the crossroads of Latin and Brazilian rhythms collectively collide with rock, funk, hip hop, jazz, techno, reggae and socca.

Based in Cartagena, Colombia's WAYOVÉ formed four years ago mixing Afro-Colombian folk with the sweet polyrhythms of Caribbean coast-infused dub, rock, jungle, and calypso. Leading in the composition of a contemporary nuevo latino soundscape, the band toured steadily in Colombia and is set to release their much anticipated debut CD "NOVA CARIBE" in Toronto, Canada. In only a few months on the airwaves, three tracks have already become part of the soundtrack for the French-Colombian film "La Gente Honrada" directed by Bob Decout, starring Spanish actress Victoria Abril, while the full production has been embraced by enthusiastic audiences on international sound-dials and dance floors.

Tracks on "NOVA CARIBE" are rooted in native Colombian music traditions interwoven with contemporary rock and dub. "La Deje Llorando" [I Left Her Crying] is a fusion of a Colombian rhythm called "fandango" and a variation of the original cumbia from the coastal areas of the country. "Mulata" is Latin rock set to the backdrop of the harmonious Colombian coast native flute - the gaita.

Dirty Maria's unique brand of high-energy Latin Alternative music has exploded onto the Toronto music scene. The four members of Dirty Maria, like Toronto, represent a hybrid mix of cultures: Panama, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico. With each member having a distinct musical background, Dirty Maria finds its strength in its original Latin rock sound.

Plan C mixes up a diverse blend of traditional cumbia, vallenato and son rhythms with cutting edge beats; hip-hop and funk. This cocktail is fortified with Afrobeat-infused horns and powerful lyrics, many with biting social commentary. Plan C was born in early 2002 from the musical imagination of Juan Carlos Valenica, a classically trained, musically hungry young artist from Bogota, Colombia. In Plan C’s repertoire, Afro-Latino rhythms find themselves mixing with contemporary musical styles such as jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop and electronica. The result is an experimental excursion into Alternative-Latin music that worships at the temples of Manu Chao and Ozomatli but with a more organic funk sound.

Plan C is the perfect example of our very own Canadian culture, where many cultures meet to create something always fresh and unique. Plan C resides within a variety of cultural backgrounds (Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Mexico, England, France and Canada), joining together to create soulful harmony. With their debut record ‘Tercer Mundo’, Plan C has positioned themselves to become a world-wide phenomenon by dissecting the immigrant’s story and creating the soundtrack to finding your true roots from your second-home. www.planc.ca.

A 20-piece Afro-Brazilian percussion procession that will carry you off to the rhythms of maracatu, coco, samba de roda and baiao. Nunca Antes mixes funk with traditional Afro-Brazilian rhythms in a style inherited from the maracatu nations of Recife.

Nunca Antes is not samba. The maracatu rhythm is a deep syncopated groove that is enhanced by the swing and beauty of the beaded shakers, the dry attack of the snare, the jump of the bell and the power of the alfaia bass drums. The coordinated movements of the drummers create a beautiful audio and visual effect. our motto is “rhythm, beat, movement, excitement!”

At the forefront of the group is the talented native Brazilian Aline Morales - singer and percussionist as well as artistic director and co-founder of the group. Aline is well recognized in her native Brazil and has played with Mestre Ambrosio, Otto, Manu Chau, and Jorge Ben Jor. In Canada she leads a regular workshop series on Afro-Brazilian rhythms and has perfomed with Quarentra Graus, D’Aldeia, Escola de Samba and Samba Squad. www.nuncaantes.ca.

Wayové’s last concert before returning to their base, Cartagena, Colombia. See July 14 listing.

Following the successful release of their worldwide smash hit 12” ‘Sola Bossa” (Oscillate Recordings), SOL AZUL release their debut full-length CD (NICE 0023) in tandem with THE VISIONARY REMIXES (NICE 0022) double vinyl. The Sol Azul project is spearheaded by Toronto musician/producer D’Arcy McGuire, who has been lovingly preparing this album for close to 5 years, working closely alongside singer/songwriter RUBI, who adds a sultry combination of English, Spanish and Brazilian-Portuguese vocals to the group. Additional acoustic elements are rounded out by Toronto guitarist Juan Dino Toledo.

Southbound creates a high energy groove of electronica and house, funked up with a Latin twist with DJ Medicine Man. Lead by guitarist and composer Edgardo Moreno, Southbound finds a balance of technology (via beat programming) and the exciting vibe of Latin music. Salsa, Samba, Bossa Nova and other Afro Latin styles are mixed and remixed for your dancing pleasure.

Fito Blanko rocks the dancehall with his infectious Reggaeton sound. Don't miss the culminating night of our Movimiento series exploring today's Urban Latino movement.

Panamanian born Fito Blanko grew up listening to the two most popular sounds in his country: salsa and dance-hall reggae. By the age of 14, Fito was already writing his own lyrics in both English and Spanish. He developed a natural and raw method of flowing rhymes with a Latino swing, creating a signature Reggaeton sound. In the last decade, “Reggaeton” has become the new genre of urban dance music not only in Panama and Puerto Rico but all over North America and Europe. While Reggaeton is derived from Jamaican reggae and is heavily influenced by American hip-hop culture, it remains distinctly Latin.

Now twenty-one years old, Fito has been making waves in Canada, the U.S, Europe and in South and Central America. Armed with lyrical skills and a "firecracker" personality, Fito has firmly established himself in the exploding Urban Latino scene as Canada's foremost reggaeton artist and is quickly garnering worldwide attention for his record "Higher Level" recently receiving critical acclaim in both Canadian and American hip-hop and Latin charts).