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HOT HALF DOZEN 7.29.25

106 songs, albums and videos submitted for review

Amanece (a Pepe Mujica), single by Manuel Garcia.  The feeling is Spanish, the movement is gentle rock, the lyrics are storytelling with the hypnotic melody of Chilean trova.  Garcia combines the heart and the guitar strings like no one else.  This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of debut solo album Pánico,  Manuel García’s seminal work in contemporary Chilean songs that shaped an entire generation. Stream On Spotify and other major platforms.  Catch his tour if you are in Mexico. Spanish.

Duele, single video by Esteman & Daniela Spalla.  With two Grammy noms, it is no surprise that the Columbian artist Esteman (Esteban Mateus Williamson) can spin out beautiful loving music.  When combined with the composing talent and voice of the Argentine singer-songwriter Daniela Spalla, the product is this uplifting, emotional earworm.  Stream on all major platforms and YouTube. Spanish.

Dime, EP by Silvana Estrada. Traditional, yet modern.  Estrada carries you along with the smooth, feminine power of her voice, backgrounded by the horns of regional Mexican music in some songs, and her piano and whistling in others. Three songs, each different, but each a reflection of her huge talent.  I especially like “Lila Aleli”, but your favorite may be one of the others.  Stream on Spotify and other major platforms. Spanish.

El Equivocado, single by Angela Aguilar. A regional favorite, steeped in the flavor of Mexico, Aguilar projects the emotion of a telenovela with her classic voice, beginning smooth and dreamy and then ramping the power up as the violins soar.  This is heart of Mexico, and it grabs your heart.  Stream on Spotify and other platforms. Spanish.

I’m done runnin’, single Samantha Fish.  The queen of blues rock is at it again, grabbing your…. gut with her nuclear-powered cigar box guitar and heartbreaking blues voice. This is down and dirty hard rock blues coming at you with Fish’s riffs and screaming blues voice. 

There is nothing like it in the blues world today. Check out the whole album, Paper Doll.  Stream everywhere.

Kairo, album by Momo Maiga. I saw him live in Spain last week and was blown away. He plays the kora, a traditional West African stringed instrument, resembling a cross between a harp and a lute, and filled the auditorium of the Caixa Museum with sweet sound. The album has 11 songs that combine the sweetness of the kora with African lite drums, a cello, violin. He collaborates with several artists on the album, so each song has a flavor and character of its own. Stream on Spotify.

Patrick O’Heffernan

Patrick O’Heffernan, PhD., is a music journalist and radio broadcaster based in Los Angeles, California, with a global following. His two weekly radio programs, MusicFridayLive! and MusicaFusionLA are heard nationwide and in the UK. He focuses on two music specialties: emerging bands in all genres, and the growing LA-based ALM genre (American Latino Music) that combines rock and rap, blues and jazz and pop with music from Latin America like cumbia, banda, jarocho and mariachi. He also likes to watch his friend drag race.

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