François Ladrezo eats, breathes and sleeps traditional folk music called Gwoka from the small French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. The pristine island, paradise to millions of tourists each year has a complex and intriguing history that he hopes to document and promote through his craft. Approaching his art as his identity and a sort of spiritual therapy, Ladrezo lives his music intensely and intrinsically

The recent passing of Cuban bassist Orlando “Cachaíto” Lopez reminds us how he paved the way for the future of the island’s sounds

Colombian journalist Jaime Concha explores the hard-hitting musical flipside to the tourist idyll Cartagena on the country’s northern coast. His love of champeta led him deep into a world where resistance has always been a rhythm

At 77, Omara Portuondo is an elder stateswoman of world music. Here she tells Frederick Bernas about her new album, Gracias, and reflects on a long life of innovation, cultural enterprise and funny stories

Andy Palacio, erstwhile star of Belizian Garifuna Punta rock has taken a turn for the more introspective recently, and by way of contrast is finding an audience way beyond his familiar territory

Malena Perez released her debut album Stars, it featured production from Kenny Dope, Carlos Nino & The Life Force Trio, Michael Johnson, Alix Alvarez, and Osunlade

Jose Luis, London’s Latin Mr Big turns his hand to the art of compilation making to deliver three big, bad slabs of music that will have purists gnashing their teeth and everyone else shaking their thing

We are shocked and saddened to announce the death of the great Cuban conga player Miguel ‘Angá’ Díaz who died unexpectedly at his home in Barcelona on 9th August 2006, he was 45.

DJ Jose Luis has been burning the candela at both ends bringing Londoners endless club nights, and now Latino London has its own show on Resonance FM featuring cutting-edge Latin sounds including reggaeton of course…

Natty Bo, frontman of Ska Cubano, is pure old-school showman. He breezes into the interview in his trademark, distinctly ska-like yellow suit, complete with retro white shirt underneath. A matching hat, white shoes and fingers adorned with countless rings as he grins to reveal a metal-capped front tooth…

Despite José Antonio Rodríguez’s diminutive size, he had a huge voice and was affectionately known in his native Cuba as ‘El Pequeño Gran Sonero’. His death, aged just 52, is a shock to many and a loss to all.

Just days before the shock news that Sierra Maestra’s charismatic frontman and founder José Antonio Rodríguez has died, Fly spoke to a band bursting with energy and passion

Oscar Hernandez is in defiant mood before his upcoming tour of the UK. Reggaeton and Latin hip hop may have their fans, but this New Yorker likes it hot and brassy.

Juan de Marcos gave Fly this candid and wide-ranging interview about his latest album Step Forward, the new label, the politics of the music business, the history of Cuban music, the vexing myths surrounding Buena Vista, tomorrow’s stars and, er, King Crimson.

Alex Wilson is an established pianist on the British jazz and Latin scenes at the tender age of 30. He has played with Courtney Pine, Roberto Pla, Gary Crosby’s Nu-Troop and has developed his own solo career more recently. Jose Luis catches up with him before Latin Splash ‘05.

DJ Jose Luis traces the rise of Latin American music phenomenon reggaeton. Like hip hop, its Northern brother in arms, this ghetto music is the angry voice of the oppressed and no force on Earth is going to stop it

Conga player Miguel 'Angá' Díaz is about to release what is possibly the Cuban album of the decade. In drawing on his own rich musical background, Díaz in Echu Mingua also collects the many-coloured threads of Cuban music and weaves them into something new and wonderful.

Continuing our never ending trawl through the broken and battered CD cases on the shelves of Hackney Library's music section we uncover another gem in the form of the definitive collection of Jamaican DJ I-Roy's prolific output from the mid-seventies: Don't Check Me With No Lightweight Stuff [1972-75].

While they're rubbish for the latest chart hits, public libraries across the UK offer a chance to find music and artists you haven't heard. In the first in a regular series Paul Murphy checks out some old tunes to be found in East London's Hackney Library, starting with two discs of legendary reggae producer Joe Gibbs.