Paquito DRivera played a run of shows with his new band. That may seem strange, except that hes been busy with broader ideas. Or maybe just one big idea: Afro-Latin music in the New World.

The Cuban saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Paquito D?Rivera performed a first-time run of shows with his new band.

Juanes wrote songs for peace and gathered famous friends (Alejandro Sanz, Carlos Vives, Juan Luis Guerra, etc.) to play for hundreds of thousands on the Colombian-Venezuelan border in an effort to get the countries' two presidents to stop saber-rattling; Shakira opened schools for poor Colombian kids and spoke out on issues; knowns (Yerba Buena's Andres Levin) and unknowns (Andres Useche) ...

A plan to let the Florida Keys spend a fraction of its hotel-tax collections building work-force housing has resurfaced in Tallahassee.

THE CHANCE to dance to the Latin beat and burn those Christmas calories is on offer to Redditch residents, starting next week.

The Movie: Latin-tinged music has long been an exotic staple on the American music scene. In the 1940s, we had the samba stylings of Carmen Miranda and her longtime music director Dorival Caymmi (whose children went on to become leaders of the Bossa Nova and MPB movements).

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As 13-year-olds growing up in Southeast Portland, Tony Diep and his friends carefully closeted their love of bubble gum pop music. Instead of partaking in the wars waged among Britney, Christina and the plethora of 1999 boy band fans, the teens opted to lip-synch to DMX beats played on Jammin' FM 95.

One of Ottumwa’s businesses seems to be thriving off of people’s pledges to become healthier.

Del Bryant is the chief executive of Broadcast Music Inc. in New York.