Latin Acoustic Groove

From a beach in Bahia to a basement bar in Madrid or sidestreet in Guadalajara . . . our Latin Acoustic Groove Essentials selection brings you a world of exotica, unplugged. Barcelona's Manu Chao finds that simplicity is bliss on "Me Gustas Tu," an achingly lovely ode to life's pleasures; Los Lonely Boys serve up a bluesier acoustic rendition of their monster hit "Heaven," recorded live at Neil Young's Bridge School benefit concert; Rodrigo y Gabriela set their strings ablaze with Diablo Rojo. And how can we not include Seu Jorge's Portuguese cover of the David Bowie classic "Rebel Rebel," made famous in the Wes Anderson movie The Life Aquatic? Pacifika are the paragon of Latin acoustic exotica . . . in Next Steps.

With its heavily strummed Mediterranean-soaked acoustic guitars, Gipsy Kings' anthemic "Djobi Djoba" has become an inescapable favourite of restaurants and cafés the world over — cue it up, and your senses will instantly prompt a craving for patatas bravas, cerveza, and passion. Warm climes aren't a prerequisite for a hot Latin groove, as our own Pacifika proves: the sum of a Peruvian vocalist, Barbadian bassist and Canadian guitarist equals something really special, as you'll hear when "Paloma" casts is spell. And Nelly Furtado draws on her strong Latin roots when she hooks up with Julieta Venegas on "Bajo Otra Luz." Guadalajara gets its groove on, in Deep Cuts.

In a just world, Guadalajara native Sara Valenzuela would be a household name; "Dejar Entrar" is a shimmering slice of acoustic trip-hop taken from her 2005 debut Lado Este. Fellow Guadalajarans Maná have had much more success connecting with the masses: "En el Muelle de San Blás" is a captivating acoustic version of one of their biggest hits, taken from their multi-platinum 1999 MTV Unplugged release. And Cuban-Canadian Alexis Puentes — better known by his professional moniker, Alex Cuba — has been spreading the Latin acoustic vibe far and wide, thanks to collaborations with Ron Sexsmith and Corinne Bailey Rae, and gorgeous tunes like "Contradicciones."

When it comes to Latin music, sometimes a break is needed from the splendor of its often-percussive beat; there's magic to be found in a heartfelt tune married to a delicately strummed acoustic guitar and lilting vocals. Latin Acoustic Groove explores the introspective side of Latin music, from the dazzling fretwork of Rodrigo y Gabriela and the acoustic trip-hop of Si*Sé to the stripped down acoustic renditions of classic hits by Mexican rockers Maná, Café Tacuba, and Jaguares. We celebrate the many talents of Mexico's Julieta Venegas (who wields the accordion like no other alterna-pop songstress), reveal a stripped-back side of Ricky Martin ("Tu Recuerdo"), and challenge you to find a warmer, happier, sexier groove than the one we've created right here.