Lorenzo Homar

Marichal dibujos y aguafuertes en el Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena
Originally uploaded by peacay

A nice blog post about the great Puerto Rican Artist Lorenzo Homar with samples of his work can be found on http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/06/lorenzo-homar.html

Lamento Borincano

Lamento Borincano
Originally uploaded by Moliniano

This is one of the many images by this very talented young man that I found on Flickr. This particular photo fits so well with the lyrics to the song. Check out his work.

In The Heights Wins Big at the Tonys

Broadway critics and theatergoers are always bemoaning the fact that attracting a younger, more diverse crowd is essential to the ongoing success of live theater. Watching this year’s Tony show, I was glad to see the diversity in talent nominated. The live performances were a mixture of old school Broadway (including most of the new musicals) and two distinct and dramatic departures from the singing and music often heard on the Broadway stage.
At this point, I need to put a disclaimer that I am not a regular Broadway attendee. Most of the singing styles I find quite annoying and not something I would like to sit through for two hours. Having said this, I found the performance for “In the Heights,” the most exciting and entertaining. The liveliness and the real singing from the cast, especially Karen Olivo, blew me away. The “Passing Strange” performance was also enjoyable but for pure joy on a stage, “In the Heights” took the prize (literally and figuratively).
It was a proud moment to see a Puerto Rican (Lin-Manuel Miranda) win the Best Musical as well as the Best Original Score for his first effort.
I have yet to see the show but I did buy the Original Cast Album and it has been on my iPod in regular rotation. The music, lyrics and singing are great. The score uses all types of music from hip-hop and salsa to reggaeton and bachata. Buy it and support Latinos in the arts.

Borinqueneers trailer

This is a wonderful film about the 65th Regiment, an all Puerto Rican regiment that fought in the Korean War. Support this film by buying the DVD on their website prsoldier.com.

Puerto Rico en los años 40

A nice collection of photos of puerto Rico in the 1940s set to Mark Anthony's version of "Lamento Borincano"

Democracy at Work in Rural Puerto Rico? Part 1

Interesting propaganda film from the forties by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Extension Service regarding Puerto Rican agriculture.
The irony of the use of the song Lamento Borincano as background to show how happy the farmers are living. The fact that the song is about how the farmers are suffering by not being able to make a living farming is totally lost by the director of the film.

CAETANO VELOSO - LAMENTO BORINCANO

A beautiful version of the famous Puerto Rican song Lamento Borincano.