La Linea – The London’s Latin Music Festival is back!

London’s Latin Music Festival La Linea will make a much anticipated return this spring featuring artists from across the eclectic and thriving Latin music scene in venues across the Capital from 21 April to 2 May. Featuring a programme largely headlined by women, La Linea 2022 marks the return of international artists after more than two years alongside shows from an array of acts from the UK’s burgeoning Latin music scene.

Who is taking part?

Pioneering French-Chilean vocalist Ana Tijoux, whose sound blends hip-hop, Latin pop and R&B, makes a welcomed return to the festival with a concert at the Jazz Cafe on 26 April. The same venue also presents Grammy nominated Cuban pianist Roberto Fonsecawith his trio on 24 April. Since making his name in the legendary Buena Vista Social Club, Fonseca has been at the forefront of the renaissance in Cuban music, blending his love of jazz with his Cuban heritage and African roots.

The festival will also welcome Sara Correia for her UK debut performing at the Union Chapel. Correia’s voice and style captures a balance between traditional fado with its modern and lighter incarnation but also swaying towards French chanson. Her debut album Sara Correia, released back in 2018, earned two nominations for Best Fado Album and Best New Artist at the PLAY-Portuguese Music Awards. In addition, Union Chapel hosts fado rewired with Portuguese singer Lina joining forces with contemporary producer Raül Refree creating a new approach to fado queen Amália Rodrigues’s iconic repertoire. Their album Lina_Raül Refree delivers a 21^stcentury impression to this ancient music replacing guitars with piano and analogue synths. The Times commented that “the contrast between the red-blooded emotion of Lina’s voice and the cool electronic tones is hugely effective.”

London’s own New Regency Orchestra plays a special La Linea show as part of its EartH residency, as they demonstrate their mission to take the Afro Cuban sounds and lift them into the 21^st century. The band includes a 12-piece horn section alongside an extensive 6-piece rhythm section sourcing inspiration from New York’s amalgamation of Jazz and Latin from the 50s to the 70s.

They’ll be appearances for Las Adelitas, a seven-piece all-female band aiming to break stereotypes as the only female Mariachi band in Europe, and Luzmira Zerpa, a prolific Venezuelan singer/songwriter who is presenting her new project delving into the music of the Andean plains.

La Linea 22 will also host a Candela Records Showcase at the Jazz Cafe, where musicians such as Angelo Flow, Clara Hurtado and Guala will take to the stage. Candela Records is the UK’s first ever record label dedicated to Urban Latin Music, a partnership between Atlantic Records UK, music distributor ADA and Latino Life media. In addition to live music, the festival will present the UK film premiere of feature film Mambo Man, which has won 80 international film festival awards and features a soundtrack of Cuban music. La Linea joins forces with Movimientos for a special edition of their ¡Cumbia, Mi Amor! night featuring a live show from the UK’s premier Cumbia outfit Malphino on the eve of their new EP release on Lex Records plus special guest DJs all in Peckham’s newest live music club Well Seasoned.

Tickets are on sale now and available from www.lalineafestival.com.

La Linea 2022:

Candela Records Night

Angelo Flow, Clara Hurtado and Guala, Rene Alvarez and his Afro-Cuban Funk Project

Thursday 21 April

The Jazz Cafe

Lina_ Raül Refree

+ support Francisco Sales

Saturday 23 April

Union Chapel

Roberto Fonseca

Sunday 24 April