NPR Music

This Week On Alt.Latino: Guest DJ Ceci Bastida

By Jasmine Garsd

Published December 1, 2010 at 12:00 PM EST

Ceci Bastida is one of those artists who should have been doing solo work a very long time ago. For reasons mysterious to her fans, she chose to perform from the comfort of a larger band (Tijuana NO!) and later as backup for a more established artist (Julieta Venegas).

Ceci started off at 15 with the punk/reggae/ska band Tijuana NO!, one of the most important punk/ska groups of Latin America in the '90s, and a band that was notoriously rebellious and confrontational. Alt.Latino co-host Felix Contreras had a chance to see the band one night in Fresno, California. He describes them as "raw, reggae-influenced and political."

Out of the school of Tijuana NO! graduated the fantastic Julieta Venegas. Bastida seemed comfortable backing Venegas for a decade. In a recent article, the Los Angeles Times describes her work with Venegas as "a creatively enriching if somewhat self-effacing assignment considering that many had expected her to embark immediately on a solo career."

This year, Bastida finally decided to take center stage with her first solo album, Veo La Marea (I See The Tide).

She recently paid a visit to Alt.Latino, shared some tracks from that new album, and answered the question that’s been on every fan's mind: Why on Earth did it take her so long to do solo work? She also shared the music on her iPod these days, from Alt.Latino favorites like Rita Indiana to bands we hadn’t heard of such as Astro, from Chile.

Ceci was a great guest DJ. Not only did she have amazing stories to tell (she joined a notorious Tijuana punk band at 15, so she’s got to have great stories), but her musical recommendations were excellent. Let us know what you think of the music she likes in the comments section.

Alt Latino 11/30

Have You Heard (Feat. Rye Rye)

From 'Veo La Marea'

By Ceci Bastida

Coming at you from: Mexico

Sounds Like: A song about the drug war plaguing Mexico today, eerily told with samples of children’s songs and infectious beats.

This album is available from iTunes.

Empieza A Amanecer

From 'Veo La Marea'

By Ceci Bastida

Coming at you from: Mexico

Sounds Like: A killer dancehall beat + melodica + up and coming Mexican rapper Niña Dioz + more children chanting = it sounds like a recipe for disaster, but it’s actually a great track.

This album is available from iTunes.

Da Pa Lo Do

From 'El Juidero'

By Rita Indiana Y Los Misterios

Coming at you from: Dominican Republic

Sounds Like: For anyone who thinks Rita Indiana always sounds the same, here’s something different off of El Juidero: a tale of going hungry in America Latina that sounds like the musical score to an amazing film.

Por La Ventana

From 'Audiovisión'

By Gepe

Coming at you from: Chile

Sounds Like: Gepe’s relationship with Chilean folk is fascinating: He went from being a purist to a folk rebel , and in his most recentalbum, he’s finally comfortable. “Por La Ventana” is about getting a breath of fresh air, and it sounds like it, a mix of folk and hip hop beats that is indeed like opening a window and getting a cool breeze.

This album is available at CD Universe.

Partir de cero

From '1977'

By Ana Tijoux

Coming at you from: Chile

Sounds Like: Ana Tijoux sounds like Ana Tijoux, and that’s a compliment- she has a unique flow that is both smooth but rhythmically chopped.

Mientes

From 'Piratas de Sudamerica'

By El Guincho

Coming at you from: Spain and Mexico

Sounds Like: Julieta Venegas sings about heartbreak under a bed of Guincho’s Caribbean styles. Lies, cheating and sorrow sound so good with a steel pan drum.