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Latin music has many international influences - pop, rock, country, Brazilian sounds, and alternative styles.

For us music is mainly part of the entertainment world and is often a luxury.

Once you're in a particular country, and you're surrounded by musicians who are so adept at traditional music, you suddenly realize how much there is to explore and digest and learn and experience.

Any club is important. All Latin music movements are born in clubs. There is no better research than going to a club. If your music works, it will bounce up.

Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.

One of my reasons for living in California is its close proximity to Mexico. The Latin influence is in every corner of the community. My love of Spanish music hasn't wavered since the '50s. I could hear the blues voicing from the Flamanco families and I always dig for inspiration in Latin music.

What Jennifer Lopez puts out, it's not Latin music.

Music has always been transnational; people pick up whatever interests them, and certainly a lot of classical music has absorbed influences from all over the world.

I sang in English my whole life; I just happened to decide that I had a passion for Latin music, and I wanted to jump into Latin music first.

Americans can pretty much sing anything, whereas foreign singers are often limited in style, language, even composer.