KCSN's Byron Gonzalez Defines Latin Alternative

By Stephen Kallao,

Published June 5, 2020 at 4:31 PM EDT

The title track from La Mera Candelaria's album <em>Si Reina</em>, is among Byron Gonzalez's picks for this World Cafe guest DJ session. — The title track from La Mera Candelaria's album *Si Reina*, is among Byron Gonzalez's picks for this World Cafe guest DJ session.

The sounds of Los Angeles band Triangle Fire may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term "Latin music." But KCSN's The Latin Alt program director Byron Gonzalez defines Latin Alternative as "nothing from the mainstream."

"If it's an independent artist making pop music, then that's the alternative," he says. "Electro, cumbia, salsa. Something that you won't hear on these bigger radio stations."

Our Sense of Place Los Angeles series continues with a visit to the radio studios of KCSN on the campus of California State University, Northridge. Get ready for Byron Gonzalez to turn you on to some of his favorite LA-based Latin alternative artists, also included in the Sense of Place LA playlist below.

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Stephen Kallao

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John Myers

Since 2017, John Myers has been the producer of NPR's World Cafe, which is produced by WXPN at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Previously he spent about eight years working on the other side of Philly at WHYY as a producer on the staff of Fresh Air with Terry Gross. John was also a member of the team of public radio veterans recruited to develop original programming for Audible and has worked extensively as a freelance producer. His portfolio includes work for the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, The Association for Public Art and the radio documentary, Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio. He's taught radio production to preschoolers and college students and, in the late 90's, spent a couple of years traveling around the country as a roadie for the rock band Huffamoose.

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Byron Gonzalez

Guatemalan born and Los Angeles raised, Byron Gonzalez graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor's in journalism, with an emphasis on broadcast. Shortly thereafter, Gonzalez became the program director of Los Angeles' only 24-hour Latin Alternative radio station, The Latin Alt (latinalt.org). He's also a Latin Roots correspondent for NPR's World Cafe program. He has dedicated his career to highlighting a wide selection of music from established, emerging and independent artists with roots in Latin America, Brazil and Spain.

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