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In 1970, when Salvador Allende won the presidency of Chile by a narrow victory, he became the first socialist to be democratically elected as the leader of a Latin American nation. As he greeted the cheering crowd, the banner above him read "You can't have a revolution without songs." It was a statement of the powerful role music plays in creating social change. This role is the essence of nueva cancion.

Nueva cancion (new song), also known as Canto Nuevo or Trova, brings a positive social message, a demand, struggle build of lyrics, and desires for a better world. It is a music genre that combined Latin American folk music played on traditional instruments with politicized lyrics, which had deep respect for the working and peasant classes. It spread across Latin America and the Caribbean in the 1960s and '70s when musicians joined the mass uprisings that were calling for democracy, justice and an end to U.S. intervention.

Nueva cancion songs became political weapons used to attack unjust governmental system and support the revolutionary ideals while giving hope to the progressive movement.

In Argentina these songs were born during the regime of Juan Peron. In Chile, Victor Jara was responsible for the initial development of New Song. In Cuba trova supported ideals of the revolution. Its main exponents are Silvio RodrĖguez, Pablo Milanes Carlos Varela, Mercedes Sosa and Victor Heredia.

Nueva Cancion supports the struggle against social injustices and for equality through the gift of music. Silvio Rodriguez says a trovador is a poet with a guitar.

In these times more than ever poetry and songs are the best weapons for peace. At the Encuentro, we feature artists who perform traditional trova or nueva cancion along with those whose music reflects the spirit of nuevo canto. The lyrics you will hear express a respect for Latino culture, a demand for better social and economic conditions for Latin America and for our barrios, and a quest for a better world for all people.