Longtime Bay Area DJ and radio veteran Luis Medina recently celebrated his 40-year milestone in broadcast media. El Tecolote got a chance to sit down with the 61-year-old KPFA host to discuss his roots in radio, and his life as a purveyor of salsa and Latin jazz music.
Can you tell us a little about your duties at KPFA?
As the music director for KPFA, I’m in charge of over 70 music programmers. I also make connections with the music community by throwing events. We throw a lot of events that champion artists from different genres—from Latino artists to Cuban artists to African—playing everything from country to pop. We’ve done it all. We sponsor a lot of shows. Besides that, I produce my own weekly show, Con Sabor. Con Sabor’s focus is the same as the focus that I’ve had for the last 40 years: Latin jazz, salsa, Afro-Caribbean music and Cuban music. Con Sabor itself has been happening for 17 years and I am celebrating my 40th year in radio broadcasting this year.
How did you get your start in DJ-ing and radio?
I started in May of 1974 assisting my cousin with his program on KPOO. He got me started following my acceptance to the San Francisco State University broadcast communications department. I provided all the music for his show and after some time began doing broadcasts myself. It’s been a wild ride.
Who were your biggest motivations/influences?
When I was around eight or nine years old, my cousin was exposing me to Motown and soul music, and then The Beatles came around and that opened my ears to a bunch of different kinds of music. I was very eclectic in my musical tastes because there was a lot going on back then. What turned me on to Latin music was first hearing Santana live at Fillmore West, but what specifically turned me onto salsa and Latin jazz was when my friend gave me a copy of Fania All-Stars’ — “Live at the Cheetah.” That really did it for me. I was hooked.
What kind of music did your parents listen to?
I was born in San Francisco. My father is from Venezuela and my mother is from Mexico. They met on the dance floor dancing tango and they became tango champions in San Francisco before I was born. They would keep the radio on all the time.
You’ve had such a rewarding career in radio, what’s next for you?
I’m a media professional, that’s what I consider myself. I want to continue in this work and take it to another level. I’ve achieved this milestone of being in my profession for 40 years. I do have aspirations of getting involved in newer media.