This year, the 1 1/2 day confab features two new panels: talent/management and music publishing/copyright. Indeed, former MTV head Les Garland, now CEO of Video Jukebox Network, is even participating as panelist on the televison/music video panel. 'Now Americans are taking a very big interest in the Latin music industry.' 'It's not just Latins who are coming' to the conference, says event co- coordinator Angela Rodriguez. In only its second year, the Latin Music Conference already is starting to attract a broader audience interested in tapping into the burgeoning Hispanic music market. Wednesday at Miami's Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave. Scheduled to perform are sultry Mexican thrush Daniela Romo - who turned in a superb outing last Saturday night at the Tropigala Club in Miami Beach - along with Grupo 440, Myriam Hernandez, Raul di Blasio, Rudy La Scala, Franco de Vita, Ana Gabriel, Luis Enrique, Banda Blanca, Los Tigres del Norte, Orquesta de la Luz, Azucar Moreno, Yuri, and Mariachi Cobre. Univision will broadcast Lo Nuestro live, beginning at 8 p.m.ДЄward presenters include Celia Cruz, Angeles Ochoa, Lily Melgar, Lourdes Robles, and Hansel. Veteran host Antonio Vodanovic will be emcee for this year's awards ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday at Miami's Knight Center. In addition, Spanish opera great Placido Domingo and standout Mexican singer/ songwriter Juan Gabriel will each receive Lo Nuestro's Lifetime Achievement Award. Nominations are based on chart performances on Billboard's Latin music charts winners are chosen in a ballot vote by Hispanic radio programmers and retailers across the United States and Puerto Rico. Presented by Billboard magazine and Spanish-language goliath Univision, Lo Nuestro hands out awards in 16 categories contained in three different musical genres: Pop/Ballad, Regional/Mexican and Tropical/Salsa. Further, in what amounts to near self-competition, merengue/bachata supergroup Juan Luis Guerra y Grupo 440 have three of the five songs nominated for Record of the Year in the Tropical/Salsa category.

Musica con raul di blasio