• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

  • Home
  • Previous editions
    • ISM June 2022
    • ISM May 2022
    • ISM February 2022
    • ISM January 2022
    • ISM December 2021
    • ISM November 2021
    • ISM October – 2021
    • ISM September 2021
    • ISM August 2021
    • ISM July 2021
    • ISM June 2021
    • ISM May 2021
    • ISM April 2021
    • ISM March 2021
    • ISM February 2021
    • ISM January 2021
    • ISM December 2020
    • ISM November 2020
  • Spanish

Carmen Aular

“Pandemia”, the Johnny Ray song about the pandemic

Pandemic

We all know that 2020 was a tough year for everyone, the reason is quite obvious, the pandemic. Although more than a whole year has passed since the disease began to reach the whole world, the repercussions of covid-19 continue to affect many people today, that is exactly what the new Ray’s song is about, it is called “pandemia” (pandemic) after all.

There are many artists who have taken the unfortunate health situation to create art out of it, in this particular case, a song, after all, inspiration can come from anywhere, something that great artists clearly know, and this is the case of Johnny Ray and this song.

In charge of the direction and the percussion of the song is Johnny Ray himself, while the person in charge of the composition of the song was Johnny Zamot. Sammy González Junior was chosen to sing the song, and after listening to his interpretation, we realize it was a good choice.

Johnny Ray
New song of this great artist

The song is relatively short if we compare it with the average genre’s songs, but it is enough to comprehend the message, plus, but with just over two minutes in length, we can enjoy the authenticity of the salsa’s sound at its best.

On the other hand, as everyone could imagine just by reading the song title, the lyrics focus on the changes that have arisen as a result of the crucial pandemic and the desire for it to finally end. If we translate the lyrics, these say “you can no longer hear the drum that makes you so happy, all this ended when the pandemic arrived”, these are the first lyrics we listen to after the song’s introduction. “I would give a to be able to cheer people up, beating my drums, watching people enjoy,” sings Sammy Gonzáles, making the message of the song clear in that phrase.

Johnny ray

Johnny Ray is not just another salsa artist, he is a veteran musician with almost forty years of experience, which makes him someone very recognized within the salsa industry. Together with his group called Salsa Con Clase (Class salsa), Ray has participated in countless events of different nature, from schools and universities to different fairs and many private events; Furthermore, they have been indifferent shows in more than a dozen countries, so his international journey has allowed him to gain a lot of experience.

From a very young age, Ray was a talented percussionist, and his interest in music would lead him down the road to success. As he grew and developed himself more as a musician, he would go from playing congas in different places in New York where salsa was constantly present, to sharing the stage with some of the most internationally recognized salsa (and other music genres) artists, such as: Marc Anthony, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Oscar de León, Tito Nieves, Eddie Palmieri, Jerry Rivera and many more.

Despite such a memorable career, Johnny Ray continues to produce songs to this day, and will surely continue to do so for many years to come, as we see that even the pandemic is far from discouraging him, in fact, does the exact opposite, inspire him.

 

Home

Enrique Ramil presents his new single “Mentira”

The Spanish Enrique Ramil brings “Mentira” as part of his new stage

Enrique Ramil presents his new single “Mentira” as part of what he wants to show us in this new facet, which begins with AGTE Live. The single is not only exciting because it is Enrique’s latest, but is produced by the acclaimed Venezuelan duo SanLuis, made up of brothers Santiago and Luigi Castillo.

“The song talks about the moment when you discover that everything you have lived is a lie, because of someone who has been cheating on you. Feelings are mixed because it hurts that they have lied to you, but also having been slow to realize it. It’s something which is, in a way, liberating. On an emotional level it is a long but satisfying journey, “explained Ramil.

Enrique Ramil
Enrique Ramil and his Mentira.

This single is composed by Luigi and Santiago Castillo, Juan Mari Monte, Enrique Ramil and Frederick Meléndez. Recorded recently in the United States under the attentive and dedicated production of Santiago and Luigi who wanted to give more light to Enrique’s talent, while launching their own label “La Castillera Music”.

“We introduce you to Enrique Ramil, one of the most incredible performers we have ever met, and with whom we have the honor of presenting our label La Castillera Music. Thank you @enriqueramil @agtelive and @ada_latin for trusting in our pen and our artistic vision to develop such beautiful work. This is just the beginning… ” the duo posted on their Instagram account.

At the same time Enrique took advantage of this step to work with Erika Ender, Yasmil Marrufo, Ángel Pututi, Johan Morales, Juan Mari Montes, Julio César Rodríguez, Linda Briceño and Mario Cáceres, all Latin Grammy winners, in various songwriting sessions.

“Many people are going to feel identified. I like having worked with SanLuis, Frederick and Juan Mari, people that I admired from before,” added Ramil.

Learn more about Enrique Ramil

Enrique was born in Ares, A Coruña in Spain. Since he was little he had a penchant for music, singing, dancing and acting. His career obtained a new level and achievement when he won the 2020 edition of “Tierra de Talento” a program on Canal Sur, but Ramil is not new in the field, he already has more than 15 years of career with hard work.

Enrique Ramil
Enrique presents Mentira.

In fact, being part of a program is not something new for him and he is phenomenal, he has already participated in more programs in different facets as a contestant, coach, chorus or guest artist. He is a very versatile and chameleon artist, but what he has always stood out for has been his very unique voice and his brilliant personality. He has tried various genres like jazz, gospel, and even bossa nova.

“Music heals me, excites me and makes me a better person. That is what I want to provoke in whoever listens to me”, he maintains.

After his triumph in “Tierra de Talento” he secured a contract with AGTE Live Entertainment, a company based in the United States that marks the beginning of Enrique’s internationalization. “Mentira” is the first step in this new stage, a single that can be found on all digital platforms and whose official video already has almost 540 thousand views on Enrique’s official channel.

 

Home

Eddie Palmieri Memorable Career

Eddie Palmieri

There are not many musicians who try to step outside the industry’s pre-established mold and experiment, but those talented artists who dare to do so are often remembered. Some define him as a genius, others as a revolutionary, the truth is that it is evident that Eddie Palmieri’s style has always been ahead of his time. He is among those artists who preferred to do something different rather than simply adapt to the commercial trends that existed in the music industry in the 1960s, which is why he has always been considered an experimental and brilliant artist.

Eddie Palmieri

Born in New York, although with Puerto Rican parents, Eddie showed interest in music since he was just a kid. At the young age of 14, his talent did already lead him to create his first orchestra. Tropical music and jazz were special genres for Palmieri, so Palmieri showed a special interest in both. Despite starting out as a percussionist, he eventually showed more interest in the piano, and his natural talent was evident, so he decided to become a pianist. That was the beginning of a career that would be full of success.

His career began when he participated in the orchestras of Vicentico Valdés and Tito Rodríguez, where he gained experience that would later lead him to create his own band, one that would mark a crucial change in Palmieri’s personal and professional life, the name of the legendary band was “La perfecta” (The perfect one).

In 1962, la perfecta made their debut, adding trombones and trumpets to the sound of the flute and violins of the era, thus creating a fresh, and peculiar sound that people were starting to love. It is normal that his love for jazz led him to continually experiment with different sounds, but what Eddie did not know at the time, was that those “experiments” would eventually make him a person worthy of being considered one of the greatest exponents of Latin jazz and salsa.

Eddie Palmieri
An amazing career.

Awards

It is true that the quality of a great artist is not only defined by the awards he owns, but it is a prove of how relevant his music has been in different eras; in Eddie Palmieri’s case, his showcase is quite full of awards, here are a few of the most important ones: In 1976 the American achieved a memorable feat at the Grammy Awards by winning the coveted statuette, all thanks to The Sun of Latin Music, a production recorded by him. This would be the first Latin American production to win this award.

Eddie Palmieri

On the other hand, Eddie also won the award for Musical Excellence, an award given by the Academia Latina de la Grabación (Latin Recording Academy); Another important achievement was being recognized by the NEA Jazz Masters Award thanks to his passage through jazz.

His musical career is very extensive, as is his discography, so his biggest hits have been compiled in the following compilations: The History of Eddie Palmieri (1975), Gold: 1973-1976 (1976), The Music Man (1977), Salsa Caliente de Nu York! (2001), Sugar Daddy (2007), El Virtuoso (2010) y Salsa Brothers (2011).

 

Home

Juan Manuel Lebrón: a versatile Puerto Rican artist

Music accompanies him from a very young age

Juan Manuel Lebrón is a very complete artist who has ventured into different areas of the entertainment industry, from music to comedy, Mr. Lebrón has put his name on it. Born on April 22, 1947 on the island of Puerto Rico, he has worked from a very young age on the stage when he became the singer of the Sexteto Rítmico group. But Juanma’s career, as he is affectionately known, is the perfect example of self-improvement that other artists can look up to when necessary.

Juan Manuel Lebron
Lebron is a complete artist

He recorded his first full album with the Orquesta Sensacional, which was his next step in the industry. His career took off when he participated in the OTI Song Festival, being the first salsa singer to represent Puerto Rico in this prestigious festival. Here he performed the song “Represento” which was originally by singer-songwriter Lou Briel. OTI allowed Juanma to have international recognition and the unconditional support of the late and talented cantaora Lola Flores who always praised Juan Manuel.

Currently he already has nine complete productions, his first success that conquered the radio of Puerto Rico was “Amores Sin Sentido” released in 1982. Later one of his greatest prides was to make a bolero album, in 1999 where the song “Una obra de amor” which is dedicated to all children struggling with HIV positive.

Acting and comedy are other of his passions

But beyond music Juanma has also stood out at the acting level, especially in television comedies, and if you ask any actor they will say that comedy is much more difficult than drama. Among Juan Manuel’s most famous productions we find “Musicomedia”, “Salsa con chispa” and “En casa de Juanma y Wiwi”; the latter was on the air for 14 consecutive years. He also dabbled in the host part with shows like the game one  “Atrévete”

Many records and songs
Who does not know Juan Manuel Lebron?

Apart from this great repertoire as a singer, actor and entertainer, Juanma has excelled in other facets as a music producer, composer, librettist, model and brand image. In fact, even he has ventured into the theatrical world by writing and starring in the play “Cosas de papi y mami”. He has also been a radio producer with his own shows.

There are many recognitions that Juan Manuel Lebrón has obtained in his long career as a public figure, these have not only been to recognize his work as a singer and actor, but also to recognize the great contribution he has made to Puerto Rico. Among them are:

  • Comedian of the year in 1978.
  • One of the “Ten Most Outstanding Young People in Puerto Rico” in 1980.
  • “Represento” awarded him a platinum record and the Buho de Oro given by Panama in 1986.
  • In 1991 he was nominated for Premios Lo Nuestro for the song “Ella y Tú” in the category Tropical Singer (Salsa).
  • In 1992 he was the official entertainer chosen by Telemundo for the Great Celebrations of the Fifth Centennial of America.
  • That same year he was awarded the honor of representing his island at the Puerto Rico Pavilion in Seville, Spain.
  • He won the Paoli Award in 1993 for Tropical Genre Singer of the Year.
  • In 1999 he received the Don Quixote award thanks to his long career as a comedian.
A Puerto Rican Artist
A talented and very versatile Puerto Rican artist.

In these modern times Juanma remains active in the music industry. There are several singles and albums that he has compiled in recent years. We hope that soon he brings us a new production, and the successes continue for this talented and very versatile Puerto Rican artist.

 

Jonathan Moly starts 2021 singing to his exes

“No Volveré” is the name of his new single

Jonathan Moly released the single “No Volveré”, a song with which he takes advantage of singing to his ex to the rhythm of salsa. This song is produced by Sergio Ramos, who also participates in the writing of the lyrics together with Rafael Salcedo, Ernesto Suarez, Aníbal Morín, and Jonathan Moly himself. The official video was released through the Venezuelan’s YouTube channel and already has almost 250,000 views.

The new of Jonathan Moly
This year starts with a lot of work

The lyrics of the song talk about those failed loves, where even though there is still love there is no way to get back together, since their time has come and gone:

“Quisiera estar a tu lado, pero las cosas han cambiado

Esa historia baby ya es pasado

Cuantas veces lo intentamos, y ha quedado demostrado

Que lo nuestro nunca ha funcionado

Tú quieres volver, pero esta vez, no voy a perder el tiempo

Discúlpame, si te falle, ya pasó nuestro momento”

Jonathan himself has reiterated several times that the song is perfect to dedicate to exes, he highlights it in the comments that can be found in the official video on the YouTube platform: “Did you already dedicate it to your exes? ? ”. Many of them are about ex stories that Moly’s fans have shared, several have been answered by the artist, especially the weirdest and most interesting stories.

The artist in his salsa facet!
His style has conquered more than one

On January 19, Jonathan shared through his channel a tutorial video to play “No Volveré” on the guitar, one of the many ways in which he loves to be in constant communication with his fans. As part of the promotion for this single, he decided to give a new image to his account on Instagram where so far only 13 posts can be seen, most of them around the single and are from this year.

The two most interesting are where he asks his fans if you can be friends with an ex or if they would return with their exes, that way he increased the excitement for his new single so that there would be debate in the comments. Another great surprise for this single was the series of Lives that he shared through Instagram with his exes, where he thanked each one of them for the experiences that led him to be the man he is today.

Jonathan has taken advantage of these months of quarantine to continue doing what he enjoys the most: music, in addition to spending time with his family as can be seen in several vlogs where he shows things from his routines and days passed in 2020. In fact, the video clip of “No Volveré” was recorded in Colombia in January of last year, here it shows a story with an ex, along with scenes of him accompanied by beautiful dancers, one of the hallmarks of Moly’s videos.

Like many artists, Jonathan looks forward to the time where it will be safe for everyone, and to meet his fans again on stage. That way he can sing his latest singles live, but feeling the warmth provided by his fans, he really wishes that in 2021 we can win the battle against this terrible virus.

Knowing a little more about Jonathan

Jonathan Moly is a Venezuelan with art and stages in his blood, his parents are former Miss Venezuela Inés María Calero and the renowned singer, songwriter and producer Miguel Moly. He was born in Caracas on July 13, 1993, from a very young age he has been close to music thanks to his father, so much so that at the age of 4 he recorded and sang a song with him that became a success in Venezuela, even appearing in recognized programs like Sabado Sensacional.

Jonathan with his mother Inés María Calero
His mother, Inés María Calero

His growth in music continued in a professional way, when his paternal grandfather Jesús Moly gave him his first piano, where he carried out his studies of music and the instrument itself. At the age of 10 he continues with his studies in music, but complementing with acting, which he is very fond of. Then at age 11 he began his studies in guitar, which would be his favorite instrument to compose his own songs.

When he was 13 years old he began to record his first studio project under the production of his father, in 2007 he released his first single called “Mi Mejor Amiga” which became a hit on Venezuelan radio, and even managed to cross borders. He manages to perform in various parts of the Caribbean country with this song, which leads him to meet the manager of the most popular youth salsa group in Venezuela “Salserín” where artists such as Servando and Florentino have also been.

Memories with Salserín
His time in the youth group, Salserín

Salserín became Jonathan’s musical school, not only as an artist but also in the salsa and merengue genre, which despite being overshadowed in the Latin region by the urban one, has managed to remain among the new generations thanks to groups like this and artists like Jonathan. His stay in Salserín was from 2008 to 2010, with which he recorded several hits and also allowed him to have his first appearance on television with the miniseries “Robando Corazones” that was very successful in the region.

Upon leaving the group with honor and beautiful memories, Jonathan decides to continue with his solo projects, after the experience gained during those years he begins to embrace more genres such as pop and ballad. In fact it is this mixture that forms his personal stamp, salsa and merengue will always be his flag but he likes to mix it with pop or ballads, in fact he calls it pop salsa. “A mi manera” was the single that he released after Salserín which was distributed by BREÑA SOL from Spain throughout Venezuela, demonstrating everything he can offer in the tropical genre.

2012 was the year of Jonathan’s internationalization by moving and settling in Miami, from there only good things began to arrive for Moly, releasing many more singles and studio productions. In 2013 he sang a duet with the salsa singer Luis Enrique of the famous theme “Yo no se Mañana” during the Chica HTV ceremony in Colombia, which places his name on social networks due to the excellent presentation given by both.

With Luis Enrique in Colombia
Next to Luis Enrique in Colombia

To this day, Jonathan maintains that charisma and simplicity that have always accompanied him, and maintaining constant communication with his fans. We wish this talented Venezuelan artist many more successes, not only in the artistic part but also in the personal one with his wife and their little son, may more good things come.

 

Home

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 10
  • Go to Next Page »

International Salsa Magazine (ISM) is a monthly publication about Salsa activities around the world, that has been publishing since 2007. It is a world network of volunteers coordinated by ISM Magazine. We are working to strengthen all the events by working together.