2025

Brian Lynch is known for his versatility, excelling in Jazz (primarily post-bop and hard bop) and notably in Latin Jazz

Brian Lynch is a top-tier jazz trumpet, flugelhorn player, and arranger, highly respected for his work in both traditional jazz and his fusion with Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms.

Lynch has been on the jazz scene for the better part of the last three decades. He is known primarily for his work as a sideman for many of the top musicians in jazz and as co-leader of a major Latin ensemble alongside Eddie Palmieri. For a long time, he has championed the music of the great trumpet players who preceded him.

Brian Lynch is a top-notch jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player, and arranger

On this album, which is a natural follow-up to his 2000 album, Tribute to the Trumpet Masters, Lynch pays homage to the works of some of the most prominent, yet undeservedly unknown, jazz trumpeters, such as Joe Gordon, Claudio Roditi, Tommy Turrentine, Louis Smith, Idrees Sulieman, Charles Tolliver, and Kamal Adilifu (also known as Charles Sullivan).

Some of the tributes consist of performing compositions by these artists. In other cases, Lynch performs a tune he composed in the artist’s honor. In all cases, Lynch and his team, which includes Vincent Herring and Alex Hoffman on saxes and Rob Schneiderman on piano, are more than up to the task. They make each of the honorees proud.

Lynch ha estado en la escena del jazz durante la mayor parte de las últimas tres décadas

While there isn’t a single bad track on the album, standouts include Gordon’s “Terra Firma Irma,” which moves along to the potent beat of Pete Van Nostrand, along with excellent solos from all three horn players; Turrentine’s “Big Red” and Sulieman’s “Saturday Afternoon at Four,” both part of a treasure trove of unreleased compositions that were part of the Turrentine and Sulieman estates and that Lynch was able to tap into for these sessions; the hard bop of Tolliver’s “Household of Saud” (again, Van Nostrand’s drumming blew me away) and Lynch’s “RoditiSamba,” a tribute to the Brazilian master.

In short, Unsung Heroes is Brian Lynch’s best album as a leader in his long career. The musical mastery is top-notch, the compositions are always interesting, and the backstory of the whole project is a compelling history lesson for jazz trumpet fans who want to dig deeper than Miles, Diz, and Satchmo. The best news is that there’s more where that came from: this is only Volume 1 of the project; Volumes 2 and 3 are currently available online as downloads.

Paying tribute to the unsung masters of the jazz trumpet is a natural project for trumpeter and flugelhorn player Brian Lynch (the original text mentioned “Bryan Lynch” in this section, it is assumed to be a typo), who has been immersed in the hard-bop lineage since he was part of Horace Silver’s band in the 1980s.

He is accompanied by a mid-sized group that includes Vincent Herring on alto saxophone, Alex Hoffman on tenor saxophone, Rob Schneiderman on piano, David Wong on bass, Pete Van Nostrand on drums, and Vicente “Little Johnny” Rivero on congas.

Herman Olivera El Sonero del Siglo XXI voz líder de La Perfecta II de Eddie Palmieri, Dj. Augusto Felibertt y Brian Lynch un trompetista de jazz ganador de varios premios Grammy.

Moving through rhythms ranging from ballads to riffs and Latin jazz, the band masterfully navigates the material with solo and ensemble passages executed with great fluidity. The title suggests that there may be more installments in this series, and hard-bop fans will certainly hope so. Lynch has a wealth of material to draw inspiration from and a talented band with which to make an indelible mark.

Brian Lynch – Unsung Heroes Vol. 1 (2011)

Tracks:

Terra Firma Irma
I Could Never Forget You
Further Arrivals
Saturday Afternoon At Four
Household Of Saud
Roditisamba
Big Red
Unsung Blues
Wetu

Musicians: Brian Lynch (Trumpet, Flugelhorn) Vincent Herring (Alto Sax) Alex Hoffman (Tenor Sax) Rob Schneiderman (Piano) David Wong (Bass) Pete Van Nostrand (Drums) Little Johnny Rivero (Congas 1-3, 1-6, 3-5)

Recorded October 12-13, 2008 and December 22, 2009 at Knoop.

Also Read: Oskar Cartaya “My Music, My Friends, My Time” Featured collaborations with illustrious friends such as Eddie Palmieri, Giovanni Hidalgo, Dave Valentin, and Justo Almario

70th Anniversary of the Sonora Ponceña at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum

Major guests joined the historic Sonora Ponceña concert, which was held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to mark the 70th anniversary of the musical career of one of the most important orchestras in the salsa scene.

The concert kicked off with a performance by the virtuoso timbalero, singer, and orchestra director Manolito Rodríguez. His orchestra, La Zónika, set the venue on fire with refreshing versions of ‘Encántigo’, ‘Sin tu cariño’ (Without Your Love), ‘Nina’, ‘Antillana’, ‘Maestro de rumberos’ (Master of Rumba Dancers), and ‘Piano man’. It’s worth noting that Manolito was part of “La Ponceña” from 2004 until the end of 2007.

Once La Zónica had warmed up the coliseum stage, the Sonora Ponceña began to deliver its repertoire, which included ‘Prende el fogón’ (Light the Stove), ‘Ñáñara cai’, ‘Ramona’, ‘Boranda’, ‘El rincón caliente’ (The Hot Corner), ‘Tumba Mabó’, and ‘Las mujeres son de azúcar’ (Women Are Made of Sugar) sung by Daniel Dávila; ‘Como amantes’ (Like Lovers), ‘Como te quise yo’ (How I Loved You), ‘Sigo pensando en ti’ (I Keep Thinking of You), ‘Timbalero’—which allowed the timbal player to dedicate himself to the instrument with a spectacular solo, ‘Fuego en el 23’ (Fire in ‘23), and ‘Luz negra’ (Black Light) performed by Darvel García. In fact, shortly after Darvel performed ‘Como amantes’, he was in charge of welcoming the pianist, composer, arranger, and director of the Sonora Ponceña, Papo Lucca, who enjoyed the concert from the stage in a wheelchair.

Omar Ledée, uno de los invitados de la Sonora Ponceña Foto By Conrado Pastrano

The rotation of the repertoire allowed for a dynamic interspersing of performances by the guests whom the concert production granted access to the celebration.

With 90 years of sabor (flavor/soul) and salsa, Luigui Texidor, who left the Sonora Ponceña in 1973, returned smiling and grateful. Texidor, who recently received the welcomed honor of seeing his name mark the street leading to Colonia Las Flores in Santa Isabel, his hometown, sang ‘El pío pío’, ‘Bomba carambomba’, and ‘Noche como boca de lobo’ (Night Like a Wolf’s Mouth / Pitch-Black Night).

Sharing that same celebratory vibe, one of the most remembered voices of “Los gigantes del sur” (The Giants of the South), Yolanda Rivera, who was part of “La Ponceña” until 1982, was heard. Rivera proudly recalled her seven years as a member of the orchestra while thanking the invitation to the historic concert, where she performed ‘Hasta que se rompa el cuero’ (Until the Skin Breaks), a track that featured a powerful bongo solo.

Omar Ledée performed ‘Remembranzas’ (Remembrances), originally recorded in the voice of his father, the late and ever-remembered Toñito Ledée, whom Omar represented in a heartfelt posthumous tribute.

Another fan favorite of the Sonora Ponceña followers is Pichie Pérez, who joined the group in 1983 “in substitution of Miguelito and Yolanda.” The singer performed ‘Te vas de mí’ (You Leave Me) and the updated version of an emblematic track, which for the celebration was titled ‘Jubileo ‘70’ (Jubilee ‘70), and which Pichie himself describes as “one of ‘La Ponceña’s’ iconic tracks and the first unreleased track I recorded.” The vocalist was associated with the orchestra for three decades, from 1983 to 2013. Since his departure, he has been promoting his solo career, making this the first time in 12 years he was heard live with his “alma mater” orchestra.

Orquesta La Zónika de Manolito Rodríguez, abriendo el espectáculo Foto By Conrado Pastrano

Wito Colón, who left the Sonora Ponceña 15 years ago, arrived ready to sing ‘Hachero pa’ un palo’, ‘Vas por ahí’ (You Go Around), ‘Yaré’, ‘Yambeque’which interspersed a powerful tumbadora (conga) solo, and ‘Sola Vaya’ (Go Alone), the latter song performed with Daniel Dávila and Darvel García. The vocalist was hailed by concertgoers as “the champion of the night” for his vocal power, as well as his charisma before the ardent audience.

Undoubtedly, it was an unforgettable night.

Also Read: Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer

Dominican bandleader and singer Papo Ross is triumphing in Montreal

Canada continues to give us something to talk about when it comes to Latin music, and our daring guest is firm proof of this. Dominican bandleader and singer Jorge “Papo” Ross has given us the great honor of talking about his interesting career both in his native country and Montreal, where he currently resides and moves forward with his musical projects.

Papo Ross with his saxophone — Dominican bandleader, singer, and musician Papo Ross posing with his saxophone

Papo’s beginnings in the Dominican Republic

Papo’s musical beginnings were in his hometown of San Pedro de Macorís by playing instruments made of tin or wicker that he and his friends themselves created so they could play, which led him to learn to play percussion, albeit in a very crude manner. Among the first instruments he played were the guiro, the tambora, and the conga.

Seeing his interest in music, his late brother, who was a saxophonist and led a band at the time, took him along to play with him so he could learn the trade through practice. However, the young man did not want to stop there and also began creating his own bands, such as Grupo Enriquillo, in which he and the rest of the members used homemade instruments and a marimba, which doubled as the bass.

He also played with La Moderna de San Pedro, with which he served as the musical director during rehearsals and earned two percent of the orchestra’s contracts. In addition, he founded the group Sui Generis, played with the late merengue musician July Mateo “Rasputín,” and, before leaving the country, played with the recently deceased Rubby Pérez in the 1990s.

Academic training prior to his trip to Canada

After having played with several orchestras, Papo realized that, while it is true that he had gained some experience and knowledge, it was not enough and he needed to train more. That is why he was admitted to study at the Escuela de Música Patria Logroño at the elementary level and the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Santo Domingo.

Papo Ross & Pambiche — Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche as a whole

At the academy, he learned spoken and sung solfeggio and took some saxophone lessons there in the same place. As for the conservatory, he studied percussion, but did not finish his training in this area, as he was also studying law at the Universidad Central del Este in San Pedro de Macorís. Then when the time came for him to choose one or the other, he obviously opted against university, although he did not get to exercise this career either because he missed a few semesters to complete it.

Moving to Canada

Before arriving in Canada, Papo had already traveled to other places such as Puerto Rico and New York as part of his work and had the opportunity to live there for a few seasons, but the Orquesta Tambora invited him to go to Canada to lead the group, which the artist accepted.

Although it was the best decision, it certainly was not easy, as he had to deal with language barriers and the process of adapting to a music scene completely different from that of his native country.

The latter and the fact that he belonged to a minority like the Latino community, limited him a lot at first, but he says he keeps no regrets about his decisions and does not complaint about what he has already accomplished.

Rafael Ithier and Papo Ross — Rafael Ithier from El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Papo Ross

Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche

In 1992, he finally decided to break through his own and create his own orchestra, Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche, thanks to all the skills he had developed so far. After having learned to lead an orchestra, compose, arrange, and sing, he felt more than ready to carry out his own project consisting of 13 members, including two trumpeters, a trombonist, two saxophonists, a percussionist, and three singers, among others. None of the original group remain, and Papo practically does not use the big band, but a slightly smaller format called Papo Ross Meren Latin Jazz Approach.

This band offers its services for private parties and drinks receptions, where Papo sometimes sings with a minus-one and even includes dancers in his shows.

Together with his orchestra, he has played at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on a few occasions, but they have also played in several other cities like Toronto, Regina, Saskatchewan, Victoria, Saint Pierre, Saint John, and many more. He has also collaborated with several other groups and musicians such as Pablo Ramos and the group Calipso.

Outside of Canada, they have played in various places in the United States such as Detroit, Wellington, and Vermont.

Eduardo, Papo, and Dave — Trumpeter Eduardo Sanchez, Papo Ross, and Trombonist Dave Grott

Spain is reborn in new Cuban music by Yalil Guerra

The immense Hispanic legacy is usually relegated to the background, while being a key part of our sound identity.

Reference Image about Spain — Reference Image

Yalil talking about Spain — Composer, bandleader, and Latin GRAMMY winner Yalil Guerra.
Image courtesy of RYCY Productions

By YALIL GUERRA

The birth of the Cuban nation, after gaining its independence from its former colonizer, Spain, marked a break that transcended political concerns and entered strongly in the cultural aspect. Cubans were “denaturalized” after the Treaty of Paris in 1898, leading to a profound metamorphosis of identity that was inevitably reflected in our music. Out of that process a fresh and powerful sound expression emerged: a vibrant fusion between European, African, and North American influences, something that had already begun in the 19th century but was driven by a growth music industry and the cultural magnet of its northern neighbor, the United States.

For years I have listened to, studied, and enjoyed Cuban popular music — both the old and contemporary— and what I notice is that most productions tend to highlight the folklore—especially the Afro-descendant roots and the imprint of jazz — while the immense Hispanic legacy is usually relegated to the background, while being a key part of our musical identity.

In Cuban music today, both on and off the island, the record business is committed to a modern and bold sound. Compositions explore contemporary harmonies, bitonality, and extended chords — resources that come from both classical music and jazz — entwined with surprising and refreshing harmonic cycles. In wind instruments, melodic lines and musical motifs reveal the virtuosity and creativity of a new generation of musicians and arrangers, who are raised in solid academic traditions but open to global influences. The percussion stands out for its polyrhythm and the number of sophisticated tutti that require a unique expertise, but the Spanish influence is quite absent or just present in the language.

In contrast, What caught my attention was the newest music of singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Alain Pérez on his new album Bingo, where Spain resonates powerfully and recognizably. I find this gesture very special, as it vindicates a Spanish legacy in Cuban music that is often forgotten or minimized. I also highlight the case of pianist and composer José (Pepe) Rivero and his new album Estampas y Raíces where he pays tribute to classical Spanish composers, mixing their works with his unique interpretive style, bringing it closer to the language of Cuban jazz that is so familiar to him.

What about the large mass of Cuban artists and musicians who do not pay homage to the mother country? It is that we lost our historical memory or has it been erased? Is the omission of certain elements of our Spanish traditions a symptom of what some call the “Spanish Black Legend,” a myth that has seeped into our musical history and present?

I remember when Juan Perón said:

“And through the figure and work of Cervantes, Argentina pays tribute to the mother country, fruitful, civilizing, eternal, and to all peoples who have emerged from its maternal womb.” “And through the figure and work of Cervantes, Argentina pays tribute to the mother country, fruitful, civilizing, eternal, and to all peoples who have emerged from her maternal womb.”

Cuba is no exception.

Over the years, in response to the previously exposed, I have tried to make Spain present in my work: incorporating harmonious colors, Andalusian cadences, and the Phrygian mode—so tied to the Iberian sound—creating compositions devoted specifically to Spanish culture, especially my new string quartet entitled “Noches de España”, following the line of our great composer Ernesto Lecuona, who knew how to bring to life both African and Spanish things. As for me, I seek to keep alive that heritage and project it onto 21st-century Cuban music, without forgetting our important African legacy.

Today, rescuing the Spanish heritage in Cuban music is not just an act of memory: it is also an opportunity to rediscover the richness of crossbreeding that continues to define who we are and how our history sounds. Contemporary Cuban music not only looks to the future: it sings to its African roots, but it also needs to reconnect with that other essential part of our identity. After all, we think, love, and communicate in Spanish. Every note, every guitar or lute that sounds, will evoke that heritage and bring us near to the fullness of what we are.

It does not matter the color our skin is, or whether our grandfather was from Asturias or the Congo: cultural fusion is what forged our identity and will remain the essence of Hispanic America. Mexican writer, philosopher, and politician José Vasconcelos said: “I am Hispanic, and nothing about Hispanic is alien to me.”

At this crucial time, Cuban music has the challenge—and the opportunity—to sing its entirety. And in doing so, it shows us that, beyond styles or labels, what unites us is the sound of a common history.

The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra: electrifying fusion and salsa flavored with indie rock

The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra is an 11-member musical group that, as the name suggests, uses salsa as its foundation but also mixes it with other genres such as funk and indie rock to make its music distinct. This combination of beats has led the orchestra to be internationally recognized for its explosive arrangements, modern touches, and repertoire inspired by Anglo-Saxon artists.

Today we are here with arranger and percussionist Gianni Mano (founder) and Argentine singer Solange Prat (vocalist) to find out about their beginnings, the current situation of the orchestra, their roles in the project, and much more.

Solange Prat and Gianni Mano — Argentine singer Solange Prat and American bandleader Gianni Mano

Gianni and Solange’s musical awakening

Gianni began his first address by sharing that his family had some musicians back several generations, but his own interest in music aroused in his childhood. It was then that his parents enrolled him in piano lessons, but his taste for Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean music settled in when he was a teenager, recently moved to Miami to attend college.

In the late 1980s, he got a job at a nightclub, where he discovered hits from great artists who would inspire him in the future, such as Cuban musician and percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdés. When he listened to the artist, Gianni could hardly credit how wonderful and different it was what captivated his ears.

By the time, the young man was studying percussion focused mainly on classical music, but the impact of those rhythms he had heard was such that he wanted to know much more about them. This led him to move to New York and hire private teachers to know more about salsa, Afro-Cuban, and Nuyorican music, because when heard them, he discovered that this was what he wanted to dedicate himself on an artistic level. He assured us that it is always best to learn music directly from those who play it, so it was the best decision he could take.

The musician assured us that, at that moment, he could not believe the world he was missing, but when he found it, he did not let it slide.

At this point, Solange joined us and said her interest in music began in her native Argentina, where her parents always listened to Gloria Estefan, Juan Luis Guerra, and other artists of this type. On her mother’s side of the family, some relatives played the guitar and a lot of Argentine folk music such as sambas and chacareras, so she had a lot of contact with that music and eventually started singing at a very young age.

Gianni playing live — Gianni Mano playing live at Brooklyn Bowl

Since the girl used to sing all the time, her mother enrolled her in singing lessons until she got her first opportunity in a band at the age of 15. Added to that she spent about six months on a cruise in the Caribbean, and when she came back, she wanted to continue training on an artistic level, but with a focus on the music she had been listening to during her trip.

Sometime later, she went to visit a friend in New York, and it was there that she met Gianni, who asked her to join The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, which was already founded. It was something very new for her, as she had never sung salsa before, but she accepted the challenge anyway, and Gianni served as a mentor for her at all times.

Gianni as an arranger

As for his role as an arranger, Gianni told us that, when he left his previous job to devote himself entirely to music, he spent oceans of time transcribing arrangements of other artists’ songs to see how they worked. He remembers that the first song with which he tried this was one by Tito Puente, but then he did the same thing with hundreds more.

For a long time, he listened to all these pieces hundreds of times to understand the form of a salsa-based song and how it needs to be structured for the enjoyment of the dancer on the dance floor. That is how he began to write his own arrangements, although acknowledging that they were not all that good at first, so he had to practice a lot.

His coexistence with groups of different genres and practice with various types of instruments helped him greatly to master this area in all styles.

Solange Prat singing at the Sofar Sounds New York

The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra

In 2009, Gianni was making some demos and garnered rave reviews, so he felt ready to start his own musical project, but obviously he could not do everything alone. He began to place ads in online newspapers to recruit artists to join his band, although there was a subject which worried him: language. He told us that he was looking for musicians who mastered both English and Spanish, and in that sense, Solange pleasantly surprised him with her singing ability in both languages.

The orchestra’s first show was in 2010, which let it to gaining some popularity in the public of the city.

From Solange’s point of view, she describes her arrival in the orchestra as an unexpected event for her career, since in Argentina she had experienced a lot with soul, R&B, and funk. However, this would change with her move to New York, which is when she met Gianni and discovered a whole new world for her until then, but she loved it a lot.

So, she did his best to learn everything she could about this new music and keep up with required level. Gianni played a big role in this, as he taught her how to play certain instruments and gave him CDs from some of the great salsa legends to take them as a guide.

She closed the subject by saying that moving to New York, meeting these musicians, and becoming part of this new music scene was great and inspiring.

Gianni, Solange, and the rest of the orchestra — From left to right: Angela Ortiz (piano), Rafael Gomez (bass), Jhohan Hernandez (congas), Felipe Fornier (bongo). Solange Prat (voice), Gianni Mano (Percussion), Alex Asher (trombone), John Challoner (trumpet), Jason Prover (trumpet), and Dimitri Modebacher (baritone sax)

How to maintain an 11-piece orchestra alive

Currently, the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra has 11 members in total. At a time when bands and musical groups are getting smaller and smaller, we wanted to know what Gianni and his artists do to stay together in an environment that pushes them in the opposite direction.

The percussionist says that one of his greatest dreams was to have a large salsa orchestra, and he has succeeded, but he admits that things were simpler before COVID-19. After that, far fewer people attended salsa dances or were willing to pay for such an event. Still, they have done everything humanly possible to keep the group together, since in the words of Gianni, an orchestra composed of six or seven people does not sound as good or as complete as one with nine or more musicians.

However, he does not deny that they have had some issues with certain venues due to the orchestra’s size, such as small stages or low ability to pay everyone, but in general, club owners and promoters just want a good show and for people to enjoy it. For this reason, they make an effort to hire bands like the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra because they know what they have to offer.