Artists

Yova Rodríguez

Latin America / Puerto Rico

Yova Rodríguez. The jibarito of Mayagüez.

Giovanni Yova Rodríguez Ruiz, was born in Mayagüez, being the youngest of six siblings, raised alone by his mother Doña Delia Ruiz Crespo. At the age of 7 he started in music singing Christmas bonuses and influenced by his maternal uncle José Ruiz Crespo ¨Pipo El Indio¨ and his great-uncle Antonio ¨Toño Ruiz who played Puerto Rican cuatro.

At the age of fifteen, he began his studies at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free School of Music in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

It is here that he began his singing career and minor percussion and at the age of 16 he became the singer of the school band. In 2004 the project ¨Yova Rodríguez & his group Sakao – Akà, Homage to Polo Montañez¨ began.

Since the release of her musical work, Yova Rodríguez, the ensemble Sakao – Akà, has become one of the most sought-after ensembles in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela and New York, since 2010 she has resided in The Big Apple, La Babel de Hierro N.Y. working on the musical composition for singers of the stature, Danny Rivera, Herman Olivera, Marcial Isturiz, Orquesta Boricua Legends, and the great Andy Montañez among others and to mention a few and traveling through several Latin American countries along with most of the artists already mentioned.

Yova Rodríguez - Photo — Yova Rodríguez – Photo

In 2016 he starts with his promotional song ¨Me Quedaré¨ with arrangements by trumpeter Nelson Jaime Gazu, a song dedicated to the thousands of Boricuas who have left their beloved Puerto Rico.

In 2017 he composes the song ¨Mi Barrio¨ dedicated to his native neighborhood and was presented in Mayagüez, at the same time Mayor José Guillermo Rodríguez gives him the keys to the city and a recognition, in the same year he composes the song ¨ Borinquén se Rivanta¨ where great luminaries of La Salsa participated in New York such as:

El Pulpo Colon, Jhon Benítez, Luis Mangual, José Dávila among others and by the hand of the Cuban trumpeter and arranger Agustín Someillan Garcia, in January 2018 it is presented in Medellín-Colombia in the prominent venue Son-Habana, returns to New York and composes the theme Medellín, it is presented on June 23 with a resounding total success in the event one day of Salsa for Medellín.

Yova Rodríguez himself informs me that he is already preparing his fourth record production by the hand of the pianist, arranger Arturo Ortiz. And at the same time he belongs to the board of directors of the Galería de La Salsa in Spanish Harlem in New York.

Yova Rodríguez - flyer — Yova Rodríguez – flyer

Rumberos del Callejón bring their new hit “Me Tienes Loco” Ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa

Northeast – Middle Atlantic – New York

Rumberos del Callejón New Single “Me Tienes Loco” Ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa is already here!!!

Rumberos del Callejón brings to the Salsero musical market their new promotional single “Me Tienes Loco” with the special guest, Gilberto Santa Rosa “El Caballero de la Salsa”. This third track of the album “Celebrando” presents contemporary salsa with a fresh and avant-garde touch.

The musical arrangements of “Me Tienes Loco” were in charge of Alberto Crespo, while Carlitos Padrón was responsible for the musical production. This third single of nine in total of “Celebrando” Volume 1 was recorded between Caracas – Venezuela and the capital of the World, New York.

In this CD, celebrating the anniversary for the 10 years of the orchestra you can listen the interpretation of the most famous artists of the Salsa genre, such as: the Puerto Ricans Tito Nieves, Gilberto Santa Rosa, and Maelo Ruíz, Domingo Quiñones, and for Venezuela there are the singers: Luis Fernando Borjas, Rodrigo Mendoza, Wilmer Lozano, Angel Vallenilla, Veruzca Verdú, Gonzalo Díaz and Memo Arroyave.

“Celebrando” Volumen 1 is available on all digital platforms.

Release Date: June 28th, 2018

Credits:
Javier Vásquez	Lyric
Alberto Crespo	Arrangements
Gilberto Santa Rosa	Lead Vocal
Alberto Crespo	Piano
José Tabares	Bass
Carlitos Padrón	Congas, Bongos & Timbales
Larry Flint	Minor Percussion
William Rada	Trumpets
Pedro Moya	Trombone
José Fariña	Baritone
Rodrigo Mendoza, Wilmer Lozano, Leo Gruber, Ángel Vallenilla	Chorus

Vídeo: https://youtu.be/Ewcil67kjyQ

Luis J. Cruz H. – Puerto Rican Trombonist

North America / USA / New York

Luis J. Cruz H. They recognize the Puerto Rican Trombonist

The Puerto Rican Trombonist Luis J. Cruz H.

The sound of the trombone sings a seductive melody that fuses the Antillean archipelago into a single town united by strong historical-cultural ties.

The sons and daughters of the Caribbean have left their mark on universal culture, but the libertarian struggles established an umbilical cord that established the dream of an Antillean confederation that has resisted the divisionism that conquering partisans have sown for more than a century.

Luis J. Cruz H, an academic musician from Catañes based in New York with more than thirty-seven years of artistic life, recognized as the Steel Lips Trombone by legendary musicians such as Ángel ¨Papo¨Vazquez (Founder of the Manny Oquendo Free Group of New York, the Baracumbele Experimental Group of Puerto Rico).

Cruz got her start in music at the age of fourteen, when she took an optional music course in middle school. He discovered that he had talent, loved music and wanted to be a musician. The teachers advised him to enroll in the Escuela Libre de Música de Hato Rey in Puerto Rico.

¨I was privileged. I had excellent teachers at the Ramón B. López, Rafael Cordero and Onofre Carballeira schools. They encouraged me to study and listen to the call of my heart. My parents, Luis A. Cruz Vega and Carmen M. Huertas Santiago, were fundamental. My mother has been my greatest source of support and two educators, teacher Edgardo Correa and teacher Antonio Salcedo, are the people who have most influenced my professional development¨ recalls Cruz Huertas.

The love between the trombone and Cruz was one at first sight. ¨I heard the trombone and I fell in love with its sound. Then I petted him. I reach my soul. It’s been more than thirty seven years since I married my trombone and we became one.

Puerto Rico - Luis J. Cruz H. — Puerto Rico – Luis J. Cruz H.

He has participated in several orchestras such as José Alberto el Canario, Celia Cruz, Frankie Ruiz, Willie González, Eddie Santiago and is currently the first trombone of the legendary group Boricua Legends of Pedro Pocholo Segundo in New York.

In the coming days of the month of August, he will visit us in Caracas-Venezuela, to participate in a master class on techniques, use and execution of the slide trombone at the facilities of the National Center for Social Action for Music.

Rubén Blades: What a magnificent way to celebrate 70 years of life and 50 of career!

North America / USA / Miami

Rubén Blades

The author of many of the most popular hits in the history of salsa, reached the seventh decade and music has not stopped playing for him.

The indisputable social sense of his songs made the difference in times when the themes of every other song were about love and unloved.

“The poet of salsa” was born on July 16, 1948 in a humble family, in Panama City, leaded by musicians, because his father was a percussionist and his mother was a pianist.

With an amazing multifaceted nature, Blades was the first in his family to go to college; so music was a hobby, like any other. Shortly after graduating as a lawyer, he arrived to Miami running away from Omar Torrijo’s dictatorship.

Since the time of Fania, he has walked through different currents of the same genre and composed the song Patria, which is still the second national anthem of his native Panama. In his last awarded albums, he returns to the company of great orchestras and to an intentional change in his voice to give nostalgia airs to the songs he sings. He has won 17 Grammy Awards and has been nominated 3 times for the Emmy Awards.

He has ventured into film, television and politics. His deeply critical nature does not allow him to ignore injustice and the abuse of power, and does not skimp on making his point of view known. Recently, he hinted his presidential aspirations in Panama for the 2019 elections, and this would not be his first time at the presidency’s run. In addition, he was Minister of Tourism between 2004 and 2009.

Blades has acted in 35 films and three series, and we must add the recently released documentary, “Yo no me llamo Rubén Blades” directed by Abner Benaim. Apart from his apparition in the popular TV series “Fear The Walking Dead”, he recently participated in the film “Hands of Stone” about the mythical Panamanian boxer Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Durán. There is no artistic space which Blades has not dabbled in.

How does he celebrate 70 years of life and 50 of career?

Singing! Although he has stated on several occasions that he wants to devote himself to other artistic facets and perhaps on purpose, he has allowed himself to think retired and then reappear with excellent albums like “Cantares del subdesarrollo” or, “Medoro Madera” the truth is that everybody is wondering, what will Rubén Blades do now, will he retire?

Currently, Blades writes opinion articles and publishes them on his website www.rubenblades.com, while on tour with the Panamanian group Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, until September. As if that was not enough, he prepares a book of poems, two scripts for cinema, is considering a couple of offers for the big screen, and will continue promoting the documentary “Yo no me llamo Rubén Blades” that although HBO has not revealed when it will be released on TV, will continues its journey in film festivals, and on cinema until August 30th in Panama, and 31th in Mexico to start the next premieres.

As a cherry pie will keep us in suspense about his possible presidential candidacy, because ” “antes necesito saber lo que el país quiere y si está dispuesto a abandonar el clientelismo a cambio de un plan nacional a largo plazo” Likewise, Blades clarified that ” no es algo que esté ya decidido “, it is a possibility, which requires society’s “apoyo masivo”.

This year near his 70th birthday, he affirmed without doubts: ” No me despido de los escenarios, sino de las giras de salsa. En este momento tengo muchos otros planes y proyectos y, a mi edad, tengo que priorizarlos”.

Anyway, Rubén Blades is that salsero that integrated action and politics into his social struggle. What else can we ask of him?

Nanette Hernández promotes the bomba and plena in New Jersey

We know that the most of our Latin countries have historically become known for genres such as salsa, merengue, bachata and more recently reggaeton and trap. However, the popularity of the aforementioned genres made us leave aside other more local rhythms that also deserve exposure.

On this occasion, we wanted to talk about the bomba and plena, so we resolved to interview Nanette Hernandez, who is one of its main proponents here in the United States, more specifically in New Jersey.

This is Nanette Hernández, who is a great promoter of the bomba and plena

How Nanette became interested in the bomba and the plena

Nanette began by telling us that her interest in music was born thanks to her parents, who are Puerto Rican and moved to the United States, Pennsylvania, during the 1950s to continue their life in this new country. However, his home was built based on Puerto Rican culture and, of course, that included language and music. Her father had an ensemble that played jibaro music and Nanette grew up watching this, so this musical environment was always very familiar to her.

As she grew up, Nanette also became very interested in dancing and discovered that she really liked salsa when she was just a teenager. She remembers listening to Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, El Combo de Puerto Rico and many of the most popular groups and musicians of the time, who also inspired her to keep dancing. She felt that she was encouraged just by dancing, so she continued to do so over the years, but not professionally.

After marrying Juan Cartagena and seeing that she and her husband shared a taste for Latin music, they began to frequent places where Puerto Rican music groups performed. That is how they were in a show of the dance and drum ensemble ”Los Pleneros de la 21”. They were so fascinated by what they saw and heard that both Nanette and Juan began to study the plena and bomba because they wanted to know everything about these rhythms. Their interest was such that they were even in contact and consistently et with the Cepeda family, which is a cultural institution with many years of experience in everything to do with the bomba and plena.

She also mentions that Roberto Cepeda, part of the aforementioned family, was very important in her decision to devote herself to promoting the bomba and plena and feels that he saw something in her that even herself was not able to see, so she decided to search for expert teachers in these genres to become more professional in the dancing and instrumental part in order to be able to teach them to others.

Differences between the bomba and plena

When we asked Nanette about the differences between the bomba and plena, she made it very clear that people often think that they are almost the same, but they are not. They are extremely different and have many differences from each other.

In the case of the bomba, it has re than 400 years of existence and originated in Africa. The genre arrived in America along with the slaves who were brought to the New Continent and the new inhabitants of these lands brought their improvised instruments with them such as the so-called ”barrels”, which have a great resemblance to drums. They are often accompanied by maracas.

In the case of the plena, this rhythm uses the pandero, the güiro and other smaller hand instruments with which they make a completely different sound from the bomba. To complement what Nanette told us, we can also say that the plena is believed to originate in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and its lyrics are very focused on comedy, activism and denunciation. In addition, it is also seen as a very peculiar mix between African and European music.

Another difference between the bomba and plena is that, in the bomba, it is the dancer who leads and guides the musicians, while in plena the opposite happens. These genres are very different from each other, but that does not change the fact that both complement each other perfectly well in any show or class.

Nanette next to her husband Juan Cartagena, Segunda Quimbamba's founder — Nanette next to her husband Juan Cartagena, Segunda Quimbamba’s founder

How Segunda Quimbamba came about

Segunda Quimbamba is a project initiated in 1989 by Juan Cartagena, Nanette’s husband, which was born as a result of the couple’s interest in promoting two of the most important ancestral rhythms from Puerto Rico and preserving the most important musical traditions on the Island of Enchantent, such as the ”parrandas”. A few years later, they began introducing the bomba and plena until they became the center of the project.

In 1997, Nanette and Juan founded the Segunda Quimbamba Folkloric Center, which is a non-profit arts organization that seeks to promote the bomba and plena in New Jersey and the rest of the United States so that those interested can learn more about Puerto Rican music and culture in general. The organization also seeks to offer music and dance workshops at solidarity prices and even for free at times.

Nanette and Juan have been invited to participate in numerous events and have been recognized for the role they have played in promoting Latin music, especially that of Puerto Rico. For example, in 2023, The New Jersey State Council of The Arts recognized the couple with the New Jersey Heritage Fellowship Award in honor of what they have accomplished with this wonderful and ambitious musical project.