Artists

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.

Anthony Carrillo The Legendary and Virtuoso Bongocero for Batacumbele and

Anthony Carrillo was born in New York City on 117th Street and Lexington Avenue, a neighborhood marked by significant complexities in terms of violence and drugs. This is why his father decided to move the family back to Puerto Rico in 1972.

“I remember that when I opened my eyes the second day, I heard the music of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe”.

Me opening my eyes, and the smell of the earth. It’s a scene I’ll never forget in my life.”

Once in Puerto Rico, his father continued to play music and was connected with musicians such as David “La Mole” Ortiz, who would later become a great mentor and collaborator for Anthony.

In the mid-1970s, Anthony and his brother began collaborating with the Areito Folkloric Ballet.

Anthony Carrillo: Master Percussionist

Master percussionist Anthony Carrillo comes from a proud Puerto Rican musical heritage. Although perhaps best known for his performances alongside his childhood friend and famous LP artist, Giovanni Hidalgo, Carrillo has performed with numerous renowned musicians throughout his career, including Eddie Palmieri, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Paul Simon, and Harry Belafonte.

He was also an integral member of the outstanding percussion ensemble, Batacumbele, and, in contrast, the Puerto Rican metal band, PUYA. Piano legend Eddie Palmieri has referred to Carrillo as “the best bongocero in the universe.”

Under his own name, Anthony Carrillo has released three CDs, which include the historic first rumba recordings from Puerto Rico. His most recent performances include the off-Broadway musical “I Like it Like That” in 2017, and recording bongos with Puerto Rican artist Residente on his recent track “Hijos del Cañaveral.”

In April 2018, his Latin jazz group, AA team, released two original singles featuring Carrillo on bongos, drums, and vocals.

In August 2018, his dance orchestra, YÁMBAWA, released a four-track EP with originals and English-language pop standards infused with Spanish rap. He has stated that these two productions form his most prolific and inspired body of work in his career so far.

Musical Origins

Anthony Carrillo was born in New York City of Puerto Rican ancestry. From childhood, he expressed a special interest in music. His father, Mr. Roman “Don Nan” Carrillo, was his first teacher.

Through his father, Anthony Carrillo was exposed to the music of “Ramito” (one of the greatest exponents of folkloric music in Puerto Rico) and Rafael Cortijo.

Anthony’s earliest influences were “Papi Andino” (Ramito’s bongocero) and Roberto Roena (Cortijo’s bongocero).

When he was only nine years old, Anthony Carrillo’s family returned to Puerto Rico.

It was then that his father asked David Ortiz “La Mole” who was considered one of the best Rumberos in Puerto Rico to teach his son the techniques and patterns of Rumba. By age 13, Anthony was already part of the touring National folkloric group Areito, directed by Mrs. Irene Mcleane.

In the early 1980s, Anthony Carrillo became a member of the famous folkloric group, La Familia Cepeda, the foremost exponents and keepers of the traditional “Bomba” and “Plena” styles.

Collaborators:

Yova Rodriguez

Planet Drum

Also Read: Papo Vázquez the Pirate & Troubadour of Our Latin Music

Carlos “Cano” Estremera was a legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer, widely known as “El Dueño del Soneo” (The Owner of Soneo)

Why “El Dueño del Soneo”?

He earned this nickname due to his extraordinary and almost unbeatable ability for soneo, which is the part of a salsa song where the vocalist has the freedom to improvise lyrics, phrases, and rhymes over the musical base, elevating the track’s energy and the connection with the audience.

Cano Estremera was famous for his quick wit, rapid rhyming, and extensive vocabulary, qualities that established him as one of the greatest soneros in history, often compared to figures like Ismael Rivera and Héctor Lavoe.

He started in Latin percussion and also with the group Barrio Latino, then he was with Los Pleneros del Quinto Olivo, and later, at the young age of 18, he joined La Orquesta Mulenze, with whom he recorded the track “Mala Lengua” in 1976. The voice that replaced Cano Estremera in Orquesta Mulenze was the great Pedro Brull, who recounts that he had to thoroughly study Cano Estremera’s style to join Edwin Mulenze’s orchestra.

Undoubtedly, one of the greatest successes in Cano Estremera’s career was accepting, in 1978, the invitation to be the lead singer of maestro Bobby Valentín’s orchestra, “El Rey del Bajo” (The King of the Bass).

His first song recorded with Bobby Valentín’s orchestra was the iconic track “La Boda de Ella” (Her Wedding), by the Puerto Rican composer Roberto Angleró, with no suspicion that it would soon become one of the essential elements of Puerto Rican popular culture.

Cano Estremera was famous for his mental agility

Cano Estremera was a unique sonero. He was an artist with an identity and immense talent that was very distinct from the normal or commercial. He established his style from the very first day he became known. There was no style in the genre like “El Cano’s.”

Bobby Valentín was always looking for sound and voices, and Luigi Texidor was leaving the group, and that’s when “Cano” joined with a very different talent.

‘Bobby Valentín Presenta al Cano Estremera’ turns 40.

Cano Estremera’s first solo album, accompanied by Valentín’s orchestra. Produced by ‘El Rey del Bajo’ (The King of the Bass) and released by the Bronco Records label (BR-124) on Thursday, October 7, 1982. It includes the hits: Por qué Me Citas, Buen Corazón, El Caimán, Awilda, Casa En El Campo, etc.

'Bobby Valentín Presents Cano Estremera 1984 — ‘Bobby Valentín Presents Cano Estremera 1984

When he decided to go his own way as a solo singer, Cano Estremera did not have the support of the salsa industry’s machinery at the time. Despite this, with hard work and talent, Cano Estremera decided to fight alone with his music, personally producing everything from his album covers, musical arrangements, tours, and even the distribution of his musical works.

He was always a defender and fiercely protective of the genre. His style and demeanor were always controversial, and that was the magic that captivated his audience throughout his long career—always entertaining, creative, melodious, and above all, prodigious when he stepped onto a stage.

Solo Career: He separated from Bobby Valentín at the end of 1984 to form his own orchestra, further consolidating his career and his title with albums like “Dueño del Soneo”.

Death: He died on October 28, 2020, at the age of 62, after years of health problems related to pulmonary fibrosis, for which he received a double lung transplant in 2018.

Also Read: The owner of the Soneo’s solo career Cano Estremera

Haitian bandleader and musician Mac Gregore Brunis fulfills his dream in Montreal

We do not often write a lot about Latin music artists in Canada, so we want to remedy that situation and provide coverage to a very talented Haitian based in Montreal. We are talking about bandleader, composer, and musician Mac Gregore Brunis, an artist with whom we have been able to talk about his interesting story and career with the musical group he currently directs, Sabor 19.

Mac posing for the camera — Mac Gregore Brunis posing for the camera at an event

Young Mac’s beginnings in music

In perfect Spanish, Mac thanked International Salsa Magazine for the invitation and started by telling that music had always been more than a simple hobby for him. His first contact with this world was in his native Haiti when he was on his way to school by public transport and there were always musicians playing, so music was always part of his life.

He also played instruments with some of his classmates who formed musical groups in the classroom.

However, his professional career would not begin until his move to Canada, where he decided to go at age 21 to study electrical engineering and where he remains to this day. Some staff members of the University of Moncton, New Brunswick, where Mac would end up studying, visited some Haitian schools to promote their educational program among young students. The fact that French was spoken in Haiti, as in Canada, also helped Mac make the decision to try his luck in North America, since Haiti did not offer him the opportunities he was looking for.

It was in this country, more specifically in the city of Montreal, that he met other music lovers who introduced him to salsa and other Latin genres. Although he had already heard salsa and bachata in Haiti because of its proximity to the Dominican Republic, some Colombian friends he made in his new place of residence introduced him much more to all this culture, especially the music.

Sabor 19

When Mac graduated and left the province of New Brunswick to move to Montreal, he began attending salsa and bachata socials to dance on Monday nights, and it was there that he met Eduardo Ramírez. They became friends and played together some of the instruments Eduardo carried, such as maracas, güira, and bongo. When Mac told his new friend that he wanted to learn to play the piano and other instruments, he and Eduardo began meeting to practice and develop the idea of creating a musical group, which they called Sabor 19 in homage to the year it was created, 2019.

Once they had finally decided to do something more formal in music, they invited other musician friends with whom they met weekly to rehearse. They ended up being a group of about 10 people, including Diego, who would be the band’s lead vocalist. For better or worse, the original members are no longer there, but the current ones from countries such as Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, Morocco, and Turkey, have kept the ship afloat for the past seven years.

Despite coming from such diverse countries and backgrounds, this has not hindered communication between the musicians in the least. In fact, all of them speak or understand Spanish very well, so they have managed to understand each other almost perfectly.

Mac playing at the festival — Mac Gregore Brunis and Sabor 19 playing at the Nuits d’Afrique Festival

Original music and genres

Since the foundation of the group, they have focused on covering the most popular hits such as “El Preso,” “Canoa Rancha,” “Un Verano en Nueva York,” and many others. Their repertoire consists of a total of about 70 covers, which are divided depending on the requirements of the concert or show.

However, over the past three years, Mac and the rest of the team have felt the urge to offer something of their own to the public, so they set to work to create their own music in regards to lyrics, arrangements, melodies, and everything else.

Silly D’Or Festival

Sabor 19 is well known for having reached the semifinals at the Silly d’Or Festival as part of the Nuits d’Afrique Festival, which is one of Montreal’s most popular music competitions. Although they did not win first place, Mac describes their participation as a very good experience, as this gave them the opportunity to make themselves known to a much wider audience. In addition, being evaluated gave them a good sense of which aspects to improve for the future.

Gabrielito Y La Verdad giving everything in Los Angeles and beyond

Gabriel González from the group Gabrielito Y La Verdad has been kind enough to speak exclusively with International Salsa Magazine and me, Karina García, about his beginnings, bands, and current career. The composer, actor, and musician gave us some of his time to address the most important issues concerning his successful career and everything that surrounds it, for which we are extremely grateful.

Gabriel performing at the museum — Composer, percussionist, singer, and actor Gabriel Gonzalez playing live at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

How Gabriel started to become interested in music

Gabriel was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he took his first steps towards what would become his lifelong vocation. Since his parents were Mexican immigrants, it was not uncommon for him to listen to rancheras, huapango, boleros, son jalisciense, and other genres typical of that country.

He liked music so much that he began participating in contests at “El Mercadito,” a place located east of Los Angeles, where amateur concerts and all kinds of musical events were held. After his father sang there several times, he told him he wanted to do the same, and that is how he began entertaining wider audiences with his voice.

Years later, after his passion for music was being shaped and getting more serious, he contacted his uncle, who was a promoter, and took him with him to Mexico to get some acting work in movies. This means that his artistic career was not just limited to singing but also to acting, but at some point, both areas would end up mixing.

It should be noted that his work as an actor made him stay in Mexico for several years, so he shared with many great actors of the time who were also singers, such as Yolanda del Río, Federico Villa, David Reynoso, Lucha Villa, and many more.

Upon returning to California, he experienced a significant culture impact. He realized that he was not Mexican enough for Mexicans nor American enough for Americans. This double identity made it much easier for him to cross cultural and musical boundaries, so from playing ranchera, huapango, and son jalisciense, he was given a chance to play other styles such as son montuno, which for Gabriel is the basis of salsa and much of Latin music.

Gabrielito at the Vibrato Grill And Jazz — Gabrielito Y La Verdad performing at the Vibrato Grill And Jazz

Gabriel’s professional beginnings in music

Gabriel tells us that, during a huge part of his career, he worked as a solo artist, but he went on to collaborate with several groups and one of them was the Mexican band Quetzal, which specializes in playing Chicano rock and son jarocho. His sister Martha González was the lead singer, so he was able to work with them on and off for about 20 years. He describes his time with Quetzal as a very nice period in which he learned a lot and was even blessed to win a Grammy, but everything has an end, so he went ahead and worked with many other bands in the Los Angeles salsa scene.

In fact, today he is a member of Boogaloo Assassins and has been playing with them since 2015, while also having his own project, which he named Gabrielito Y La Verdad.

Gabrielito Y La Verdad

After all experience gained so far, Gabriel decided to form his own group Gabrielito Y La Verdad, with which he had his first big hit “Oye Muñeca,” released around 2019. Since the project began, the artist has had the same keyboardist and pianist, but the rest of the musicians have come and gone over the years, as it is not easy to maintain a cohesive musical group for a long time.

In fact, he usually has a list of musicians he can call, and their presence at an event depends almost entirely on their availability and ability to read sheet music. Gabriel often works with the same musicians Jimmy Bosch uses, so when the Puerto Rican travels to Los Angeles, Gabriel knows he can count on them if an event comes up. He also often uses some of Jerry Rivera’s musicians and those of many other exponents of the genre.

Gabriel with Oscar Hernandez — Gabriel Gonzalez and bandleader and pianist Oscar Hernandez

Facets additional to singing

In addition to being a singer and film actor, Gabriel has also participated in commercials and done a little musical theater, since the condition of being an artist forces you to learn a little about everything. Being still very young, he participated in the film ”Mojado de Nacimiento” alongside La Sonora Santanera.

One of those memorable experiences was his participation in the second national tour of the musical ”In The Heights” with Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was during this tour that Gabriel learned that he had won a Grammy with the band Quetzal. The news came during a bus trip, making it clear that he experienced several of these facets at the same time without any problems.

More recently, he has served as composer of several of Gabrielito Y La Verdad’s songs in collaboration with pianist Matt Amper, who is also actively involved in the creation of the group’s original songs.

Collaborations with other artists

Gabriel has shared the stage and collaborated with big names in the industry like Bruno Mars, “El Divo de Juarez” Juan Gabriel, Los Van Van, Silk Sonic, and many others. Similarly, during his acting career, Gabriel also met many great actors of the time with whom he shot scenes during the day, and at night, did voice-overs at the studios, and went out singing.

All this led him to share the stage with Aida Cuevas, Rosenda Bernal, Los Lobos, and Lalo Guerrero. While still with Quetzal, he opened for Aerosmith, Taj Mahal, and others.