Artists

In the streets of the Dominican Republic there is a young talent in the world of music who is dedicated to the sale of bananas and dreams of being a great artist, he is living in the community of “Los Tocones”, a town in the province of Distrito Nacional located in the Dominican Republic, where the townspeople have been very supportive to date with the dream of being a famous Dominican singer, representing their country.

The artist’s name is Emmanuel Fernández, known as “El Viejete sin Bastón”

A nickname that was given to him by the inhabitants of his neighborhood since he was a child around 5 and 6 years of age, since at an early age he was some gray hair, then his nickname of “Viejete” came from them and “Sin Bastón” for being a very young person.

His passion for music started from a very young age with a born talent…. During the interview he tells us that… “I can’t listen to music, I live it… typical merengue, bachata, in general that I like music”. In his family he is the oldest of 4 siblings and with only 25 years he has already been in the world of music for 13 years, with a desire to conquer a place in the world of music in the Dominican Republic and around the world; He also has the dream of achieving these goals to improve and change his quality of life and give his mother what she deserves so much, which is “a country house.”

Life is very hard, so many choose to carry out their dreams or goals to carry out different jobs, in this case the singer “El Viejete sin Bastón” mentions us, who is dedicated not only to his music, but also to the sale of bananas and in times of difficulty he helps to sell fruits and vegetables with which he helps to support his family and what is left over from his extra work he invests in his life project which is “La Música”.

Despite the fact that his music is “Dembow”, he affirms that he has added new colors with a combination of sounds, which make his music very contagious, thus becoming a new and refreshing genre for everyone who hears it.

Currently he has the illusion that in the future he would like to record with the “Complete Genre” and 3 other artists which are “Chimbala”, “Don Miguelo” and “Bulin 47”; However, at present it has a song that is being positioned in all the networks called “SACO E ‘SAL”. It is a song that has received great support, becoming a new and interesting topic in the cyber world that is viewed by everyone world.

One of the questions that was asked to “El Viejete sin Bastón” was:

What message do you have for young people who have been left behind and are not following their dreams?

“Do not let them keep working, life takes many turns … like me, who sell bananas for the maintenance of my family what I have left over contributes to his music since I want to make my dream come true”

In a few words, do not limit the conditions in which you find yourself, life is a path of many possibilities that you have to know how to take advantage of what you have.

If you want to contact him or know more about him, you can follow him through:

• Official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvm6HgsOyRicHnX35jrEFBQ
• Facebook and Instagram: @elviejeteoficial
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: + 1-809-484-2981

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Andreyna was born on September 17, 1991 in Venezuela, studies accounting, practices swimming and is the mother of two little girls; She tells us that during her childhood she felt great enthusiasm for dance and physical activities, for this reason she became a dancer and managed to be a dance instructor at an academy, together with her boyfriend Robert Terán.

Robert Terán tells us that he and Andreyna were trained for 10 years at the Salsa & Ashé Academy and decided 6 years ago together with Andreyna to found their own academy called Fback Latino, where both are the directors and / or teachers, which is located in the vicinity of the Agua Salud station in La Cañada in Caracas, Venezuela, in June 2015, with the purpose of creating a new dance space where they can teach, “there is nothing more satisfactory than the person who learns to dance deposits all your confidence in you and achieve that goal by overcoming the penalty ”; There they teach Bachata, Salsa Casino, Kizomba and they also give a comprehensive course for children where they will have a teaching of various types of dances including ballet and contemporary dance, regardless of whether or not you have any knowledge of some of these types of dances; They mention that both they and their students have participated in competitions, although in Andreyna’s case it was mostly when she was at the Salsa & Ashé Academy on a national and international level, such as the competition in Cancun and Cuba.

Andreyna Hernandez and her boyfriend

Photo of a Salsa Casino social at the Feedback Academy

During the course of time, Andreyna Hernández faced something that no one should face … on June 26, 2016 he had a terrible accident near his academy, where a tree fell on him, specifically on his legs giving a 360 ° turn to his life, affecting his profession and his day, he tells us… “That day that changed my life was because a tree fell on me, precisely where a few people and I were located. The tree falls right where I was sitting (on a ping pong table), and since everything happened very quickly I could not get my whole body off the table, my legs were trapped, being conscious, I thought I was going to lose both legs because of the strong impact I received … after this, many people tell me that God does not send tests to those who cannot overcome them ”

“This transition was not easy, since an accident that many think and wonder why it happened to me? … that even I ask myself at some point … be like that in the first photo, and that of the night in the morning life changes you is strong ”

“I would never say that this situation would be easy, because of course losing some part of the body is a bit difficult to assimilate. Adapt to doing things in a different way, to looking in the mirror and looking different. To the different looks of the people on the street …. ”

“But as my beautiful Super Coach @athletics_swim says to get toxic people out of the way, live life regardless of others. So … to live life, which is one. The disability is mental. There is no excuse. Because wanting is power. ”

Despite all this tragic event, he thanks God for having a second chance, thanks to the support he received from various academies that contributed to his recovery and to be able to enjoy his life of course, with a new physical condition that is not an impediment to carry out her activities, although she admits that she does more things on a larger scale than before the accident, surprising all those around her both within her social and / or family circle and her followers in the different social networks she owns, as we could observe in her different TikTok videos that went viral, such as: a dance event dancing salsa casino and dancing during her pregnancy… something new and incredible for all who see it.

Currently Andreyna Hernandez is not only the mother of a little girl who is her greatest motivation, but she is also a swimming athlete and who continues with her passion which is dance, the only thing that a person needs to have faith, love, perseverance, strength , positive mind.

He points out that “We all have our casualties from time to time, including myself. But the important thing about everything is not to stay down, the key is to get up and continue the path with your head held high with energy that life continues. Regardless of what they will say. Feeling comfortable with yourself as we are and with what we do is enough ”

Right now in 2021, both are giving their dance classes complying with the security measures during the covid-19 pandemic with the use of face masks and other measures, which is a mutual benefit for both the instructors and the students to clear up of the confinement and to be able to release both the tension and the style that one has inside with the practice of the dance steps.

For more information:

• Instagram: @andreynahf y @fbacklatino
• TikTok: @andreynahf

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The Architect Of Afro-Cuban Jazz

Arturo O’Farrill, better known as “Chico” O’Farrill was born on October 28, 1921, in Havana (Cuba) at the height of Son. He had a normal childhood like any son of a Jewish family raised to continue the family profession, Law.

In the 1930s Chico was admitted to the Riverside American Military School in Gainesville, Georgia. His father, an eminent Irish lawyer recognized in the Afro-Caribbean country, decided to intern him to continue his studies.

During his stay at that institution, O’Farrill discovered the great jazz orchestras that made life in that territory. Those bands were known by the name of Big Bands. He entered that musical environment and began his process of love and passion for the industry. He listened to recordings by Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, and Tommy Dorsey while learning to play the trumpet on his own. In almost immediate time Chico became the trumpet player for the school’s military band and large dance groups.

Years later, Arturo returned to Cuba. He studied the same profession as his father (Law) and at the same time with his studies, he developed his facet as a composer. He received composition and harmony classes from important island musical instructors such as Félix Guerrero.

His progress, determination, and development in music were unstoppable. He was a member of the Armando Romeu Bellamar Orchestra and the Isidro Pérez Orchestra at the time of Mambo and Son, rhythms that prevailed and enhanced Latin music for decades.

MUSICAL HISTORY

“The Architect of Afro-Cuban Jazz” worked for four years (1943 – 1947) in Montmartre, the Cuban cabaret with the greatest French style. In the same way, he belonged to the Bellamar Orchestra, directed by Armando Romeu with Luis and Pucho Escalante, and Mario Romeu, among many other members.

As a trumpeter, Arturo traveled to Mexico and Europe. He created Los Raqueteros del Swing band, being the director and member of the orchestra. Subsequently, he founded Los Beboppers (the first Cuban bop group) with continuous performances at the Hotel Saratoga. Here, Chico was once again at the helm as director of the band and musician with his related instrument, the trumpet.

In the 1950s he began his successes as an arranger, working briefly for various musical directors such as Gil Fuller, Noro Morales, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Benny Goodman.

Likewise, he composed his first masterpiece, Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite in five movements: Canción, Mambo, 6/8, Jazz, and Rumba Open. This masterpiece of composition was made and recorded for the imprint of the businessman Norman Granz, with the Machito Orchestra as the rhythmic base and accompanist.

The expert comments on Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite were numerous, but here are two of the most outstanding opinions:

Luc Delannoy: “It begins and ends with a hypnotic flute and conga duo that reflects the essence of Cuban treatment; the union of musical universes: the European (the flute) and the African (the conga). These two instruments are joined by the oboe, followed by the trumpets, saxophones, and the double bass “Tumbao”… After a return to swing and bebop in the fourth movement, Chico takes us back to the origins of Latin jazz with a melody of clear Arabic accents, before immersing himself in the universe of Afro-Cuban percussions.”

And Benny Carter commented on the Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite the following: “The reason for the coherence of the rhythmic parts and their relationships with the solos that have their own life and independence, Masterpiece of a genius.”

After the enormous success of this powerful piece of music, O’Farrill wrote Cuban Fantasy for Stan Kenton during his stay in New York (EE.UU). However, Kenton eventually changed the name of the piece and it was called the Cuban Episode.

In 1953 he moved from New York to the California state and founded his orchestra with renowned musicians such as Mario Bauzá, Doug Mettome, Jimmy Nottingham, Eddie Bert, Fred Zito, Lenny Hambro, Flip Phillips, and the saxophonist Eddie Wasserman. The orchestra used the Afro-Cuban rhythmic section of Machito, harp, and oboe.

Under this concept, he recorded for Norman Granz and performed in two emblematic venues of the American Jazz music scene: Birdland (New York) and Hat Ballroom located in Los Angeles, California. During this period he composed three new movements: “La Jungla”, “Contrast”, and “Rhumba Finale”, baptized as “Manteca Suite”. The latter recorded in 1954 with Jazzist Dizzy Gillespie and an orchestra with 21 talented musicians.

In 1956 he returned to Cuba in search of inspiration and immediately began to work for the best record companies such as Panart and RCA Víctor. In this record label, he made “Chico’s Cha-Cha-Cha”, adapting the Charanga rhythm to the Big band format. This album was released, once again, on compact disc by BMG during the last decade of the 20th century.

Two years later the restless O’Farrill traveled to Mexico due to the great platform that this country provided for Latin American musicians at the time. During that residency, he once again stood out with a special sound. He appears on television as music director for singer Andy Russell, and there his life takes a dizzying turn. He started the semi-retirement period but never stopped composing. By that time, he composed his next and one of his greatest works “Azteca Suite” for trumpeter Art Farmer. And he made history once again!

In the 60s and with the rise of rock, Chico returned to New York and made arrangements for such important figures as La Lupe (They Call Me La Lupe); Cal Tjader (Along with Comes Cal); Count Basie (High Voltage); Gato Barbieri (Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata); Ringo Starr (Night and Day) and dabbled in Rock music with David Bowie (I Know That It Will Happen and Looking for Lester) and finally was the director of the Venezuelan Aldemaro Romero’s Orchestra.

In this stage that lasted until the end of the 20th century and already in the 70s, the Big bands went from being an innovation to being displaced by other rhythms that were rapidly increasing in popularity. These genres used new techniques, styles, sounds, and harmonies. It led to the appearance of icons in Jazz and the disappearance of the exclusive Bing bands for ballroom dancing.

For this reason, Chico O’Farrill reinvents himself and begins to work in the lucrative field of music for audiovisual advertising.

In the mid-nineties, American Jazz producer and director Todd Barkan contacted the “Afro-Cuban Jazz Architect” to pay tribute to his career with a compilation of his musical hits. The name of the album was Pure Emotion and it got a nomination for Best Latin Jazz Performance at the 37th Grammy Awards.

O’Farrill toured Europe with his orchestra in 1996 and recorded his latest album entitled “Heart Of A Legend” with 14 tracks.

For this album, they had an orchestra of 18 musicians and a collaboration of international artists. The arrangements and musical direction of “Heart Of A Legend” were in charge of his son Arturo O’Farrill Jr. and who continues with his legacy.

On June 29, 2001, at 80 years old in New York City, Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill passed away.

Undoubtedly, Chico O’Farrill was always a visionary, and he was at the forefront for more than half a century of the musical genre today recognized worldwide as Latin Jazz.

In memory of the 20 years of his physical disappearance

Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill Forever!

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