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Artists

Mozart & Mambo

The Instrumental Music Album With The Major Projection Of 2021

Sarah Willis playing the French Horn with Yuniet Lombida playing the saxophone
Mozart & Mambo was recorded in Havana (Cuba) in January 2020

After six years of Horn Discovery, Sarah Willis brings us in her third album the discovery of two worlds through a completely harmonic and natural fusion. Her album Mozart & Mambo combines solo pieces for Horn of classical music originating in Western Europe with the traditional rhythms of Cuba Island.

Sarah had this magnificent and unusual idea due to her multiple trips to Havana city to teach how to play this brass instrument.

“As a Horn player, I always wanted to record Mozart’s horn concerts … And when I met the Havana Lyceum Orchestra and its conductor José Antonio Méndez Padrón I had the idea of ​​recording with them. I love the way they play Mozart. I love the way Pepe works with them… So, what better way than to mix some pieces of Mozart and Mambo? Then, we have pure Mozart. We also have some purely Cuban songs, but we also have a wonderful fusion of Mozart and Mambo. And, It is the title.

… The main concert on the album is the third concert for Mozart Horn, which is one of my favorites… It’s a catchy tune… I have an arranger in Australia called Joshua Davis, and I said, listen! I have this crazy idea.

– I want to turn this piece into a Mambo.                                                                         

– He said, sure, no problem.

But he didn’t know much about Cuban percussion. So, I said:

– I have the ideal person to help us.

And I turned to a wonderful musician from Cuba, Yuniet Lombida, who plays the saxophone on the album and is one of the best saxophonists in Cuba”. Willis commented on a digital medium.

The splendid trio between the first woman in the brass section of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Havana Lyceum Orchestra under the baton of José Antonio Méndez Padrón (Pepe), and the consecrated saxophonist from Havana, Yuniet Lombida managed to create an exceptional experience among the Concerts for Mozart Horn and Caribbean intercalated rhythms: Mambo, Son, Salsa, and Bolero.

Harold Madrigal, Yuniet Lombida, Sarah Willis, Pepe Méndez, and Jorge Aragón
Harold Madrigal, Yuniet Lombida, Sarah Willis, Pepe Méndez, and Jorge Aragón

The album consists of 10 Tracks, which stand out: Rondo Alla Mambo and the two great Cuban classics Dos Gardenias and El Manisero with arrangements by Joshua Davis and Yuniet Lombida. Likewise, Rondo K. 371 and the first movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (titled Sarahnade Mambo) demonstrate the subtlety of classical music with the interventions of the Cuban tradition, extolled by the Havana Lyceum Orchestra. In the other hand, the trumpeter Harold Madrigal Frías displays his virtuosity in the album with the pieces: El Manisero, Dos Gardenias, and Qué Rico El Mambo.

For this month, you will be able to witness this extraordinary musical fusion live at the Rheingau, Kultursommer Nordhessen, Young Euro Classic festivals in Berlin City, and Elbphilharmonie in the town of Hamburg in Germany.

Much of the proceeds from the purchase of the Mozart & Mambo album are for the benefit of the Havana Lyceum Orchestra to provide them with modern and new musical instruments.

Who is Sarah Willis?

Based on the biography written by Sarah

Sarah Willis in black dress with French horn on her legs
Sarah Willis was included on Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Honor Roll, which indicates that she has been granted the title of Member of the British Empire

“People often ask me for more details about my life and my career. No dates or names, but about the how and why. So, I share a little more of the most influential and inspiring events of my life playing the Horn.

… It is true that I decided to play the Horn in my first Trumpet lesson. Actually, my first teacher was the Trombone and I adored it and the Trumpet, so I practiced as much as I could… I was used to practicing. My parents were quite strict about it, something for which I am very grateful.

… School became quite a lonely place as my classmates didn’t understand my passion truly.

… I must say that being a member of various youth orchestras was one of the most important and enjoyable parts of my musical training. Here, I met other young people who did not find it strange to spend a lot of time just practicing and listening to classical music.

After 3 years at the London music school, I “discovered” Berlin. The city was incredibly vibrant and exciting, and the first time I heard the local Philharmonic live, I decided that I had to be as close to this orchestra as possible, so I moved there. My first job was with the State Opera under the direction of Daniel Barenboim in 1991, just after the fall of the Wall that ran through the capital, so it was a very exciting time to be in the city at that time.

In 2001, I won the position at the Berliner Philharmoniker, something I had dreamed of since I first heard them play.

I started playing an Alexander horn when I was 16 years old. It was very unusual in England! I fell in love with the sound of this speaker and would not play anything else.

… My day job takes up most of my time and mental space, but since I started doing interviews with soloists and conductors for the Digital Concert Hall of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPh) and I became involved as a mentor and presenter of the BPh on YouTube since 2011, I have become very passionate about online music communication.

I started Horn Hangouts (musician talk show) in 2013 and have been presenting the Sarah’s Music TV show (conversations format with conductors, students, musicians, and dancers) for Deutsche Welle TV since 2014.

I love doing both with passion and I enjoy connecting with musicians from all over the world, reaching out to people who may not have easy access to live concerts or teachers”.

SalsaGoogle is International Salsa Magazine

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Cherry Navarro, ever present despite the time elapsed

Short but successful music career and life trajectory

Alexis Enrique Navarro Velásquez, artistically known as Cherry Navarro, was a singer and musician from Venezuela, whose talent quickly became evident in a variety of rhythms such as pop, ballads, and others. He was born on 9 July 1944 in Caripito, Monagas State, from the union of Manuel Rafael Navarro and María de Jesús Velásquez de Navarro. 

Young Alexis was only 14 years old when his mother decided to move to the country’s capital, specifically to the El Valle parish, where he began his formal education. Around this time, he met another future Venezuelan music legend, José Luis Rodríguez El Puma. The boys not only became good friends, but also they formed their first musical group known as Canaima, which took its first steps at parties and small gatherings.   

José Luis Rodríguez next to Cherry Navarro
José Luis Rodríguez “El Puma” next to Cherry Navarro in their youth

When the artist decided that he wanted to devote his life to the music world, he started training in a variety of instruments such as the trombone and piano. It might not be long before his efforts paid off and he managed to perform on the TV show Club del Twist, representing a great start in the public and musical life of this young promise. 

After having earned considerable fame, he began to be part of the Chelique Sarabia Y Su Conjunto, with which he had intense television activities,  making presentations in the most popular variety shows of that moment. One of them was that of the unforgotten presenter Renny Ottolina. 

Cherry Navarro next to Renny Otto
Cherry Navarro performing on The Renny Show

In the early 60s, he met his first wife and mother of his only son, Belkis Montero, but the relationship would not last for long due to the travel and continued musical commitments of the artist. The success that he was accomplishing caused the end of his marriage, but this, far from discouraging the singer, further boosted his career and provided him with the necessary push to start out as a soloist. 

After seeing one of his performances in the programme hosted by Chelique Sarabia Cada Minuto Una Estrella, businessman Renato Capriles proposed him to join Los Melódicos, with whom he recorded a few singles, but then he quit the orchestra and ventured to experience a solo career. 

Cherry Navarro and Chelique Sarabia
Cherry Navarro next to Renato Capriles

Thanks to the support and contacts provided by his new partner María De Las Casas, Navarro managed to sign an important contract with the record label Polydor, with which he recorded his first solo album. That was how the artist finally established himself as a solo artist with a short, but very successful musical career. Something that characterized the musician is that he ever wanted to stand out from other artists, so he always found a way to give a unique touch to his outfits and musical arrangements. 

After a very intense artistic career and life trajectory, he fell ill as a result of medullary aplasia which took away his life on 28 September 1967 at the age of 23, ending his life, but giving rise to a music legend. 

The burial of Cherry Navarro in 1967
A vast crowd took part in the burial of Cherry Navarro in 1967

The origin of the name Cherry Navarro  

Many could see that Cherry Navarro was the singer’s artistic name and perhaps others are wondering where this invention that would immortalize the artist for generations came from. Well, we have recently spoken with a dear childhood friend of Cherry Navarro, who has some interesting things to mention and we quote his words verbatim:   

«Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is Luis Guillermo Rangel. I am a person one of those who grew up in Coche, in the urbanization Delgado Chalbaud, since I was nine or ten. During the 1950-60s, I had the honor of growing up with the respected and beloved Navarro family. Cherry’s mother, Mrs. María Jesús, and his brothers Manuel, René, Carlitos, Cherry, Leslie, and another older sister whose name escapes me at the moment.  

After we met for some time in the urbanization, we even formed a Venezuelan music group and entered a music contest that was on Channel 2, Radio Caracas Televisión. It was a program broadcast at 6:00 p.m. and was called “El Programa de José Bhor”. He was an Argentinian man who came to Venezuela to do television and spaces, including this original tv show.  

Through music, we as restless young people formed a group bwith friends who lived in the same parish between El Valle, Coche, and the urbanization Delgado Chalbaud. Its director and founder was our friend Frank Acevedo, who was a renowed harpist. In the meantime, I was the cuatro player and let’s say I was an alternate member because I was not fixed there. However, I had my group with Cherry Navarro until we integrated to the CONJUNTO  ALMA JUVEIL DE CHELIQUE SARABIA. At the José Bhor’s show, we participated, performed, sang, and won first place in that contest. As I said then, that was on Radio Caracas Televisión.   

But ahead, Cherry, or let’s call him Enrique, moved to Los Chaguaramos and I to La Campiña. If memory serves me, he lived in the Naiguatá building. In front of the Luis Caballero Mejías Industrial Technical School (ETI fpr its initials in Spanish) and the Central University of Venezuela (UCV for its initials in Spanish). Cherry moved to that building and we stayed friends.

He did not yet use the nickname “Cherry Navarro” at that time and it was there in Los Chaguaramos where that name was born. I remember there was a candy store where all the boys at ETI AND UCV used to go.

I started to study at ETI, Cherry was very close to me and we took walks in the area with Chelique Sarabía, who studied oil at ETI back then. And we were out there most of the time.  

Cherry had a things for certain sweets, was highly selective and quite a character. In those days, a new chocolate product came out to the consumer market. It was a new product made from chocolate and cookie that would compete with another brand in the market that was well-known. That brand that he liked so much was called “Cherry” and every time we went to the candy store to buy something, he wanted some sweet and us to provide him with his favorite Cherry. Of so much saying “Cherry”, he stayed with that name. that nickname is vivid in our mind, even until today that we affectionaly refer to him as CHERRY NAVARRO, who will remain engraved in the hearts of all his followers.

So much so that when he came here, we said “here comes Cherry” because he was always eating chocolates and candies. It was one of his preferred candies because he was a sweet tooth. So much so that his nickname, as I said earlier, came from that Cherry cookie and so remained.   

In the family of Cherry in Coche, there were many anecdotes for him. He had a yellow strand of hair on one side and my dad thought he dyed his hair, but he did not. In those days none of that was used. He had a mole there and, of course, we, who had a baseball team there in Coche, made fun of him and someone came up with the name “tongolele”. She was a trendy Mexican actress and when someone called him “tongolele” he got angry because he did not like to be called in this way. Cherry was very friendly and pleasant, but I remember that he was always in fashion, so the nickname “tongolele” went very well. For that reason, “tongolele” stayed in Coche for quite some time.   

We organized many get-togethers with friends that ended in fights because Cherry also liked to throw punches, but he did not like to be called in this way. 

I remember once on Radio Caracas Televisión, when we entered the programme Club Musical with Chelique Sarabia Y Su Conjunto, someone from the audience approached Cherry and called him ‘tongolele. He just looked at him in the studio and said “Look, if you call me ‘tongolele’ again, you don’t know what’s waiting for you”. I do not forget that, either. That is the story of our great Cherry Navarro and may the good Lord rest his soul because he was a great friend and brother. We grew up from the age of 10 or 11 and spent so much time together. He died at 23 on 26 September because he was born on July 1943. I was older than him by three or four years.   

Thanks a lot for the interview and we are to order.

God bless you and thank you». 

Words from the friend and teammate of Cherry Navarro from the Conjunto de Chelique Sarabia, Luis Guillermo Rangel 

Luis Guillermo Rangel and his guitar
Luis Guillermo Rangel holding his guitar

 

Luis Guillermo Rangel’s Facebook page: Luis Guillermo Rangel

 

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From Aruba and for the World Anoushca Jeandor Noush and Robert Jeandor

It is for me more than a pleasure and great honor to make this release of this song “Me Muero” taken to the rhythm of Merengue. Originally from the 5th Station.

Noush was born in Aruba as Anoushca Jeandor.

Being daughter of the International singer musician Robert Jeandor, she was raised in a musical environment, during her early years she started singing in a choir until beyond her teenage years, after that she was given the opportunity to perform in a local casino as a singer.

She became more popular when she won one of the biggest Carnival Music Contest, which made her the first female overall winner. She has also performed in the Netherlands and Miami.

What started as a hobby, turned into a passion, and is nowadays her living, singing different genres as R&B, Reggae, House and Latin.

From Aruba Anoushca Jeandor Noush
From Aruba Anoushca Jeandor Noush

I thank Jaime Querol, producer/arranger for his excellent musical work. Thanks to you from SalsaGoogle.com (ISM) for this opportunity.

And there will be many more.

I am a singer since my childhood. I come from a musical family. My dad’s name is Robert Jeandor.

My father worked with great musicians, he was invited by Johnny Ventura to go to the Dominican Republic to live, where he worked daily with hundreds of renowned musicians such as Juan Luis Guerra, Wilfrido Vargaz, Alex Bueno, Manuel Tejada, Jaime Querol, Ramon Orlando and many more.

I am a singer by profession, I have several productions of my own in different genres.

Today I launch myself with a musical theme that thanks to Mr. Jaime Querol for his invitation to make an international production withmy father.

Noush was born in Aruba as Anoushca Jeandor
Noush was born in Aruba as Anoushca Jeandor

This beautiful song in merengue version is for you and I hope that this to your liking Thank you very much and God bless you all.

Follow me:

https://linktr.ee/noushmusicaruba

Robert Jeandor and his Solo Banda Show

A live music band from Aruba founded by the famous Aruban musician Robert Jeandor. Known for playing different genres of music, but mostly Latin music.

Without a doubt, maestro Robert Jeand’or is the most Dominican Aruban we have ever known.

Since he settled in the Dominican Republic, where he arrived thanks to the efforts of a giant of merengue, Johnny Ventura, this singer, musician, arranger, composer, music producer and orchestra leader only made contributions to the rhythm commanded by the güira and the tambora and the one that best identifies the idiosyncrasy of the Dominicans.

Without a doubt, maestro Robert Jeand'or is the most Dominican Aruban we have ever known. Since he settled in the Dominican Republic, where he arrived thanks to the efforts of a giant of merengue, Johnny Ventura, this singer, musician, arranger, composer, music producer and orchestra leader only made contributions to the rhythm commanded by the güira and the tambora and the one that best identifies the idiosyncrasy of the Dominicans
Robert Jeandor and his Solo Band Show

Always gentle, humble and with a soul devoid of pettiness, this gentlemanly artist put his talent at the service of merengue and, therefore, of all the gear that drives it.

Robert Hubert JeanD’or Bermudez was born on May 10, 1954, in Aruba, a territory that until 1986 was part of the Netherlands Antilles and today is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He was the son of Francisco Reinier JeanD’or from Curazaleño and Cecilia Bermudez from Aruba, who worked in the Aruban aqueduct and hospital, respectively. Don Francisco died in 1972 and Doña Cecilia in 2005.

Notice that I have written JeanD’or and not Jeand’or, because the first is the correct surname of this family, but for artistic management purposes Robert was given Jeand’or. And lucky he was that they did not remove the apostrophe and left it only as Jeandor!

His inclination for music came from his father, who guided him when Robert took his first steps in musical studies.

“My dad was my first music teacher: he wrote down for me all the chords in a notebook and there, when I was barely six years old, I started learning to play the Venezuelan cuatro and, after some time, the guitar,” he recalled.

But it was not only in Robert’s veins that musical talent ran, but also in his siblings Francisco (Frank), who played guitar and mandolin, Marlene and Percey were equally talented guitarists, Robertina and John sang, Ismael was a trumpet player and Michael was a percussionist. Several of Robert’s siblings are now deceased: Ismael and Sofia (2010), Frank (2013) and John (2014).

In the neighborhood where he was born, called Madiki, he could very often see his brothers playing almost every night, together, as a family, with his dad leading, and so he was caught by the desire to join the family clan as a musician and that led him soon after to play the guitar.

“One night my brother Frank came home and told me that there was an aguinaldo group that needed a cuatrista to reinforce. The group was called Las Blancas Palomitas and was led by Severiano Luidens, with his relatives Evelien and Jossy Luidens also standing out,” recounted Robert Jeand’or, who was only eight years old at the time and, bursting into laughter, added that the only negrito was him.

He told that his relationship with the bass happened in a fortuitous way, because during a presentation of the group the bass player did not show up, due to lack of transportation, and then Robert, being a child of about nine or ten years old, assumed to play the powerful string instrument and solved the problem generated by the absence of the titular instrumentalist.

“I grabbed the bass, without ever having played it before and as the strings are tuned in the same order as the guitar, I said I was going to play it and so I played that night and that’s how I started to play it and to this day it is my greatest pleasure,” he recalled.

The lanky artist said that he entered a music academy to study bass and singing, being instructed in both subjects by the now extinct Aruban professor Rufo Odor and in harmony with the also deceased Argentinean professor Eddy Bennet.

In his youth and as a cuatro player and singer, he briefly played with pianist Albert Dieffenthaler, with whom he performed in several television programs, hotels and bars.

In the early 70’s, he joined Los Juveniles, which was the first orchestra where he participated as bassist, singer, composer and arranger. With this group, with which he became famous in his native land, he won in three consecutive years (from 1976 to 1978) the Tumba award, an annual celebration that is part of the carnivals of Aruba. Incidentally, Jeand’or would later win this award again two years in a row (1990 and 1991).

In 1978 Robert Jeand’or was crowned King of Tumba, after performing the song “Bolombonchi”, authored by Vicente Kelly, Victor Oduber and Jeand’or himself, which was later recorded by popular Colombian artist Joe Arroyo, who died in 2016. That impactful performance was seen by Johnny Ventura, who also performed there with his orchestra and El Caballo Mayor approached the Aruban singer to see if he would be interested in trying his luck abroad.

While that experience unfolded, Jeand’or did not stop his desire to add to his musical knowledge and expand the knowledge he already possessed in harmony and composition.

His inclination for music came from his father, who guided him when Robert took his first steps in musical studies.
Without a doubt, maestro Robert Jeand’or is the most Dominican Aruban we have ever known.

In the first five years of the 70’s, he released his first recording, composed and arranged by the artist himself: “Ta di nos e ta”, a phrase that translated into Spanish means “It’s ours”.

During 1979 he released with his orchestra La Nueva Fuerza the musical production entitled Rey Di Tumba 1976-77-78, recorded in his native island and with the support of Aruba Recording Studio, where he experimented with Latin, folk and country genres, giving us songs such as “Ban bonse”, “Ata mi cos”, “Manera un wiei”, “Slip’e”, “Bolombonchi”, “Pusha bai aden”, “M’y yega”, and “Canta cu mi awor”.

Many people don’t know that Robert Jeand’or was just a few minutes away from joining the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, after the departure of Andy Montañez. Jeand’or took the stage with La Universidad de la Salsa, during a presentation at the Caiquetio club, and performed “El barbero loco”, “Las hojas blancas”, “Pin pin pin” and other songs that Montañez vocalized. His voice impressed Don Rafael Ithier and the staff of the famous group. After Montañez moved on to La Dimensión Latina, Ventura called maestro Ithier and recommended Jeand’or to fill the position of El Niño de Tras Talleres, to which Ithier replied that yes, he knew him, but he had already recruited Jerry Rivas. It is said that there was also a delay with the American visa.

It was not long before Jeand’or became part of La Dimensión Latina, because both when Oscar de León left this orchestra and when Andy Montañez also left, the name of the Arubeño was mentioned to join this Venezuelan group. In fact, they went to look for him where he worked, but he was already in Santo Domingo with Los Hijos del Rey.

Likewise, during a visit of Larry Harlow to the island of Aruba, El Judío Maravilloso saw Jeand’or singing and told Vicente Kelly, recently deceased this year (2020) and compadre of the popular singer, bassist and arranger, that he would take the Aruban singer to New York, because he needed someone to fill the void left in his orchestra by Junior González (who died on May 10, 2012) and Kelly responded positively, but that promise was never fulfilled.

In the midst of all that, the Aruban artist opted to join the Los Hijos del Rey orchestra in 1979 and settle in Santo Domingo.

Robert Hubert JeanD'or Bermudez was born on May 10, 1954.
Robert Hubert JeanD’or Bermudez was born on May 10, 1954.

“It was Johnny Ventura who talked to me so that I could travel to the Dominican Republic as a musician, and getting there was a great experience. Once in the Dominican capital, the first recording I made was for a commercial and the person who called me for that job was a very respected musician, his name is Jorge Taveras,” he said.

With Los Hijos del Rey, an orchestra then led by maestro Dioni Fernández, he recorded merengues such as the emblematic “Yo me dominicanizo”, by the prolific Puerto Rican composer Catalino Curet Alonso, affectionately known as Tite, “La pilandera” and “La vacuna”, by Porfirio Ruiz, among others, as well as the salsas “El viento”, by Joe Nicolás, and the successful “Puchula”, by Ramoncito Díaz.

While he was performing in Puerto Rico with Los Hijos del Rey, an orchestra that was in conflict with another faction for the use of the name, Jeand’or, who in the middle of that was in a kind of limbo, received a call from composer Curet Alonso (died in 2003), who mediated for him to sing with Roberto Roena & Apollo Sound, and the artist told him that he would think about it because he had to talk first with Ventura, who has always been his advisor.

Another situation that put Jeand’or on the verge of joining a salsa orchestra: in the middle of a tour in Puerto Rico, trumpeter Nelson García, of Los Hijos del Rey, talked to maestro Bobby Valentín to include the arubeño in his orchestra and the Puerto Rican star liked the singer’s voice very much, but then he had Cano Estremera as his star sonero and everything came to nothing.

Source:

Facebook: RobertJeandor

Diario Digital Dominicano

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Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda – “El Sonero de la Calle”

Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda, known as “El Sonero de la Calle”

Photo of Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda
Photo – Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda

He was born in the city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a singer-songwriter (he composes and sings his own songs, including the lyrics and the melody), percussionist, raised on the outskirts of the Santo Domingo neighborhoods, he developed an interest in Afro-Caribbean music. This is how he obtains a clear direction towards the creation of his own style to compose and sing this genre, which involves a series of different rhythms such as: guaracha, rumba, son montuno, bolero, mambo, son, jazz, guaracha and cha cha cha, known worldwide by its trade name “Salsa”.

He tells us that from his mother Carmen Sepúlveda and his aunt Santa Julia Sepúlveda, he inherited the passion for jazz music, bolero and son, also that his mother is an artist, but he did not get to record their music, however he went to competitions of television expressing his musical talent. Geovanny mentions that he liked music from an early age seeing this great specimen in turn, he says that his talent is born and empirical which he is seeing how it progresses in these times.

Photo by Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda
Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda in Dominican Republic

During his tour he obtained his artistic nickname “El Sonero de la Calle”, which was given to him by a great Dominican musician (bassist and arranger) named Rafael Victoria, better known as maestro Cuso Cuevas (he was a popular bassist who played with the most important popular music groups and orchestras), who was in the recording of “Batato”, mentions that he advised him the following… “that he should not change his theme of making music, that it be a different sonero, a street sonero… that he could interpret the reality of the street with his lyrics and way of singing ”

He comments that he spent a large part of his life in Caracas, Venezuela (approximately 18 years), despite having been born in the Dominican Republic, considering it his second homeland since he adores and / or loves Venezuela; During this time he met Dudamel and Orlando Latuci, his song “las carabelas” is a Venezuelan.

The teacher Ubeny Loaiza and Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda
The teacher Ubeny Loaiza and Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda
– Photo

He also had the opportunity to sing with the “La Realidad” Orchestra, from there he began to give his beginnings as a singer, it all began in 2003 when Roberto Ledezma was singing a bolero and the orchestra director listened to it and without Knowing that he was a musician and I invited him to go to one of the rehearsals and when to a place called Caño Amarillo Estudio, in Caracas, Venezuela, and there I was part of the team that at that time was very necessary since they lacked a vocalist, From that moment on he appeared in the bars of Caracas, in the center of the city, he told us that it was a wonderful experience.

As time passes, his fondness for this wonderful culture born in Africa is born, brought to the Antilles and then brought to New York, USA by great masters such as Johnny Pacheco, Machito, Beny More, Santiago Cerón, José Bello, El Canario, Tito Puentes, La Typica 73, among other great musicians of this genre.

Photo of Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda and Andi Montañez
Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda and Andi Montañez – Photo

His first musical album was entitled “A las malas”, from which his first single is called “Batato” and in his musical theme “Satte de los Callejones” he indicated “El Sonero de la Calle”, the following quote … “Special dedication for all the neighborhoods of my Dominican Republic and the world. My goal is to reach the heart of the town, Geovanny L. Sepúlveda, El Sonero de la Calle.

In the current Covid-19 pandemic, many activities have been closed, especially in the musical world, but with extensive communication over the internet, many have chosen to use various platforms either to promote themselves as artists or to hold events (Facebook, Instagram, Tick Tock, Youtube, among others), and despite these complicated moments he gives us the great news that Leo Aguirre and Ubeny Loaiza are in charge of the new production of Geovanny Leonardo Sepúlveda, his new single under the musical direction of Ubeny Loaiza, owner of the La Sabrosura orchestra, giving rise to the music “Salsa Pura” which is a Rumba, which you will not stop hearing

At the end of the interview, he gives us a message for the new talents … “Study and have a lot of dedication to what you like, never stop and that the rest is in the hands of God.”

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Legendary and Unavoidable Cheo Navarro Bravo Rumbero and his Orchestra de Moda

The first name of the great “Cheo” is José Natalio Navarro Barreto

José “Cheo” Navarro was born in San Agustín parish, Caracas, Venezuela on April 19, 1952. While still a child, his family moved to La Cañada de Jesús and later the 23 de Enero parish, the family Navarro Barreto settled in block 6 of the Monte Piedad sector where he spent his adolescence. The first name of the great “Cheo” is José Natalio Navarro Barreto.

The name and the musical activity of “Cheo Navarro” is substantial and unavoidable for salsa made in Caracas. This percussionist and bandleader has always been at the heart of Caribbean music in such a manner that we will always find a reference to him in various salsa phenomena of the country.

The name and musical activity of "Cheo Navarro" substantial and inevitable for salsa made in Caracas.
Cheo Navarro Legendary and Inevitable Bravo Rumbero and his Fashionable Orchestra

It was from the year 1971 when he got involved with the orchestra of Tito Rodriguez in such a way that he never wanted to do anything else but play like those folks (since he did it by beating every book, container and pot lid he could find at home with pencils and sticks), eventually joining other fans of music to found the group Mango (he was 21 years old at the time). He won the respect of those in the know by performing with that group, where he contended with the best in Caribbean music at that time.

In addition to founding orchestras that are already part of our musical and sentimental history (Mango, Sensación, Bailatino and now Cheo Navarro and his Orquesta Tributo), he played and composed for other leading orchestras such as the Sexteto Juventud, Federico y su Combo Latino, El Trabuco Venezolano, La Crítica de Oscar de León, the Orquesta Renovación, Coco y su Sabor Matancero, and Naty y su Orquesta; He has also collaborated with the orchestras of Orlando Castillo “Orlando Watussi””, Alfredo Naranjo Carvajal and his Guafeo, and “Pavo” Frank. As for the international soneo, he has played with Jhonny Pacheco,  Ismael Miranda Carrero, Andy Montañez, Cheo Feliciano, Héctor Lavoe, Daniel Santos, Pete “Conde” Rodríguez and a plethora that is no longer necessary and, maybe, impossible to list in full.

“Bravo Rumbero“

Is probably his most important composition and the song the salseros of lineage and also those who were not necessarily salseros remember the most, but they had their sense of hearing working just fine, during the 70s and 80s.

The music industry has not been as generous as it should have been with this gentleman. Precisely with him, who has made an effort to pay homage to the gods of his musical devotion.
Cheo Navarro in Block 6 of January 23 appreciates it with reverent generosity.

He is much loved in Block 6 of the 23 de Enero parish they appreciate him with the same reverent generosity

with which the poor towns pay tribute to their genuine icons: He is the illustrious neighbor who has made and makes them dance and, in time, he is the simple man of the people whose stature is found in the work and not in vanity.

The music industry has not been as generous as it should have been with this gentleman. With him, who has been making great efforts to pay homage to the gods of his musical devotion. The sonorities of his orchestral works are a lasting tribute to the giants of flavor.

He is the illustrious neighbor who has put them and puts them to dance and in passing, is the simple man of the people whose stature is in the work and not in vanity
Cheo Navarro Bravo Rumbero and his Orquesta de Moda

The fame that, using payola and other resources, has managed to raise up other names in this business and in history. But being face to face, musician to musician, with anyone, Cheo Navarro qualifies to be one of those fundamental icons who are worthy of being pleasantly remembered, rooted in his people and in urban culture.

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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.