International Salsa Magazine

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Arturo O’Farrill’s career and upcoming projects

The story of Arturo

Latin America has given rise to a great number of musical legends who have made history in the United States and Arturo O’Farrill is one of them. Arturo O’Farrill Valero is a bandleader, composer, arranger, pianist and jazz and Latin jazz musician who was born in Mexico City, fruit of the union of his parents Chico O’Farrill and Lupe Valero. Both were closely linked to the world of music since before their son was born, which means that the young O’Farrill followed the footsteps of his parents. 

His family lived in Mexico City until the mid-1960s, when they decided to move to New York City, where Chico began to work as a musician and to establish contacts with some of the greatest musicians of the moment, such as Dizzie Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, La Lupe and many others. His first contact with music was at the age of six, when he began taking piano lessons, which he did not like very much, but then he changed his mind and decided that music was what he wanted to dedicate his entire life to. 

One of his big breaks took place when composer and jazz pianist Carla Bley contacted him to play with her band at Carnegie Hall. After getting some kind of piano and organ experience with this group, he started making solo collaborations with Howard Johnson and Steve Turre.   

This is Arturo O'Farrill
Arturo O’Farrill

In the 1990s, he joined his father to help him revive his musical career. Given that Chico was in a rather vulnerable state of health, he had to delegate the hiring of his musicians to others, so Arturo wanted to intervene to help his progenitor and formed the Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra that began playing at Birdland every Saturday night. Once his father passed away in 1995, he went on to become the orchestra leader. 

In the early 2000s, Lincoln Center jazz program director Wynton Marsalis contacted Arturo to ask him to help with a concert entitled The Spirit of Tito Puente. The problem was that the Lincoln Canter jazz orchestra did not get what it took to play Latin jazz. As expressed by O’Farrill in the Wall Street Journal, he tried to make the musicians to play jazz in a more Afro-Cuban way, but he could not manage to. They ended up playing a quite traditional type of jazz, but failed to capture the essence of what Arturo wanted to obtain as a result. 

That’s when he knew they needed a very special group of musicians who could play music with the right approach for the genre. After that, Marsalis invited the musician to found and lead an Afro-Cuban jazz band that would perform at Lincoln Center regularly, which was baptized as the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) after accepting the proposal. One of the things which have characterized the orchestra since its beginnings has been the use of a large instrumentation very typical of traditional jazz bands and a three-piece percussion section. 

Arturo and his piano
Arturo O’Farrill while performing

Arturo O’Farrill’s new album 

According to some media reports, the artist released his latest album entitled Dreaming In Lions on September 24. In the album, O’Farrill leads a very special group of 10 musicians The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble and receives the cooperation of the Malpaso Dance Company from Cuba. 

The artist was inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Old Man and the Sea (one of his favorite books at a young age) to give a name to his album. Its protagonist is a Cuban fisherman who starts dreaming of lions prowling the African shores while doing his job at sea. 

What he is trying to achieve is that those who listen to the album are not just listeners of it, but also actively participate in that dream, even if it is not real.   

FIREWALL 

  1. Del Mar
  2. Intruso
  3. BeautyCocoon 
  4. Ensayo Silencio
  5. La Llorona

DREAMING IN LIONS 

  1. Dreaming in Lions 
  2. Scalular
  3. HowI Love 
  4. TheDeep 
  5. WarBird Man 
  6. Strugglesand Strugglets 
  7. IWishWe Was 
  8. Bloodin the Water 
  9. Dreams So Gold
album Dreaming in Lions
Arturo O’Farrill’s new cover album Dreaming in Lions

Marc Anthony at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City

December – Marc Anthony on stage in Mexico City

The Christmas season begins and in Mexico it is preparing to fill with recreational and dynamic activities with all the security measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and we have the pleasant news that from December 11 at 8:00 p.m. Mexico) will be performing at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City located in Granjas México, Mexico City, Mexico the Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actor Marc Anthony, an artist with several nicknames where he stands out as “Rey de la Salsa” and “ Flaco de Oro ”, whose musical themes range from salsa, through bolero, ballads and pop.

Bibliographical Summary of Marc Anthony:

Marc Anthony flyer tour 2022
Flyer del tour de Marc Anthony 2022

He was born in New York on September 16, 1968, since a very early age he dedicated himself to music, from 1993 he achieved popularity in the world of salsa thanks to his version of the Juan Gabriel song “Hasta que te saber”; becoming “The King of Salsa”. Since then, he has released 13 studio albums and has sold more than 11 million copies, becoming the most popular salsa artist in the world. Marc Anthony has collaborated with the artists La India, Jennifer López, Ricardo Arjona, Gente de Zona, Alejandro Sanz, Maluma, among other international artists. In 2019 he launched OPUS, his thirteenth studio album after 6 years through the  Spotify and Apple Music. platforms.

In addition, he also has his own clothing and accessories line for Kohl’s, and is a minority owner of The Miami Dolphins. His sports and entertainment company Magnus Media is the nation’s leading Latino artist and athlete representation company focused on developing startups that bridge content creation and commerce.

He has also participated in films and has been a composer and singer in different groups. He has also won several GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® awards, one for “Best Tropical Latin Performance” and the other for “Best Latin Pop Album.”

Details to enter the concert:

  1. They pay entry and enter from 3 years of age.
  2. Do not bring food or drinks, nor take photographic or video cameras.
  3. It is advisable to arrive in advance and in turn follow the biosecurity regulations against covid-19.
  4. You can enter people with disabilities.

You can buy your ticket before it runs out on Perto.com or Evyy.net or any nearby ticketmaster box office, there they will give you the price of the different tickets to sell, do not miss an opportunity to enjoy outside your home, a stage with a super recognized artist, with good live music and a dynamic atmosphere where you can meet new people and taste a service of drinks, meals and snacks.

However, if you can’t be at this concert in Mexico City and you want to know where he will perform in the future and where will be the stages that Marc Anthony will have on his world tour “Pa’lla Voy” for what remains of this year 2021 as for 2022, you can find out through the following website and in turn buy your tickets in advance https://www.marcanthonyonline.com/tour/?lang=en

Chucho Valdés Returns To The Iberian Peninsula In November

The Most Recognized Pianist Of The 21st Century Comes Back To The Voll-Damm Barcelona Jazz Festival After Two Years

Chucho Valdés with folded hands dressed in a floral shirt and blue cap
Chucho Valdés has received the award for Musical Excellence from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Latin Composers

The master Chucho Valdés returns to the stage of the Voll-Damm Barcelona Jazz Festival on November 23rd, 2021 after two years of absence. The most recognized Cuban pianist of the 21st century will present his most recent musical production La Creación, a suite in four movements that exalts Yoruba-African history and its influences in South America and the Caribbean. A work dedicated to Olodumare and the worldwide celebration of his 80 years of life.

The founder of the Irakere group comes back to the incomparable sound of the Big Band, Afro-Cuban percussion, Blues, and the set of voices that represents his histrionics as a director, composer, and pianist with La Creación.

On this album, Valdés is accompanied on arrangements, keyboards, and conducting by Canadian Juno award-winning Cuban musician Hilario Durán and the Grammy Award winner and Emmy nominee John Beasley. Playing the Drums is Grammy winner and two Latin Grammy nominee Dafnis Prieto. Also, in La Creación stand out Erick Barbería, Yosvany González Franco, and Felipe Sarria Linares (Batá and voices), José A. Gola (Double Bass and Electric Bass), and Roberto Jr. Vizcaíno (Percussion). Former Van Van member Yeny Valdés adds her melodious voice to this production, while two Grammys winner Brian Lynch and “Daring Improviser” (rated by Jazz Times) Etienne Charles do it by playing the Trumpets. On the other hand, Carlos Averhoff Jr., considered one of the new voices in the new generation of Cuban jazz saxophonists, flaunts his virtuosity on the Tenor Sax and Marcus Strickland on the Alto Sax.

So remember…

Enjoy the concert of the master Chucho Valdés & The Yoruban Orchestra in the Iberian Peninsula!

Date: Tuesday, November 23rd

Time: 8:30 PM

Address: Palau de la Música Catalana. Music auditorium located on Sant Pere més Alt street in the Ribera district of Barcelona, Spain.

Ticket: From 26 €

Chucho Valdés dressed in a floral shirt and yellow cap
Chucho Valdés was born on October 9th, 1941, in Quivicán (Cuba)

In addition to this presentation in Barcelona, ​​the winner of six Grammys and four Latin Grammys, Chucho Valdés has scheduled an autumn tour that will visit the main cities of France and the neighborhood of the principality of Monaco, Monte Carlo. Finishing his tour in the city of Girona – Spain (December 4th) and Castellón de la Plana – Spain (December 11th). Tickets can be found from € 15 depending on the location.

Currently, Dionisio Jesús “Chucho” Valdés Rodríguez, with more than 60 years of experience, directs a course of group classes that contain 14 recorded chapters lasting one hour. This exclusive virtual academy for pianists was inaugurated on March 15th, 2021.   However, this online study platform already includes live lessons and individualized tutoring with the delivery of certificates for advanced pianists.

“After the experience of the group classes in a virtual way, I realized that the students have different needs, so I decided to start with individual classes for advanced musicians. In this way, the classes will be focused directly on the needs of each one”. Chucho Valdés.

Perhaps These Data May Interest You:

Chucho Valdés dressed in white with nature in the background
To attend the Festival, minors under 16 must be accompanied by their father, mother, or legal guardian
  • The Barcelona Voll-Damm Jazz Festival is one of the oldest events and a world reference in Europe. Their first concert was held on November 3rd, 1966.
  • In this festival, master classes are offered by the best specialists, conferences with fascinating and current topics, meetings with artists, as well as outstanding concerts (some free) for fans and lovers of the Jazz genre.
  • For 32 years (1989) The Project has been the Barcelona promotion company in charge of organizing this autumn meeting annually.
  • The Project was created in 1988 and organizes more than 400 concerts a year with approximately 10,000 musical calls to date.
  • The Voll-Damm drink became part of the festival in 2002, becoming its main sponsor.

Salsoteca Lavoe returns with events and fun 2021

One of our contacts mentions that on April 14 a fashion arrived in Quito. We will talk about a space that came to fill the great void in the salsa dancers of this beautiful capital, an alternative that became fashion, a fashion that became custom and custom has become culture, not to mention Lavoe the site of Salsa meeting in Ecuador. This great Salsoteca has the perfect atmosphere for lovers of good salsa and bachata, a context armed with paintings of the most important Latin Caribbean music in the world, many of them autographed during their visit to this dance palace. Well-toned colors for incredible freshness, first-class attention that makes you the main artist of the night, we are talking about a 100% safe environment full of friendly people ready to give you a fascinating moment.

The Lavoe Salsoteca is located at Iñaquito and United Nations 170517 Quito, Ecuador.

Photo of the Salsoteca Lavoe
Photo of the stage of the Salsoteca Lavoe

It is known and visited for being one of the most visited tropical discos and nightclubs in the whole country, there you can count on special events during the year, concerts, talks, great festivals of orchestras and dance schools during 3 months of the year, closing with the great anniversary party where we can enjoy the best rumba of the year, but with the Covid-19 pandemic they had to close their doors for the safety of all, however there were online activities with the participation of DJs, soloists and musical groups, there were even live in the parking lot of Lavoe but each one inside their own cars.

After being inactive in the premises for a year (2020) due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lavoe Salsoteca opens its doors again on September 9 (2021) with new regulations to comply with in order to protect ourselves and in turn enjoy a pleasant social moment where everyone can listen to live music, dance and taste food and liquors; So if you plan to go to the Salsoteca, you have to take into account the following rules without mentioning the biosecurity rules:

  1. Identity Card
  2. Vaccination card (full dose)
  3. Use of KN95 or surgical mask
  4. Fill out the health form upon admission

With its new Lavoe motto “La Magia Regreso” opening on Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m., the Cover has a cost of $ 10 that includes a drink ( They recommend booking to ensure your space).

Collash of dancers at the Salsoteca Lavoe
Dancers at the Salsoteca Lavoe

And on Tuesdays there will be Salsa and Bachata workshops, all you have to do to integrate is to comply with the regulations, reserve your place through their website , if you like and pay the cover On that day, which has a cost of $ 6, the workshop is free, not to mention that the consumption of beer has a 2×3 promotion until 9 at night.

If you want to know more (its events, classes or renting the premises) you can obtain more information through:

Yamira Blanco -Director and tresista of her group Son Latino

Many musical genres that emerged over the years, among them are the salsa genre which was a boom in the decade between the 60s and 70s, being a movement that mixes African and Caribbean sounds, which has been adopted by male artists already that in those times the woman who played a musical instrument was frowned upon and it was not accepted that they were in music, however this did not stop and the experience made the artist and she spent many years, female groups managed to exist in Salsa.

In this October 2021 edition, we have the opportunity to interview Yamira Blanco Ramos, a salsa singer who participated in the orchestra made up of fourteen women who cultivate Cuban popular music, fusing the most traditional rhythms with contemporary sound, also known as “Las Mulatísimas del Sabor ”, have achieved a seal that distinguishes them and are appreciated by both critics and dancers from all over Cuba and from various countries around the world.

Yamira Blanco - Photo
Photo by Yamira Blanco

He was in the hands of the prestigious guitarist Efraín Amador during his beginnings and in turn began his studies at the National School of Art (ENA) and then continues the same at the Higher Institute of Art of Havana (ISA), where he graduated with a Degree de Oro, during his student years he always stood out for his active participation in groups of different formats, from duos to septets; Later, he had the opportunity to participate in the 2001 Mujer International Guitar Festival in Costa Rica, where he performed with the Plectro trio, made up of guitar, tres and lute.

He joined the Anacaona group, starting in September 2006 with his tres to enrich the musical spectrum of the group and after a year (January 2007) he joined the Los Galanes quintet simultaneously, under the musical direction of Armando Vidal , vocalist of said group, with whom he performs a musical work based on traditional Cuban music.

In 2008 he recorded with the quintet the album Suena por mi Cuba with the Egrem label, and later with a small format of the Anacaona group, he recorded in 2008 the musical theme “Parampampan”, for the filmmaker’s musical film Chico y Rita Spanish Fernando Trueba; and after a year (2009) he participated with the Anacaona group in an artistic tour in Canada and also attended different jazz festivals and “World Music”, including the third edition of the Aruba Jazz Festival.

As of 2010 Yamira together with the Anacaona group, on their tour to Curacao they presented the show “Viva Cuba”, with the purpose of raising funds for the fight against breast cancer, organized by the Sinte Rose Foundation of said country. This tour brings the Aruba International Film Festival to a close.

Yamira Blanco in the music studio
Photo of Yamira Blanco posing at the piano

Later they resumed their participation with the Anacaona Orchestra in the Santa Lucía Jazz Festival in 2011, being its 20th edition, where they were together with leading jazz players from the international arena, shining for their improvisations on the different themes that they performed with the orchestra. both on the tres and on the guitar.

In 2012 they celebrated their 80th anniversary of this musical institution, making an extensive tour throughout the country in addition to multiple radio and television programs and in August they performed with the group at the PDVSA salsa festival. , in Venezuela, alternating with salsa groups from that country.

They began to record the album De Cuba soy, in 2013 under the Colibrí label, a phonogram dedicated to celebrating the eight decades of artistic life of the Anacaona group, then Yamira assumed the direction of the Quinteto Los Galanes, being appointed by its vocalist and founder, who decides to retire, so she poses new challenges in the music that is the inspiration of this young and talented Cuban tresera.

In 2015:

  • I participated in the documentary Mix The World by Grammy nominated filmmakers Alex Elena and Steve’s Baughman.
  • Son Latino, a music septet that he has directed since 2015, is made up of a format of three, guitar, double bass, bongos, tumbadora, singer, trumpet and minor percussion.
  • Works multiple genres such as son, song, cha cha cha, bolero, rumba, guaracha, bachata, merengue and the interpretation of current Cuban timba, starting from its purely traditional format.
  • It is a group that seeks to defend Cuban popular music from more contemporary harmonic and rhythmic sounds, with good taste and a high aesthetic sense in creation, seeking its own stamp with auditory and visual identity.

In 2020 Yarima Blanco becomes a Soundwear artist and records with several guests the CD Pa mi tres, a co-production between the Recording Company and Musical Editions, Egrem, and Soundwear Production that will have its presentation and launch in 2021.

The phonogram is a journey through the sounds of Cuban and Caribbean popular music based on 12 unpublished songs where the authorship of Yarima herself, the Puerto Rican Tomás Pérez and the Cubans Yunior Molina, César Lozada and Juan Antonio Gil stand out.

With musical production by the hand of the Latin Grammy award Roniel Alfonso Mella, they participate as special guests in several of the songs on the album: maestro Pancho Amat, Alain Pérez, Kelvis Ochoa, Rolando Luna, Bárbara Zamora, singer from Anacaona, among other important Cuban musicians.

Yamira Blanco
Photo of Yamira Blanco Live

Now if you want to know the exact list of the different activities that he carried out throughout his musical career, you can see them here:

Participation in Festivals: Discography
2001 International Woman Guitar Festival, Costa Rica 2006 Cuba le canta a Serrat vol. 2, discography –Discmedi
2009 Aruba Jazz Festival 2007 No lo puedo Evitar, Anacaona -Bis Music
2009 Canadian Jazz Festivals 2008 Suena por mi Cuba– Quinteto “Los Galanes” – EGREM
2009 La Nuits D’Afrique Festival in Montreal Canada 2008  “Parampampan” – tema para el Largometraje Chico y Rita
2010 Aruba International Film Festival 2013 De Cuba soy – Anacaona – Colibrí
2011 20th edition of the Santa Lucia Jazz festival 2019 Lágrimas de la cantante Cassandra Nuñez –Egrem
2012 PDVSA Salsa Festival, Venezuela 2020 Pa mi tres, Egrem – Soundwear Production
2019 Salsa Festival in Bogotá Colombia Park    
2020 Jazz Plaza Cuba Festival. Collaboration with Dominican-American Cassandra Núñez.    
2020 Concerts and show in tribute to the bolero and its relationship between Mexico and Cuba, Mexico City, under the direction and musical production of Rosario Castro.    

 

 

If you want to contact this great artist: