Biography

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

Sammy Figueroa is an exceptional percussionist known for his versatility and for playing in a multitude of musical styles

Sammy Figueroa, a percussionist with an excellent career.

Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1948. He is the son of bolero singer Charlie Figueroa, whom he never knew, as his father passed away at the age of 32.

Sammy moved to Puerto Rico as a child to live with his grandparents and escape the Bronx’s gang violence.

Sammy Figueroa is an excellent percussionist who has stood out for his versatility, playing in a multitude of musical styles

At 18, he started his professional career with bassist Bobby Valentín’s band. Throughout his career, he has stood out for his versatility, playing in a multitude of musical styles and contributing to nearly 400 albums, ten of which are platinum.

He has collaborated with major pop artists like David Bowie, Chaka Khan, and Mariah Carey, as well as with distinguished jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, and George Benson. In 1977, he became a founding member of the Latin rock fusion group Raíces.

In 2001, Sammy Figueroa moved to South Florida and formed his own group, Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion. His albums And Sammy Walked In and The Magician were nominated for a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album.

Sammy Figueroa, a percussionist with an excellent career

His 2023 album, Searching for a Memory / Busco Tu Recuerdo, is a tribute to his father. The project, produced by his wife, Rachel Faro, with whom he has also co-produced other albums, allowed Sammy to reconcile with his father’s legacy. On this album,

Sammy sings on a record for the first time and transforms his father’s classic boleros into modern Latin jazz arrangements. The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the “Best Jazz/Latin Jazz Album” category.

Sammy Figueroa has received numerous awards, including two Percussionist of the Year awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), two Drummie Awards for Best Hand Percussion, and a Best Percussionist award from the Jazz Journalists Association.

Discovered by jazz flutist Herbie Mann, Figueroa became a well-known session and studio musician, touring and recording with The Brecker Brothers, Average White Band, Morrissey – Mullen, The Mahavishnu Orchestra John McLaughlin, and Miles Davis.

He has also appeared with Blondie, Sonny Rollins, David Sanborn, Quincy Jones, Dave Grusin, George Benson, Chet Baker, Stanley Clarke, Grover Washington Jr., Al Jarreau, Lena Horne, Joe Williams, Mark Murphy, Mike Mainieri, Néstor Torres, Chico O’Farrill, Mike Stern, Chuck Loeb, Bobby Watson, Dave Valentin, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Rubén Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Bobby Valentín, Tania Maria, Mariah Carey, James Taylor, Dr. John, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Celine Dion, Blues Traveler, Natalie Merchant, David Lee Roth, Hall & Oates, Joe Cocker, Rickie Lee Jones, Annie Lennox, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Grace Jones, James Ingram, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, and many others.

Some of the R&B hits he is featured on include Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” Luther Vandross’s “The Night I Fell In Love,” and Ashford & Simpson’s “Solid (as a rock),” as well as most of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards’ hits on the Chic and Sister Sledge record labels.

Michel Camilo wrote the song “And Sammy Walked In” in his honor, and it was also recorded by Giovanni Hidalgo. Two of his CDs, And Sammy Walked In and The Magician, have been nominated for Grammy Awards in the “Best Latin Jazz Album” category. Figueroa hosts a Latin jazz show on WDNA-FM in Miami, Florida.

Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1948

If you’re not very familiar with Sammy Figueroa’s work, you can try an experiment with this album: listen closely to see if you can guess what his instrument is. In a medium-sized combo, what instrument seems to take center stage? The answer: it’s impossible to guess, which says something about Figueroa’s maturity as a leader.

It’s also surprising to see how pared down his forces really are this sextet sounds like a big band. (Spoiler alert: he’s a percussionist.) It also says something about him that the term “Explosion” is a misnomer for his band. There are no pyrotechnics, no crazy tempos, and no wildly layered rhythms here.

But there are some very impressive horn arrangements (check out “Cha Cha Pa’ Ti” and the lovely “Cuco y Olga”), along with some of the sweetest, most tender ballads to appear on a jazz album of any genre in recent years (“Queen from the South” and “Zuliana” are the best examples).

For a percussionist acting as a bandleader, giving this kind of sustained, loving attention to compositions that only make a tenuous use of his talent is further proof of Figueroa’s taste and maturity. Let’s hope Figueroa keeps going in this vein. Rick Anderson.

Sammy Figueroa & His Latin Jazz Explosion – Urban Nature (2011).

Tracks:

Gufillo (Silvano Monasterios)
Urban Nature (Gabriel Vivas)
Latin What? (Michael Orta)
Zuliana (Silvano Monasterios)
7th Door From The Left (Silvano Monasterios)
Cuco y Olga (Nicholas Martines)
Cha Cha Pa’ Ti (Gabriel Vivas)
Queen From The South (Silvano Monasterios)
Funny Talk (Gabriel Vivas)

Musicians:

Sammy Figueroa (Percussion)
Silvano Monasterios (Piano)
Gabriel Vivas (Acoustic bass)
John Michalak (Sax)
Alexander Pope Norris (Trumpet)
Nomar Negroni (Drums)

Guest Musicians:

Ed Calle (Sax)
Mike Orta (Piano)
José Gregorio Hernández (Percussion)

Website: Sammy Figueroa

By:

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Also Read: Carlos “Nene” Quintero comes from a family of musical prodigie

Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important Latin jazz flautists in history, thanks to his technique and rhythm

Valentín: The Master of the Flute in Latin Jazz.

Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important flutists in the history of Latin jazz, thanks to his technique, rhythm, and vast musical knowledge.

Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important Latin jazz flutists in history, thanks to his technique and rhythm

Born in the Bronx, New York, on April 29, 1952, to Puerto Rican parents from Mayagüez, Valentín grew up in a home filled with music. From the sounds of Tito Rodríguez and Tito Puente to Machito, the musical culture that surrounded him as a child was a major influence. Although he loved the bongos and congas, he joined a Latin group as a timbalero during his teenage years. He played in the “cuchifrito” circuit and in working-class dance halls in New York.

Dave Valentín’s life largely reflects the story of the children of Puerto Rican immigrants in New York who forged their own destiny through hard work, dedication, talent, and family support. In fact, the musician, composer, and arranger himself liked to say that “each person creates their own reality.”

A Legacy-Filled Career

GRP Records Pioneer: Valentín was the first artist to sign with the influential GRP record label, which allowed him to consolidate his career and spread jazz fusion and Latin jazz to a wider audience. He recorded 16 albums with the label, including titles like Legends, The Hawk, Land of the Third Eye, Pied Piper, In Love’s Time, Flute Juice, Kalahari, and Red Sun, among others. These works combine the intensity of Latin cadences with influences from pop, R&B, Brazilian music, and smooth jazz. For the musician, being signed by this multinational company represented “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Notable Collaborations: Throughout his career, he worked with major figures in jazz and Latin music such as Tito Puente, Manny Oquendo, Cano Estremera, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Marrero, Dave Grusin, and Patti Austin.
Awards and Recognitions:
- He earned a Grammy nomination in 1985.
- He won a Grammy Award in 2003 for his work on the album Caribbean Jazz Project, alongside vibraphonist Dave Samuels.
- He was chosen as the top jazz flutist by readers of Jazziz magazine for seven consecutive years.

Come Fly with Me (2006)

Dave Valentin - Come Fly With Me — Dave Valentin – Come Fly With Me

Dave Valentín always moved in the realm of fusion. His incorporation of smooth jazz elements, Latin influences, and the sensitivity of modern jazz made him a difficult artist to pigeonhole. Come Fly with Me is one of his most notable albums, as it focuses on a direct approach to Latin jazz. The majority of the songs are Afro-Cuban with a New York flair, without including funk or samba rhythms.

Driven by a formidable rhythm section that includes Robert Ameen on drums, Milton Cardona and Richie Flores on percussion, Luques Curtis on bass, and his friend Bill O’Connell on piano, the album overflows with power and elegance. Trombonist and arranger Papo Vázquez also participates on several tracks. The group’s rhythm is profound and the solos are filled with inspiration. Despite some less successful moments, Valentín’s innate sense of taste and melody shines brightly.

Album Credits

Musicians:

Dave Valentín (Flute)
Bill O’Connell (Piano)
Luques Curtis (Acoustic Bass)
Papo Vázquez (Trombone)
Chris Barretto (Tenor Sax #1)
Robert Ameen (Drums)
Milton Cardona (Percussion)
Richie Flores (Percussion)

Tracks:

Come Fly with Me
Twinkle Toes
Enciendido
Mind Games
If You Could See Me Now
Easy Street
Tu Pañuelo
House of the Sun
Song for My Brothers

Sadly, Dave Valentín suffered a stroke in 2012 that forced him to step away from music. He passed away in 2017. Despite his passing, his musical legacy remains a fundamental reference for flutists and lovers of Latin jazz.

Valentín El maestro de la flauta en el jazz latino

By:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Rafael Vega Curry for the National Foundation for Popular Culture

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: Pamir Guánchez, brilliant Venezuelan singer, flutist, saxophonist and arranger.

Ray Barretto: Rican/Struction of a Master for the year 1979

“Rican/Struction” is the most representative album of Ray Barretto’s career, not only for its innovative character but also for its immense personal significance.

RicanStruction is the most representative album production in Ray Barretto's career — RicanStruction is the most representative album production in Ray Barretto’s career

In 1978, Ray Barretto was struggling to cope with the poor reception of his recent album, “Can You Feel It?” (1978), which he had recorded a year earlier with Atlantic Records. Despite its quality, the album went largely unnoticed by the public, causing Barretto great frustration and disappointment.

For a few years, Barretto had been tired of playing the same old repertoire. To give his career a fresh start, his manager, Jerry Masucci, sold his contract to Atlantic, intending for him to record a more commercial jazz fusion and funk album. However, the plan didn’t work out as they had hoped. During this time, the percussionist spent his days feeling pensive and worried, convinced that signing with Atlantic had been a mistake because the label gave his last two albums very little promotion.

One morning, while driving and lost in thought, Barretto slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting a car that suddenly appeared. The abrupt maneuver caused another vehicle to rear-end him. The collision resulted in several injuries, the most serious being severe damage to the tendons connecting his thumb to the rest of his right arm. Doctors “gave up on him,” claiming he would never be able to play again.

The news plunged the musician into a deep depression. Doctors recommended surgery, but Barretto refused, fearing his hand would never be the same. He sought second opinions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but every specialist gave him the same diagnosis and the same solution: surgery.

They say Barretto would visit clubs with a palpable sadness and bitterness because he couldn’t play. Many people in the industry said his career was over until one night, an old friend and fellow musician told him about the benefits of acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine that had helped several people with similar problems.

Barretto underwent a long and painful treatment for almost two years, gradually restoring movement to his right hand. Once he was nearly recovered, he decided it was time to return to music.

He broke his contract with Atlantic, sought out Adalberto Santiago (who had left his band in 1972 to form La Típica 73), and re-signed with Fania Records. With them, he produced the album “Rican/Struction” (1979), his most representative work, not only for how progressive it was but also for the immense personal value it held.

The production was a resounding success, and a year later, it earned him the titles of “Musician of the Year” from Latin New York magazine. In this way, the master Ray Barretto demonstrated his great strength and tenacity to the world.

Did you know…?

The song “Al Ver Sus Campos” from the album Rican/Struction is a tribute to the Puerto Rican patriot Pedro Albizu Campos. Composed by Johnny Ortiz and arranged by Oscar Hernández, the song, sung by Adalberto Santiago, captures the feeling of Albizu’s resistance as he fought to liberate his homeland from foreign invading forces.
Albizu Campos was a jibarito, a legend who existed under the burning Puerto Rican sun.
According to Adalberto Santiago, “the Rican/Struction album is a musical gem because, in New York, no musician buys records, and this one was bought by the entire salsa community.”
Dj. Augusto Felibertt y Adalberto Santiago

Vocalists for Ray Barretto and La Típica 73

Adalberto Santiago was in Ray Barretto’s band from 1966 to 1972. When he left to join La Típica 73, he was replaced by Tito Allen, who recorded the album Indestructible with Barretto in 1973.
Tito Allen y Dj. Augusto Felibertt
When Adalberto Santiago left La Típica 73 to form Los Kimbos, his replacement in the group was once again Tito Allen. With them, Tito recorded the album Rumba Caliente (1976). Then, in 1977, La Típica 73’s vocalist was the late Camilo Azuquita for the album The Two Sides of Típica 73.

By:

Los Mejores Salseros del Mundo

Dj. Augusto Felerttib

Also Read: Raymundo “Ray” Barretto Pagan was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 29, 1929

Juancito Torres: The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico

We present the musical life of one of the greatest trumpeters in Latin music, the master Juan “Juancito” Torres Vélez, known as “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico.”

La Trompeta Nacional de Puerto Rico Juan Torres Vélez

Born on January 14, 1936, in Caguas, Puerto Rico, to Justina Vélez Vázquez and Félix Torres Varcárcel, he began his musical journey playing the violin in his hometown. He joined the Municipal Band, where he was taught by Adrián Benjamín and Carlos Julio Bosch, who also taught him the intricacies of the trumpet.

Juancito was a fan of Placido Acevedo, the trumpeter and director of the Mayarí quartet, and Acevedo was his biggest influence for his development as a professional trumpeter. At the age of fourteen, he studied at the Escuela Libre de Música. In 1952, he joined the orchestra of jazz musician Ramón “Moncho” Usera Vives and stayed with him for a year before joining his teacher Miguelito Miranda’s band.

In 1955, he traveled to New York, where he worked with Xavier Cugat, Noro Morales, and the Lecuona Cuban Boys. It is also said that he was part of the orchestras of Pupy Campo and Tito Rodríguez and that he recorded with René Touzet, Dámaso Pérez Prado, and Eddie Cano.

Juancito Torres Primera Trompeta de Fania All Stars

Juancito returned to Puerto Rico in 1960 and enrolled at the Puerto Rico Conservatory to further his musical knowledge. In 1965, he appeared on the list of musicians who recorded the album Bobby Capó and His Orchestra with the great Bobby Capó. In the late 1960s, Juancito joined master Bobby Valentín’s orchestra, recording five albums with them between 1969 and 1975. During the 1970s, he recorded with Frank Ferrer, Justo Betancourt, Puerto Rico All Stars, and Marvin Santiago.

In 1979, Juan began his participation in recordings, concerts, and international tours with the Fania All Stars. He appeared as a member of the Pacheco and Masucci collective on at least ten albums between 1979 and 1997. These include Habana Jam, Commitment, Latin Connection, Lo que Pide la Gente, “Live”, Viva Colombia, and Bravo 97.

Juancito’s extraordinary musical career and great talent also allowed him to participate in recordings for many singers, musicians, and groups such as Cheo Feliciano, Tommy Olivencia y su Orquesta, Adalberto Santiago, Roberto Roena, Sonora Ponceña, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rojas, Pedro Arroyo, Descarga Boricua, Lalo Rodríguez, and Ray Barreto, among many others. “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico” also participated in recordings by musicians and singers of other rhythms and musical genres such as Pop, Tropical, Jazz-Rock, Progressive Metal, Rock, Reggae, and Funk/Soul.

Regarding our music, we remember some of the tracks in which our great musician from Caguas recorded immortal trumpet solos: “Cuando Te Vea” with Bobby Valentín, “Dime,” “Menéame La Cuna,” “Quítate La Máscara,” and “Puerto Rico/Adoración” with Fania, “Amada Mía” and “Salí Porque Salí” with Cheo Feliciano. “Pedregal” with Justo Betancourt, “Canto A Borinquen” and “Alianza De Generales” with Puerto Rico All Stars, and “Palo Pa’ Rumba,” “Prohibición de Salida,” and “Solito” with Eddie Palmieri.

Through this work on Juancito Torres’ artistic life, we want to pay a small but well-deserved tribute to one of the ambassadors of Puerto Rican music. Juan Torres Vélez’s musical career spanned half a century, during which he participated in more than a hundred albums in our music alone, which was named Salsa from the beginning of the 1970s. The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico will live forever in the hearts of Salseros around the world.

The trumpeter and producer Charlie Sepúlveda presented his new musical work titled Feeling Good Again, a jazz album released in 2003 on the Metrix label, which included our Juancito Torres on flugelhorn. Los Licenciados is the name of an album published by the Duque Records label and Omar Duque y su Orquesta. The recording year for this album is not specified, but Juancito Torres also participated as a trumpeter.

Charlie Sepulveda Feeling Good Again, Lanzado en 2003

Juancito Torres suffered from high blood pressure and bronchial asthma. Unfortunately, he passed away from a heart attack while sleeping at his home in Carolina on July 26, 2003. We will always remember him.

Long Live Music! Long Live Salsa! Long Live Juancito Torres!

By:

The Best Salseros in the World

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Biography

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.

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.

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.

Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1948. He is the son of bolero singer Charlie Figueroa, whom he never knew, as his father passed away at the age of 32.

Sammy sings on a record for the first time and transforms his father’s classic boleros into modern Latin jazz arrangements. The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the “Best Jazz/Latin Jazz Album” category.

For a percussionist acting as a bandleader, giving this kind of sustained, loving attention to compositions that only make a tenuous use of his talent is further proof of Figueroa’s taste and maturity. Let’s hope Figueroa keeps going in this vein. Rick Anderson.

Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important flutists in the history of Latin jazz, thanks to his technique, rhythm, and vast musical knowledge.

Sadly, Dave Valentín suffered a stroke in 2012 that forced him to step away from music. He passed away in 2017. Despite his passing, his musical legacy remains a fundamental reference for flutists and lovers of Latin jazz.

“Rican/Struction” is the most representative album of Ray Barretto’s career, not only for its innovative character but also for its immense personal significance.

According to Adalberto Santiago, “the Rican/Struction album is a musical gem because, in New York, no musician buys records, and this one was bought by the entire salsa community.”

We present the musical life of one of the greatest trumpeters in Latin music, the master Juan “Juancito” Torres Vélez, known as “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico.”

In 1955, he traveled to New York, where he worked with Xavier Cugat, Noro Morales, and the Lecuona Cuban Boys. It is also said that he was part of the orchestras of Pupy Campo and Tito Rodríguez and that he recorded with René Touzet, Dámaso Pérez Prado, and Eddie Cano.