Biography

Juan Valdez Byte Dominican musician, arranger, composer and singer-songwriter.

Juan Valdez Born in San Juan de la Maguana on June 24, 1962. Son of Mrs. Martha Ramona Ybert and Mr. Jose Ignacio Valdez (Kiko), he is the eldest of 6 siblings (all musicians).

He started in his father’s band (also a musician) La Gran Dimensión, he was the first saxophonist of the municipal music band of his town where he studied solfeggio and saxophone with maestro Plinio Feliz. Later he studied piano at the school of fine arts of the same town.

Juan Valdez Ybet at the age of 19 he moved to Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, where he became a pianist and arranger for the Rosario Brothers Orchestra, Aramis Camilo, Alex Bueno, Sergio Vargas, Alex Mansilla and Canaveral, pianist for Juan Luis Guerra and 440, then director and arranger for Luis Diaz, Michel El Buenon, Asdrubar, Felix Manuel, Big Bang Congreso del Bolero, Felix De Oleo, Jaqueline Estevez, Anthony Rios, Camboy Estevez, Homenaje a Felix del Rosario, among others.

He was also Director of the Television Programs: Buen Provecho with Yaqui Nuñez, Viceversa with Mariela Encarnación and Georgina Duluc, En Resumidas Cuentas and Sábado de Corporan.

Juan Valdez Ybet he has participated as a pianist in concerts and studio recordings with Aramis Camilo, Alex Bueno, Sergio Vargas, Luis Diaz, Michel El Buenon, Asdrubar, Felix Manuel, Felix De Oleo, popular concerts, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional conductor Jose A. Molina, Grupo Cañaveral, Wilfrido Vargas, Fernando Villalona, Sandy Reyes, Henry Garcia, Grupo Licuado de Crispin Fernandez, Maridalia Hernandez, Milly Quezada, Juan Luis Guerra, Andy Montañez, Paquito Guzman, Tito Gomez, Zacarias Ferreira, Eddy Herrera, Hermanos Rosario, Kaki Vargas, Hector Acosta y Toros Band, The New York Band, Grupo Ilegales, Manuel Tejada, Jorge Taveras, Rasputin, Pablo Martinez, Marcos Hernandez, Luis Miguel del Amargue, Aniversario Telemicro, among others.

He has made Musical Arrangements (Orchestrator) for: Aramis Camilo, Alex Bueno, Sergio Vargas, Luis Diaz, Michel El Buenon, Asdrubar, Felix Manuel, Felix De Oleo, National Symphony Orchestra, Placido Domingo Jr, Grupo Canaveral, Wilfrido Vargas, Fernando Villalona, Sandy Reyes, Henry Garcia, Milly Quezada, Zacarias Ferreira, Olga Tañon, Manny Manuel, Mayra y Celines, Placido Domingo Hijo, Hermanos Rosario, Kaki Vargas, Hector Acosta y Toros Band, The New York Band, La Coco Band, Grupo Ilegales, Rasputin, Pablo Martinez, Jailine Cintron, Grupo La Linea, Premios Casandra, Primera y Segunda del Merengue, Que Viva El Merengue, Dimanchy, Conjunto Quisqueya, Giselle, Isha, Pakole, Manolé, Yanfourd, David Kada, Shadow Blow, Vakero, Gingers for Brugal, Coca Cola and Pastas La Famosa.

Juan he is also a professor of Piano and Popular Latin Orchestration at the National Conservatory of Music (CNM) since 2001 to date. He has been nominated for the Cassandra Awards since 1987 until the last Sovereign Awards.

Juan Valdez ByteBorn in San Juan de la Maguana on June 24, 1962.

Recognized by the green valley foundation in his town, by the city council and the syndic.

Recognized by the Grammy awards as an arranger and musician.

Arranger:

The Rosario Brothers: El Chicharron, Buena Suerte.

Aramis Camilo: Nena, Si la Ven, El Alicate, Hellow, Al Maestro Con Cariño, La india, A La Talalala, I Will Always Love You, Si Yo Pudiera (Salsa), Ya Te Digo Adiós.

Alex Bueno: Como Nadie (lyrics, composition and arrangement), Soy Rebelde, Una Lagrima Por tu Amor, Nuestro Juramento, Quien Soy Yo Sin Ella, Número C.

Quien Soy Yo Sin Ella, Número Cero.

Sergio Vargas: Marola, La Ventanita, La Pastilla, Bamboleo, Perla Negra, Se Acabo, Me Muero, El Merengue Se Baila Pegao, Dias de

Junio, Yo Soy, Muele, Maquina Olandera, Dudas, Por H o por R (Composicion y Arreglo), Perfume de Rosas, En Esta Casa Humilde, A Dar Amor, Tu Vacilandome, Tu Ausencia, Causas y Azares, Lejos, Ciclon, Que No Halla, Mas Fronteras, Amor De A Ratos, Que Linda, Mujeres, Dile Mas, Baile ae, Si Volvieras, Palo Palo, Eres Tu, Ramona, Musica para la fiesta, Soy Sergio, Ay Ombe, El Dolorcito, Jugue sin saber, Aunque mal paguen ellas, Magia, Sin Ella Sufro, Llore Llore, Lucerito.

Benny Sadel: Que pasará, Te He Prometido, Mis manos en tu cintura (Arrangement and Chorus), Homenaje a Wilfrido, Rompamos El Contrato, Quiero Ser, Por Que Yo Quiero, En Esta Navidad, Por Ti, Un Mal Sueño, Así Es La Vida, Yo Te Daba Amor.

Wilfrido Vargas: El Baile Del Perrito, Por La Plata Baila El Mono.

Fernando Villalona: Yo Soy Aquel, Sin Ti, Que Chuleria, Hoy Le Pido Al Señor, No Te Rindas (Bachata).

Rubby Perez: I Must Do It.

Eddy Herrera: Carolina, Callejón Sin Salida, Vete, Dueno De Nada, Desde Que Te Conoci, Lo Tiene Todo.

Hector Acosta (El Torito): Menos Que Nada, Sin Tu No Me Quieres, Déjala, Si Me Recuerdas (Salsa).

New York Band: Quien Piensas Tu Que Soy, Me Quedé Con Las Ganas.

Pochi y La CocoBand: Olvida Las Penas.

Diomedes: Balsie, Las Estrellas Brillaran, El Negro Chombo, Locos De Amor (Karen Records).

Kaki Vargas: Los Mosquitos Puyan (Complete Album), No Cojas Sola Pa Allá, El Hombre De Mamá, Muchachita De Los Limones, Arisleyda, Mampote, among others.

Juan Valdez Ybet

Also Read: Betsy Colombian Salsa, Bolero and Son Cubano Singer

“The Sun of Latin Music” the first Grammy Award for Salsa Eddie Palmieri’s historic album

It has been 49 years since “The Sun of Latin Music”, Eddie Palmieri’s historic album, which marked a fundamental milestone in the history of Latin music by becoming the first production to win a Grammy Award in the category of Best Latin Recording, awarded on February 28, 1976.

"The Sun of Latin Music" the first Grammy of Salsa Eddie Palmieri's historic album — “The Sun of Latin Music” the first Grammy of Salsa Eddie Palmieri’s historic album

Recorded in New York at Electric Lady Studios, the album was released by Coco Records on Wednesday, September 18, 1974.

The album featured vocals by Lalo Rodríguez, who was only 16 years old at the time.

It includes: ‘Nada De Ti’, ‘Deseo Salvaje’, ‘Una Rosa Española’, ‘Nunca Contigo’, ‘Un Día Bonito’, ‘Mi Cumbia’.

“The Sun of Latin Music” proved to the world that Latin music, especially Salsa, was an honorable art form and opened the doors for many other Latin artists to receive solid recognition for their talent and work.

Eddie Palmieri

The sun of Latin music

MP, 1990. MP-3109 CD

Recorded in 1975

The Sun of Latin Music was a controversial album. It was too far from the easy formula of the middle salsa boom – what César Miguel Rondón calls the “mtancerization of salsa”.

“Ahead of its time” was one of the comments; “a piece like Un día bonito, had to be mutilated” with a 6-minute piano intro just to be able to play it on the radio; a danzón (Una rosa española) with lyrics by the Beatles; a cumbia that is not very Colombian, despite the name (Mi cumbia) and the chorus that says “very Colombian…”.

Nevertheless, this album represents the strength of the spirit of salsa: the encounter between the harshness of the street and the majesty of the most sophisticated musical sound.

One of the best albums of Caribbean music ever released.

Palmieri was always in search of something new. The Sun Of Latin Music is the culmination of a phase that began with an earlier album, Sentido (1974).

This time he chose the Panamanian Vitín Paz for the trumpet solo, Barry Rogers for his trombone and an unusual tuba, which formed a kind of basso continuo, and besides Barry, José Rodrigues, who for a long time was, and despite his absence still is, his most emblematic trombonist.

Cover of issue 36 of Latin New York magazine (April 1976) where Eddie Palmieri appears.

Ronnie Cuber and Mario Rivera were chosen as the first saxophonists in a Palmieri orchestra.

For many it is Palmieri’s best album, the most experimental and universal. One that borders on academic music, but without forgetting the dancer.

With spices like the violin of Alfredo de la Fe, who contributes his creativity everywhere, the tuba, the penetrating power of the brass, the overwhelming percussion.

Thus, Una rosa española is a modern danzón that later becomes a montuno that revives the joyful Palmerian game with the dignified uproar of trumpets, saxophones and trombones.

A young man of only 17 years, Lalo Rodríguez, who years later would become the standard-bearer of what was called salsa erotica, was chosen as the singer. Another novelty: the timbre of his voice, with a very high register, and the way he faced the montuno, which did not correspond to his age, caused different reactions.

But the most amazing thing about this 1974 album is the 14:20-minute track Un día bonito, arranged by Barry Rogers, which would keep even the most trained dancers busy. But Palmieri wasn’t just thinking about leg sets or dance floors.

The piece begins with a long piano interlude, the same structure he used in the track Adoración from the album Sentido, which would mark a new musical phase in his career.

It was more than experimental, it had some electro-acoustic music; no one had ever had the audacity to do that on a salsa album. Palmieri made the leap, he could do it, it sounded more like Stravinsky or Milhaud than Puente or Fania.

Suddenly, back in the piece, the orchestra bursts in, harder and heavier than ever, wishing the city of Los Angeles a beautiful day and San Francisco a “warm greeting,” and it is certain that Keruack and Borrough heard the call.

Then Eddie Palmieri was consecrated by the intellectuals and the educated and also by the Grammy.

Eddie Palmieri

The sun of Latin music

Produced by Harvey Averne

Eddie Palmieri: piano

Lalo Rodríguez: vocals

Vitín Paz: trumpet

Virgil Jones: trumpet

Barry Rogers: trombone, tenor tuba

José Rodrigues: trombone

Ronnie Cuber: Baritone Saxophone, Flute

Mario Rivera: Baritone Saxophone, Flute

Alfredo de la Fe: Violin

Eddie Guagua Rivera: Bass

Tommy Chuckie Lopez, Jr.: Bongo

Eladio Pérez: conga

Nicky Marrero: timbales, percussion

Peter Gordon: French Horn

Tony Price: Tuba

Jimmy Sabater: Chorus

Willie Torres: Chorus

Tommy López Sr.: conga

Tracks: Nada de ti; Deseo salvaje; Una rosa española; Nunca contigo; Un día bonito; Mi cumbia

Arrangements by René Hernández and Barry Rogers

One of the most valuable pieces in the exhibition “Rhythm and Power: Salsa in New York”, which will be presented until next November at the Museum of the City of the Big Apple, is the first Grammy in the history of Latin music, awarded in 1976 to Eddie Palmieri for his album “Sun of Latin Music”.

Sources:

Anapapaya

Salsero Radio

D j. Augusto Felibertt

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Omslig D’ León: “I am the son of the sonero of the world, but I have my own style and I am creating my own musical history

Omslig D’ León enters the world of musical art hand in hand with his father Oscar D’ León, who works functionally as a dancer, choreographer, percussionist, background singer and singer, this young Venezuelan talent has already traveled the world in its breadth and length, through almost all the countries of North America, Europe and Latin America.

Omslig decided to start his career as a soloist and create his own history with new challenges, forming his own orchestra with his own compositions, innovating with his own unique and international style.

Omslig D' León I am the son of the sonero of the world — Omslig D’ León I am the son of the sonero of the world

“He recently toured Europe for more than two months, including performances in Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Istanbul”.

“And with you, the sonero of the world, Oscar D’ León. Any Venezuelan or fan of the emblematic salsero from Caracas would be thrilled to hear such a presentation, but when you carry his blood, the adrenaline is even greater. His son, Omslig, explained it this way.

It was inevitable that I would become a musician. It’s not just my father, Oscar, it’s my mother, it’s my whole family that has music in their blood,” said the son of one of the most important salsa musicians in history.

Omslig, who began his musical career at the age of 16 as a lectern player in his father’s orchestra, with which he toured the world for 23 years, was in Panama to promote his solo career, which recently took him on a European tour that included Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Istanbul, among other countries.

He will stay a while longer in the isthmus, a country that he says has treated him wonderfully, and then he will travel to Peru and Colombia. “People will think that I am 100% influenced by my father.

Although I learned a lot from him, especially responsibility, I have my own style,” said the director of the orchestra La Melena, referring to his musical project in which he covers songs by various artists, including Panamanian Omar Alfano and Venezuelan Frank Quintero.

Omslig D' León I am the son of the sonero of the world, but I have my own style. — Omslig D’ León I am the son of the sonero of the world, but I have my own style.

Not everything is rosy.

Being the son of Oscar D’ León can be very good, but it can also be difficult. He recalled that in the past there were people who “wanted to throw his last name in his face.

“Don’t think that because you’re Oscar’s son it’s going to be easy. I don’t think you sing the same as your father. Things like that have been said to me, but I have moved forward and thank God with his support and a unique style,” he explained.

For those who think that everything has been handed to him on a silver platter, he wanted to leave this anecdote from when he was in Oscar D’ León’s band. “We were in the Canary Islands, we had already finished the show and the next day, very early, we had to take the ferry to another island.

I fell asleep and my dad dropped me off. In the lobby he left me a note saying ‘you have to learn to be responsible’ and that marked me. Then I was able to make it, but I had to pay for everything.

¿Reencuentro de Leones?

Omslig admitted that he would like to reunite with his “soul mate”, his brother Yorman, to start a musical project and, if the opportunity arises, with Iroska, better known as “La Mazucamba”, Oscar’s daughter, who currently lives in the United States.

“A few days ago my dad called me to tell me that why don’t we do something together and the truth is that it would be great. We’ll see, but it was there and something important is going to happen,” he explained.

For now, Omslig is concentrating on his work as a soloist, with several confirmed performances, and continuing his work as a father, already with three children and happily married.

“I will continue to sing my father’s songs, I will continue to keep his name high, but with the tasty and fusion style of Omslig D’ León,” concluded the 42-year-old native of Caracas.

Omslig León enters the musical artistic world hand in hand with his father Oscar D' León. — Omslig León enters the musical artistic world hand in hand with his father Oscar D’ León.

In a few words

One place: Milan, Italy.

One food: lasagna.

Artist: Luis Enrique.

A person you admire: Will Smith.

A musician: Robert Vilera.

Hobby: Painting.

Why Omslig: Oscar, Moises (paternal grandfather) and Ligia (mother).

Also Read: Freddy de Jesús Ortega Ruiz “Coco & su Sabor Matancero”

Sources:

Peggy Blanco (Manager)

Panama El Venezolano

Metamorphosis: from music to photojournalism, a reinvention without limits

In the salsa scene, we are privileged to have the presence and companionship of Felix “Guayciba” Ayala.Guayciba is one of the greatest photojournalists Puerto Rico has ever produced.

He has moved from the musical notes that embrace our ears to now capturing visuals that awaken our five senses of unrepeatable moments.

I appreciate and share first hand the reference of how this idea begins, how the seed of wanting to be a photojournalist is planted, after having directed the Guayciba Group for 12 years.

“In the mid-’80s, a group of friends and I got together. We started playing and put together a Christmas repertoire. People liked it, and they told me, ‘Hey Felix, you should form a group, you sound great.'”

Encouraged by the public’s reception, they set about the task of banding together and formalizing a repertoire of Christmas music, which they later expanded to include popular music. In 1987, the group did not yet have a name, but the musicians were already rehearsing and playing in a bar in Santa Rosa (Bayamón, Puerto Rico).

In 1988 they started calling themselves Murciélago Sound Machine and got their first professional contract, for which they charged $200.00. During one of the rehearsals, Felix’s neighbor, who owned a movie and video rental store, offered to give him the name of his store: Guayciba; which he had already registered with the State Department.

The rest is history.

Felix liked the name, even though he still didn’t know what it meant. Guay-ciba means to take care of the stone. It turns out that our Taino Indians communicated by carving messages on stones, which we now know as petroglyphs.

This form of communication of our Indians, the Tainos, was engraved on the stones that are part of our heritage.

Since 1989, Guayciba claims to have lost his last name – Ayala – to replace it with the name he is known by in the media, Guayciba.

On the salsa stage we have the privilege of having the presence of Felix "Guayciba" — On the salsa stage we have the privilege of having the presence of Felix “Guayciba”

This was the name of the musical group of which Félix Guayciba was the director, composer and singer. As the main member and founder, he took on the task with commitment and in 1989 they released their first record production, entitled Nuestra música primero en LP, because CDs were not yet widespread in the market.

Felix remembers that the first singer of Grupo Guayciba was Gisela Ortiz. Some time later, Gisela got thyroid cancer and when she lost her voice, she had to be replaced by Aidita Encarnación.

Guayciba recalls that Aidita made her debut with the group during the “Coffee Festival” in Maricao and remained with the group until it disbanded in 2000.

In 1991 they produced Echemos pa’lante, which opened the door to radio stations on the island. In 1992 they produced Por ti doblaré rodillas, and in 1993 they released what Felix considers their masterpiece under the title Borinquen, nido de amores.

Félix affirms that this production became the classic album that consolidated them in Salsoul, Z-93 and Estereotempo. Later they released La revolución apoya lo nuestro. In 1999 they released their last album, Contra viento y marea.

In this last Guayciba production, Maestro Luis ‘Perico’ Ortiz made two arrangements: “Déjame Soñar” by Perín Vázquez, which Tito Puente had already recorded on the 100th album, backing the voice of Tony Vega (Antonio Vega Ayala), the cousin of Félix Guayciba Ayala. The six albums of the Grupo Guayciba were recorded in the studio of Maestro Pedro Rivera Toledo, and in Contra viento y marea Maestro Rivera Toledo recorded the saxophone.

In his last album, the song “Por nada la cambiaré” was composed by Guayciba and dedicated to his homeland, Puerto Rico.

They never recorded Christmas music because their mission was to defend our music, the seis, the bomba, the plena and the guaracha, among other indigenous rhythms. The time came for the group to disband, but as Guayciba affirms: “We left a legacy for the musical history of our nation (…) Guayciba was, is and will be one of the best musical groups in the history of typical Puerto Rican music. I have retired, but at least we have left a legacy for history, we have left a mark”.

With the arrival of the new millennium, Guayciba’s musical stage ended to give way to the visual arts, making it clear that he had not retired from the humanistic arts, but had reinvented himself and now stood out in the visual arts.

The images captured by Guayciba’s photographic lens are full of life and movement. The viewer sees as if the artist, athlete or object in the photo comes to life.

Guayciba reflects while explaining how the image speaks or remains silent, depending on the adjustment made, the movement given, the position and the light.

He hastens to clarify: “I have used my musical career to distinguish myself in photography. I photograph artists the way I want them to photograph me.

I try to make the image I take of an artist or a show speak. In photojournalism, the photo has to speak.”

Guayciba made the decision to move from music to photojournalism as a result of a deep depression that he faced and fought with professional help. Once the decision was made, he began training at the University of Puerto Rico.

He never forgot what one of the specialists who was part of the medical team that helped him recover told him: “I have faith in you. If you are going to be a photojournalist, I want you to be the best photojournalist”.

Felix attended classes every Wednesday for three hours. He remembers his first photographic experiments. One that comes to mind is Ricardo Arjona, who performed for an entire season at the Centro de Bellas Artes. Felix would leave his weekly class to go to the CBA, where he would stay until late.

The next day he would go to a megastore to develop the photos from the night before and bring them to the professor to evaluate the shots. The professor would give him advice on what to do to improve the photos he had in hand.

Another moment he remembers with emotion was in 2002, when Fania played a concert at the Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium in Bayamón.

Guayciba already had a digital camera, and during that concert, he says he used 25 rolls of film with 36 exposures each.

He says this was his first international assignment. The first time he photographed an international artist was when he was still a photography student, practicing with Ricardo Arjona in the Fine Arts Department.

As a result of that coverage, he got in touch with the Guatemalan artist, who was thrilled with the photos Felix took, saying at the time that they were the best photos he had ever taken, adding that the Puerto Rican had captured his best side.

Felix has continued to evolve and has had the opportunity to cover concerts by Elton John, the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney, among others. He says: “The only thing I don’t do is pornography, weddings or quinceañeras”. His specialty is artistic shows and sporting events.

Guayciba is the longest serving photographer to cover the Coliseo de Puerto Rico since its inauguration in 2004, when Sonora Ponceña, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz and Roberto Roena’s Apollo Sound performed in that memorable concert produced by Pepe Dueño.

One of the highlights of his career was a trip to Cuba in 2009, where Guayciba was the official photographer for the Puerto Rican delegation that went to the Cuba Disco Festival, which was dedicated to Puerto Rico in that edition.

He has taken more than 24,000 pictures of Cuba. The most memorable experience of his trips to Cuba was visiting the resting place of Che Guevara.

He continues to learn from all the images he has taken and published. “At one point, during the performance of the 2013 musical Pedro Navaja, the Caballero de la Salsa, Gilberto Santa Rosa told me, “You have to let yourself be criticized and you have to accept criticism as long as it is constructive criticism.”

Felix added and still maintains: “It depends on who is criticizing you, because there are people who criticize you just to make fun of you; yes, you know, out of envy”. In fact, Felix understood that he had the best photos of Gilberto.

When he went to see him to show him, Santa Rosa told him: “They’re good, but these photos where I’m alone don’t say anything because it could be at the Fine Arts Center or it could be in some theater. This concert is symphonic, where is the symphony orchestra?” Santa Rosa was right. “From that ear flattery I learned that you have to take the picture of the artist and the complements like stage, orchestra, etc.. It’s like writing a story. You have to include the day, the historical setting, the characters, and make sure that the viewer can get a picture of what happened there in the moment. It’s more of a frozen in time effect.

Guayciba considers Conrado Pastrano her teacher and mentor. She expresses gratitude for all that she has learned in photography and acknowledges that there is still more to learn.

Conrado is an exceptional colleague who takes the time to explain ways to correct unwanted effects in images. Guayciba has developed her own unique style by studying the works of other colleagues and drawing inspiration from each of the photojournalists whom she admires.

Guayciba is highly regarded as one of the top photojournalists in Puerto Rico, although he is humble and has never claimed the title for himself. He recognizes that there are others who may be more talented than him. His motto is: “I may not be the best, but I am proficient in my craft and the photos I take convey a narrative.”

When he is at the ball park, he adeptly adjusts his lighting, shutter speed, and lens to capture the intricate details on a ball despite its velocity exceeding 100 miles per hour. When artists perform on stage, Guayciba faces the task of restoring their natural appearance despite the color filters and stage lighting often making them look unnatural or cartoonish. Overcoming these challenges and bringing the images to life, imbues these artists with renewed enthusiasm for their craft, a pursuit they have devoted over two decades to.

At 68 years of age, he prays daily for longevity. He abstains from drugs and alcohol, including wine, champagne, and cider. His sole indulgence is tobacco and photography.

To view Félix Guayciba’s artistic works and keep in touch with this vital advocate of Puerto Rican culture, please visit the publication at www.guayciba.com. To email him, please use [email protected], or follow his IG account at https://www.instagram.com/guay54/.

To reach him by phone, please dial 787-637-8617. He is always available and eager to assist with his usual helpful demeanor.

Also Read: Bella Martínez presents “Las memorias de Jimmie Morales: un conguero para la historia” [Read more…] about Metamorphosis: from music to photojournalism, a reinvention without limits

Colombia’s legendary Grupo Niche and its founder Jairo Varela

Grupo Niche was founded in 1979 in Bogotá, Colombia, by Jairo Varela, born on December 9, 1949 in Quibdó, Chocó, and Alexis Lozano, who played trombone and was an arranger, later leaving Grupo Niche to form Orquesta Guayacán de Colombia.

That same year, the group released its first album under the Daro label, entitled Al Pasito, with Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano as directors, Nicolás Cristancho “Macabí” on piano, Francisco García on bass, Luis Pacheco on congas and singers Jorge Bazán, Saulo Sánchez and Héctor Viveros.

Two years later, Niche’s second production, Querer es poder, was released. The song “Buenaventura y Caney”, included in the album, became the first composition of the group to become a hit in Colombia, said Jairo Varela.

The legendary Grupo Niche of Colombia 2023

In 1983 After a tour of the United States in which they performed before several colonies of Colombians and a short stay in Buenaventura, the group decided to settle in Cali in 1983.

In 1984 and after releasing the albums Prepárate (1982) and ¡Directo desde Nueva York! (1983), Jairo Varela composed and produced the song “Cali Pachanguero”, which brought the group to national and international stardom.

The song, included in the 1984 album No hay quinto malo, was chosen as the official song of the Cali Fair.

After the success of No hay quinto malo, the group began to tour constantly throughout Colombia and other Latin American countries, becoming the most important orchestra in Colombia.

The album Triunfo, Niche’s sixth discographic production, was released in

1985 The song “Ana Milé”, sung by Jairo Varela, became a radio hit. A year later the group incorporated the renowned Puerto Rican singer Tito Gómez, who had previously worked with La Sonora Ponceña and Ray Barretto, the godfather of Latin jazz.

The inclusion of Gómez further boosted the group’s career throughout Latin America. That same year the album Me huele a matrimonio was released, with Gómez and Varela sharing the lead vocal duties.

Colombia's legendary Grupo Niche 2020 — Colombia’s legendary Grupo Niche 2020

Later, another Puerto Rican joined the group, pianist Israel Tanenbaum, who would eventually leave the group to join a parallel group to Niche, Orquesta Guayacán.

Taking advantage of the group’s growing popularity, in 1987 an album of new versions of songs previously released by the group entitled Historia Musical was released.

That year, the director Jairo Varela fired a group of musicians due to their claims for high fees.

Varela hired some new musicians and recorded the album Tapando el hueco, a production that became an instant hit especially for the songs “Nuestro sueño” and “Cómo podré Disimular”.

After the release of the album, Grupo Niche became a sensation in Latin America, especially in countries such as Venezuela and Peru.

In 1989, the group gave a concert at the Campo de Marte in Lima, where it attracted more than one million people, a record number in that country.

To thank the Peruvian people for their incredible welcome, the band released the album Me sabe a Perú that same year. 1989 also saw the release of the album Sutil y contundente, a production that revalidated the group’s good form, especially with songs such as “Mi hijo y yo” and “Miserable”.

In 1990, after the departure of singer Tito Gómez, the group released the album Cielo de tambores, Grupo Niche’s most successful production to date. The same year of its release, Cielo de tambores ranked third on Billboard magazine’s tropical music chart in the United States.

The album’s success was based on the quality of compositions such as “Busca por dentro”, “Sin sentimiento”, “Debiera olvidarla” and “Cali ají” and the massive popularity of the song “Una aventura”. Charlie Cardona and Javier Vásquez provided the vocals for the album.

From that moment on, the group enjoyed international popularity, touring constantly in countries such as the United States, Peru, Mexico and Colombia, as well as making some presentations in Europe.

In 1992 the group released another successful album entitled Llegando al 100% with Charlie Cardona as lead vocalist. The songs “Hagamos lo que diga el corazón” and “No tuve a quién decirle amor” stand out from this production.

After the release of two compilation albums, the group released Etnia, an album recognized especially for the compositions “La Canoa ranchá” and “La magia de tus besos”. The vocalists on this production were Willy García, Álvaro Granobles and Javier Vásquez.

Jairo Varela was captured and imprisoned in 1995 after returning from a tour of the United States.

The musician was accused of front man and illicit enrichment for allegedly receiving payments from the account of a sister of drug trafficker Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, corresponding to the presentations of Grupo Niche at the Caseta Carnaval del Norte, an event where artists such as Sergio Vargas and Oscar D’León el sonero del mundo also performed.

His experience in jail was reflected in the lyrics of several songs on the next Niche album. 1997’s A prueba de fuego became another commercially successful production for the group.

Colombia's legendary Grupo Niche 2015 — Colombia’s legendary Grupo Niche 2015

The song “Eres”, sung by Willy García, achieved strong radio airplay and its video clip was equally popular.

A year later the album Señales de humo was released, which could not match the success of the previous production.

The group closed the 1990s with the release of the album A golpe de folklore, an album in which the group returned to its musical roots, exploring the folklore of the Pacific coast and emphasizing the “salsa brava dura”.

In 2001, Jairo Varela decided to move Grupo Niche’s headquarters to Miami in order to better focus on the group’s international touring demands.

That year the group published Propuesta, an album that was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the “Best Salsa Album” category, along with productions by prominent artists such as Isaac Delgado, Oscar D’León, Tito Puente, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Tito Rojas, great salsa artists.

In 2005 the group performs for the first time in Japan. That same year the album Alive was released.

In 2007 Varela suffers a heart attack that forces him to quit smoking. Two years later he released a new album entitled Robando sueños, promoted by the single “Un día después” with Elvis Magno on lead vocals. Jairo Varela stated that it was the best song he had ever written in his life.

The death of Jairo Varela.

On August 8, 2012 Jairo Varela suffered another heart attack in his apartment in southern Cali, dying at the age of 62, while he was writing a novel titled “Luces negras”, a story based on the Colombian Pacific that he was unable to finish.

Jairo Varela Founder of Grupo Niche in Colombia

After his death, a large number of songs were recorded on demos and written down on sheets of paper.

Some of these compositions were recorded and included in the posthumous 2013 album Tocando el cielo con las manos.

Yanila Varela, Jairo’s daughter, succeeded him as the group’s director.

At the end of 2014, the group shared the stage with the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In August 2015 José Aguirre took over the musical direction of Grupo Niche replacing Richie Valdés. That same year the idea of releasing an album with songs composed by Varela that failed to become hits arose.

The idea was finally embodied in a new record production released on October 2, 2015 titled 35 Aniversario, promoted with the single “Niche como yo”, a song composed by Jairo Varela in 1978.

The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album, a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Salsa Album and a Lo Nuestro Award nomination for Album of the Year in the Tropical category.

New stage 2020

Grupo Niche is currently formed by singers Alex Torres, Luis Araque and Alejandro Iñigo, percussionists Juanito Murillo, Fabio Celorio and Diego Camacho, pianist Víctor González, bassist Sergio Munera and musicians Edgardo Manuel, Edward Montoya, Carlos Zapata, Oswaldo Salazar and Paul Gordillo on wind instruments, under the direction of José Aguirre. At the end of the year, Grupo Niche won a Latin Grammy award for the best salsa album of 2020 with “40” and in March 2021 they will win the Anglo Grammy.

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