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Latin America

Carlos Peluzza Del Carpio, the versatile Peruvian musician, was in San Juan Puerto Rico

One of Puerto Rico’s salsa anthems is, without a doubt, ‘Borinquen’. Below, Papo Lucca, leader of the famous salsa group, tells us why he included the Peruvian percussionist in that song.

Papo Lucca needed an expert percussionist in Puerto Rican dance for the song ‘Borinquen’, written by Johnny Ortiz, which he would include in the LP ‘Unchained Force’.

It was 1980 and in those days Carlos Peluzza Del Carpio, the versatile Peruvian musician, was in San Juan.

Papo did not hesitate to summon him. “He lived here in Puerto Rico for a long time,” the Sonora Ponceña leader tells us over the phone. “It’s just that in the Sonora I don’t have a redoblante.

Carlos Peluzza Del Carpio
Carlos Peluzza Del Carpio

And since Peluzza was here and shared his musical journeys with many artists from Puerto Rico, he did know those secrets of Puerto Rican dance. It was for that reason that I invited him to be on that recording, recalls Papo, 37 years later.

Wison Torres Jr. was in charge of finding the Peruvian musician, who incidentally was in charge of the arrangements of the song (together with Papo). Peluzza’ was only informed that he was needed in a recording room. When he arrived he saw the percussion ready, a bass and a piano.

A few minutes later Papo arrived, greeted him and the memorable session began. The percussionist remembers it as one of the most beautiful moments of his life. Borinquen’, in its 6.56 seconds, was a hit.

The vocals were provided by Yolandita Rivera, one of the greatest soneras ever born on the Island of Enchantment. The choruses were provided by Toñito Ledee, Miguelito Ortiz and Edwin ‘Caneca’ Rosas. Papo was satisfied. And Carlos ‘Peluzza’ treasures the story fondly.

Sonora Ponceña Unchained Force 1980
Sonora Ponceña Unchained Force 1980

That is just one of the many anecdotes that the famous pianist has with Peruvians. He remembers that one day on television in his country a girl and her father were singing the song ‘Fina estampa’. He liked it.

That’s why, in 1979, in the album ‘La Ceiba’, in which Celia Cruz sings, he decided to include that famous waltz by Chabuca Granda. “From that moment on, I got to know other pieces of Peruvian Creole music,” he says.

Papo has visited Lima many times. He has already lost count. He has friendships. For example, he is a friend of Carlos Aparicio, the volleyball coach. He assures us that once they even participated in a game of Alianza Lima’s girls. In addition, he reminds us that Edwin Caneca Rosas is also a referee of that sport. So everything was conspiring.

It is a June morning in La Perla, Callao, and the conversation continues under the gaze of Juan Núñez, a Peruvian singer who a few weeks ago was in Ponce, Puerto Rico, fulfilling a dream: rehearsing with the Sonora Ponceña. Papo is generous with Juan, highlights his singing qualities and underlines the friendship that has grown between them.

Carlos Peluzza Del Carpio, el versátil músico peruano
Carlos Peluzza Del Carpio, el versátil músico peruano

Precisely, we took the opportunity to ask him about the orchestra’s recent hit entitled ‘Canción a mis amigos’. This salsa was born after the terrible natural disasters that Peru and Colombia faced at the beginning of this year with the El Niño Costero phenomenon.

The composition is by Francisco Alvarado, who wrote it in two days. The voices were provided by Jorge Nicolai and Darvel García. What happened to you identified us a lot,” says Papo.

The musician adds that he felt that La Ponceña should make itself felt with a song of solidarity. Now it is time for it to be played on Lima’s radio stations. Will it become popular?

The twenty minutes of chatting come to an end and Papo has many topics left in the pipeline. He is very grateful and Juan Núñez tells us that behind his solemn appearance there is a human being who enjoys, who is passionate about music and who is always observing how to amalgamate sonorities. La Sonora Ponceña is still going strong and hopefully soon we will be able to see it unload in Lima.

We need to chant ‘Canción a mis amigos’. And that Carlos Peluzza, in one of those, returns to redoblar in ‘Borinquen’. Also that Yolandita Rivera sings? Hopefully.

Sources:

Martín Gómez V.

Papo Lucca

Carlos Peluzza

You can read: September 22, 2022 marked the 48th anniversary of the Fania All-Stars concert in Zaire, Africa

Edgar “Balín” Ocando Venezuelan percussionist musician based in Mexico

Edgar “Balín” Ocando, Venezuelan musician born in Caracas in the parish of El Recreo, specifically in block 7 and 8 of Simón Rodríguez.

He studied music at the José Reyna school located behind the same building where he lived, he also studied at the Conac de Sarria with maestro Orlando Poleo.

In his childhood he met with friends who had the same restlessness and passion for music, getting together every weekend to make noise as the neighbor said to the one who had to endure the music end after end.

As a result of these rehearsals he ended up in a group with which he began his music career and received his first professional payment at the age of 14 with the group Ases de la Gaita, a group formed by childhood friends in order to get away from drugs, which for the 80s was very strong.

Edgar “Balín” Ocando músico percusionista venezolano radicado en México
Edgar “Balín” Ocando músico percusionista venezolano radicado en México

In high school he joined the ranks of the Venezuelan Children’s Choir under the direction of maestro Raul Cabrera. During his time in the choir, the son of Professor Cabrera, known as Raulito, formed the salsa group Sabor Latino and became part of it.

Coming from a musical family, he always looked for a way to be close to his uncles Rafael and Yelitza Sivira, who were singers of the Polifónico Rafael Suarez and always looked for a way to be present in the rehearsals.

Yelitza Sivira was the one who took the responsibility to take him and he only sat and watched how they vocalized with the piano with the help of the director Maria Cabrera. It was then when they created the Polifónico Infantil Rafael Suarez and he became a baritone.

Already in adolescence at the age of 17 years old, he started working in a bank through a scholarship granted by the institution Insbanca, and while working, the Coral del Banco Italo Venezolano was created, thus participating in bank choral meetings, it was then that he returned to music as an instrumentalist when he saw in a newspaper advertisement that they requested a drummer to be part of a group of bagpipes, for which he went to the audition where there were countless drummers and of which he was left with the position thus becoming part of Estrellas de la Gaita.

The following year he was invited by a friend to join the group Santoral of Freddy Rangel, arriving to record for the first time in Requena Studios, the following year in full rehearsal with Santoral I was called to join the group Los Caracuchos of Joseito Rodriguez, forming part as a drummer for 2 years and recording in Manoca Studios, it was then where he enters the percussion workshops of the Biggot Foundation with the teachers Alexander Livinali and Williams Troconis.

He was in the ranks of important Venezuelan groups and orchestras such as Los Caracuchos, Catatumbo, Los Casanovas, Melody Gaita, Sabor Latino, Orquesta La Moderna, etc.

Edgar “Balín” Ocando
Edgar “Balín” Ocando

In 1999 he changed course and moved to Mexico where he has participated as a percussionist and backing vocalist in groups such as Cokodrilos, Kumbia Kings,

Sonora 100% Dinamita, Alicia Villarreal and today he has his own orchestra called Rumba Latina de Venezuela, which he formed in 2005 and has opened concerts for great international figures such as: Oscar D’ León, Willie Colon, Víctor Manuelle, Porfi Baloa y sus Adolescentes, Nigga, etc.

As well as Mexican artists such as Julión Álvarez, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Mariana Seoane, El Grupo Pesado, Germán Montero, El Poder del Norte, Emilio Navaira among others.

Integrated by musicians of different nationalities from Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and hand in hand with our representation office and record label Indepe Music, we will continue to bring our music to more and more people in every corner of the country.

Edgar Ocando Manager

Phone (52)-8132179324

Email: [email protected]

Edgar Balin Ocando

You can read: Anacaona The Cuban Female Orchestra

Renato Capriles, the man who imposed the rhythm with “Los Melodicos”

Dance bands have always added flavor and rhythm to parties in the Caribbean, but one of the greatest was born in Venezuela at the hands of Renato Capriles, “Los Melodicos”. An entrepreneur with an interesting vision of music, who knew how to adapt to what the public wanted, throughout the decades that accompanied his great project. In the following lines, we will tell you about his life and what he thought of his experiences.

Early years of Renato Capriles

Contrary to what many believe Renato was not born in Caracas, but in a small town called San Esteban located in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state on December 28, 1931. In his own words:

“It was a town where only six or seven families lived. The rest of the inhabitants were people who served in those houses. San Esteban is about an hour from Puerto Cabello and it is still a very beautiful area.”

His arrival in Caracas is due to the death of his father, at that time his older brother, Miguel Ángel, decided to move the family to the capital and develop the businesses for which the Capriles family would later be well known in Venezuela. In addition, that is why it is known that he was born into a wealthy family, so business is something that he carried in his blood. They were also a large family, Renato being the 13th sibling of 14, which is why he always considered it his lucky number.

Arriving in Caracas, they settled in La Pastora, where the Capriles spent their childhood and adolescence. Renato himself even commented that he traveled those streets with a velocipede that was given to him for his birthday. During his adolescence he began to be closer to the dance bands of the time, although music always accompanied him, showing an innate ear since he was a child. But it was as a teenager that he went to parties in the main  square and listened to the radio:

“Already a little older – 16, 17 or 18 years old – the programs I listened to were “A Gozar Muchachos”, Billo’s program, of course, and the program that Luís Alfonso Larraín had. Those were the two great orchestras…”

At that time he also began his professional stage, first as an office boy at Inex S.A., owned by the German businessman Gustavo Zingg. Thanks to his friendliness and knowing how to treat people, he met Zingg and his children, who, seeing his hard work, promoted him to store salesman and then itinerant salesman aboard a Land Rover, with which he toured much of the Venezuelan territory selling everything, including power plants.

Then he decided to follow his family’s vein and set up his own business in Valencia, a clothing store that he bought from his brother-in-law who was a travel agent for two clothing factories. However, this only lasted 2 years, this being the only business that Renato failed. His mother asked his brother Miguel Ángel to take him to the company, known at that time as Cadena Capriles, which little by little became a publishing conglomerate.

Renato came to the organization and formed the company’s Public Relations department from scratch, something he was always very proud of and that he kept reminding in every interview. In fact, that vein of public relations is what led him to achieve that impressive success with “Los Melodicos”:

“I think I was born with that. I always make the comment that more than a musician I feel like a born relationist. All my life I have done it and I have applied it…”

The Birth of “Los Melodicos”

Although it may seem like a joke due to the supposed enmity between the two, it was Billo Frómeta’s orchestra that prompted Renato to form “Los Melodicos”. The young Capriles spent his adolescence listening to Billo’s Caracas Boys on his radio program “A Gozar Muchachos”, he also listened to other orchestras that competed with Billo’s for the popularity of Venezuelans and neighboring countries.

In addition to that, Renato Capriles was always linked in one way or another to music, not only did he have rhythm and an innate ear, but also his businessman’s mind led him to give his own orchestra a different organization. In fact, at the time that the Capriles family lived in La Castellana, he and his younger brother Juan Felipe had a small band of 5 musicians. Therefore, Renato already had experience in the formation of bands and orchestras.

In 1958 Renato finally decided to follow his most longed-for dream of having his own orchestra and taking advantage of the problem of the veto given to maestro Billo, Renato looked for him to help him with the composition and arrangements. As he commented in the interview he gave to Alfredo Churión D. and his space “Aquí están todavía”:

“There is a bit of fantasy about the creation of my orchestra. I was a big fan of Billo and always wanted to have an orchestra that sounded like his. I’ve always said it!… (Billo) he had opened a business in Sabana Grande which he baptized El Rincón de Billo in where he played the piano for the large number of friends who visited him there. And there I introduced myself to him one day with Tere, my first wife, to give an outlet for the concern I had had since I was a boy, which was to have an orchestra.

And my words were: ‘Billo, the reason for my visit is not to come and hear you play the piano or have drinks at the bar, but rather to propose that you make arrangements for an orchestra that I’m going to found and I’ll give you 50% of profits’… All in all, after seven months my orchestra appeared with its arrangements. He could not appear anywhere with them because no musician could get close to Billo at that time under penalty of being banned for life too.”

“Los Melodicos” made their debut in a television program that was sponsored by Cadena Capriles, it was called Su Revista Musical. Renato was the producer of the show and there the animator Henry Altuve made his debut, who had only worked on the radio until that moment. The orchestra’s first LP came with arrangements and a composition by Billo. So it had its sound but at the same time it didn’t:

“He arranged very lively with a very commercial sound, but it didn’t sound like him. On my orchestra’s first LP, although it’s his arrangement, it’s not his sound.”

Another important thing to highlight was the way of working and how Renato organized the orchestra, along with his innovative system of paying the musicians:

“I created a form of payment for musicians that did not exist at the time and that caught Billo’s attention when he reappeared with his orchestra in 1960. I invented the rates for musicians and I can prove it to you because I have the contracts saved. A first high earned eight hundred bolivars a month and a good second tenor earned six hundred. It was the first orchestra that earned salaries. It wasn’t like Billo’s where each musician earned a percentage. I created the orchestra as a company. They had, and still have, Social Security, Savings Bank, interest-free loans, etc.”

Renato’s golden age with “Los Melodicos”

The “Los Melodicos” orchestra has been faithful to the motto that has accompanied it throughout its extensive musical career: “The orchestra that imposes rhythm in Venezuela”. They began with the singers Víctor Piñero “Rey del Merecumbé” and Germán Vergara, but they were innovative by having a woman in the ranks of an orchestra for the first time: Emilita Dago.

Since then, singers and musicians like Rafa Pérez, Manolo Monterrey called the “Ciclón Antillano”, Niro Keller, Cherry Navarro, Cheo García, Roberto Antonio and Miguel Moly have passed through its ranks over the decades; while among the girls were Norma López, Diveana, Floriana and Liz.

What differentiated “Los Melodicos” from other orchestras in those decades was the innovation that Renato put into it. One of those great examples is presenting varied rhythms outside of the Latin dance rhythm. They came to play the twist with the singer Teresita Martí, which brought them great problems since it was considered “… a vulgar and ordinary rhythm.” They also came to play songs with touches of rock, but their most significant sound is techno with songs like “Papachongo” and “Que Rico”, where Diveana managed to capture more than one heart.

During all the years that Renato was in charge of the orchestra, there were many rumors of romantic love affairs with his singers, to which he himself replied:

“17 female figures have passed through my orchestra and I have had romantic relationships with 7 of them. Some are stormy and others very beautiful. People think that I’ve gotten involved with all of them, but that’s not the case. Raise fame and go to sleep.”

Renato’s rhythm went off before his time

Renato Capriles left us on the morning of July 8, 2014, he had already been hospitalized for days in a clinic in Caracas, all due to pneumonia. Currently, the direction of the orchestra is led by Iliana Capriles, daughter of Renato, who has been working hard for 11 years to continue contributing to the success of the orchestra as director. But all her life she has been in one way or another linked to the orchestra, and like a good Capriles she has gone through all the positions of the company that her father founded.

“For 30 years I have been part of the musical organization Renato Capriles, I have been the right hand of my father, his producer, promoter, sales, among others, until 2014 when I had to assume it, and it has been an enormous responsibility, and here we are paying tribute, honor to whom honor is due, and maintaining the legacy of great importance in Latin music”.

“Los Melodicos” are a key part of the musical history of Venezuela, with more than 100 productions under their authorship, and it cannot be forgotten that their professional enmity with Billo’s Caracas Boys is what kept the panorama of dance bands interesting. As they have always shown, they keep up to date with new trends and social networks are no exception, so you can find them everywhere like @orquesta_losmelodicos or La Orquesta Los Melodicos, because now they are “the orchestra that imposes the rhythm” in the digital world.

Yolanda Moreno “the People’s Dancer”

Venezuela has been a Caribbean and South American country that has always shown artistic tendencies among its inhabitants. Dance is no exception here, and one of the great representatives of typical Venezuelan dance is Sixta Yolanda Moreno de Rodríguez, better known as Yolanda Moreno the People’s Dancer” In this article we will talk more about her, keep reading.

The beginnings of Yolanda Moreno’s Career

This great Venezuelan dancer was born on August 6, 1936, in El Guarataro neighborhood of San Juan parish, in Caracas. Her parents named her Sixta Yolanda, a fact that few know unless her life is investigated, but she considered that Yolanda was easier to say and pronounce.

She grew up in a low-income family, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing her passion for singing and dancing. At the age of 13, she joined as a chorister in the musical group “Retablo de Maravillas” created by the Ministry of Labor. In this group she demonstrated her talent for music and a wonderful voice, in addition to fulfilling a childhood dream: «As a child I wanted to be a flamenco singer, I listened to the «Gitana de Color». With this group she met her first mentor, the Austrian dancer Margarita Brenner.

During this stage Yolanda met the one who will be the love of her life, her husband Manuel Rodríguez Cárdenas. To whom she also thanks all the support he has given her throughout her career, to the point of assuring that she would not be the dancer and woman she is today without his total trust and company. Although their relationship was a surprise since the marriage took place when she was only 16 years old.

The foundation of “Danzas Venezuela”

Another of her great achievements with her husband Manuel, is the founding of the group “Danzas Venezuela” in 1962. With it Yolanda manages to modernize the dance and folklore of the country, by changing the image of the dancers with very wide skirts and hair collected, that way they look more refined; she also changed the footwear to give more force to the zapateado.

Although at first these changes were not well received, Moreno with her husband achieved public acceptance, and also captivated the international public. Among the places they managed to visit are: China, Japan, Korea, Hawaii, San Francisco, Washington, New York, Canada, the Soviet Union and Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina. One of her special places was Puerto Rico, where she was given her nickname: “La Bailarina del Pueblo” (the People’s Dancer).

She also has great memories of China, especially when she was amazed by the respect for elders and the large number of artistic expressions that exist in this country. «Dance is a permanent job, very pleasant. I work until I am asleep. I got used to hard work, although it hurt, I danced» her words sum up her love for dance and art.

And Yolanda Moreno’s retirement came

Despite the fact that she will always be “The dancer of the Venezuelan people”, Yolanda has accepted that her days on stage are over, this of course does not mean that she won’t continue directing dancers and giving her advice with contributions in choreography. But Yolanda no longer actively follows her career, her big farewell was in 2008 with two performances at the Casa del Artista.

Of course, she has had special appearances like the one she presented in the posthumous tribute to Joaquín Riviera, which was part of the pre-opening of Miss Venezuela 2013. There have been other special events, but none as splendidly as the golden years of his career.

It is more than understandable that Moreno would withdraw from it, at 86 years old she is a woman who since she was a child has given everything to the art and folklore of her country. She also had to bravely face the farewell of her husband Manuel, which occurred in 1991 accompanied by her two sons Manuel Rodrigo and Fernán. It only remains to hope to be able to enjoy a few more years of her great ideas for the preservation, as well as modernization, of the typical dance of Venezuela.

Marco Bermúdez extraordinary Musician, Percussionist, Singer, Composer

On october 19, 1961 in Portoviejo, Ecuador, Marco Bermudez Brito was born. Extraordinary Musician, Percussionist, Singer, Composer.

Nobody is a prophet in his own land. At the age of 23 he traveled to the United States as a singer. And in 2004, being a member of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO), he won the Grammy in the category Best Salsa Album for the album Across 110th street.

On a day like today, October 20, Marco Bermudez was born in Portoviejo, Ecuador. He is an excellent performer, composer and studio musician in all styles of Latin music.

Marco Bermúdez
Marco Bermúdez

He was born into a family with a rich musical heritage and has resided in New York for the past thirty-four years. Marco has toured the world with Latin music greats: Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar D’ Leon, Tito Nieves, Domingo Quiñones, Jose Alberto and all the artists on the RMM Records label.

Marco’s discography includes: RMM All Stars 10th Anniversary CD/DVD Live at the Continental Arena New Jersey; Recorded a Selena (RMM) and Tropical Tribute to the Beatles CD/DVD recorded live at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Marco is currently one of the singers of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. As a performer and composer, Bermudez has collaborated in the record productions of the SHO, writing the lyrics of the songs Son de Corazón, Regalo de Dios, Qué Bonito, La Fiesta began.

(One more year of life for this Ecuadorian performer, composer and musician who has performed in different variations of Latin music.

Marco Berudesz en Mi Voz
Marco Berudesz en Mi Voz

Experiences with Isidro Infante y La Élite, Conjunto Clásico, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar D’León, Tito Nieves, Domingo Quiñones, José Alberto “El canario”, and Ralph Mercado’s RMM Records family in which he participated in productions such as “RMM All Stars 10th Anniversary – Live in Continental Arena of New Jersey”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, and “Recorded a Selena”; the album “Recorded a Selena” (RMM) and “Tropical Tribute to the Beatles”, a CD/DVD recorded live at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

The pinnacle of his career came when he became part of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s line-up of singers, collaborating in different record productions and strengthening his facet as a composer through titles such as “Son de corazón”, “Qué bonito”, “Regalo de Dios” and “La fiesta empezó”.

He has also been part of The Mambo Legends project sharing microphones with Frankie Vázquez and Jorge Maldonado.His story is told to us when he was in Ecuador on vacation with his wife.

“From a very young age, I was always surrounded by music,” she says proudly. He refers to his parents, siblings and most of all to his uncle, the great singer Eduardo Brito.

Eddie Palmieri y Marco Bermudez
Eddie Palmieri y Marco Bermudez

Marco, at the age of 9, together with his brother Eduardo formed the duo Hermanos Bermúdez Brito, being the first to record the pasillo Romance de la tejedora manabita, lyrics by Paco del Casty and music by Filemón Macías, Marco’s uncle: “Con horma de esperanzas/y encajes de clavellina/ va tejiendo su sombrero/ la manabita más linda” (With a last of hopes/and lace of carnation/ she weaves her hat/ the prettiest manabita).

In the early eighties, brothers Mariano and Venancio Larrea invited him to join the Marfil group, from Guayaquil. That was when the group turned to salsa music, which was just becoming popular in these parts.

But his life and stage changed in 1984, when he and his brother joined the Manabita orchestra Los Profetas, which would perform in Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago.

With the illusion of succeeding in the north, Bermúdez stayed and formed El Combo de Nueva York, which was the staff orchestra of a chain of nightclubs in Queens.

Roberto Roena y Marco Bermudez
Roberto Roena y Marco Bermudez

At that time, Marco was concerned about his musical training, besides being a singer and composer, he was also a percussionist. His entry into the big leagues of salsa came when he was part of La Élite, led by maestro Isidro Infante, for 6 years.

There he achieved fame as the interpreter of the songs Santo, Militar and Montuno and for the album Tributo Tropical a Los Beatles.

He was also part of La Charanga de Johnny Almendra and Los Jóvenes del Barrio, and was one of the singers of the legendary Conjunto Clásico orchestra. “Even when there is a tour they call me because I know the repertoire and I know the routine”.

At the beginning of 2003 he made a great leap when he joined the SHO, an orchestra that besides winning the Grammy and achieving nominations for two of its albums, is considered “the best salsa orchestra in the world”, according to the Puerto Rican critic Jaime Torres Torres, who in referring to Bermúdez affirms: “He is the only recognized Ecuadorian salsa singer who dominates the difficult art of soneo and clave”.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Spanish Harlem Orchestra

About the renowned SHO, Bermúdez says that in reality this orchestra “is the sound of the Harlem neighborhood, where urban salsa was born.

We are inspired by masters like Tito Puente and Mario Bauza, who left us that legacy”. And although every salsa singer is mistakenly called a sonero, very few are.

The soneo is an improvisation by the singer when the percussionist solos on the drums, he explains.

The next SHO album will feature three songs by Bermúdez: Son de corazón, Regalo de Dios and La fiesta empezó. “I like to write everything, romantic, jocular, nature and rumba songs,” says Marco who is currently selecting songs for his solo album which he hopes will be released this year. It will include a recording with Las Leyendas del Mambo, Tito Puente’s legendary orchestra.

These are his plans. His dream: “to come to Ecuador as a soloist or with SHO because I have had recognition abroad, but it must be nice to be recognized in your country”. Although they say that no one is a prophet in his own land, Bermúdez, the sonero, will surely be.

At the age of 9, together with his brother Eduardo, he formed the duo Hermanos Bermúdez Brito, being the first to record the pasillo Romance de la tejedora manabita.

In the early eighties, the brothers Mariano and Venancio Larrea invited him to join the Marfil group, from Guayaquil.

In 1984, together with his brother, he joined the Manabita orchestra Los Profetas, which would perform in the United States. He stayed in New York and formed El Combo de Nueva York, which was the staff orchestra of a chain of nightclubs in Queens.

Later he was part of La Élite, led by maestro Isidro Infante, for 6 years.

He was also part of La Charanga de Johnny Almendra and Los Jóvenes del Barrio, and was one of the singers of the Conjunto Clásico orchestra.

At the beginning of 2003 he joined the “Spanish Harlem Orquestra” of Maestro Oscar Hernandez. He has collaborated, among others, with the band of “Mister Moña” Jimmy Bosch and “La Mambo Legends.

You can read: Héctor “Bomberito” Zarzuela Calidad y Tuning en la Maquinaria Fania All-Star

Marco Bermudez

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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.