North America

Salsa news in New York

Hello everybody! As always, we have the latest in the salsa scene for our audience. Today, we will talk about Jimmy Delgado’s ongoing projects and the life and work of Johnny Rodriguez during his career.

Jimmy Delgado and his new album

This is Jimmy Delgado

Jimmy Delgado  is an artist born in New York City, United States, on July 29th who has had a very prolific career in the Latin music world. There is not a lot of information about the years in which he became interested in music, but it is known that he started in this world in 1974, that’s when he began working with various orchestras and artists of renown such as Ismael Quintana, La Tipica Novel, the Big Band of Ray Barreto, among others. With this last group, he would perform again in the 1980s and work about five and a half years.

In parallel, he continued to work as a musician for other singers and orchestras, such as Willie Colón on timbales and bongo. At the same time, it is he who replaced one of the most important members of La Típica 73. But his career does not end there, as he also worked with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Luis Perico Ortiz and many others.

With such a track record, it is not common for him to be so sucessful and for each of his projects to enchant the audience, no matter what time. Today, he has returned to back into the limelight with his most recent phonogram entitled A Mis Mentores…To My Mentors. Timbalero, conguero and bongocero has made these unreleased tracks available to his fans on all music-related digital platforms and are the following:

Si Hecho Palante / La Libertad

Algún Lugar Bajo El Sol

De Qué

Adoración

Alma Con alma

Sin Timbal

Recordando A Barreto

Qué Bonita Es Mi Tierra

Ahora Si Voy A Gozar

(Bolero Medley) La Noche De Anoche / Cada Vez / Sé que volverás

Jimmy´s Descarga

Jimmy being interviewd by Johnny Cruz and El Rubio

Life and work of Johnny Rodriguez

A particularity of Johnny Rodriguez is that he was one of the first artists to create musical trios, which was completely new in the 1930s. That has not stopped him from achieving success with his partners, being the lead voice of the group Johnny Rodríguez Y Su Trío. One of the singles that made him better known was Fichas Negras, which is still remembered by many despite the years that have elapsed since its release.

Johnny traveled throughout Hispanic America and much of Europe to offer his talent to as many fans as possible. One of the countries where he was most successful was Puerto Rico, where he performed constantly on stage and even worked with TV shows on a recurring basis.

In his last years, he hosted a radio show in which he provided advice to young artists who were starting out in the artistic world and talked about his own musical tastes, showing that he believed that past ages were better in that respect. Even after his death many years ago, his legacy is still present in the old and new generations due to the great talent that always characterized him.

Johnny Rodríguez, Manuel Jiménez, Lalo Martínez, and Celso Vega in New York in 1943

Efrain is a Puerto Rican Sonero Excélsior, he was born in Salinas in La Isla del Encanto.

His father gave him his first conga at the age of 10, and another one two years later, which allowed him to practice to the rhythm of his mother’s records: El Gran Combo, Cortijo and Eddie Palmieri.

His parents helped him to create his own band at the age of 16 “Los Generales” where he played congas; the band played concerts in his father’s restaurant. Suddenly replacing the singer of the orchestra, he becomes better and more popular. He then dedicated himself to singing, without giving up instruments such as congas, timbales, clave, maracas, güiro and bell.

He moved to New York ’77, debuted recording on Al Santiago’s production Fuego ’77 to Alegre by the young band of the same name; Al liner note Frankie described as “enthusiastic, energetic and full of life”, he always chorused and sang lead vocals on the cut “Nueva York”, his cousin David Sanchez handled the remaining lead vocals. Fuego ’77 lasted two years.

Frankie performs: “New York”, where his very young voice is barely recognizable:

“New York site of opportunity

New York the city I love the most

I have a feeling that one day I would make it big”.

 

In the others, David Sanchez sings and Frankie is on backing vocals. Both are thanked in the credits for having contributed to the sounds.

This album is a wonderful little one, no song disappoints, on the contrary there is a communicative energy from the first to the last song.

“Fuego 77” was a band of young people in their early 20s.

He then spent two years with Sonido Taiborí (Sánchez sang in chorus with Johnny Ortiz and Taiborí ’79 in Fania with lead singer Tito Nieves, founder Ortiz, an outstanding Puerto Rican composer, later left), a year and a half with Orquesta Calidad and intermittently worked for three years with Orquesta Metropolitana.

He joined the “Conjunto Wayne Gorbea Salsa” for five years, providing lead vocals and güiro, accompanying one of the highlights of the Montuno sessions. He replaced Herman Olivera as singer with Manny Oquendo and his “Conjunto Libre” in December 1990, making his debut.

He partnered with pianist Martin Martin, bandleader of the magnificent “Los Soneros del Barrio” Orchestra in 1999.

He has sung with the Lebron Brothers for more than three years, as well as other spectacular company such as New swing Sextet, Leña Moncho, Tony Gonzalez, La Sonora Matancera, Frankie Morales, Delgado Jimmy, Joe Cuba, Jimmy Bosch, Spanish Harlem Orchestra and stop counting with his great success characterized.

He is currently one of the artists who has participated in countless recordings all over the world and even participated as a special guest in the group Dislocados de Ucrania.

His career is very rich and the list of his collaborations that we have just mentioned is not exhaustive.

We hope that the list will grow because we love his way of modulating his voice in each song, with a perfect diction, and his inspirations that enchant us in concert.

Facebook: Frankie Vázquez

(Guayama, 1927 – Baltimore, United States, 2003) Puerto Rican composer considered the most important author of salsa music in his country and one of the most outstanding Latin American composers of the second half of the 20th century.

His songs, produced throughout a fertile creative career that gave birth to more than two thousand pieces, were brought to fame by the most famous interpreters of the genre (Rubén Blades, Tito Rodríguez, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano or Willie Colón, among others).

The son of an orchestra musician and a seamstress, Tite grew up in a working class neighborhood in Santurce, where he remained after his parents separated.

He studied music theory and solfeggio with professor Jorge Rubián, and in 1965 he wrote his first melodies for Joe Quijano, one of the best pachangueros of the time.

Are the 100 most listened to songs by Catalino “Tite Curet” Alonso in alphabetical order.

 

1.Adelante siempre voy :Ray Barreto con Adalberto Santiago

2.Anacaona :Cheo Feliciano

3.Adios Adiós :Pedro Arroyo

4.Apelo:(tema brasilero adaptado al Español por Tite para Roberto Roena)

5.Aquella mujer: Bobby Valentín y Marvin Santiago

6.Aqui estoy yo con mi son: Frankie Hernández

7.Aqui se puede :Airto Moreira /versión Ray Barreto

8.Babaila :Pete Conde Rodríguez

9.Barra limpia: Sonora Ponceña y Tonito Ledee

10.Barrunto: Willie Colon y Héctor Lavoe

11.Bandolera :Héctor Lavoe

12.Boca mentirosa(Andy Montañez)

13.Buen Corazón:(adaptación de Tite para Bobby Valentín/Cano Estremera

14.Cha cha ri cha :Willie Rosario/Guillo Rivera

15.CAONABO:(canta TITE CURET/arreglo Jorge Millet)

16.Candilejas:(Versión en Español de Tite para Wilkins/o Graciela)

17.Cabellos Blancos: Orquesta Mulenze y Pedro Brull

18.Callejon :Arabella (para la película Retén de Catia/Venezuela)

19.Camaron :Justo Betancourt /& versión Marvin Santiago

20.Cenizas:Milly Quezada con Perico Ortiz

21.Con los Pobres Estoy :Roberto Roena y Apollo Sound

22.Con mi viejo amigo: Larry Harlow e Ismael Miranda

23.De todas maneras rosas :Ismael Rivera y Los Cachimbos

24.Distinto y Diferente: Justo Betancourt y Borincuba

25.Don Fulano: Tito Rodríguez

26.Efectivamente: Joe Quijano

27.El eco de un tambor Dimensión Latina con Andy Montañez

28.El hijo de Obátala :Ray Barreto con Tito Allen

29.Ella está en otra rumba ;Justo Betancourt

30.Ellos se juntan: Cortijo y su combo con Maelo

31.Escucha una voz latina: Conexión Latina de Alemania

32.Estaca de guayacán: Marvin Santiago

33.Estampa Marina :Cheo Feliciano

34.El antifaz:Willie Rosario con Gilberto Santa Rosa

35.El cantar de los pinales: Pacheco y Pete Conde

36.El verdadero aniversario :El combo del ayer

37.Felicitaciones: Cheo Feliciano

38.Flor de los lindos campos Ray Barreto y Adalberto Santiago

39.Galera 3:Ismael Miranda

40.Guaguanco del Adiós :Roberto Roena y Apollo Sound

41.Hace furo: Cheo Feliciano

42.Hermano Héctor: La 2013 canta: Van Lester

43.Huracan:Bobby Valentín con Frankie Hernández

44.Isadora: Celia Cruz y Estrellas de Fania

45.Juan Albañil: Cheo Feliciano

46.Juanito Alimaña: Héctor Lavoe y Willie Colon

47.La Cura: Frankie Ruiz

48.La esencia del guaguancó (Pacheco/Pete Conde/primer versión Willie Rosario con Meñique)

49.La Oportunidad :Ismael Miranda con Larry Harlow

50.La Oportunidad: Ismael Rivera

51.La palabra Adiós: Ruben Blades con Estrellas de Fania

52.La Perla: Ismael Rivera

53.La Tirana: La Lupe

54.Lamento de Concepción: Roberto Roena y Apollo Sound

55.Las Caras Lindas: Ismael Rivera

56.Las mujeres son de Azúcar: Sonora Ponceña y Luigui Texidor

57.Los Entierros: Cheo Feliciano

58.Luz Negra: Sonora Ponceña y Miguel Ortiz

59.Llevame: Adalberto Santiago

60.Marejada feliz: Roberto Roena y Apollo Sound

61.Me pongo yo: La Descarga Boricua de Frank Ferrer

62.Morejon: Frankie Hernández

63.Mi música: Ismael Rivera

64.Mi triste problema: Cheo Feliciano

65:Nabori:Cheo Feliciano

66.Noche como boca ‘e lobo: Sonora Ponceña y Luigui Texidor

67.Pa’ Colombia: Willie Colon y Héctor Lavoe

68.Pa’ los ponceños: Sonora Ponceña y Tito Gómez

69.Pa’ que afinquen: Cheo Feliciano

70.Part time lover:(tema de Stevie Wonder traducido al español por  Tite para Bobby Valentín)

71.Pase la noche fumando: Willie Colon y Héctor Lavoe

72.Pedregal:Justo Betancourt

73.Penas de amor: Bobby Rodríguez y la Compañía

74.Periodico de Ayer: Héctor Lavoe

75.Piano Man: Ismael Quintana y Estrellas de Fania

76.Pirana:Willie Colon y Hector Lavoe

77.Plantacion Adentro: Willie Colon y Rubén Blades

78.Por que adore :Markolino y Chivirico Dávila/Versión Truco &

Zaperoko

79.Plante bandera: Tommy Olivencia canta: Chamaco Ramirez

80:Presencia:Justo Betancourt y Borincuba

81.Primoroso cantar: Pacheco y Pete Conde

82.Profesion esperanza: Ismael Rivera

83.Pueblo latino: Pete Conde con las Estrellas de Fania

84.Punto Bare: Pete Conde Rodríguez

85.Primer Montuno: Andy Harlow con Johnny Vásquez

86.Puro teatro: La Lupe

87.Que me lo den en vida: Roberto Roena y Apollo Sound

88.Reunion en la cima: Andy Montanez con la Puerto Rico All Stars

89.Sali porque sali: Cheo Feliciano

90.Salome:Cheo Feliciano

91.Salsaludando:Cheo Feliciano

92.Saborea:Los Hermanos Lebrón

93.Sobre una tumba humilde: Cheo Feliciano

94.Susana:Jose Feliciano

95.temes:Vitin Avilés

96.Tiemblas:Tito Rodríguez

97.Tomatero: Kim de los Santos

98.tu loco, loco y yo tranquilo: Roberto Roena y Apollo Sound

99.Vale más un guaguancó: Ray Barreto y Rubén Blades

100.Vete y Pregona: Justo Betancourt

Curet Alonso, the most important composer in the history of Latin music.

 

Where did Ismael Miranda’s artistic nickname “El Niño Bonito de la Salsa” (The Pretty Boy of Salsa), with which he became known, come from?

I liked to dress up and look nice for the presentations on one occasion I went to the hairdresser’s and bought a suit for the show when I arrived at the hotel, Johnny Pacheco said to me: ‘How nice, the pretty boy is late! As always.

And from that day on they called me “El niño bonito de la salsa” (the pretty boy of salsa). Pacheco gave the nicknames to everyone in the Fania All Stars.

Johnny Pacheco had a lot of faith when he came up with the idea of making this movie and it was a success.

People vibrated with our songs and we took advantage of 4 emblematic concerts to record it.

That’s how we have to walk through life. It is enough to know that we are doing things right to reap triumphs. Said the trumpet player and composer.

Perico also took the opportunity to tell where all that tasty Caribbean rhythm comes from, of which they are such good exponents. “The folklore of Latin American music was born in Africa”. He recalled the first time he arrived with La Fania to this continent. He still has in his mind the gesture of the Africans when he saw people from other parts of the world playing the congas like masters. We all felt proud, he said.

Miranda also recalled that on August 6, 1980, he arrived for the first time in Barranquilla to present a concert with Héctor Lavoe.

“We were used to performing on huge stages and singing with a well achieved sound; in Barranquilla there was nothing like that, but something magical happened, the affection and joy of the people infected us.

Hector and I gave a show of height, at the end we realized that we enjoyed it completely with all the people of Barranquilla.

During the conference, Perico Ortiz explained why he never recorded an album with Las Estrella de la Fania.

“I never recorded an album, but I participated in many concerts. At that moment I felt in my heart that it was time to sing and I told Jerry Masucci to give me the opportunity, but he did not see me as an artist, but as a trumpet player and arranger, so I decided to retire from La Fania and concentrated on recording my first album as a soloist in 1977 titled My Own Image”.

Ismael was born in Aguada, in western Puerto Rico, but as a child his family settled in New York. He began singing in English in school plays when he was only eight years old, and was even part of a children’s group called “Little Junior in the Class Mate”.

Soon after, he began taking singing lessons at a music school at 46th and Broadway, and then to improve his singing skills he studied with a music teacher recommended to him by Tito Rodriguez.

The environment in which he grew up helped him cultivate his love for music. First he wanted to be a percussionist and not a vocalist. That is why at the age of 10 he told his mother of his desire to buy a conga. Later he acquired a bongo, which resounded throughout the neighborhood. He got to play the conga in Andy Harlow’s sextet, and was part of the Sexteto Pipo y su Combo. But he finally turned to singing, for which he was assisted by Ismael Rivera.

He made his first recording in 1967 with José Luis Pastrana Santos, a musician, composer and timbalero from Santurce, known as Joey Pastrana, on the album Let’s Ball.

This album, recorded for the Cotique label, contains Ismael Miranda’s first big hit, the song “Rumbón melón”.

Facebook: Ismael Miranda

The only performance with Yolanda Rivera & Mario “Mayito” Rivera will be at the Lehman Center

The name “La Sonora Ponceña” is in honor of the Cuban band La Sonora Matancera and its hometown (Ponce – Puerto Rico)

La Sonora Ponceña “National Treasure of Puerto Rico” together with its leader Enrique Arsenio “Papo” Lucca returns to Salsa County (The Bronx) with the special guests Yolanda Rivera and the Cuban singer Mario “Mayito” Rivera (former member of Los Van Van) onstage at one of New York’s leading non-profit performing arts centers, Lehman Center.

This unique presentation, long-awaited by its fans, will be on Saturday, May 14^th at 8 PM at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd West, Bronx, New York 10468 and the online price per ticket ranges from between $45 – $100. https://www.lehmancenter.org/sonora-poncena

La Sonora Ponceña gained popularity in 1960 during its trip to New York City to give a series of presentations and established itself as one of the most demanded orchestras among Hispanics.

The legendary band, for more than 65 years, has made uninterrupted performances and has been recognized as one of the best Salsa orchestras for its fusion of traditional Cuban sounds with the modern style of Latin Jazz.

In 1967, under the direction of Papo Lucca, they released the first LP Hachero Pa’ Un Palo with the Inca label (a subsidiary of Fania). This album was an overwhelming success in New York as well as its second record production Fuego en el 23 (1969). The famous band from Puerto Rico recorded 29 more albums for this record label, including eight with the singer Yolanda Rivera, La Ceiba with Cuban singer Celia Cruz (1979), and in 1980 New Heights from which they began to establish the internationalization of the orchestra.

Musical Hegemony consists of 8 tracks including Caminando Con Mi Padre, Nadie Toca Como Yo, and Borrachera

This last year (2021), during the pandemic period, La Sonora Ponceña launched two new record productions: Hegemonía Musical (June 2021) and Christmas Star (November 2021).

The last one is the fourth Christmas-themed album in his career. “Thirteen years after our last Christmas production, we seek to present a record work that is a true reflection of the sound and musical quality that we always want to offer our audience”, Papo Lucca told digital media.

While “Salsa Que Cura To” is the first single taken from their most recent album Hegemonía Musical and whose authorship and interpretation is by Jorge Nicolai Avilés (vocalist of the band) with musical arrangements by Papo. Musical Hegemony, nominated in the Tropical Album of the Year category at the Billboard 2021 awards, was made with great dedication and professionalism as indicated on its official social media. “…We thank the public for the support they have been giving to this latest album that was worked with much love and dedication to the memory of our always remembered Enrique “Quique” Lucca Caraballo (RIP) and all our dear followers… And we will continue working as we have been doing for 67 years to place in your consideration what best of our music, soul, perseverance, and professionalism that seek to bring joy and enjoyment to all our dancers… Thank you very much!”

The song “Borinquen” (1980) with Sonora Ponceña becomes her a famous Salsa star

Yolanda Rivera will also perform at this event. She was born in Ponce (Puerto Rico) and moved to New York City with her family during her childhood. Her first opportunity as a singer was in 1969 in Willie Rosario’s band. In 1975 she returned to Puerto Rico and performed in several orchestras, including Joe Rodríguez’s La Terrifica. Her career reached its peak when she joined La Sonora Ponceña in 1977. The song “Borinquen” from the album Unchained Forcede (1980), a musical tribute to her native country (Puerto Rico), made her a Salsa star. Yolanda Rivera is considered one of the main and most famous singers of La Sonora Ponceña with songs like “Rumba en el Patio” and “Madrugador”. Her repertoire includes Salsa, Plena, Bolero, Guaguancó, Son Montuno, and Guaracha.

Mario “Mayito” Rivera (El Poeta de La Rumba)

The second special guest tonight will be Mario “Mayito” Rivera. His vocal skill and masterful interpretation of Cuban music in modern and traditional styles earned him the nickname “El Poeta de La Rumba”. Mayito was born in Pinar del Río (Cuba) and has training degrees from the National School of Art and the Higher Institute of Art. After his educational training in Cuba, he joined the band of the Cuban singer Albita Rodríguez and played bass in the Moncada group. From 1992 to 2011, Mayito was the lead voice and face of the successful Cuban band, Los Van Van, earning a Latin GRAMMY® and two nominations with them.