North America

Luis “Papo” Marquez, Musician, singer, songwriter and producer

North America / Miami / Florida

This son of music, born on December 18, 1972, in the Pinar del Río Cuba Province, was raised between notes and chords that led him to be the artist he is today, known as Luis “Papo” Marquez, and considered a complete musician: trumpeter, composer, arranger, singer and music producer.

As a child, he contemplated music as his environment, profession and way of life, thanks to his family who instilled in him all the passion for art and provided him with the tools to develop his knowledge. He began his trumpet studies at the age of 8 (eight) and, at 15 (fifteen), he already practiced professionally as a trumpet player in groups such as the Bella Mar Orchestra, Grupo Cumbre, musical grouping Los Trimmers, Grupo Íreme and Ricardo Hechemendía, in Pinar del Río and Havana.

At 19 (nineteen) he emigrated with his family to Venezuela, a country that opened the doors for his artistic consolidation, where he managed to make art on a large scale with the execution of his instrument and took the first steps within the world of composition and production.

“In Cuba, love and passion for music through the trumpet was born from me, but it was in Venezuela where I had, for the first time, the opportunity to look closely at how the art of composition worked. Suddenly, I was sitting in front of a piano and reading music sheet, trying to understand how they worked and falling in love with the trade. ” LPM

This is how he started a successful career, thanks to his perseverance and permanent study, having the opportunity to play his trumpet with Venezuelan orchestras such as Mauricio Silva, Erick Franchesky, Naty and his Orchestra, Biella Da Costa, Ilan Chester, Sergio Pérez, Porfi Jimenez , Alfredo Naranjo, Orlando Poleo, Los Incorregibles, Mulato, Repicao and Guaco.

He continues forging his path and arrives in Miami, where he expands his international path with artists such as Jon Secada, Bacilos, Willy Chirino, Oscar D ‘León, Juan Gabriel, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Jerry Rivera, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Chayanne, José Luís Quintana “Changuito”, Jose Alberto “El Canario”, Víctor Manuel, among others, with whom he has the opportunity to present himself as a trumpeter and in some cases, as arranger and producer.

One of his biggest recognitions has been the delivery of an American Grammy Award for best music producer with the album “Son del Alma” by Willy Chirino; however, for LPM, the recognitions come day by day with the opportunity to make the music that moves and elevates them in their personal and artistic satisfaction.

Luis Papo Márquez defines himself as a “citizen of the world” born in Cuba and with a Cuban-Venezuelan heart. Work and discipline are his pillars to get ahead and his greatest passion will always be “creating music that makes the world move”.

Participation as Trumpeter and Arranger: Jon Secada, Bacilos, Willy Chirino, Juan Gabriel, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Jerry Rivera, Celia Cruz, Guaco, Cheo Feliciano, Chayanne, Edwin Bonilla, Luis Enrique, Victor Manuel, Rafael “El Pollo” Brito, Oscar D´León.

Record Productions:

Son del Alma (The rhythm of the soul). Willy Chirino. 2004. Grammy winner.
De corazon a corazon (From heart to heart). Team VIP. Luis Papo Marquez. 2007
Wireless Telegraphy. José Luis Quintana “Changuito”. 2007
Puedes volar (You can fly). Luis Papo Marquez. 2011
Arturo Sandoval tribute. 2016
Cuban Añejo. 2017
Firstborn. 2019

Gon Bops

USA / Los Ángeles / California

Gon Bops, Remains one of the oldest and most respected manufacturers of Latin instruments in the world

The Gon Bops legend began in 1954 California when Mexican-American Mariano Bobadilla (born in Guadalajara) – who would go on to become one of the most highly-regarded conga builders in the percussion industry – started designing and building Conga and Bongo drums.

A band instrument repairman and professional trumpet player, Bobadilla launched Gon Bops in his father’s old wooden garage in a downtown Los Angeles neighborhood.

He chose the name Gon Bops because “Gon” was one of the colloquial expressions of the time, as in, “everything is gone, man” – and “Bops” because his friends nicknamed him Bob, which sounded like “Bop” in the Latino dialect.

While Bobadilla’s drums remained true to the classic Cuban shape, he was a genuine innovator in the development of drum hardware. He designed the first teardrop crown with rounded counter hoops, developed to protect players’ hands – a concept that is now universally accepted.

He also gave birth to the first tunable hardware for congas and bongos in the United States. Having witnessed Cuban conga players heating up drums in their kitchens prior to performing, Bobadilla decided there had to be a simpler more reliable method to tension these instruments.

Other innovations from the young company were Taroles (wooden timbales), the first pre-mounted replacement heads for congas, chromatic tuned cowbells and numerous stands, adapters and other hardware.

Gon Bops enjoyed great early success. The instruments were highly sought after by the top players of the era – giants like Alex Acuna, Mongo Santamaria, Francisco Aguabella, Armando Peraza, Poncho Sanchez, Jose Hernandez and Rich Barrientos – all of whom contributed invaluable R&D input. Gon Bops quickly became the undisputed leader in Latin percussion instruments and remained so throughout the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Mariano remained deeply committed to a hands-on role in production and retained complete control of the design and fabrication of all his products. As a result, Gon Bops instruments were mainstays on the biggest stages around the world, including the massive Woodstock festival in 1969.

But the winds of change were sweeping through the American percussion industry. By the time the 1980’s rolled around, all of the major US percussion manufacturers had moved offshore to manufacture their instruments.

Cheap Asian labor costs meant greater profits. But as manufacturing costs decreased, so did quality, and for that reason Bobadilla refused to mover his production outside of the US. As a result, Gon Bops began to struggle financially. Unable to compete against his larger competitors, Bobadilla had no choice but to close the doors of his highly regarded company.Thankfully, that was not to be the end of the Gon Bops brand.

In 2001 Don Lombardi of US drum manufacturer DW bought the company along with all of its patents and trademarks. Lombardi had met Bobadilla in 1978 when he used Gon Bops Timbale shells to build DW brass snare drums, and subsequently had continued to seek R&D advice from Bobadilla.

It was a great fit, and it was no coincidence that the quality of DW drums and hardware continued to grow after the Gon Bops acquisition.

To run his newly acquired Gon Bops brand Lombardi hired the best drum craftsmen in the US. He even bought San Francisco-based Sol Percussion in order to conscript its founder – drum builder Akbar Moghaddam – to the Gon Bops cause.

Moghaddam brought along fellow drum craftsman Octavio Ruiz, and Lombardi teamed them up with Alejandro Perez, a drum builder who had worked with Mariano Bobadilla in the original Gon Bops factory.

In 2010 cymbal-maker SABIAN Inc. announced that it had purchased the inventory, intellectual property, patents and manufacturing equipment of Gon Bops from DW.

The deep commitment to innovation that SABIAN applied to its own instruments had inspired founder Robert Zildjian and his son, SABIAN President Andy Zildjian, to a search for like-minded instrument companies available for acquisition. And it was a happy circumstance had Lombardi had begun to seek a buyer for Gon Bops.

“We’re excited to begin this new chapter in SABIAN and Gon Bops history”, notes Andy Zildjian. “Gon Bops instruments are a perfect blend of vintage craftsmanship and innovative thinking. Since its founding in 1954, the company has pioneered several features and improvements that have forever changed Latin instruments.

We are excited about not only expanding distribution, but also continuing to focus on groundbreaking designs that represent clear improvements in meeting the needs of musicians. The pursuit of the best sound is what our craftsmen work for every day. We know the fit is perfect, above all, because sound matters.”

Today, Gon Bops remains one of the oldest and most respected manufacturers of Latin instruments in the world.

Jay Ruiz, singer-songwriter, From the Sultana del Oeste, Mayagüez – Puerto Rico

North American / Puerto Rico / Puerto Rico

Jay Ruiz is the stage name of Jonathan Camacho Ruiz, a singer-songwriter born in La Sultana del Oeste, Mayagüez, but raised in the Pueblo de Rincón neighborhood, the westernmost municipality of La Isla Del Encanto.

Among his ancestors, Jay Ruiz, highlights his paternal grandfather Antonio Camacho who was a musician and troubadour, in his native Rincón.

Jay Ruiz’s musical beginnings date back to his short 5 years, when he sang in the choir of the Presbyterian church he attended. However, he would later become involved in sports, which would keep him away from music until he was 11 years old, when at the middle school where he was studying, the teacher promoted him as a soloist in a 24-member choir group.

He also stands out as a percussionist, performing skillfully on the bongo, the congas and the drums; instruments that he would learn to play by ear when he was 8 years old.

When he turned 12, the guitar and the bass would be the instruments that would captivate him and to which he would dedicate his time.

When he turned 15, he decided to form his own Christian music group: this is how the New Creation group was born, in which he developed as a drummer and singer.

A year later, while he was a member of the baseball team that represented Puerto Rico, he was about to be signed by the University of Cleveland, but in the process he was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer.

He traveled to Maryland to undergo exhaustive examinations at the John Hopkins Hospital, the same ones that would determine that he would undergo six months of chemotherapy and subsequent radiotherapy, treatments that he would receive at the San Jorge Children’s Hospital (Santurce, Puerto Rico).

Before the radiation treatment he was warned that he would lose 85% of his vocal abilities, however, the story was different: August 12, 2001, he would finish the treatment for his illness and five days later, for his birthday, he meets in his town -Rincón- to the entire community in a musical activity in which he would play, sing and give testimony of his case.

Thinking about his future, he studies at the Interamerican University, San Germán Campus, where he obtains a bachelor’s degree as a Physical Education teacher for children with disabilities.

The illness of his father, who lived in New York, forces him to cross the pond to take care of him, until his death, five years later.

In 2011 he returned to Puerto Rico, and enrolled in the Ponce Paramedical College at the Mayagüez Medical Center, to continue studying Physiotherapy, however, he became involved again in music participating in the famous franchise IDOL PUERTO RICO, ranking among the 32 last finalists. He continues his academic life and at the same time, works as a chef in a restaurant, a situation that would lead him to serve a musical entrepreneur based in New Jersey (United States) who was visiting the island, and with whom he would start a friendly relationship first, that would turn into work a few months later, when the businessman invited him for an audition in the neighboring municipality of Cabo Rojo.

After that meeting, in 2014, Jay Ruiz would pack his bags again to settle in Newark (New Jersey, USA) from where he would launch his career as a performer of the bachata genre, and that he would have on the songs “Ven A Mí , Girl” and “Culpables” two singles of wide diffusion and consideration in the international radio circuits, to the point of having disputed with the last mentioned cut, the category of Favorite Tropical Song of the Latin American Music Awards between great personalities of the music like Víctor Manuelle, Prince Royce and Gente de Zona (feat. Marc Anthony).

In 2017 he becomes independent, returns to Puerto Rico and decides to promote his career, but this time as a salsero, recording the single “Lo Sé”, of his own, under the production of maestro Nino Segarra.

Two years later, he brings us this new single, of which he is also the author, both of the lyrics and the melody.

The following staff participate in this single:

Lyrics, Melody & Interpretation: Jay Ruiz

Arrangement: Ceferino Caban

Complete Percussion: Rafael “Tito” de Gracia

Bass: Alexis Perez

Trumpets: Luis Aquino

Trombones: Jorge Dobal

Choirs: Norberto Vélez Curbelo, David Carrero & Ceferino Caban

Piano & Keyboards: Ceferino Caban

Mastering: Esteban Piñero

Dance Dojo: Become a better Salsa & Bachata dancer

North America - Canada – Ontario

Dance Dojo, Develop the confidence, rhythm, and skills to have more fun with your dance partners

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Great news from New York!

North America / USA / New York

In this edition (Johnny Cruz) I would like to tell you about the memorable career of my good friend Nicky Marrero, whom I esteem and consider to be one of the best timbaleros in the world and who has been an inspiration to many artists of different generations, even today. Also, Nicky is about to turn years this month.

Born in the New York Bronx, the great percussionist and timpani teacher Nicholas Marrero

Known to all as Nicky Marrero, of Puerto Rican roots, came to the world on June 17, 1950 and grew up among musical instruments such as the maracas, güiros, and the guitars through his family. His born talent led him to start studying the drums, but he was seduced by the sounds and influence of Tito Puente and Willie Bobo.

His musical debut was with Orquesta Caribe. There has been speculation about his first recording at age 15 with Willie Colón’s band, but that recording was not released. His first published recordings, in which he participated as timpani player, were the albums El Malo and The Hustler, by Willie Colón, recorded in 1968 for the Fania Records label in LP format. He was invited to participate in a single titled Descarga de Dos Pianos with Charlie Palmieri and Louie Ramírez.

In 1968, Nicky Marrero worked with Eddie Palmieri’s band; That same year, he took part in the recording of the Champagne album, released by the Tico Records label. He has participated with maestro Eduardo Palmieri in fifteen albums between 1968 and 2018, most of them very successful.

In fact, with albums The Sun of Latin Music and Unfinished Masterpiece, they won the Latin Grammy Award. Nicky Marrero is one of the best timbaleros in the history of Latin music; in 1973, he replaced Orestes Vilato in the Fania All Stars of Pacheco and Masucci, with which he made tours, presentations and concerts playing the timpani in many countries of the world.

Nicky Marrero’s gigantic musical career has allowed him to participate in the most important Fania recordings; there are around 25 musical productions in which the imprint of his timpani, his bongo and his bell with La Fania All Stars has been registered.

Not only Latin music and Latin Jazz have had the participation of the Bronx timbalero, other musical genres such as Jazz, Rock, Funk, Soul, World, Country, Stage & Screen; have also had the participation of the portentous timbalero. The most important groups of Latin music, as well as the greatest musicians and singers of Salsa, have had the participation of this prodigious musician.

With great emotion, I congratulate and greet my friend Richard Román for the 25th Anniversary of Radio Salsa Superior, I wish him and his team many successes to continue his work in the world of music. The celebration will be virtual, given the circumstances, but stay tuned because many surprises come. The marvelous Salsa Superior team transmits day by day from Miami at salsasuperior.com/radio.

I want to congratulate my great friend Rafael Ithier and all the musicians of the Gran Combo on their 58th anniversary. Keep reaping successes and being part of the salsa tradition of those who love this genre. For many more years dancing to the rhythm of the Gran Combo of Puerto Rico.

I also want to highly recommend Eddie Montalvo’s new CD: Señor Tambó. The great percussionist of the Stars of Fania and Six of the Solar delights us with a production that has ten songs in collaboration with prominent salsa exponents of the old and new school. A tribute to Rubén Blades with the participation of the Gaitanes. The musical production was in charge of Pedro Bermúdez and also has the musical arrangements of Carlos Torres and Chino Núñez. The production is available on all digital platforms and in traditional CD and Vinyl formats.

Last but not least, It is an honor for me to invite you to tune in to my new Fm / Internet radio station on Live365.com: Salsagallery. Great music, artist interviews and much more made with love for you all. There is the link: https://live365.com/station/a77973

For now, it will not be possible to open to the public the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery in 1708 Lexington ave New York N.Y. 10029, but you can see the entire exhibition with more than 200 articles through our social media. Check the updates in our website: spahasalsagallery.com.

At the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery Museum we are happy to affirm that New York City is preparing to resume its activities little by little. We hope to have more news and soon as we can return to normality.

Remember not to leave your homes unless necessary, stay safe and stay home until the authorities tell us to. Health is first.

Contact: Johnny Cruz. 917-747-8505. [email protected].

By Johnny Cruz, ISM Correspondent, New York, New York City