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Felipe Pirela The Immortal Voice of “The Bolero Singer of the Americas”

A Romantic Music Phenomenon

Few voices in the history of Latin American music have managed to convey melancholy, heartbreak, and love with the depth of Felipe Pirela.

Justifiably known as “El Bolerista de América” (“The Bolero Singer of the Americas”), the Venezuelan performer not only transformed the bolero genre during the 1960s, but also became a cultural icon whose vocal legacy remains an undeniable benchmark for generations to come.

A Talent Born in Zulia

Felipe Antonio Pirela Morón was born on September 4, 1941, in the El Empedrado neighborhood of Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela. Raised in a large, humble family, he displayed a natural talent for singing from a very young age.

During his early years, he performed on amateur radio shows in his hometown and joined local groups such as the Orquesta San José and Los Peniques.

It didn’t take long for his extraordinary vocal timbrea lyrical tenor with velvety undertones and flawless pitchto catch the attention of the leading musical directors of the era.

Big Break with the Billo’s Caracas Boys

The year 1960 marked the ultimate turning point in Pirela’s career. Dominican maestro Billo Frómeta, while reorganizing his legendary orchestra, Billo’s Caracas Boys, was searching for a fresh male voice to lead their romantic repertoire. Upon hearing Pirela, he didn’t hesitate to sign him.

Felipe Pirela 2 — The Immortal Legacy of an Unforgettable Voice

At just 19 years old, Pirela became the star crooner for the most popular orchestra in Venezuela. During his tenure with Billo’s, his voice immortalized essential classics of the Latin American songbook, including:

Ese bolero es mío
Únicamente tú
Para qué recordar
Por la vuelta

The synergy between Frómeta’s orchestral arrangements and Pirela’s dramatic expression sparked a true wave of “Pirelamania” across the country.

International Stardom and Solo Career

In 1963, driven by a desire to expand his artistic horizons, Pirela embarked on a solo career. He moved to Mexico the epicenter of the recording industry at the time where he was warmly embraced by both audiences and music critics.

It was precisely abroad where he was officially dubbed “El Bolerista de América.” Albums like Un solo camino: México solidified his international success.

Felipe Pirela 4 — Felipe Pirela A Musical Phenomenon

“Pirela packed venues in Santo Domingo, San Juan, New York, Bogotá, and Lima, reaching a level of popularity that rivaled legends like Lucho Gatica, Daniel Santos, and Javier Solís.” His ability to bring drama and elegance to songs by iconic composers such as Rafael Hernández, Pedro Flores, and Mario de Jesús turned him into a record-breaking phenomenon.

Lights, Shadows, and a Tragic End

Despite his overwhelming success on stage, Pirela’s personal life was plagued by controversy, heartache, and misfortune. A tumultuous, failed marriage, along with legal troubles and relentless harassment from the tabloid press of the era, eroded his personal stability and led him to settle outside his homeland.

On July 2, 1972, tragedy violently cut his life short. At the young age of 30, Felipe Pirela was murdered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The news sent shockwaves across the Americas, leaving an irreplaceable void in romantic music.

Felipe Pirela 3 — On July 2, 1972, tragedy violently cut short his life

The Immortal Legacy of an Unforgettable Voice

More than five decades after his passing, Felipe Pirela remains vibrant in the collective memory. His discography continues to be reissued, honored, and studied by musicologists and music lovers alike.

Pirela possessed not only exceptional vocal technique, but a unique ability to phrase with heartbreak, elegance, and passion. His style directly influenced subsequent stars of salsa and bolero, proving that as long as heartbreak and romance exist, the voice of “The Bolero Singer of the Americas” will continue to resonate with the exact same power.

Felipe Pirela |El Bolerista de América

John and Liz reveal details of the 16th annual SF Salsa Festival

As is tradition every year, we went back in touch with the organizers of the San Francisco Salsa Festival, John Narváez and Elizabeth Rojas, who treated us with the kindness and affection of always. The dancers and dance instructors once again spoke about the details of the festival’s organization and one or another incident that did not become public, so fans of salsa and such events cannot miss it.

They also talked about how they have done since the 2025 edition and what they will do from now until next year’s edition.

John and Liz dancing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

What John and Liz have done since the 2025 San Francisco Salsa Festival

After the 2025 edition, John described the rest of the year as sensational because his dance studio has maintained the expected success and his company enjoys the work of of new members who have contributed with their talent to help it grow. In addition to that, their classes are full of people eager to learn to dance, take care of their bodies, keep their minds healthy, and have a more active social life.

He also recognizes that the Bad Bunny phenomenon helped them a lot, as they’ve welcomed many people who want to learn to dance salsa after the the boom caused by a Super Bowl full of latinidad everywhere. This has also made the celebrated ones at weddings and other family events to celebrate with salsa, so guests do not want to be left behind and seek to dance it as well as possible.

When an event has been organized for 16 years in a row, those involved already have a system by which they are ruled, so there are few surprises that John and Liz could find thanks to so much experience under their belt. However, there may be things that catch them off guard and ,in this case, it was the economy. This time, they found that everything was much more expensive.

After reviewing expenses, they noticed that the flights of the artists and hotel costs were much higher than in previous years, so they were forced to take certain actions, such as hiring fewer dance artists. They were careful to bring only the best they could find to do a tremendous show, which fortunately occurred.

John and Aura dancing — John Narvaez and dancer Aura Moreno dancing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

They also noticed that many people could not attend the festival, so they offered numerous discounts, press passes, and the opportunity to volunteer for the organization.

Visa problems

The main disadvantage faced by John and Liz last year was the delay in the approval of visas for the members of La Máxima 79, so we wanted to know how it had gone this year. Well, as it turns out, it did happen again and two couples of dancers were unable to attend because their visas were denied, so they had no choice but to invite residents of the United States to prevent that headache.

Of course, it must be added that bringing people from other places implies additional costs that do not do any good to them right now. For the same reasons, other festival organizers are doing the same thing.

Principal guest artists

The main attractions at this festival were Charlie Aponte, Edgardo Cambón, and Cabanijazz, who of course, did a magnificent job. The big surprise of the festival was definitely Charlie Aponte, with whom they managed to have contact through a well-known Mexican promoter who acted as a link between the dancers and the artist.

The agreement was made as recently only in January, that is, a couple of months before the event. That is when John contacted Jeannette Santiago, Charlie’s manager and wife, told her who he was, and mentioned the mutual friend they had in common. He then managed to close the deal with her and have the Puerto Rican singer at the event, which came as a very pleasant surprise to those who had been planning to attend for months.

Edgardo Cambón playing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

Preparations for next year

As every year, after an edition is completed, John and Liz are already thinking about what they will do for the next one. In fact, just the day before this interview, they had a work meeting to start planning everything and thinking about who they will invite for 2027.

They are thinking about inviting La Máxima 79 again. In fact, they have already talked to their lawyer responsible these matters and agreed to carry out the relevant procedures to finally have them at the festival, as they have wanted for a long time. In case the invitation is not given effect, they also have their eyes on Jimmy Bosch and Hermán Olivera. Both have performed in previous editions prior to the pandemic and were sensational, so they are held in good esteem by the organization.

They also mentioned that the venue for the next two editions will continue to be the Marriott Hotel Waterfront, as the location is beautiful and very suitable for an event of this magnitude.

Cabanijazz playing — Cabanijazz Project playing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

Andy Durán: The Architect of Mambo and Latin Jazz

If there is one name that embodies technical elegance and rhythmic passion in the contemporary Caribbean, it is Andy Durán.

A musician, arranger, composer, and conductor, Durán has spent over four decades serving as the guardian of the big band sound. He keeps the flame of legends like Tito Puente and Pérez Prado alive, but with a distinctive signature that fuses academic precision with popular soul.

Andy Durán El Arquitecto del Mambo y el Latín Jazz

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 2, 1949, as Nelson Valor Ramos, this extraordinary artist is today an essential figure in music production and direction.

The Musician: Master of the Arrangement

Andy Durán is more than just a conductor; he is a scholar of musical structure. His academic background has allowed him to master the art of the arrangement the ability to transform a simple melody into a complex masterpiece where twenty musicians move as a single, unstoppable force.

The Big Band Sound: He is one of the few directors who has kept the large orchestra format relevant in Venezuela. His ensemble, Andy Durán’s Latin Jazz Big Band, is an institution renowned for its rhythmic precision and powerful brass section.
Stylistic Versatility: While Mambo is his backbone, his repertoire flows seamlessly through Jazz, Salsa, Mambo-Jazz, and traditional Venezuelan music.
Cult Discography: Albums such as Tropicalia, Mambo 2000, and his acclaimed tribute to Tito Puente, Fidelidad, are essential pieces for any collector of the genre.

The Person: The Educator and Music Lover

Behind the baton, Durán is known for his humility and profound work ethic; he is frequently described as a “gentleman of music.”

Nacido en Caracas, Venezuela, el 2 de enero de 1949, bajo el nombre de Nelson Valor Ramos

Relentless Researcher: Beyond performance, he is a historian of rhythm. His concerts often turn into masterclasses where he explains the origins of the pieces, always honoring the original composers.
Generational Bridge: He has served as a mentor for young Venezuelan musicians, integrating new talent into his ranks and proving that classic Caribbean genres have no expiration date.
Cultural Resilience: In an era dominated by commercial trends, Durán remains faithful to acoustic quality and the complexity of Latin Jazz, earning the respect of international critics.
Si existe un nombre que personifica la elegancia técnica y la pasión por el ritmo en el Caribe contemporáneo, ese es Andy Durán

Career and Legacy

Andy Durán is one of the greatest exponents of Salsa and Latin Jazz in Venezuela. With 16 albums to his credit, he holds the most extensive discography of any Venezuelan jazz artist. Additionally, he is recognized as the country’s premier music copyist.

His beginnings date back to his youth with the group Nelson y su Sexteto. In 1978, he founded the Orquesta Palladium. Shortly after, he adopted the stage name “Andy Durán” to avoid confusion with other artists of the era and because it was easy to remember and write.

Since 1982, he has been fully dedicated to professional music, working alongside giants such as Aldemaro Romero, Eduardo Cabrera, the Billo’s Caracas Boys, Los Melódicos, and Soledad Bravo. In 1985, he released his first LP, Mambo Salsa. Among his most notable works are:

Tropicalia Caraqueña
Canelita y Andy Durán: Tribute to Celia Cruz
Tito & Tito (A tribute to Tito Puente and Tito Rodríguez)
Salsa Dura y Descarga: A Tribute to Fania
Fiesta con Billo

Reflections by Andy Durán: Is Singing Easy?

The Requirements: Flawless pitch, breath control, phrasing, and diction; in addition, a strong memory for melodies, lyrics, and orchestral arrangements.

It is highly recommended to know how to dance according to the genre being performed (e.g., Salsa). It is also beneficial to have basic acting skills to handle dramatic themes when necessary.

Reading is mandatory to develop a rich vocabulary for improvisation or public speaking; it also prevents embarrassing spelling errors in written lyrics. Keeping the vocal cords healthy and trained is a vital matter. Music theory and sight-singing are the ideal, essential, and unavoidable tools.

Finally, a singer must define their style and repertoire with great care. One must invest in professional orchestral arrangements and have an arranger-director or advisor—this is an investment, just like stage attire.

Remember, my fellow singers: a director’s worst nightmare is a singer who is out of tune, off-beat, and forgetful.

Best regards to all vocalists and singers.

Maestro Andy Durán: Director, Arranger, and Composer

P.S. Vocalists must meet two more requirements: keep your nerves in check and sing from the heart.

Also Read: Víctor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity“

Argentine tango bassist and Latin Grammy winner Pedro Giraudo returned to his roots

Latin Grammy winner Pedro Giraudo spoke exclusively to us for International Salsa Magazine, so we are very pleased to bring you the best of our conversation with the Argentinian bassist and composer. Next, these are the highlights of his beginnings and his exciting career in his native country and in the United States, where he currently resides.

Argentine bassist Pedro Giraudo posing for the camera

Pedro’s beginnings in music

Pedro comes from a family of musicians. In fact, his father was a bandleader and his mother sang in a choir, so he was surrounded by music practically since he was born. He has memories of him watching his parents rehearse and play instruments when he was very young, so he was always very familiar with this kind of thing.

During his adolescence, he performed recitals with various ensembles, some of which played classical music, jazz, and tango. His professional advancement was very gradual, but he was doing some activities that prepared him for what was to come years later.

His love for this world grew so big that, once he turned 19, he moved to the United States precisely to study music and learn everything he could about what can be expressed through it. His musical interests initially focused on jazz, but that changed over time.

Already at the end of his last year in college in New York, he was working regularly with various groups of different genres.

Interest in tango

Although, as we have said, Pedro comes from Argentina, he had not been particularly interested in tango at first, but his numerous trips around the world made him feel a little uprooted and detached from his beginnings. For this reason, nostalgia made him reconnect with the traditional music of his homeland. In addition, the fact that he was Argentinean encouraged many groups to call him, even though his knowledge of tango was not yet very deep at that time.

After giving himself the opportunity to play tango more formally, he also set to work to study it much more to learn about its most famous composers, its various styles, its ways to write music in the genre, among other things. In addition to that, he started to transcribe a lot of music to know what it sounded like in different styles and to gain practice.

This path eventually led the artist to become part of many tango bands and even to lead some ensembles.

Pedro and friends — Pedro Giraudo, pianist Ahmed Alom, symphonic director Sergio Alessandro Bušlje, violinist Sami Merdinian, and accordionist Javier Sanchez

Groups Pedro was in

Pedro’s main goal in arriving in the United States was to become a double bassist, and after finally achieving it, he graduated from college and started to explore his role as a composer and leader of his own ensemble. From there, the band varied for characteristics and changed members and in size over the next 15 years. The last thing was a 17-piece big band.

Then, in the year 2014, due to the death of a great friend, Argentine pianist Octavio Brunetti, the Lincoln Center for The Performing Arts asked him to lead an event to celebrate his life and music. Therefore, in 2015, the musician started his tango project, which he would name Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet, taking this request as a starting point.

Today, he focuses all his efforts on tango ensembles, although he does recognize that he is increasingly angling for the classical side. For example, for his latest album, Pedro used a symphony orchestra, and since the last few months, he has been conceiving his next project with a chamber orchestra.

Great collaborations in his career

Throughout his career, Pedro has been able to work with great music glories such as Paquito D’ D’Rivera, Rubén Blades, Pablo Ziegler, William Cepeda, and many others. One of the nicest things about this work for the Argentine is that he is always surrounded by very talented people from whom he can learn a lot.

One of them was bandoneonist Hector Del Curto, who was one of the first people Pedro started playing tango with in New York. Del Curto, in turn, had the great honor of playing with the greats of the golden age of Argentine music, such as Osvaldo Pugliese.

It was through Hector that Pedro was able to meet and play with Pablo Ziegler, who was the principal pianist of Astor Piazzolla’s Second Quintet and greatly influenced the way tango is played on the piano. In fact, playing along with him on the double bass was an experience of which he learned so much, which he appreciated.

Pedro and his Grammy — Pedro Giraudo holding his Latin Grammy in Las Vegas

In the case of William Cepeda, the artist made some arrangements for him and he received many valuable lessons from him, such as the importance of keeping musicians engaged with sheet music to prevent them from getting too lax. It was also with Zepeda that he made his first arrangements for a symphony orchestra.

On the other hand, Paquito taught him how to be a practical musician and to make perfect, well done arrangements for any occasion.

Latin Grammy winner

Pedro is fortunate to be a Latin Grammy winner thanks to his album “Vigor Tanguero” in the category Best Tango Album in 2018. When we asked him about his experience, the double bassist said that there are some details he does not fully understand, such as the elements taken into consideration when voting for an artist in a category. However, that did not overshadow the joy of winning such an important award.

He says his victory was a surprise. At the time, he remembers being on tour with Pablo Ziegler, and after a four-hour rehearsal, his phone had about 40 missed calls congratulating him, while he did not even know that the nominations were being announced that day. To his amazement, he was included.

The final event was in Las Vegas, where Pedro finally heard his name and felt a total joy and pride for all he had achieved. In this respect, he said, “I’m not a person who collects awards, but this is a recognition I’m very proud of, to be honest.”

Tempo Latino: An Unmissable Event in Vic Fezensac!

Get ready, salsa lovers and Latin rhythm enthusiasts, because the Tempo Latino festival is returning to Vic Fezensac from July 24 to 27, 2025, for its 30th edition, promising an unforgettable experience.

This internationally renowned event transforms the picturesque French town into the epicenter of Latin music and culture.

How to Get to the Heart of the Party?

Getting to Tempo Latino is easier than ever. If you prefer convenience, the festival offers a bus service from Mont de Marsan, Agen, and Toulouse.

Once in Vic Fezensac, the “navetitas” will take you to your accommodation within the Community of Municipalities of D’Artagnan in Fezensac, and are free for accompanied children with prior reservation.
For those choosing the train, the closest stations are Auch, Agen, and Toulouse.
And if you’re coming by car, Vic Fezensac is 1 hour and 20 minutes from Toulouse and 2 hours from Bordeaux. You can even carpool for a greener arrival!

IMG July 2025

Accessibility for Everyone

Tempo Latino prides itself on being an inclusive festival. If you come by car, parking spaces are available at Place du Foirail. During the festival, Rue Reynal and Avenue Edmond Bergès will be pedestrianized, facilitating access to the venue. Most importantly, all Festival stages—Scène Tempo Arena, Scène de La Conga, Scène Cap Tempo, and Concert Église—are accessible to people with reduced mobility. There is even a dedicated platform at the Tempo Arena to ensure a perfect view of the stage.

Accommodation Options for Every Festival-goer

To fully immerse yourself in the experience, Tempo Latino offers various accommodation options:

Goulin and Les Acacias Reception Areas: If you have a concert pass, you can camp in tents at the Goulin rugby stadium or the Acacias football stadium (new for 2025!). Reservations are valid from Thursday morning to Monday morning with a fixed fee.
Cauderon Reception Area: The municipality of Vic Fezensac is opening this area for tents, cars, and motorhomes, with a discharge station available. It will be open from July 21 to July 27, 2025. For more details, you can contact the town hall at 05 62 64 47 00 (press 1).
Other Options: The Tourist Office offers a list of available accommodations and “Esprit libre” packages that include accommodation and festival tickets. You can visit armagnac-dartagnan.com or call 05 62 06 34 90.

A Star-Studded Lineup for 2025!

The 30th edition of Tempo Latino is packed with talent. Here’s a preview of what awaits you at the Tempo’Arena:

Friday, July 25: Via La Habana
- 9:00 p.m.: Eliades Ochoa
- 11:00 p.m.: Issac Delgado y su Orquesta + guests (Haila and Alain Perez…)
Saturday, July 26: “Minha noite brasileira” via Rio De Janeiro
- 9:00 p.m.: Joao Selva
- 11:00 p.m.: Flavia Coelho
Sunday, July 27: Via Nueva York
- 9:00 p.m.: Yuri Buenaventura
- 11:00 p.m.: Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Additionally, on Thursday, July 24, Scène La Conga will offer a “La Electronica de Bogotá” night with DJ sets by Caribombo and SimaO, and a performance by Acido Pantera.

Get Your Tickets

You can book your tickets online at tempolatino.com/billetterie, at the physical store at 3 rue du Général Delort 32190 Vic-Fezensac, or by phone at +33 (0)5 62 06 56 66.