“Yes, Una noche en Old Town was an event held for about 100 people at a restaurant in the area known as Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida. Old Town is a park that feels like a year-round festival, 365 days a year,” the artist explains. This marks the third musical production from the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter known in the salsa world as “El Calvito,” one of the most fervent champions of the Salsa Nueva movement.
With this release, Edwin puts his salsa and his talent at the service of his followers. His repertoire spans classic salsa, romantic salsa, and what he calls “conscious salsa.”
Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes acknowledges that while everything has already been invented, the key is to stay focused and execute the ideas swirling in his mind. The press release for the new live album, titled Una noche en Old Town, notes: “Remember in the ’90s when many artists (…) recorded live productions? That was a trend that (…) went down in salsa history.”
The Production
The final product is a “live” recording of his orchestra. The production turned what was originally planned as a birthday party at Old Town Park in Kissimmee into a full album. Sound engineer Joseph Díaz captured the session, which was later mixed and mastered by pianist and engineer Víctor Romero. The content was further polished at Harmony Recording Studios in Orlando, Florida.
The album features the collective performance of the musicians who have accompanied the singer for years, including their appearance at the 2025 Día Nacional de la Zalsa in Orlando. The lineup includes:
- John López: Congas
- Daniel Ortiz: Timbales
- Manny Urbina: Bongo
- Víctor Romero: Piano and Musical Direction
- Yasmani Roque & Marcos Rivera: Trumpets
- Bert Laboy: Trombone
- José Castro Marchán: Baritone Sax
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Una Noche en Old Town Edwin El Calvito Reyes - The night at Old Town also featured guest appearances by heavyweights such as Kriptony Texeira, Harold Montañez, and José Novoa. Additionally, Richie Nieves, the well-known voice of KQ FM Radio in Orlando, handled the album’s intro.
The Origin
The stage was set specifically at El Cilantrillo restaurant within Old Town. The event celebrated the birthday of Javier Colón, owner of La Feria Salsera and Edwin’s partner for the veteran-focused dance events that Edwin has successfully led in recent years. Javier hired “El Calvito’s” orchestra, the performance was recorded, and from that session, this authentic album was born.
By chance, the date of the party coincided with one of the most important days on the Puerto Rican salsa calendar: the traditional Holy Saturday Dance (Sábado de Gloria). “Many Latinos don’t understand and ask, ‘Are you guys seriously holding a dance on Holy Saturday?’ So, unintentionally, we tapped into that tradition—and it is a tradition in every sense of the word. By trying to keep it alive, we (Puerto Ricans) have shared it with the rest of the Hispanic public.”
According to Edwin, the performance was originally recorded for promotional purposes. However, the artist felt it was such a great capture of the evening’s energy that he consulted his musical director, Víctor Romero, to see what he thought of the idea.
The Release
Coincidence dictated that the album be published and available on digital platforms exactly one year after the recording. The producer admits it was a high-risk project because it was recorded live during an organic event outside of a controlled studio environment. The classic covers Edwin included as tributes to “those who have passed” (arranged as medleys) were his biggest concern, yet they ultimately earned widespread approval.
“El Calvito” Reyes says he doesn’t fear the critics. Driven by passion, he decided to release this 10-track production—eight of which he wrote himself, plus two salsa hit medleys—aiming to win over dancers, listeners, and collectors alike.
Tracklist:
- ‘Medley salsa nueva’
- ‘Así llamaban al Conde’
- ‘Homenaje a los que se nos fueron I y II’
- ‘Dime mi Buen Señor’
- ‘Tú del sur, yo del norte’
- ‘El karma’
- ‘Tócame la moña’
- ‘Baila cha cha chá’
- ‘Solo tiempo pa’ rumba’
- ‘Orgulloso de ser latino’
Stream & Connect: The album is available digitally on YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music. Each track has a corresponding video at: https://www.youtube.com/@ElCalvitoReyesOficial/. The orchestra is available for bookings. You can reach the office via phone or WhatsApp at +1-912-980-8476 or by email at [email protected].
For more on the music of Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes, visit: https://solo.to/elcalvitoreyes
Read Also: Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes el Sonero de la Sangre Nueva “Amor de Actualidad”
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