Latin América / Venezuela / Caracas
José Madera Niño “The records and the radio were my first teachers”
Soon he will premiere his second production entitled Matices, with the promotional song Canta Sonero.
A creator, a great human being, this is José Madera Niño, this Colombian-Venezuelan musician, self-taught, percussionist, composer and plastic artist; who after participating in different groups decides to form his own Orchestra, José Madera Niño & 3er Mundo, assures that his passion for music began when he was very young, following the example of his father, uncle and his older brothers, defines his songs as “simple and diaphanous”. He confesses that our salsa genre, “needs to feed on new things, unpublished songs, in short, proposals, and that the music lover is the one who decides if it is good or not”; As the chorus of one of their songs says, let them be the ones to speak and express their emotions.
His first record production De amor, desamor y rumba, contains 8 songs, of which 6 are his own, with the participation of leading Venezuelan musicians; in this work he presents us with an innovative style, where he sings to love, to spite and invites us to dance to the rhythm of the conga that is in fashion. In each composition, everyday life is reflected, the adventures and misadventures that music lovers make their own, a work made of guava trees and poetic joys.
Soon he will launch his second record production with a very striking name; Nuances, something that in his words “makes him very happy”, where there is no doubt, his gift as an artist will be present and a motley of musicians with a great career who will put the final touch on his new production.
How did you start in music?
“I remember that at the age of seven, I was drawing a lot, on paper, on the walls and on whatever came my way. My older brothers already showed an interest in music, so instruments began to arrive at the house. While I drew they practiced and when they went to school I took possession of a drum and a radio, I tried to accompany all the rhythms I heard on the stations”.
Was your training professional or are you a self-taught musician?
“Autodidact. I entered the school of plastic arts, to study drawing and painting, at the age of fourteen. There I saw nine subjects, also I started at the high school where I saw nine more subjects, so there was no space to study music. I listened to a lot, yes. Records and the radio were my first teachers”.
Tell us about your experience with Orlando Poleo?
“In a self-taught way, almost without realizing it, I began to play with different groups and orchestras, I was already in trouble, so on the fly, I decided to take theory and solfeggio classes at the headquarters of the Musical Association. On a Caracas night I was playing with La Orquesta Ideal and there I met Williams Hernández -Percussionist and manufacturer of Latin percussion instruments-. It was he who recommended that I attend the workshop in Sarria where the teacher Orlando Poleo taught. The experience there at the beginning was a bit traumatic because although I already had time playing congas, I didn’t have the ideal technique. I had to get rid of what I learned on my own and put new ways into practice. It was not easy but I am very grateful to have passed through the school of Grand Master Poleo”.
Where does your musical vein and passion for painting come from?
“My father was a bolero singer back in his native Colombia, my uncle was a guitarist. That’s where the taste for music comes from.”
What motivated you to make your first production, in a market so Competitive and often poorly supported by the media?
“I was motivated by a passion for music and by that need to contribute at least one point of view, a way of doing things. For example, I think that this genre that we love, called Salsa, needs to feed on new things, unpublished songs, in short, proposals and that it is the music lover who decides if it is good or not”.
What is the reason for the name of the group; 3rd world?
“That’s where we are, that’s where we come from. This is how they classified the countries of our region and we assumed them without complexes or pride. I think it’s just a title that doesn’t detract from our ability to do great things. Baptizing the band with that name was an act of rebellion, it shows a little that despite many limitations we are capable of making quality music”.
Why the name De Amor, Desamor y Rumba?
“There were many hours of recording, then editing, then came the art of the album and when we were already finalizing details, a doubt assailed me, I thought: Isn’t the selection going to be very rockolera? I started to review the production and I realized that it was balanced. We sing to spiteful love and I think it’s very danceable. From there the title was born: “Of love, lack of love and rumba”.
What inspired you to write 6 songs of your first production?
“The need to do unpublished things, on the other hand I didn’t know so many composers who wanted to risk their songs in a novel production. The language of my songs is simple and diaphanous”.
Which of the themes do you identify with, and why?
I like them all.
How would you define the 3rd world style and how do you get there?
“It’s just Salsa, without a “surname”, as it was before. It’s not erotic Salsa or hard Salsa or Nothing Salsa… Just dance music”.
Any relationship with the percussionist José Madera -the one from Tito Puente-?
“Only immense admiration for his work and the fact that like him I play percussion and have the same first and last name.”
Have you ever been interested in another musical style?
“I listen to almost everything and in my career I have had the opportunity to play other popular music rhythms such as merengue, cumbia, vallenato.”
An artist you admire?
“There are many whom I admire, it would be unfair to name just one.”
What inspires you to write a song about love or heartbreak?
“Both, in addition to the simple, everyday things.”
Define yourself in one sentence?
Creator
How does the soul see through painting or music?
The soul sees and manifests itself in the purest and most honest way through art. Call it painting, music or another related manifestation.
Tell us about your 2nd production, who participates in it?
This is something that makes me very happy because we are giving the last brushstrokes, soon, very soon my dear friends will know about this work. There are many guests.
Why nuances?
Precisely because of the variety of its guests.
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