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Celso Clemente Torres is considered one of the best sounding bongos in the world.

Percussionist Celso Clemente Torres, was born on January 31, 1965 in San Juan, Puerto Rico his childhood and under the guidance of his father, Celso Clemente Sr., the young man was introduced to the world of music in 1973.

At the age of nine, he made his first big band performance at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in Puerto Rico alongside Giovanni Hidalgo with the Roberto Roena Orchestra.

When he was twelve years old, he participated in his first recording called “Borinquen All-Stars” with the great Puerto Rican trumpet player and band leader Mr. Elias Lopez (R.I.P) with the great Gentleman of Salsa Gilberto Santa Rosa, he was the lead singer of that important project.

At the age of nine, he made his first presentation with a big band at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in Puerto Rico alongside Giovanni Hidalgo with the Roberto Roena Orchestra. — Celso Clemente Torres is considered one of the best sounding bongos in the world.

He has been a percussionist for 40 years. Clemente has mastered the following instruments; bongo, conga, timbal and minor percussion.

With all these instruments he has had the opportunity to be part of countless recordings in the tropical genre which have served as inspiration for new exponents of the genre.

Due to his vast experience in percussion he has been able to spread his knowledge, offering percussion workshops to different groups (children, youth and adults) with excellent results. This has led him to create his own line of bongo bells and timpani sticks with his name.

He has had the opportunity to work in big stages such as; Madison Square Garden, House Of Blues, Coliseo de Puerto Rico “José Miguel Agrelot” Centro De Bellas Artes, among others. He worked in these orchestras; Roberto Angleró, Moliendo Vidrio, Tommy Olivencia, Tony Vega, Tito Rojas with this work 27 years, of which he directed his orchestra in Puerto Rico and outside the Island for 20 years.

With all these instruments he has had the opportunity to be part of countless recordings in the tropical genre, which have served as inspiration for new exponents of the genre. — He has been a percussionist for 40 years. Clemente masters the following instruments; bongo, conga, timbal and minor percussion

He has recorded with Roberto Angleró, Tommy Olivencia, Tony Vega, Tito Rojas, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Willie Rosario, Bobby Valentin, José Alberto “El Canario”, Rey Ruiz, Willie González, Frankie Ruiz, Puerto Rico All Star, Yan Collazo, Bomplenea, Plenarium among others.

He has also had the opportunity to be music producer, “Rompiendo Barreras” with Mario Feliciano, “Independiente” Tito Rojas, “Ritmo Caliente” with Bomplenea by Gary Vera, “Rompe La Rutina” by Del Gonzalez, “Te mando un beso” with Plenarium by Capitol Clemente.

He has also had the opportunity to be a music producer, "Rompiendo Barreras" with Mario Feliciano, "Independiente" Tito Rojas, "Ritmo Caliente" with Gary Vera's Bomplenea, "Rompe La Rutina" by Del Gonzalez, "Te mando un beso" with Plenarium by Capitol Clemente. — Jimmie Morales (R.I.P.), Porfi Baloa and Celso Clemente

He is an endouser of the Pearl Musical Instrument Company also in the line of cymbals “Soultone Cymbals”.

Celso Clemente is considered one of the best sounding bongos, which caught the attention of many record producers. Celso is probably the most recorded bongos player in the history of Puerto Rican salsa discography with more than 220 credited recordings.

The list of salsa legends Celso has recorded with is too long to list.

Celso is currently the timbalero and leader of the band of the famous salsero Tito Rojas (R.I.P) where he toured all over the world.

Celso is probably the most recorded bongo player in the history of Puerto Rican salsa discography with more than 220 accredited recordings. — Celso Clemente & Tito Rojas (R.I.P)

He offers Percussion Workshops to; children, youth and adults, both in person and online, based on his extensive musical experience, which is more than 42 years in the tropical genre (Salsa), bomba and plena.

Facebook: Celso Clemente Talleres De Percusión

Contact in Puerto Rico: +1 787-429-9971

Email: [email protected]

Source: Pearl Musical Instrument Company https://pearldrum.com/eu/artist/celso-clemente

By: Diana Marie International Salsa Magazine Correspondent

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Sonora Ponceña and her 1982 álbum “Determination”

A production that placed “Yambeque” on its first song

Enrique Arsenio Lucca Quiñones (Ponce, Puerto Rico, April 10, 1946), known as Papo Lucca, is a pianist and multi-instrumentalist of salsa and Latin jazz.

An arranger and virtuoso of his instrument, he was co-founder with his father, Enrique “Quique” Lucca Caraballo, of La Sonora Ponceña. He has also performed and recorded with the Fania All-Stars, Willie Colón, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Valentin, Ismael Quintana, Gloria Estefan, Adalberto Santiago, Andy Montañez, Pablo Milanés and Rubén Blades.

La Sonora Ponceña is a Puerto Rican orchestra of Afro-Caribbean music founded by “Quique” Lucca in 1954.

Directed by the son of “Quique”, Papo Lucca, it is one of the most important groups of the musical genre

This time we highlight the album “Determination” from 1982, a production that placed “Yambeque” on its first song

Sonora de Ponce, Papo Lucca, Los Gigantes del Sur, Determination — Sonora Ponceña and their 1982 album “Determination”.

A melody from Regla de Ocha to the orishas that brings a rumba within its particular style of salsa and excelling in a solo he “little” Johnny Rivero and the interpretation “Toñito” Ledee.

On the song “Soledad,” it was Yolanda Rivera‘s turn, along with Miguelito Ortiz and Toñito Ledee, where they sing about loneliness and its peculiarities and dangers.

In “Creo en ti,” the arrangement of the ninths and suspended chords on the trumpet harmonies stood out, very well complemented by Yolanda Rivera’s interpretation of this bolero.

The song “Herida cerrada en falso”, lyrics and interpretation provided by Toñito Ledee, where we enjoy the vocal style of this great singer.

The melody that followed on this album was “Date cuenta“: a call to young people who go around playing with hearts.

In “Si la ven”, where the piano solo turned the main line of the melody into a Classical Music Minuet and where we enjoyed the harmonies that were used in the trumpets and flute horn by Juancito Torres.

In “Joldo” Maestro Papo Lucca makes Jazz taking this melody to a more accentuated Latin plane.

In “Aunque te quiero” Songo with Salsa was employed for a sense of harmony and dance-driving, where this melody reflects the heart of the true and full romantic lover, who regrets the love that does not return to him.

In this production we have wanted specially to detail that we counted on Enrique Quique Lucca like Musical Director; to Enrique Papo Lucca like Producer, Arranger, choir and piano; vocalists to Yolanda Rivera, Miguelito Ortiz and Toñito Ledee; in the choir to Edwin Rosas and like guest also in choirs Mr. Adalberto Santiago.

We were fortunate and honored to have lyrics by Adalberto Alvarez, Jose A. Mendez, Toñito Ledee, Francisco Alvarado, Roberto Anglero, Joseito Gonzalez and one with DRA.

This album continued to mark the musical line that we brought and continued to have the privilege of the favor and acceptance of each of our fans, who to this day continue to fully enjoy each of the melodies present in this production.

We say goodbye to you and thank you for your attention, and we will return soon with another release for all of you.

Facebook: Sonora Ponceña

Yambeque

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Andrew Mark Mclaughlin is an author, composer, writer and professor of language

Andrew Mark Mclaughlin is a Canadian-born author, composer, writer, professor of language, and lover of Latin culture and music of Canadian origin. Born in Oshawa, Ontario in 1977, he reveals a special sensitivity from an early age.

He developed his teenage life between studies, sports and his first approach to music where he participated in a rock band called Trailerpark Cinderellas.

Being a teenager and on a vacation visit to the Dominican Republic in the bateyes to the rhythm of the cane cutting, he discovers the magic and rhythm of Latin music that will become one of his two great passions, the other, the spirit of public service accompanied by his delivery as a teacher.

First, he continued his studies at the University of Toronto, then at the University of Salamanca, Spain. And finally, at the Faculty of Education at York University.

In 2001, he started working as a professor of literature and language in Pickering, Ontario. That same year, he started composing and singing.

In 2006, with that permanent concern that characterizes him, he and Carmen Muñoz Franco founded Learning for Hope (Aprendiendo por la Esperanza), which is a non-profit organization, with the sole intention of working with educational communities in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Cusco, Peru. The project operates to the present day.

The heart of the project is an educational center for boys and girls in orphanages, including victims of human trafficking.

In 2010, as an enlargement of the project, he arrived in El Salvador to work with the Agape Foundation, which does charity work throughout the country.

Thanks to this work, he met Rubén Flamenco, the director of Salsalvador Allstars, which is the most important salsa band in the country.

In honor of Geovanny Torres, a common friend who was suffering from a sad disease, Andrew composed his first song in Spanish, “Cúrame con Salsa”, a song that continues to be played on the radio stations of the country.

Due to the success of this song, the opportunity arises to play the song Terremoto with Giro Lopez, celebrated Puerto Rican salsa singer. Since then, with that energy, creativity and strength that characterize him, he has created more than a thousand songs ranging from salsa to cumbia including bachata and romantic ballad.

His mind and adventurous spirit have taken him out to many places where he has had the opportunity to meet many musicians, who are ambassadors of his creativity today, including Puerto Rico, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, El Salvador, Chile and Colombia.

By: Diana Marie Miami Correspondent for International Salsa Magazine

SOME OF HIS SONGS

FRANKY SWING & DAVID CUEVAS: MI MEJOR MEDICINA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGt8FxwpUM

YANI BORRELL: TE DEDICO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbczlNplncw

IZIS LA ENFERMERA DE LA SALSA: CORRE CONMIGO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLV7pXVx_Zw

FRANKY SWING: TE AMO LOCAMENTE (MEXICO AND VENEZUELA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIcgOgXDdg

LUIGGY LAMBIS: MI GRAN AMOR (COLOMBIA AND CHILE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kpQCxZ71EY

LUIGGY LAMBIS: CHICA SALSERA (COLOMBIA AND CHILE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86VwbAW4F9Q

NKLABE & SALZON: MANOS DE AMOR (PUERTO RICO & EL SALVADOR)

*NOMINATED FOR TROPICAL SONG OF THE YEAR

*Produced by: Diego Gale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80jMABYs2Zc

GIRO LOPEZ: TERREMOTO (PUERTO RICO)

*It reached No. 1 on the SALSOUL RADIO charts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkMG7JRq71g

GIRO LOPEZ: AQUÍ ESTARE (PUERTO RICO)

*It reached No. 4 on the Miami DJ pool chart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty-IjNUt5Tg

EMI SANTIAGO: ESCLAVO DE AMOR (COLOMBIA)

*It reached No. 1 on the LA TROJA RADIO charts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqMd_wJBTEA

SALSALVADOR ALLSTARS: CURAME CON SALSA (EL SALVADOR)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH_isr8oJvU

It reached third place in the World Salsa Championship 2020

SALSALVADOR ALLSTARS: SONRISONA (EL SALVADOR)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLoA_OKTH5M

SALZON: SALSA SECRETA (EL SALVADOR)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO2GgpGWxAQ

SALZON: AMOR ILOGICO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o5VywA3Cco

CODIGO FHER: ESA SONRISA (BOLIVIA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aki-nX84lvI

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Tribute to Adalberto Santiago for his musical career

Well-deserved tribute

After many years of musical career, singer and co-founder of FANIA, Adalberto Santiago has been honored with an official recognition given by Mayor of Ciales, Puerto Rico, something which was revealed on social media and various means of communication that followed the big news. Such recognition was manifested with the renaming of the Municipal Theater, which is going to be called as the artist in his honor.

This event was made known thanks to his great friend and director of the Abran Paso orchestra, Luisito Figueroa, who was in charge of carrying out all the necessary steps for Santiago to receive this great tribute. By 2019, Figueroa was working on the recognition through a group of visits he carried out to the Municipal Legislature, an entity in which he would submit the formal request that would finally be applied this year. After a comprehensive analysis of the evidence provided by the artist, this request was unanimously approved in recognition of the working years and the intense artistic life of Santiago. The glorification of Ciales around the world had its effect.

This event will take place in the theater which will bear the name of the artist in June, the month in which the festivities of Ciales will take place and people will be able to enjoy such an amazing event.

Adalberto Santiago and his tribute for his musical career — Adalberto Santiago will be honored for his musical career

Who is Adalberto Santiago?

In case you do not know who he is or the reason for so much admiration and tributes, he is a successful Puerto Rican singer whose trajectory speaks for itself. Alberto Santiago Berrios was born on April 23, 1937 in Ciales, a place we have already mentioned as the main stage of the recognition the artist will receive.

One of the biggest attractions of the interpreter is his prodigious lyric voice, which classifies him as one of the greatest names in Afro-Caribbean music and similar rhythms, even being compared to stars such as Benny Moré, Miguelito Cuní, and so many others that have left the Latin rhythms in a high position in the world. Among the many achievements of his extensive musical career, we cannot fail to mention his involvement with the world-renowned Cuban group La Sonora Matancera, with whom he recorded the album entitled De Nuevo, which was recorded in Mexico.

It should be noted that Santiago has written a great variety of songs for many albums where he has played a leading role, both as a soloist or a conductor. Likewise, he has written songs for many other artists, who have put their trust in the talent of the singer as a composer.

The interpreter has experimented with a wide range of musical genres that have allowed him to become known in much of the world, such as pachanga, Guaracha, cumbia, Bolero, Merengue, and so on. This versatility with regard to musical rhythms and vocal technique has allowed him to gain a respectable space in the industry and in the hearts of his large and loyal fan base. Even today, he is still considered one of the greatest exponents of Latin music and its derivatives.

By: Johnny Cruz correspondent of International Salsa Magazine in New York City, New York

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DIEGO “EL CIGALA”

The “Cantaor” Of The XXI Century

Flamenco has been his principal victory. Tango his maximum exploration. Salsa his greatest ambition, and Bolero his deepest romanticism. The world has witnessed his talent, Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar or better known as Diego “El Cigala” has immersed us in these torrential musical genres with his masterful voice for 24 years. Each album shows us intoxicating rhythms that introduce you to joy on many occasions, and many others evoke stories of deep melancholy in their unequivocal lyrics.

Diego, a good, upright, and friendly man has lived very hard moments like the loss of the two most important women in his life. Her wife, Amparo Fernandez, a victim of cancer that took her life in 2015 in her home (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic), and a year after lost her mother, Aurora Salazar Motos.

Diego "El Cigala" with his Wife Amparo — Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) “… It is a place where you can live, not just work. There is more space for life. “Amparo Fernandez

For 26 years, Amparo was his manager, friend, confidant, wife, and mother of his two oldest children (Diego and Rafael). She was always his stick of support even during the worst stage of his career.

Diego El Cigala has always been very familiar, sentimental, and a believer in God. “… My children make me and they will always keep me going, music heals me from the inside, and God accompanies me making everything possible”, explains the nationalized Dominican artist.

A year and a half after these fateful circumstances, the XXI century cantaor resurfaces and rebuilds his life with his current couple Dolores “Quina” and his third son Manuel, who was the product of this relationship.

Quina loves me, I love her, and she understands me like nobody. I have grief and joy every day of my life. I see my children, my wife, my granddaughters and shot forward.”

The Meeting

At the beginning of 2000, there was a meeting. Diego “El Cigala” and Bebo Valdés got together for the first time, and very much in the style of a bridal link, Diego and Bebo created a strong bond of friendship, mutual respect, and professional admiration.

Diego "El Cigala" with Bebo Valdés — His popularity arrived with Bebo Valdes and his album Lágrimas Negras

It was an afternoon at the house of musical director Fernando Trueba where they met and did not stop exchanging opinions about flamenco and Cuban music. From there their first collaboration together, three songs from the CD “Corren tiempos de alegría” released in 2001.

Bebo ever transmitted serenity and tranquility to Diego, which allowed them to record two years later Lágrimas Negras, an album with which they won a Latin Grammy Award for Traditional Tropical Album in 2004.

Both artists lived moments of unique and spiritual teachings. Each day Diego regrets Bebo’s physical departure and misses him so much that every day he looks up and sees Bebo saying to him: What’s wrong?

Bebo helped him get to know the Caribbean where he ended up living, helped him transcend flamenco, and learn about other genres. For that, the only way to pay tribute to him was with the sixth track belonging to the Indestructible record production, Fiesta para Bebo, with the special guest, Los Muñequitos de Matanza.

Since Lágrimas Negras, the cantaor of the XXI century has been able to venture into new genres and collaborations, such as the material Cigala & Tango (2010), Indestructible (2016), and his most recent record production “Cigala canta a México” presented in 2020.

El Cigala Indestructible

Since 2016 Indestructible presented the greatest musical fusion of the American and European continent. It was a Salsa and flamenco production that brought together the founders of the Fania All-Stars after 25 years and recalled emblematic songs such as El ratón, Periódico de ayer, Moreno soy, and Juanito alimaña popularized by Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe, among many others.

Diego "El Cigala" cantando — Indestructible released in 2016 is the tenth studio album of Diego “El Cigala”

Diego El Cigala from the gypsy ethnic group grew up in love with this Latin music since his childhood thanks to his father and the great stars of hard Salsa such as Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, La Fania All-Stars, and El Gran Combo.

Diego "El Cigala" black and white — Diego “El Cigala” has always been very familiar, sentimental, and a believer in God

This tenth studio album in tribute to his wife Amparo Fernandez, and his great teacher and friend, Bebo Valdés, was recorded in different territories of the American continent, bringing the color and sound of Salsa from each area to this CD. The cities that he visited and captured part of the recording were: Cali (Colombia), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Havana (Cuba), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), New York (United States), Miami (United States), and Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) where the production ended with the addition of guitar, choirs, cajón, and flamenco clapping.

As part of this fusion of genres, El Cigala had the opportunity to count on the talent of Oscar D’Leon, Bobby Valentin, Larry Harlow, Roberto Roena, Eddie Montalvo, Nicky Marrero, Jorge Santana, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Luis Perico Ortiz, Horacio el Negro, José Aguirre, Diego del Morao, and the percussion group Los Muñequitos de Matanza with whom he created a very special connection because they have a lot of similarity with the culture of his gypsy people, “I love them, no I’ve seen better people with so much heart “, that’s how El Cigala described them.

Indestructible, nominated for the Latin Grammy for Best Tropical Album in 2018, represents the immortality of Salsa, the essence of the Afro-Caribbean rhythm that endures in the Latin roots of the new generations although it no longer has the same boom that is enjoyed between the period from 1970 to 2000.

Salsa was in the 70s a way to confront racism and xenophobia that Latin Americans were experiencing in the United States. That unites Salsa with gypsy music and the gypsy people, who have also experienced these prejudices”. Diego “El Cigala”