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Guspira Records Presents The Karamba release their first album “Camino Así”

The Karamba is a musical group formed by six women from Venezuela, Cuba, Catalonia, Panama, and Argentina. It is a multicultural mix that creates a new, special and powerful musical color.

Between the chaos, traffic, the city, and stress, they joined in 2018 with the name of the Karamba on the streets of Barcelona. Of the need to acquire strength, get rid of fears, and spread joy, members share their way of understanding music to claim the strength of women.

Together they have been strengthened, combining rhythms and tunes in order to compose a single melody that fuses son, chachachá, salsa, timba, and rap rhythms. Enthusiastic melodies that explode with effusion and a powerful message of protest and feminine sovereignty that transmits the full force of past generations who championed the feminist fight and change.

Since their union, and in just two years, the Karamba has become one of the most internationally recognized bands at large festivals in Europe. They were especially noted for their performance at the Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) 2020, which is the most important professional music festival in Europe that takes place in Holland, and also at the Flawa Festival in London. They have also got Catalan audiences to fall in love with their presence at renowned festivals such as the Black Music Festival, Bioritme, Clownia, and the Esperanzah Festival, among many others.

Las Karamba is a musical group formed by six women from Venezuela, Cuba, Catalonia, Panama and Argentina. A multicultural mix that creates a new, special and powerful musical color. — The Karamba who are releasing their first album “Camino Así”.

The lyrics of their songs talk about the stories of all those women who kept silent, were under the shadow, fought alone during the course of history, and who could not explain. Now the Karamba endorse these stories in their new album “Camino Así” (Guspira Records, 2021).

The record starts off with “Presentes”, which is a clear declaration of intent. Through the music for the eponymous poem by Guisela López, they remark their values, objectives, and principles to the rhythm of a rumba tonada in collaboration with Erik Castillo, director of the group Compota de Manana.

With a Trap base, they surprise us with a change of register as they bet on electronic sounds that mark a considerable difference with respect to the rest of the songs. — The Karamba’s Cha Cha Chá takes us back to the life of “Margarita”

One of the values that take on special importance is gender equality. The Karamba leads us with a cha cha to the life of “Margarita”, a grandmother addicted to freedom. In the song “No Sabe Nah” they take a more vindicatory position, and together with singer Paula Grande, they call for the power of women. With a Trap base, they surprise us with a change in the register as they opt for electronic sounds that make a substantive difference from the rest of the songs.

The band is characterized by its constancy reflected in “Voy Subiendo” with the collaboration of trumpeter Yuri Hernández and trombonist Albert Costa. Slowly but steadily, the Karamba work to draw their path cut out for them. A path where they leave behind everything that weighs on them and does not work. In “Pasa la página” they look up to a relationship that is destined to fail.

Finally, Las Karamba strips off in "Basta Ya" — Finally, Las Karamba strips off in “Basta Ya”

With a salsa song that warms up in each beat, they encourage to look to the future with optimism and to overcome everything that has thrown them. Finally, in “Basta Ya“, the Karamba remove all social pressure and the alleged dogmas stipulated to be successful in life.

In “El Beso“, the first song they composed as a band, they remind us to love each other with intensity and continue the journey to the “Sabana”, a reflection on the frenzied pace of life that we talk. On a busy day-to-day basis, the Karamba invite you with their album “Camino Así” to relax, forget all the troubles and see the world in their own way following their tempo.

“Camino Así”, their first album, will be available on March 4th in physical and digital formats.

https://guspira.net/ca/las-karamba

LAS KARAMBA “CAMINO ASÍ” (Guspira Records 2021)

FormaGran Via de Les Corts Catalanes 1176 Bis 3º 5º (08020) Barcelona

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Meet Gerardo Osvaldo – Salsa y Sentimiento Academy

Meet Gerardo Osvaldo Russo, director of the Salsa y Sentimiento Academy and organizer of the San Clemente Salsa Congress

One of the seaside and tourist cities in Argentina is San Clemente del Tuyu belonging to the La Costa district, in the province of Buenos Aires, a very cozy place especially if you have a beach taste, enjoy the beaches, the tourist hotels, the seafood and many other things.

This time we have Gerardo Osvaldo Russo, he was born on July 3, 1984, he lives in a small city called San Clemente Del Tuyú, Argentina, he mentions his tastes for salsa and Latin rhythms, he tells us that in 2005 he began to dance and listen to salsa, from that moment his taste and passion for this great musical genre began, then he went on to dance other Caribbean rhythms.

Since 2009, I have been teaching Caribbean Rhythms in the “SAOCO” studio, one of the best places to train in your country, for that I had to travel every week since it was 300 kilometers away from where I lived. Then he made an important decision, which consisted of dedicating himself completely to teaching and then in the future to be able to create new projects that he already had in mind.

He mentions that in the city where he lived, he had no way of training, since there were few resources and he could not get to do everything he had in mind, in addition, his motivation was to grow personally as a teacher and dancer, to be able to dump all the knowledge that he was going acquiring the people who went to his classes.
For the year 2008 he began to teach at the beginning as a hobby for a year and a half until he made the decision to work 100% in his profession; So today he has his own Dance Academy called “Academia Salsa y Sentimiento” which was inaugurated in 2012, where he is currently a coordinator and teacher.

Team photo of Gerardo Oswaldo Russo — Gerardo Oswaldo Russo’s team

Gerardo has also been in charge of organizing the “San Clemente Salsa Congress” for about 3 years, as well as for his institution he holds Salsa, Bachata and other Caribbean rhythms every year, these include seminars and trainings with great teachers. quality and track record.

The reason that allowed the inauguration of the “Academia Salsa y Sentimiento” was basically the need in the people (not only in their city, but also in the neighboring cities of Puerto de la Costa, which is the region to which San Clemente belongs del Tuyú) to have the opportunity to learn to dance, express themselves, find a place of liberation, belonging and also be able to meet people and socialize.

For what it is known for being the first dance academy registered in the entire region, feeling very proud of its work team and of itself. In a few words, they mention that their goal has always been for people to identify with the activities they do, find a place where they can learn and have fun, as well as recharge. Students entering this academy may do so without any experience or knowledge of the rhythm they wish to practice.

At the Salsa y Sentimiento academy you start from scratch but people who already have knowledge can also come because we have various levels, working with people from 3 years onwards.

The biggest goal to be achieved was to create an International Salsa Congress, where they proposed to bring their students to compete; and in 2016 they were able to do it with the reggaeton group with professor “Maximiliano Laplaca” reaching the finals of one of the most important competitions in Argentina and South America called “Argentine Aerobic and Dance Tournament” (TAAD).

In 2017 their official website was inaugurated where they can manage more information and not only through their Facebook account and in the academy, together with other companies in the city, they are working to provide benefits to their students and not only have the possibility of learning and have fun if they can not also access discounts and benefits in stores in San Clemente. There is also a project for a few years from now and it is to be able to train teachers who leave our Academy. And later he began to broadcast live on his radio “Sentimiento Salsero”to promote other artists in the musical world.

During the Covid-19 period, many activities were paralyzed, including face-to-face classes, but it has managed to keep up with online activities and events, where for the first time its salsa and feeling congress was a success in 2020, we all look forward to your next congress in 2021.

Gerardo Oswaldo Russo at the dance academy

At the end, he gives us a message for both students and future learners.

“My message is as a teacher but fundamentally as a human being is that you do not stop going in search of your dreams, as long as you work hard with responsibility, passion and respect, things can be achieved. To also tell anyone who wants to come to the Salsa y Sentimiento Academy, they will find a place not only where they can learn to dance and train, but also a human group of containment, a place where they can freely express and bring out everything they carry inside. Young and old, to whom we are united by the passion for dancing. Teachers who love what they do and want to pass it on to new generations. Always open to the possibility of listening to anyone who has new ideas to build a better ACADEMY SALSA Y SENTIMIENTO every year ”

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Mel Martinez I come from Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico is Salsero

Totally agree with the premise that Mel Martínez establishes in this song of his authorship. Yes, Puerto Rico is the same as saying: “Yo soy salsero”.

Long live the music! Know that this implies shouting:

“Long live the musicians, so they can keep making it”.

The song starts off timidly and it seems that the arrangement asks the listener for his opinion on what he thinks of what is the first single of what will be his next musical production in a segment that presents a transcript of that “what do you think of Cholito”.

From there it pivots into a melodic design that reminds me of a segment of “I like Christmas that tastes like Puerto Rico” The shyness of the theme lasts approximately ten seconds.

Then the arrangement takes a turn that suggests that in Puerto Rico it’s Christmas all year round.

The lyrics of the song assures that all salsa-loving countries have their flavor and their flag; defined by other rhythms, highlighting the native rhythms of Colombia, Dominican Republic, Argentina and Peru. But Mel comes from Puerto Rico and asserts on behalf of all Puerto Rican salseros that: “In Puerto Rico the sun is boiling and that’s where Caliente salsa comes from”.

The song starts off timidly and it seems that the arrangement asks the listener for his opinion on what he thinks of what is the first single of what will be his next musical production in a segment that presents a transposition of that "what do you think of Cholito". — Mel Martinez The essence of family and Music

Evidently salsa is our pride. We are all Mel in terms of his love for salsa, the shout of pride, the flavor and the flag”.

And speaking of flavor and flag, it is clear that still “Aníbal Vázquez as a dancer, Giovanni Hidalgo hitting a leather, Tite Curet’s songs and Sammy Marrero’s feeling” are as valid as their first day in salsa performances.

New York’s emblematic nightclubs, all of them already disappeared, stand out in the lyric.

The mention of El Corso, Latin Quarter and the unforgettable Copacabana filled me with nostalgia and joy for having been lucky enough to have been part of that history. In Puerto Rico we have also been part of the history of salsa as it was spun in Lomas del Sol, El Coabey -which has been sustained against all odds- and El Tropicana.

The groups of Luis “Perico” Ortiz, El Gran Combo, Willie Rosario, Bobby Valentín, Tommy Olivencia, La Ponceña, Roena, Mulenze and Chaney star in the list of orchestras born in our soil and that Mel includes in the lyrics of the theme. Costa Brava, Puerto Rican Power, Canayón, Mario Ortiz, Don Perignon and La Solución complete the list of outstanding orchestras in sound and category.

The patron saint festivities and the dancers arrive at the theme at the climax of the mambo, through the pregones in the voice of our favorite for several decades.

From Fajardo to Mayaguez, passing through Bayamón and Carolina, Cataño and Dorado Mel assures that our 100 x 35 and its inhabitants are salseros by birth.

The lyrics of Mel’s song are so great that it secured mention of the dancers who every year try out for National Salsa Day, which until 2020 was exclusive to Puerto Rico.

If you haven’t heard this song, I dare you to listen to it without getting stuck to it:

I don’t know where you’re from

But I love my land

I come from Puerto Rico

and Puerto Rico is salsa.

I can tell you that the choruses are deluxe. The coros feature Luisito Carrión, Lalo Rodríguez and Carlos García; the same Carlos García who composes, arranges, sings and dances, all while masterfully dominating behind his piano.

As Mel states in this beautiful composition, which is also patriotically historical: we were born salseros.

I add by way of an intimately personal opinion that no human being is prepared to face the battle of life without the encouragement that music gives us.

I conclude by recommending you not to miss the correspondence between Pedro Perez’s bass and Emanuel Navarro’s timbal at the end of the song.

For those who doubt that musicians give us music even when it seems that the musical theme has already closed.

What is left for me to say? Long live the music! Know that this implies shouting: “Long live the musicians, so that they keep on making it”. Ah! And that we are still salseros.

Facebook: Mel Martinez

By: Bella Martinez “The Irreverent Salsa Writer”

Puerto Rico

Website: Bella Martinez Escribe

Gerson Aranda “La Tabla de Caracas”.

Restarting again our usual reviews, this time we return with a special guest, the virtuous and spectacular Venezuelan percussionist Gerson Aranda, who kindly gave us this interview from the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he is currently based.

Gerson Aranda Rodil was born on March 8, 1973, in the Concepción Palacios maternity hospital in the parish of San Juan, Caracas.

He is the son of Pedro Aranda and Ana Teresa Rodil. Gerson, welcome to the salsa column that is currently at the forefront of Afro-Caribbean music worldwide and in which our Venezuelan musicians make themselves known, project themselves and share their artistic life with our regular readers.

To begin with, we want to know how did you get started in music and who were your mentors? -Thank you Professor Carlos Colmenárez for this opportunity that you give me to share with my dear brothers from my country and other countries around the world. Well, I have been a musician since I can remember, thanks to my parents, brothers, cousins and uncles.

Since I was very young, my father Pedro Aranda, was the founder of the Sonero Clasico del Caribe, who recorded the first two productions of this famous group, which celebrated my birthday, since my father always brought them to my house.

I was raised in the parish of Catia, in Cútira and well, the whole neighborhood would come into my home to listen to the famous Sonero Clásico, and they would listen to the songs: Carmelina, Papá Montero, El enterrador and many more.

Well, since I was a child I had an interest in music, because at home they used to play those rumbas and I had the desire to play the congas and bongo.

Gerson Aranda Rodil was born on March 8, 1973, at the Concepción Palacios maternity hospital in the parish of San Juan, Caracas. — Gerson Aranda “La Tabla de Caracas”

But there was a tres player, a great friend of the family, who met a lot with my father, who was also a tres player, bassist and guitarist; then he saw my interest in percussion and took me to the Sarría school of the maestro Orlando Poleo, who saw me playing despite my young age, he told the tres player René Zambrano, let him always come, because he has interest and conditions and that’s when things started.

At that time those greats like Gerardo Rosales, José Martínez Viruta, Willian Troconis, Wladimir Rivero, Miguelito Urbina were studying and well in that concern I began to study theory and solfeggio with Professor Carlos Ramírez, in the “Tucosan” school and then I studied percussion with Professor Jesús Blanco, known as “El Totoño”. From there my musical career practically began and at the age of 13 I started playing professionally with “El Trabuco Venezolano”, Swing y Color, Magia Caribeña, Hildemaro, Trina Medina, Grupo Repicao, Los Incorregibles, Pasión Juvenil, Grupo Mango and many more orchestras.

Gerson, I understand that you accompanied Soledad Bravo musically and performed advertising jingles? Indeed Professor Carlos, I had the joy of playing with her and toured the world and let me tell you that at that time I did advertising jingles for products on television and radio.

-Gerson, you are known as “La Tabla”, referring also to your hard hands to play the tumbadoras with very accurate hits.

I was raised in the parish of Catia, in Cútira, and well, the whole neighborhood would come into my home to listen to the famous Sonero Clásico, and they would listen to the songs: Carmelina, Papá Montero, El enterrador and many others. — Gerson, you are known as “La Tabla”, referring also to your hard hands to execute the tumbadoras with very accurate blows.

Now then, tell us, which international artists have you accompanied? Well my friend Carlos, I had the honor of accompanying Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Luigi Texidor, Junior González, Larry Harlow, Marvin Santiago, Willie Colón; among many; thanks to the fact that Naty and his Orchestra and Magia Caribeña, were the base orchestras for those artists.

I also played with Silva and Guerra, of Mauricio and Manuel. Hey Carlos, I also accompanied Justo Betancourt, Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda, Andy Montañez, Jhonny Pacheco y Casanova, Pete Conde Rodríguez and others.

Gerson, what are your current projects in Argentina? -Carlitos, in Argentina I am well thank God, because I have a big band called “La Salsa Brava”, I play a lot and now with the problems with the COVID-19, everything is paralyzed, but I have been very active for three years in all the “boliches”, name given to the night clubs and I have accompanied Los Adolescentes, Rey Ruiz, Charlie Sepúlveda, Jimmy El León, Charlie Aponte, among many others.

My band is made up of Venezuelan, Argentinean, Colombian and Cuban musicians. I have earned respect and they call me “maestro”; I am also giving classes to advanced percussionists, with techniques of different genres and rhythms, unknown to them, since here what is known is the Cuban timba and salsa brava.

Excellent Gerson, apart from the full band, do you have other smaller formats? Yes, I have a sextet called “La Crisis”, because when there is not much money, we make it available and play music by Joe Cuba, Conjunto Libre and others. With “Salsa Brava” I am about to record my production, which I suspended due to my accident before coming to Buenos Aires and the other thing is that my comadre Indira Velasquez came over there and I made a Sonora Matancera format, which is called “Sonora Consoltura” and we have made several presentations and people are very happy with that genre, since they are getting to know what a pachanga, a danzón, among others, is.

Apart from that, I am also doing advertising jingles again. What can you tell us about the Tributo Orchestra and El Guajeo? -The thing about Tributo and Cheo, is that since I was very young I had the fortune that before Tributo and Bailatino existed, we formed the group “Repicao”, which was a school band formed by: Édgar Dolor Quijada, Tuky Torres, José Soto Mortadelo, Prisco Oropeza, Manuel Barrios, Cheo Navarro, Catú Rodríguez and myself, which we played emblematic themes and from here begins the affinity with Cheo and from there, then he arms Tributo and tells me to conform his staff, which was integrated by: Alberto Crespo, José Soto Mortadelo, Jhonny Rivero, Javier Vivas, Johán Muñoz, Eliel Rivero, Osquita, Marcial Istúriz, Édgar Dolor Quijada, Gonzalo Díaz, Rónald Gómez and my substitute is Miguel Urbina and we recorded several albums. They are my friends and we are still in contact, and with “El Guajeo”, the experience was wonderful with the great Alfredo Naranjo. Professor Carlos, I tell you in all honesty that the musical level in Venezuela is very superior and out of this world, with all due respect.

a tres player, a great friend of the family, who used to meet a lot with my father, who was also a tres player, bass player and guitarist. — Gerson Aranda “La Tabla de Caracas”

-Gerson, who are the members of your band of musicians in Argentina? Professor Carlos, it is made up of A Barquisimetana named Lauremys Vanesa on trombone, Catalina Keiti (trombone), Luis Sulbarán (trumpet), Bruno Espinola (trumpet), Ángel Vargas (piano), Bernardo Vásquez (bass), Esteban Leandro “El Puca” (singer), Felipe Figueroa (singer), Deiby Bandre (bongo), Martín Barrera (congas) and me on timbales; It’s my orchestra called “La Salsa Brava”, here in Buenos Aires.

Your social networks? My social networks are: [email protected]. Instagram: Orquesta La Salsa Brava. Facebook: Gelson Aranda Musician. Cell: +54 911 36244963.

Well friend Gerson, for me it was a pleasure to have had you as the protagonist of this installment of Salsa Escrita “La Columna Salsera de Barquisimeto”, through International Salsa Magazine, www.salsagoogle.com and at the same time we wish you the greatest success and continue to represent us worthily outside our borders, giving “tabla” to percussion. Thank you professor and friend Carlos Colmenárez for this opportunity that you give to all the artists of Afro-Caribbean music to project us worldwide in your prestigious salsa column and may God bless and protect you greatly and you know that you count on your brother Gerson Aranda.

Gerson Aranda “La Tabla de Caracas” y su Sexteto

By: Professor MSc. Carlos Colmenárez Correspondent in Venezuela for International Salsa Magazine

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Latin America – May 2021

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