Search Results for: Celia Cruz

Orestes Vilato

North America / USA / New York

Orestes Vilato. Cuban Multi-Percussionist.

Cuban multi-percussionist, Orestes Vilato, is undoubtedly one of the greatest figures in the history of the Cuban drums known as timbales.

During the fifties, the Vilato family moved to New York, salsa capital of the world, where young Orestes would rise to fame as an innovator of his beloved traditional instrument, “Los Timbales”. While living in New York for 25 years, Orestes was intimately involved with many musical organizations that played seminal roles in shaping the course of Latin Music around the world.

Among the many groups were: Fania All Starts (founding member), Ray Barretto, Tipica 73 (founding member), Los Kimbos (founder-director), Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Rivera, Joe Cuba, Eddie Palmieri, Ruben Blades, La Lupe, Celia Cruz, Rolando La Serie, Chico O’Farril, Lionel Hampton, Los Chavales de Espana, Cal Tjader.

Other artists with whom he has recorded or worked include: Winton and Bradford Marsalis, Paco De Lucia, Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Cachao, Andy Garcia, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Paquito de Rivera, Dave Valentin, Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, John Santos, Rebeca Mauleon, Giovanni Hidalgo and Raul Rekow.

Orestes Vilato - Photo — Orestes Vilato – Photo

In 1981, Mr. Vilato moved to the San Francisco Bay area, where he still resides with his family. From 1980 to 1989 he recorded and toured with the renowned Carlos Santana Band.

Orestes was nominated for a Grammy in 1995 (Latin Jazz category) for his CD, Ritmo Y Candela With Patato and Changuito. In 2009 his solo CD Its About Time was nominated for a Latin Grammy.

Orestes has recorded several movie sound tracks that include: Our Latin Thing, Mambo Kings, Carlito’s Way, Steal Big Steal Little, The Bird Cage, Dance With Me, Just A Ticket, Things To Do In Denver and The Lost City.

He has been a special guest artist in multiple Jazz Festivals around the country and Puerto Rico including the San Jose Jazz Festival. He has performed and taught at numerous music conservatories including The Berkeley School of Music, UCLA, Fresno University, Standford University as well as many conservatories overseas.

Orestes was given tribute at Yerba Buena Garden, Monterey and San Francisco Jazz Festivals.

Orestes’ style is one of the most imitated and emulated among recording-performing artists.

Alberto Crespo and his magical muse

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Alberto Crespo, a young pianist, arranger, composer and music producer, from an early age began his studies in Piano and Theory and music theory at the “José Ángel Lamas” music conservatory in the city of Caracas, to later continue his studies in harmony, counterpoint , orchestration and improvisation in different music schools

Since the age of seventeen he has accompanied and toured nationally and internationally with orchestras and artists such as Celia Cruz, Bobby Capo, Carmen Delia Depiní, Ray Barreto, Héctor Lavoe, José Alberto El Canario, Henry Fiol , Ismael Miranda, Mulenze Orchestra, Andy Montañés, Adalberto Santiago, Tito Nieves, La India, Herman Olivera, Frankie Vásquez, José Mangual Jr., Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz, Carlos Cano Estremera, Tito Allen, Pete Conde Rodríguez, Junior Gonzáles, Frankie Vazquez Guatacando.

He has stood out as a producer, arranger and pianist for national and international artists such as Maikel Stuart Ny. Frankie Morales Former singer of Tito Puente Ny, Dancer Orchestra of Cheo Navarro, Grupo Mango.Grupo Bacheo, Naty y Su Orquesta, Rumberos Del Callejon de Carlitos Padron, José Papo Rivera Ny, Renzo Padilla Ny, Soneros De La Calle, Freddery el Frederyck El Coco II, Wilmer Cobos Cuenta Nueva II and his Orchestra, La Kindness Orchestra, Efrén Avellaneda and his Orchestra, Lisandro Torres and his Orchestra, Mariana La Sonera and his Orchestra, Canelita Medina, Andy Duran and His Latin Jazz, Herman Olivera Ny , Angie Rincón in London, among others.

With more than thirty years of experience in salsa and Latin Jazz, he has integrated the best groups in Venezuela, including the Orquesta Bailatino, Naty y Su Orquesta, Grupo Bacheo, Andy Durán and his Latin Jazz, El Pavo Frank and his orchestra, Orquesta La Renovación, Los Rumberos Del Callejón, Orquesta las Vibraciones, Verónica Rey and Her Orchestra, Salsa Silva and Guerra by Mauricio Silva Musician and, Mariana La Sonera and Her Orchestra, Grupo Mango. Between his tours he has visited countries such as the United States, France, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Australia, Curaçao, Mexico and Aruba.

Photo - Alberto Crespo — Photo – Alberto Crespo

Alberto Crespo and Bacheo Latin Jazz has two record productions, the first el Chuchu del viejo and the second de África Soy, which will be on sale soon, and they feature musicians with a long career and perform salsa and Latin jazz with a varied repertoire in rhythms such as son, danzón, chachachá, guajira, salsa, etc.

He currently serves as director, arranger, composer of the Salsera Resistance of Venezuela Bailatino and at the same time working hand in hand with musicians of international stature.

Celesté Polanco. The Salsera Fair

North America/ USA / Pennsylvania

Celesté Polanco “The Salsera Fair” is a young singer in constant ascent in the National Salsa music movement nowadays. This star from Philadelphia with Dominican and Puerto Rican roots has managed to delve into the acceptation of the tropical music market with her two hits: “Traicionada” and “Mi Salsa te llama” in collaboration with great producers and composers of Latin Music.

This Salsera and humble person began her professional career thanks to the support of Héctor Rosado who believed in her talent and gave her the opportunity to be the lead vocalist of his Hache orchestra and at the same time to start working in the musical field, sharing stage with renowned Salsa figures, such as: Frankie Vázquez, Kevin Ceballo, Frankie Negrón, VITI Ruiz, Herman Olivera, Ricky Luis, and Chino Núñez y su Orchestra.

In 2015 Polanco decided to become a soloist with the 2x Grammy Award and 7x Billboard Award winner, Pablo Chino Núñez, recording her first two singles: “Traicionada”, released in 2015 under the production and arrangement of Pablo Chino Núñez, and composition of her authorship together to Linen Church and a year later her second promotional single “Mi Salsa te llama” whose composition, arrangement and production was in charge of Pablo Chino Núñez and Celesté Polanco.

“La Fiera”, nicknamed by her producer Chino Núñez to see her deliver her emotions during the recording of Traicionada, connects her art with her experiences. “The best way to sing is from my experiences. It’s my art, you know, someone will connect with it because they have encountered it too. I love happy music as well that’s where “Mi Salsa Te Llama” comes in”, said Celesté.

“… I love Salsa I feel that in the Salsa music industry there are not enough females emerging in the Salsa Industry.”

Celesté Polanco currently resides in Philadelphia and is recording her first album in which it will include her third promotional single: “El Tiempo Lo Dirá” which will be presented with an official video and will be available on all digital platforms soon.

This representative of the Salsa has performed at major festivals, such as: NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals), LA LIVE (National Convention, 2016), MUSIKFEST in Bethlehem & LEVITT STAGE in PA and for this 2018 “La Fiera” will continue presenting his shows in Miami, Chicago, LA and also in the tri-state area.

Traicionada Cover - Celesté Polanco — Traicionada Cover – Celesté Polanco

“…The market of salsa, in general, it’s worldwide re-known. It doesn’t pertain to one ethnicity it has become multicultural… It’s a worldwide movement”.

“… My main focus is to reach as many people as I can through my voice and become a positive influence to the younger generation and all those who aspire to do great things but are scared to try”. Celesté Polanco

The Latin Music’s influences of Celeste “La Fiera” Polanco:

-Celia Cruz -Oscar D’ León -Yolanda Rivera -Cano Estremera -Orquesta Mulenze, etc…

For more information about Celesté Polanco, please like her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celeste.polanco.7

El Tiempo Lo Dira Cover - Celesté Polanco — El Tiempo Lo Dira Cover – Celesté Polanco

Louie Ramírez. The Hidden Talent of Salsa Ahead of its time

North America / USA / New York

Louie Ramírez.

Music often requires characters who are always behind the scenes and support the work of singers and performers with their talent, who are ultimately the ones who “put on their face” and become popular. Sometimes, however, these anonymous characters rise to fame in order to perform their own work and even become more popular than any popular singer.

In the case of Pop, this character is called Quincy Jones, of whom it is enough to say that he has been an arranger for Frank Sinatra and a producer for Michael Jackson. A nobody”. In the case of Salsa, these characters have been symbolized by Jones’ emulator, a guy named Louie Ramírez who has done everything with everyone.

One afternoon in 1994, Ramírez was driving his car down the highway that would take him to Variety Studios in New York. It was going to be a quick session since he only needed one song to complete his 20th album as conductor. Perhaps that was why he was nervous and that filled him with anxiety. Minutes later he couldn’t resist the feeling and had to pull over to the side of the car. He had not finished doing it when a cardiac arrest ended his life.

Louie Ramirez was a genius. The classic man to whom everyone turns for advice and solutions to their problems. It didn’t matter if they were young or old musicians. The fact was, Louie had the answer, and visiting him was like rubbing Aladdin’s lamp. That was a characteristic that always accompanied him, from that first recording “Conozca a Louie Ramírez” in 1963.

He was 20 years old at the time and had already stood out for composing some pachangas and arranging for Pete and Tito Rodríguez’s orchestras. The commentator Dick Sugar then presented it like this: Ramírez breaks the image of the director of a group that uses the talent of other composers and becomes a follower of a rhythm. No, Louie Ramírez is a creator in his genre.

That talent did not go unnoticed by the new Czar of Latin music in New York, Jerry Masucci, who hired him as a star for Fania Records and at the same time, as an arranger for the orchestras and ensembles that belonged to the record company. Ramírez was soon involved in work and was only able to record two albums during the sixties, “Good news” and “Alí Babá”.

On that last album appeared the hit that allowed him to be a famous artist, El Títere, a true Salsa classic. The theme was sung by Rudy Calzado, the third of the soneros that Louie had used without finding the ideal. That was a burden that accompanied him as a director during the seventies, when he used singers of the stature of Pete Bonet, Tito Allen, Jimmy Sabater, “Azuquita” Rodríguez, Adalberto Santiago, and even Rubén Blades.

It was with Blades, precisely, that he made an anthological album, “Louie Ramírez and his friends”, in which the song Paula C was included, with an arrangement of those that deserve -hats off-. By then, Ramírez was considered in New York as the most progressive arranger that Salsa had, thanks to the brilliant work done for the Fania All Stars. An excellent job had been the instrumental arrangement of Juan Pachanga, to be sung by Blades, of Canta Canta for a performance by Cheo Feliciano, and of the entire album “Algo nuevo” that Tito Rodríguez sang with Louie’s orchestra.

But the high point of Ramírez’s career came in 1980 when Joni Figueras, representative of the K-Tel International label, hired him to arrange the ballads Todo se derrumbó and Estar Enamorado de Manuel Alejandro. The album, which included these and other tracks, was released two years later under the title “Hot Night” and was recorded by Louie’s own orchestra.

Louie Ramírez - Salsa Progresiva — Louie Ramírez – Salsa Progresiva

This is how the Salsa-ballad or Salsa-romántica was born in a job that Ramírez continued until his death, making attempts at Latin Jazz from time to time, which he loved. That is why he recorded an album in tribute to Cal Tjader, where Louie was director, producer, composer and arranger, in addition to playing the timpani and his favorite instrument: the vibraphone.

Louie Ramírez was a genius in arranging, in a career where those of Guantanamera and Isadora stand out for Celia Cruz, El Guiro de Macorina for Johnny Pacheco and El Caminante for Roberto Torres. Apart from this, there are his works for the Alegre and the Cesta All Stars. Regarding this profile of Ramírez, the critic Eleazar López defined it very well:

Louie Ramírez - salsero — Louie Ramírez – salsero

It is not easy to arrange for a dance band, especially when it comes to a group that cultivates the hot tropical genre. Many musicians feel influenced by Jazz and the result of their orchestrations leaves a void in the dancer. Others arrange simple, but so simple that they repeat and copy themselves, and the result is tiresome music, without any degree of creativity: music that says nothing, that leaves nothing. Louie Ramírez has found the perfect balance… that’s why he always stays current.

Hernan Olivera the sonero of the 21st century

Latin America / Puerto Rico / Puerto Rico

Hernan Olivera, this excellent Salsa singer named Hermenegildo Olivera was born on January 30, 1959 in Newark, New Jersey.

Hernan Olivera is the son of Puerto Rican parents and from an early age he felt a great affinity for Latin music since his father listened to the groups of the moment such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Machito, Ismael Rivera with Cortijo y su Combo, Alegre All Stars, Tito Rodríguez, Santitos Colon, etc.

Then, in the 70s, in the midst of the Salsa Boom, Herman began his love of singing listening to the performances of Chamaco Ramírez, Héctor Lavo’e, Cheo Feliciano and Marvin Santiago, among others. These vocalists were mainly his source of inspiration; That school of soneros served as an apprenticeship for him and that is when he made the decision to sing professionally.

Hernan Olivera - photo — Hernan Olivera – photo

When he was just 15 years old, Herman began his career as a Salsa performer with an orchestra called “La Justicia”, after this he was part of the band “La Sónica” where he met his friend and trombonist Jimmy Bosch, after this He spent time with the “Caramelo” orchestra and later made the most important leap in his career by joining the “Con Conjunto Libre” in 1978, where he left his voice for the first time on the LP “Increíble” from 1981 under the direction by percussionist Manolo Oquendo and Bassist Andy González where he stands out with the song “Decide”.

Then in 1983 he would record with the Conjunto Libre in the production “Rhythm, sound and style” the song “Que Humanity” that would become a success. In 1988 Herman left the group “Libre” and became part of a project by Mr. Fernando Pastrana and under the musical direction of trumpeter Miguel Santiago whose album was called “La Exclusiva” which shared the vocal part with Roberto Mier, in this album stands out interpreting the songs “Xiomara” and “Te vi pasa”.

After this, in 1990 he was invited to record on the album “Salsa Sudada”, for the Valdesa Records label of Víctor Raúl Sánchez “Patillas” and with the musical direction of Isidro Infante, sharing vocals with Mario Muñoz “Papaíto”, Adalberto Santiago, Eladio Peguero “Yayo El Indio” and Pablo Villanueva Branda “Melcochita”; in this work he interprets the themes “La needle” and a tribute to the city of Cali called “Valle plata de salsa”.

He continued with his career as a performer and in 1993 he was once again invited to record the production “Now” with the Free Ensemble, where his great conditions and resources as a singer are undoubtedly reflected, there the song “You belong to me” became a hit in addition to other songs such as “Obsesión” and “El Son” stand out on this album.

Subsequently, he launched an independent project called Herman Olivera and La Exclusiva “Chequea La Mercancía” produced by Fernando Pestana, where the song “Me Extra Spider” is one of the most outstanding. In 1996 he reunited with the Conjunto Libre and made the live album entitled “On The Movie”.

Caratula Alta resolucin sin letras of Hernan Olivera

In 1997 he participated in the CD of the band Rikoson All Stars called “Evoluciones Del Son” where he stands out very well in the romantic theme “Aquella Noche”.

Photo - Hernan Olivera in concert — Photo – Hernan Olivera in concert

In 1998 he was requested by the piano teacher Eddie Palmieri and together with the vocalist Wichy Camacho they recorded the album “El Rumbero Del Piano” in which he stood out as a singer in the songs “Malagueña salerosa” and “Oiga mi guaguancó” that same year. he is invited to the recording studios by the trombonist Jimmy Bosch and they release the album titled “Soneando Trombón” which contains the hit “Otra opportunity” that he performs as a duet with Frankie Vázquez, on this CD the song “Descargarana” is also inserted. ”.

That same duo Olivera and Bosch meet the following year (1999) and make the production “Salsa Dura” where Herman shines interpreting the full “Impact we will have” this album also has the participation of the singers Frankie “Nene” Morales and Frankie Vázquez parallel to this album, the RMM label launches a live CD and DVD entitled “Eddie Palmieri & Friend’s” where Herman looks excellent in the number “Palo Pa’ Rumba”.