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Willie González supports the Spanish Harlem Salsa Museum

The Salsa Museum always seeks to give exposure to the best of our Latin music and on that occasion, we want to talk about one of the most popular representatives of romantic salsa in recent years. We are talking about the amazingly talented Willie Gonzalez, who has recently been on the Johnny Cruz Show, so we think it is pertinent to do a review of his career and the most important details of his brilliant artistic background.

Willie singing live — Willie González singing some of his biggest hits live

Willie’s beginnings in music

Willie’s formal beginnings in music were when he was just a 15-year-old boy with the dream of becoming an acclaimed artist in the future. It was the Orquesta de Chamaco Rivera that gave him his first opportunity in the musical environment by playing the trombone, but this would not be the artistic area in which he would develop later on. What ended up catching his attention were singing and songwriting.

During the 1980s, he was part of some important groups such as Orquesta Saraguey and Conjunto Chaney, in which Willie and Eddie Santiago were the main voices and began to gain great notoriety among the public.

In 1988, he decided it was time for him to become a soloist in the company of the Orquesta Noche Sensual and the support of the Sanatone record label. Romantic salsa was in style at the time, so Willie followed that same line and named his first album ”Willie González, Original y Único”. Thanks to this material, the artist managed to sell more than 100,000 copies, receive Platinum and won other recognitions.

In the coming years, he continued to release albums that was reaching greater success such as ”Willie González, Sin Comparación”, ”Para Ustedes, El Público” and ”Justo A Tiempo”. All of these have left great hits that are still considered romantic salsa classics to this day.

Willie in a videoclip — Willie Gonzalez in his videoclip ”Aunque Lo Intente”

1990s and 2000s

In 1994, the company Musical Productions published two compilation albums with Willie’s greatest hits which he called ”Éxitos de Willie González, Volumen 1” and ”Éxitos de Willie González, Volumen II”. The following year the singer demonstrated his talent as a composer with his album ”Willie González, Hacia Un Nuevo Camino” with songs like ”Quiero Recuperarte” or ”Dame Una Oportunidad”.

Once the year 2000 arrived, he continued adding successes to his career with his next album ”Sensualmente A Mi Estilo” from the hand of a Venezuelan company called Trama Records and includes great songs like ”Sensualmente Loco”, ”Tatuaje Eterno”, ”Amor Audaz”, among others.

About six years later, he released ”Reencuentro”. This musical work receives this name from a reunion between Willie and Eddie Santiago, who was his partner in the group Chaney many years ago. Together they recorded the songs ”Por Esta Mujer” and ”Solamente Ella”.

Years later, Willie recorded live from Colombia, testing his skills as a producer along with talented Diego Galé. He also wrote some of the songs ”Juré” and ”Estoy Contigo”.

In 2017, he continued to work in Colombia and released ”Willie González en vivo desde Manizales”. Such musical work contains songs like ”Pequeñas Cosas”, ”Quiero Morir En Tu Piel” and ”Si Tú Fueras mía”.

In 2020, Willie released his album ”Esencia” and continued with the line of sensuality and romance with which he has become known over the past few years. In the case of ”Esencia”, he counted on the collaboration of talented composers such as Jorge Luis Piloto, Kiko Campos, Jandy Feliz, among others.

Willie and Johnny Cruz — Johnny Cruz next to Willie Gonzalez talking about the Salsa Museum

Support to the Salsa Museum

The Spanish Harlem Salsa Museum has been fortunate to be supported by Willie, who was kindly committed to donate some of his most precious objects to the institution so that salsa fans can appreciate them.

In a video uploaded to the social networks of Johnny Cruz, president of the institution, they both talk about the role the museum has played in salsa and Willie said he was happy and proud to be able to support a place where there is a lot of history and items from such great Latin artists.

Yova Rodríguez

Latin America / Puerto Rico

Yova Rodríguez. The jibarito of Mayagüez.

Giovanni Yova Rodríguez Ruiz, was born in Mayagüez, being the youngest of six siblings, raised alone by his mother Doña Delia Ruiz Crespo. At the age of 7 he started in music singing Christmas bonuses and influenced by his maternal uncle José Ruiz Crespo ¨Pipo El Indio¨ and his great-uncle Antonio ¨Toño Ruiz who played Puerto Rican cuatro.

At the age of fifteen, he began his studies at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free School of Music in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

It is here that he began his singing career and minor percussion and at the age of 16 he became the singer of the school band. In 2004 the project ¨Yova Rodríguez & his group Sakao – Akà, Homage to Polo Montañez¨ began.

Since the release of her musical work, Yova Rodríguez, the ensemble Sakao – Akà, has become one of the most sought-after ensembles in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela and New York, since 2010 she has resided in The Big Apple, La Babel de Hierro N.Y. working on the musical composition for singers of the stature, Danny Rivera, Herman Olivera, Marcial Isturiz, Orquesta Boricua Legends, and the great Andy Montañez among others and to mention a few and traveling through several Latin American countries along with most of the artists already mentioned.

Yova Rodríguez - Photo — Yova Rodríguez – Photo

In 2016 he starts with his promotional song ¨Me Quedaré¨ with arrangements by trumpeter Nelson Jaime Gazu, a song dedicated to the thousands of Boricuas who have left their beloved Puerto Rico.

In 2017 he composes the song ¨Mi Barrio¨ dedicated to his native neighborhood and was presented in Mayagüez, at the same time Mayor José Guillermo Rodríguez gives him the keys to the city and a recognition, in the same year he composes the song ¨ Borinquén se Rivanta¨ where great luminaries of La Salsa participated in New York such as:

El Pulpo Colon, Jhon Benítez, Luis Mangual, José Dávila among others and by the hand of the Cuban trumpeter and arranger Agustín Someillan Garcia, in January 2018 it is presented in Medellín-Colombia in the prominent venue Son-Habana, returns to New York and composes the theme Medellín, it is presented on June 23 with a resounding total success in the event one day of Salsa for Medellín.

Yova Rodríguez himself informs me that he is already preparing his fourth record production by the hand of the pianist, arranger Arturo Ortiz. And at the same time he belongs to the board of directors of the Galería de La Salsa in Spanish Harlem in New York.

Yova Rodríguez - flyer — Yova Rodríguez – flyer

International Salsa Magazine presents the Dj, Jeferson Flores, triumphing in Europe

Currently, they are known through the abbreviation “Dj” or the term “deejay” respectively, and in previous times, they were called “disc jockey”, to those people, which select and mix recorded music and thus be heard by a certain audience, thus issuing its sound in locations such as: discos, mini clubs, clubs, dances, events, concerts, bars, restaurants and rumbas, demonstrating their versatility, knowledge and bringing joy to their followers, listeners and dancers.

In this issue of International Salsa Magazine, we present a Venezuelan musician, selector or dj, who is currently triumphing outside our borders and extolling the name of our country.

We refer to Jeferson Flores, born in Caracas in 1992, and from a very young age he was inclined to music, because his father, also worked as a professional dj of salsa music rhythm and this somehow influenced Flores to learn the trade and legacy acquired thanks to his father.

Beginning with only 15 years of age to musicalize, using in first place the formats of compact discs “cds” and “cuatromil quinientos”, in the Caracas saraos known as “Picoteros” and in the remembered “Minitecas”, and in second place demonstrates his skill in the “plates”, when using the formats of discs in acetates or vinyl, selecting salsa for the dancer and he also commented us that with the passing of the years and until the present time, he stands out and characterizes himself for being a professional salsa dj; he stands out and is characterized for being a “dj crossover”, that is to say, what it means in the Spanish language, dedicated to “mix” with the use of “controllers” his excellent musical repertoire. International Trajectory.

The performance abroad of our guest of this month in International Salsa Magazine, has been quite extensive and successful, beginning to work in Colombia, where he worked as a “resident dj” for five years in a prestigious nightclub in Bogota, then began his period, musicalizing in Ecuador, Poland, Germany and is currently based and makes professional life in Barcelona, Spain, being described by specialists as one of the “Dj Crossover” more complete and versatile, placing Latin music in their dances. And as a result of his excellent performance in the Iberian country, he was the winner last year of the “Latino de Oro” award, in the categories: Salsa Dj and Dj Crossover, respectively, and by the way, in this year’s edition 2024, he has been nominated again in both categories for this award, considered one of the most important of the music in the European continent.

As for his most recent performances as a “musical selector”, last Saturday, June 28, he was mixing salsa at a location in the city of Marbella, Spain, in an event called “Venezuelan Night”, and next Saturday, July 6, he travels to Madrid to make the rumberos of the “mother country” enjoy, integrating the line-up of the Dj show, the “Fiesta Blanca”, alternating in this opportunity with the musicalizers: Reni Herrera, Ditxon Mercado, Dj Argenis and Dj “El Negrito Caliente”.

Finally – he told us – Jeferson that his work in Spain has been very well liked and he is one of the most requested Djs in the rumbas every weekend. His social networks and contacts are, instagram: jefersonfloresoficial2, facebook: Yeferson Flores, Tik tok: @jefersonflores457, Youtube: jefferson flores.

Email: [email protected], Booking: +34691292564. From International Salsa Magazine in Palo Alto, CA www.salsagoogle.com, we wish Dj Jeferson Flores, the best of success and continue to succeed in Europe for the pride of Venezuelans, always putting good salsa for the dancer …! Until next time and let’s keep on salsaing. Dj. Augusto Felibertt and Carlos Alberto Colmenárez Oropeza.

The first DJ was British radio engineer Ron Diggins.

Contrary to what many may imagine, it was not a bohemian musician in a garage or some friends in a ghetto. The first DJ was British radio engineer Ron Diggins, who in 1949 invented the Diggola, which today is considered the first “mixing desk” in the history of music. The home-built Diggola had two turntables, lights, microphones, amplifier, speakers and was built on a wooden coffin (yes, coffin) base.

With his Diggola at the ready, and like a good DJ, he loaded his equipment into a van and began playing records at the hundreds of UK events where he was hired, causing the crowd to go wild. “I didn’t invent anything, I just put the same things to a different use,” he commented in the magazines of the time, never imagining that his creation would be the beginning of a revolution in music, where DJ’s and beatmakers would take beats to every corner of the planet.

Ron Diggins, throughout his life, played records in more than 20 thousand parties, retiring only in 1995, after 46 years of career in front of the decks. Passionate about music, he passed away in 2011 at the age of 91, leaving an eternal legacy.

In 2020 it will be 25 years since Diggins retired from the dancefloors. And we commemorate it with music, without a minute of silence, because a life with silence is the last thing the first DJ in history wanted.

Article written by @comte_con_eme, member of the Urban Roosters Army.

Also Read: Djane Shina una Pasión Convertida en Realidad

Latin America / August 2024

DIRECTORY OF NIGHTCLUBS
ARGENTINA	ARUBA	BELIZE
BOLIVIA	BRAZIL	CHILE
COLOMBIA	COSTA RICA	CUBA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC	ECUADOR	GUATEMALA
MEXICO	PANAMA	PERU
PUERTO RICO	VENEZUELA

Yari More Latin Band, the orchestra that accompanied Celia Cruz

Yari More Latin Band is one of those groups whose history shows us that dreams do come true and that there is always the possibility to meet our greatest idols. Today, Yari More, with whom we were able to talk a little about his history as an artist and his band, is an example of what Latin artists in general have achieved over the past decades.

Yari posing for the camera — This is Yari More posing for the camera

How Yari More first became interested in music

Juat like most musicians, he became interested in music when still a child. He remembers getting together with his friends from the block to play with makeshift instruments, moments that he keeps in memory and that marked the beginning of what would become his great adult vocation.

Some time later, he joined the army in his native Colombia, specifically the navy, but that was not the only thing he devoted his time. It turns out that he found a great taste for several of the songs from acclaimed Spanish singer Raphael and started imitating his voice in musical events of the armed forces. He was so good that he began to be called as ”El Rafael de Colombia” by his acquaintances, but the event that would make him see music as a serious profession was yet to come. That came later.

A night where he was celebrating a friend’s birthday in a night club, another boy in the group asked the orchestra director to let Yari sing with them. The audience liked his performance so much that he started going to the same place every weekend to continue delighting those present with his melodious voice, eventually leading the orchestra he was performing with to offer him the position of singer on an ongoing basis.

Never in his wildest dreams did Yari imagine such an offer, but he accepted it, so he began to balance his activities in the orchestra with his daily work in a factory at that time. Since both jobs took up so much of his time, he eventually had to decide on just one, which was, of course, music. It can be said that this was the official beginning of his career.

From then on, he was in several groups both in Colombia and in the neighboring country Ecuador until he was given a great job opportunity in the United States, more specifically in Los Angeles. After some time with the orchestra that hired him there, he decided it was time to pursue a solo career with romantic music.

Yari with Celiz Cruz — Yari More Latin Band playing live with ”La Guarachera de Cuba” Celiz Cruz

Yari More Latin Band

In the 1990s. he decided to form his own orchestra which he named Yari More Latin Band. Since he already had plans about undertaking such a project, he visited universities and talked to many friends in the industry in order to hire the best musicians he could find for his band.

His success earned him the possibility of signing with the company RMM Records & Video owned by the popular Latin music promoter Raphy Mercado. This label was the same one that signed ”La Guarachera de Cuba” Celia Cruz, with whom they shared the stage, since Yari More Latin Band was the orchestra that accompanied her in her performances on the West Coast.

In addition to Celia Cruz, he has also accompanied other musical luminaries like Rubén Blades, Willie Colón, Eddy Santiago, Tony Vega, Tito Nieves, El Grupo Niche, El Gran Cobo de Puerto Rico, Oscar D’ León, Joan Sebastian, Las Chicas del Can and many others.

Yari says he has learned a lot from each and every one of the aforementioned singers and groups, details that he has added to his own orchestra in order to improve it every day more and more.

Yari with Oscar D’ León — Yari More next to ”El Sonero Del Mundo” Oscar D’ León

Private Events

Yari More Latin Band offers its talent for all kinds of private events such as weddings, quinceañeras, corporate parties, charitable activities, award shows, festivals, Latin nights in clubs, among others.

Yari told us that those interested in hiring the orchestra simply have to contact him through his official website, Instagram and Facebook. These are the channels he uses to agree with the client on the conditions, the place, the date and the economic arrangement.

‘‘Fortunately, we have a lot of work here in the Bay Area and many events of all kinds for the rest of the year” said Yari on this subject.