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By: Professor MSc. Carlos Colmenárez (Venezuela)

Pamir Guánchez, brilliant Venezuelan singer, flutist, saxophonist and arranger.

The special guest of this edition of Salsa Written is the brilliant Venezuelan singer, flutist, saxophonist and arranger Pamir Guánchez, born in Caracas, who began his artistic career at an early age.

Welcome Pamir to the Barquisimeto salsa column, we would like to know how were your musical beginnings? Thank you Professor Carlos for inviting me to your column, which has won praise both in my country and here in the United States of America. I received formal training in my beginnings at the National Conservatory of Music “Juan José Landaeta” in the city of Caracas, where I studied for 10 years, graduating as a flutist.

I studied theory and solfeggio, harmony and music history, I received saxophone lessons with Maestro Rolando Briceño in New York City for 5 years, I was also part of the Youth Symphony Orchestra with Maestro José Antonio Abreu and also in the Caracas Chamber Orchestra for 3 years.

Which orchestras have you belonged to? I belonged to different orchestras and tropical groups such as Orquesta La Bronko, Los Melódicos de Renato Capriles, Orquesta La Magnífica de Elio Pacheco, Tabaco y sus Metales, Orquesta Amistad de Chuito y Rodrigo, Orquesta Fascinación de Maracay.

Excellent Pamir, by the way, how did you join the orchestra of the Sonero del Mundo? In 1989, while I was with the Fascinación Orchestra, I was discovered by maestro Oscar D’León, who recognized my talent and opened the doors of his orchestra for me to enter as a flutist and saxophonist. I was there permanently for 15 years, where I was able to travel the world and experience some of the most important moments of my career, such as playing at the famous Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden in New York City. Guanchez thanks to his preparation, experience and artistic career with Oscar D’Leon, went on to join one of the iconic orchestras of salsa, as is the Orchestra of the Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz, where he remained for 2 consecutive years, performing as a flutist and baritone saxophonist, experience that marked his artistic career, to live very emotional moments next to the “Guarachera de Cuba“.

Pamir, I understand that you also participated with maestro Tito Puente Jr? Indeed professor, I was also a flutist and saxophonist, making myself known during my time with the orchestra of Tito Puente Jr., with whom I recorded his penultimate musical production “Siguiendo los pasos de mi padre” alongside Latin Jazz stars such as the sax master Mario Rivera and I also accompanied him in his presentations around the world.

In terms of recordings, what can you tell us? In 2004 I began recording my first musical production entitled “Pamir con alma de protón“, which with the song “La Charanga de Pamir” won the Estrella award, an award given to local artists with international projection, the CD was signed by the company Protel and was distributed by Universal Latino, with this CD I begin another facet of my career and it is as a singer.

In 2006, looking to attract and enter the Anglo-Saxon market I recorded my second CD called “Via Miami“, completely instrumental and with the Latin jazz cut, a production that has had great acceptance among jazz lovers.

In 2009 I recorded my third musical production entitled “Pamir inconfundible“, with the promotional number “El soñador“, lyrics, music and composition by Oscar D’León, and also with the participation of former Fania All Stars bassist Salvador Cuevas in a tribute to Jhonny Pacheco, director and flautist of Fania, This CD was on the list for the Latin Grammy nominees, I also counted with the participation of the musicians of the Oscar D’León Orchestra with whom I have a magnificent relationship both professionally and as a friend.

Professor Carlos, I also had the honor of recording with José Alberto “El Canario”, the song “El canario y la flauta”.

Also, with Oscar D’León the song “Baila apretao“, both compositions of the maestro Víctor Gámez.

Pamir has received certification of participation in the 11th annual Latin Grammy Awards, for his participation as a musician in the winning recording, “Tesoros de la música venezolana” (Treasures of Venezuelan music), as he accompanied Ilan Chester.

He has appeared on numerous television programs such as “Despierta America” on Univision, Azteca TV, America TV, interviews on different radio stations in Venezuela, USA, Colombia, Peru, Europe, where they have given him the opportunity to make himself known and continue advancing in his artistic career. Recently he was promoting his fourth musical production called “Se pega“, which has its promotional video. With this production Pamir & La Pachanguísima has won for two consecutive years the 3rd Annual Legends Award and 4th Annual Award as best flutist, at the same time when he is requested by maestro Oscar D’León he accompanies him on stage.

Congratulations Pamir for your extraordinary artistic career and from International Salsa Magazine and from www.salsagoogle.com and from this server Carlos Colmenárez, we wish you to continue reaping success, putting the name of Venezuela on high. Thank you very much Professor Carlos for giving me the opportunity to make contact with my country through your column and I hope to be with you again, blessings, a hug in the distance.

 

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“To Takafumi Nikaido we send our congratulations for his professionalism, virtuosity and mastery of the tumbadoras”.
Giraldo Piloto Barreto (Klimax)

During his time in Cuba, he studied with leading percussionists such as José Luis Quintana “Changuito”.

Takafumi Nikaido began playing the saxophone at age 6 and was inspired to venture into percussion and studied with Fujio Saito after seeing a live performance by Earth Wind & Fire at age of 7.

At the age of 12, he traveled to Cuba to take dance and drumming lessons where he collaborated with Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

He studied theory and interpretation with people like Eguie Castrillo, Tiger Okoshi, Mark Walker, Oscar Stagnaro and Jim Odgren.

In 2014 he traveled back to Cuba to attend the Fiesta del Tambor Percussion Competition where he received the “Best Foreign Participant Award”.

During his time in Cuba he studied with prominent percussionists such as Jose Luis Quintana “Changuito”, Adel Gonzalez, Adonis Panter Calderon and Osain Del Monte.

At Berklee, he performed with artists such as Oscar Feldman, Terence Blanchard, Jon Secada, FANTINE, Sivamani, Ruben Rada, Totó la Momposina and Mane De La Parra.

That summer, he became involved with “The United East Jazz Quintet” and performed live in 9 clubs from all over Japan and South Korea.

They formed the musical group “MIXCLA” together with musicians Zahili Gonzalez Zamora and Gerson Lazo and perform pretty regularly, especially within Boston.

In 2015, he performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal as a Zahili Gonzalez Zamora Project member.

He is currently studying at Berklee College of Music and participating in musical projects other than Latin music such as pop and jazz.

After high school, he attended Berklee College of Music as a scholarship student. He studied theory and interpretation with people like Eguie Castrillo, Tiger Okoshi, Mark Walker, Oscar Stagnaro and Jim Odgren. While at Berklee he performed with artists such as Carlos Vives,Yosvany Terry, Oscar Feldman,Terence Blanchard,Jon Secada, Darren Barrett, Sivamani,Ruben Rada,Totó la Momposina, and Mane De La Parra. He graduated with a degree from Berklee College of Music in 2016.

In 2014 he traveled to Cuba to attend the Fiesta del Tambor Percussion Competition where he received the “Best Foreign Participant Award”. During his time in Cuba he studied with prominent percussionists such as Jose Luis Quintana “Changuito”, Adel Gonzalez, Adonis Panter Calderon, Barbaro Crespo “Machito”, and Osain Del Monte.

At Berklee he performed at international jazz festivals such as the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the DC Jazz Festival, among others.

The Latin trio “MIXCLA” was nominated for “International Artist of the Year” by the Boston Music Awards in 2018 and 2019.

As well as recorded the sounds of percussion for the soundtrack of “Final Fantasy XV”, which is a video game series that has surpassed 6 million sales worldwide and for the original soundtrack of the anime Dr. Stone.

After moving to New York in 2020, he continues to perform with legendary artists such as Paquito D’ Rivera, and Darren Barrett. Next year, he will perform as an ensemble/dummer in the off-broadway musical “The Visitor” directed by Daniel Sullivan which is a Tony Award winner in 2001.(Last updated Sep, 2020)

Website: Takafumi Nikaido

 Mark Alexander Dimond, baptised like Markolino by his colleagues at the time, was born in 1950 (1950-1986).

He was American and lived with his mother and older sister in the Lower East Side to the southest of the Big Apple.

His mother was a social worker from the New York City Welfare Department and his sister was a college student. Markolino always talked about his father. He said he was a black Cuban named Dimond, but none of his classmates and friends at the time knew him.

Mark studied some music as a child, but he was mainly self-taught. He could read music and write scores. He just had to listen to a song or touch the paper once to learn it forever. However, from his adolescent era, he was into drugs, particularly heroin.

While dealing with drugs, Markolino was unable to control himself. Andy Harlow told all of this, one of his friends since they began working together in his Sextet in 1966, thanks to the management of Ismael Miranda, neibor and Markolino’s friend.

Album: The Alexander Review.

Year: 1975

Label: VAYA Records

Catalog: # VS46

By the year 1975, Mark Alexander Dimond (Markolino) embarked on a musical project entitled “The Alexander Review”, accompanied by musicians such as Ray Maldonado, Eddie “Guagua” Rivera, Andy Harlow, and Barry Rogers.

In this album, Markolino writes and sings the songs in a production categorized under a musical genre called Funk/Soul & Funk-Disco.

The album apparently was not well accepted by music critics, but it shows us another musical facet of who is considered by many to be one of the best pianists from the phenomenon called salsa.

It should be recalled that Markolino does not come from a Latino home, so he was likely to be by non-Latin music such as Jazz, Funk/Soul, Disco, or perhaps Country Music in his childhood and early youth.

Someday, someplace it happened that Mark Alexander decided to venture into salsa music and how well he did so, becoming one of, if not the best salsa brava pianists with NYC’s sound.

Dimond was a gift given to the Latin music world, taken from the African American atmosphere and put to play with the greatest salsa luminaries.

Too bad he was a victim of personal decisions taken in his life, which caused him to leave this world at a very young age.

 I only use one word to describe Mark Alexander. A “Genius” and a great gratitude for what he left us musically speaking, which is a treasure that we deeply appreciate to this day.

(Although this musical work was not very well accepted and created by Markolino for the Anglo public, I review him as a historical piece for this great pianist’s contribution to music), Markolino definitely never ceases to surprise us.

 Credits

 Backing Vocals – Alex Reyes, Fay Feller, Mark Alexander Dimond

 Bass – Clyde Bullard, Eddie Rivera

 Congas – Azzedin Weston

 Drums – Buddy Williams

 Engineer – Jon Fausty

Guitar – Jimmy Lopez

Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer [Moog], Lead Vocals – Mark Alexander Dimond

Producer, Arranged By – Mark Alexander

Saxophone – Andy Harlow, Robin Kenyatta

Saxophone [Baritone] – Bill Marmando

Trombone – Barry Rogers, Bill Ohashi, Tom Malone

 Trumpet – Danny Reyes, Ray Maldonado, Tom Malone

 Written-By – M. Alexander

 

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Ayumi was born in Japan She graduated from the Faculty of Percussion, Tokyo College of Music.

Ayumi was born in Japan. She plays Latin percussion, Classic percussion, Marimba & Vibraphone.

At the college; she began to study percussion in earnest mainly with classic music and gained experience of ensemble in orchestras, brass bands, musicals, operas, etc.

Ayumi “Azucar” Suzuki She plays Latin percussion.

At the same time, she started to organize concerts and participate as percussionist, keyboard percussionist or drummer.

She has been also teaching  eurythmics at a nursery school.

In 2015, she started her own band, “Ayumania” that features mostly her original compositions and arrangements, where she fuses Japanese atmosphere into Latin rhythm.

Inviting both Japanese and foreign guests, she has been organizing live concerts in various places in Tokyo.

In July 2017, she released her first album “Oukagekka” in Japan. It has been promoted in overseas radio programs in Colombia, Puerto Rico and New York.

The Japanese vibraphonist, timbalera, composer and arranger Ayumi Suzuki launches her Ayumania debut, a musical production recorded between Tokyo and Los Angeles that includes 7 original numbers – composed and arranged by Suzuki herself – and two covers: Maria Cervantes de Noro Morales and Mi Amore by Naoya Matzuoka. In this album, Ayumi’s speech establishes a bridge between classical and contemporary Cuban music, with different rhythmic touches and influences that have marked his background as an instrumentalist.

Sakura, a beautiful instrumental melody composed by Suzuki herself, highlights Chiho “Isabel” Saito on the violin, as well as Hiromishi “Yan” Tsugaki on the keyboards, and of course, Suzuki on the marimba and the vibraphone.

Ring Loop is a cadenciosa are montuno with outstanding participation of Takashi Nakazato in the congas; La Lluvia, vocalized by the Cuban Julian “El Pillo” Tapia, presents the solos of Mitsuru Tanaka and Ayumi on the trumpet and vibraphone, respectively.

Knock Knock Knock is a festive cut that builds bridges with Caribbean music, particularly calypso, and salsa and in which Ayumi herself punches the timpani and a mind-blowing one in the marimba.

Saredo Danzon, as the name implies, is a danzon that opens with a solo by Hiromichi Tsugaki on the piano while Umihotaru, with vocals by Julian “El Pillo” Tapia, is an afro rhythm in 6/8 with the intervention of Hiromichi Tsugaki (fender rhodes) and Ludwig Esteban Nuñez (drums).

Suzuki offers a tribute to Noro Morales in his legendary composition of Maria Cervantes. In this piece we hear the participation of Jimmy Branly in the drums and an overwhelming solo of Ayumi in his vibraphone, with that way of playing that only she has.

Branly himself performs the drums in the last two pieces;Suzuki achieves a premium opera that honors her at the rumberos school.

With sophisticaded arrangements. with the elegance and the street necessary to position it is as one of the most

outstanding salseras of the international level. It wil surely be one of the best productions of this 2017.

Ayumania

A modern and contemporary material, original and unusual, is the one that establishes this Japanese multi-instrumentalist Ayumi Suzuki, establishing different arrangements and touches to each theme, this Japanese vibraphonist, timbalera player, composer and arranger establishes a thin line between Cuban music and modern, going through bold and effective rhythmic domains.

A material that consists of 7 original songs, two covers and all under the baton of Ayumi.

Sakura emerges with a flow of wind sounds with minor percussions that make the environment conducive to an eclectic and harmonious journey, one of the fundamental pieces to understand the musical transculturation of this talented woman, the violin solo by Chiho “Isabel” Saito and the keyboards by Hiromishi “Yan” Tsugaki and the marimba and vibraphone by the emblematic Ayumi stand out.

A son montuno can not be missing in this material, Anillo De Lazo where a congas solo by Takashi Nakazato stands out, La Lluvia, a song that already rolls through the wide world of the networks in which the voice of Julián Tapia can be appreciated, the trumpet of Mitsuru Tanaka and the vibraphone of the great Ayumi, undoubtedly a 5 star material, a musical base and instrumentalist of first line that give the incomparable recognition to the musical talent of this great artist and in conjunction with the band.