Latin America – July 2023
Search Results for: Cuba
When it comes to compositions, Luis “Tata” Guerra is widely known internationally
On June 9, 1934, in Guanabacoa, Cuba, Luis “Tata” Guerra was born. Excellent Percussion Master with a Guinness World Record for having accompanied more orchestras live and in recordings.
A virtuoso musician, Luis Tata Guerra, member of a humble and hard-working family, is the last of 4 brothers, born of a musical tradition, his father played guitar, and his older brother Emerio Guerra is a guitarist in Havana.
He studied music and saxophone at the Salesian School of Guanabacoa. He learned to play the tumbadora, and the rhythms of Rumba and Guaguancó in his neighborhood in the 50s.
He joined the Almendra Orchestra in 1954, performing in the best nightclubs of the island. He rehearsed with Conjunto Casino and Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez.
In 1956 he arrived in Colombia with the Cuban Swing Orchestra, he stayed for 4 years working with the groups Sonera del Caribe and the Pepe Reyes Orchestra (Cuban singer). From there he went to Venezuela where he has lived since 1960.
Maestro Guerra has an extensive career as a musician for his activity in different groups such as: Los Melódicos, Víctor Piñero y sus Casiques, Aldemaro Romero, Chucho Sanoja, El Pavo Frank, and accompanying on percussion in Caracas Tito Rodríguez, Miguelito Valdez, Rolando Laserie, Daniel Santos, Olga Guillot, Rubén Blades, Paco de Lucia, including the Timbal King Tito Puente and many Others.
His compositions have been played in the media in Santo Domingo, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela.
The composition “Son Matamoros” dedicated to this famous Cuban trio, was included in the movie “Salsa” with the participation of Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Grupo Niche and other values. He was a member of the VTV Orchestra (channel 8) for 23 years (1965-1991).
Member and Director of the trio Hermanos Rodriguez, in 1994 they traveled to the Canary Islands invited by President Hermoso, and are well known there for the hit “Son Canario” (composition by Guerra himself).
Again in 1999, they returned to the Canary Islands for more than 2 months, in addition to performing at the fabulous The Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
He presented his program “RAICES CARIBEÑAS” on ANTV.
His fondness for acetate collection was recognized throughout Venezuela. A work with his conjunto became very popular and the voice of “Kiko” Mendive reminded us of the grilles and discómanos of Cali in the 80’s. “Barara Bururu”.
We also remember the time he shared with his compatriot Rafael “Felo” Bacallao Hernandez, who had retired from the Aragon orchestra.
With great regret we recorded on February 24, 2015, the unfortunate news of the death of Tata Guerra, four months shy of his 81st birthday, he had been suffering from an accelerated affection in his respiratory system, remaining hospitalized at the Florida Clinic in the city of Caracas, where in the early morning of that day he left us.
“When I listen to reggetón/ my heart stops/ because my thing is rumba and son”.
Read Also: Stelio Bosch Cabrujas a remarkable musician, but completely forgotten by the new generations
Source:
Por: Carlos Molano Gómez
Bogotá – Colombia
Derechos Reservados de Autor -primera publicación – 2016
Actualizado 2021.
Tempo Latino 2023
Tempo Latino is a music festival held in Vic-Fezensac, France, in the region of Gers in Gascony it is the first and the greatest Latin American and Afro-Cuban music festival of the summer in Europe. The festival was founded in 1994 and has been held annually since then.
“In 2020 and 2021, the festival was only interrupted for two consecutive years due to the containment of the new crown pneumonia (COVID-19) epidemic.”
With around 600 volunteers from all over the city for four days of intense activities and an audience of around 60,000 people from all over the world.
Tempo Latino offers a variety of Latin American and Afro-Cuban music, including Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Cumbia, Merengue, Rumba, Latin-jazz, Reggaeton and more. The festival also features dance workshops, food stalls and other cultural events.
International performers and instructors from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Africa, the United States (primarily New York, Miami, and California), and Europe have participated in a number of concerts and workshops
Tempo Latino has grown from a small festival to one of the most important Latin American music festivals in Europe. The festival hosts some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Oscar D’ León, Johnny Pacheco, Adalberto Álvarez, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Kassav, Totó la Momposina, and Los Van Van. Tempo Latino has also helped advance the careers of many new artists.
Here’s more information on Tempo Latino:
- The festival takes place in a beautiful setting in the heart of the French countryside.
- The festival is family friendly and has activities for all ages.
- The festival is a great opportunity to experience a different culture and learn about Latin American and Afro-Cuban music.
A festival of concerts takes place in the square and, at the same time, many free outdoor events for those who want to discover music in the city’s dance halls in the afternoon and evening. In the second edition, they have integrated dance, music, and percussion lessons.
The 28th edition of Tempo Latino will take place from July 27-30, 2023.
The lineup includes:
La Conga
27 July – Ana Tijoux (France)
Les Arenes
28 July 2023
21:00 – Orchestra Baobab (Senegal)
23:00 – Grupo Compay Segundo (Cuba)
29 July 2023
21:00 – Lila Downs (Mexico)
23:00 – Cimafunk (Cuba)
30 July 2023
21:00 – Bernard Lavilliers (France)
23:00 – La Excelencia (USA)
and many more!
Pass Concert:
On the official website, tickets for four days are available for 120 € (during the festival, they cost 150 €).
Eric Duffau
The current director of Tempo Latino is Eric Duffau from Toulouse, France. He is also the founder of the music festival which he started in 1994. A passionate lover of Latin American and Afro-Cuban music, Dufour devoted his life to promoting this music to a wider audience and serves on the board of the French Association for the Promotion of Latin Music (AFMPL).
Dufoe was a tireless promoter of Latin American and Afro-Cuban music. He travels the world in search of new talent and works hard to make Tempo Latino a major cultural event. He is a passionate advocate of Latin music and works to bring this music to a wider audience.
Dufour graduated from the National School of Arts and Crafts (ENSAM) in Paris. In the early 1980s he worked as a DJ, during which time he became interested in Latin American and Afro-Cuban music. In 1989, he decided to create a festival to showcase this music and Tempo Latino was born.
https://www.youtube.com/user/TempoLatinoFestival
Get to know the “ La Malamaña ” Orchestra
On this occasion we have the opportunity to meet the “La Malamaña” Orchestra
La Malamaña, a salsa orchestra that was born in 2008 as a band that paid tributes to the greats of salsa such as: Rubén Blades, Héctor Lavoe, stars of La Fania and the Cuban music and timba. They have a neighborhood band spirit, heirs to the sound of the New York neighborhood orchestras of the 70s and 80s, fused with elements of the timba sound and concepts of street music.
The name of the band was baptized by the former member – founder of the band, “Mauricio Ochoa” who founded and is leader of the orchestra “La Sonora Libre de Barcelona”. The name alludes to the Rubén Blades theme “they are looking for you” and that in addition to that also reflects our way of interpreting, writing and arranging the master genre: Salsa.
The Orchestras are based in Quito-Ecuador, with members from different latitudes, they build a proposal of Quito sauce, also called “high altitude Salsa”, for the 2800 meters above sea level where the city of Quito is located.
His main concerts were:
| · Emerald Carnival | · Foro Mundial de la Bicicleta MINGAMOS |
| · Music Festival in Quito and Cuenca | · Festival – Engine of Change (Ambato 2019) |
| · Festival in Defense of the Yasuní National Park | · LATIN GROOVE EC (Independent Salsa Festival 2019) |
| · Libertarian Days | · CUMANDA Parque Urbano (Agenda Cultural – 2019) |
| · Festival Cota 70, FIL Q (sharing stage with La 33) | · Quito Fest-Fiestas (sharing stage with Rubén Blades) |
| · Canoe Fest | · Festival del Chocó Andino, Pacto 2019 |
But internationally, among the most important are:
- 2012: Presentations in Beijing and Tianjin, in the People’s Republic of China.
- 2015: First Tour in Europe (Genoa, Barcelona, Madrid, Lyon, Paris and Tours).
- 2018: Second Tour in Europe:
- Festival des musiques métisses in the city of Colmar
- FIMU de Belfort Festival “3 presentations”
- Festival La Javelle-Guinguette “1 presentation”
During their time in the world of music they created several albums with a very characteristic sound of them. His first album was called “manual of urbanity and good customs” released in December 2011, which was followed by his single “El Kikuyo” in 2014, a song that was included in the international independent salsa compilation “Salsa de Hoy ”; In 2017 they released their song “Ya Llegó”. As of 2018 they released their latest album released which they baptized “SALSA DE ALTURA”; the members of the orchestra named it that way since Quito is 2800 meters above sea level. This new album has 6 songs by the band, among which are live versions and new material.
Did you know that there is a wide variety of topics that your audience likes, for example, the population of Cali, Colombia likes “What counts the braids” and “How to say” a lot; and in their homeland (Ecuador) they he quite liked his songs: “El kikuyo” and “Para armar”.
The members of the orchestra:
| · Grecia Albán – Voices
· Edgar Granda – Voices · Javier Toro – Piano · Jamshid Gordón – Electric bass · Fidel Minda – Drums and timpani |
· Diego Minda – Conga Drums
· Sebastián Segovia – Saxo Tenor · Carlos Quilumba – Saxo Alto · Yony Muñoz – Trombone · Francisco Rangél – Trombone |
All the members like the strength that “salsa” has, as a music of resistance in the sense of maintaining African and mountain roots in Latin America. They have a lot of new songs and not so new ones that haven’t been recorded yet, we’re in a moment of creation. Soon they will record their new material for the enjoyment of our public.
Soon they will have an event in the month of January 2020 in the city of Quito, Ecuador for the anniversary of a hotel located in the Historic Center
They mentioned to us that their goal is: “We are interested in expanding the musical panorama of Quito salsa towards an alternative platform and generating more audiences at a local, national and international level”
They also sent a message to all their fans and new talents “To our fans we want to say that thank you for enjoying our music and our “sui generis” proposal of salsa and to the new talents simply that they believe in what they say and sing… .this is not about doing something to stick….but rather about being consistent with what is thought and with what we want to contribute in this world that so much lacks good art”
For more information:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lamala.mana/
- Phone: +593 99 801 9775
- Email: [email protected] / Edgar Granda/ Manager: [email protected] / Press contact: Diego Minda, [email protected]
Hansel and Raúl, The Charanga Legend duo
Hansel and Raúl, The Charanga Legend duo
Hansel and Raúl is a charismatic and transgressive Charanga duo of the line of romantic lyrics of the time. They positioned the Cuban “Charanga” rhythm on the top of global popularity, a danceable genre that they imposed on each stage they were invited to and which incorporated their unique Caribbean essence.
This particular duo with three decades of trajectory was born in Miami in 1984 after breaking from the orchestra “Charanga 76”, where they were co-founder members and their main vocalists. With this New York orchestra, born in Brooklyn, they won international recognition and their first Grammy for the album “Encore” in 1978.
“Many of the artists who recorded with them during their stay in “Charanga 76” include the renowned pianist – for many years – by Héctor Lavoe, Gilbert Colón and the first Jewish-American flutist woman, Andrea Brachfeld.”
Very pleasant memories come to Hansel‘s mind during this interview, especially his first composition “Si no te encuentras tú” for Charanga 76, his voice took a turn and he showed nostalgia as well as pride in remembering it: “I don’t sit to write a song with a guitar or piano. The Inspiration comes to me alone, there is nothing personal”.
Each anecdote that he tells us is remembered as facts that have led to their musical maturity. Each fun fact has been defined as part of their career, such was the case of the great master, Israel “Cachao” López, who with all his musical wisdom and mastery of his instrument, the Double Bass, taught the rhythmic base to the orchestra. “The conguero and the timbalero even the güirero he taught them to play well. He was a teacher of all, including us who learned a lot from him. R.I.P, he was a glory of music”, Hansel said to us.
But that wasn’t all he told us about the legend of Cuban music, “Cachao”, who was the Double Bassist of the “Charanga 76” orchestra for 12 years, also he told us that every time they wen a tour the “Inventor of Mambo” had them buy a plane seat to his Double Bass, he sat it next to him and even put the belt on the string instrument, as is dictated by airline regulations.
The funniest thing would come later when the Double Bass received the same attention as each member of the orchestra. Amazing! The Double Bass also had its portion of food during each trip as each musician of the orchestra, and when the flight attendant brought it was when the offer was presented by each musician for that fabulous portion, although the end was always the same, the trumpeter won!
Each experience with Charanga 76 made them evolve in music and although with this orchestra they made themselves renowned professionally, as a duo they flew the fence. They have received multiple musical awards, their sympathetic lyrics, and in some cases, satirical or burlesque have won the applause, admiration, and respect of colleagues in the music industry and the general public on three continents: America, Europe, and Asia.
“The Jersey Boys” was their first youth musical group with only 5 members and although the musical instruments they played were the basics of Rock, their rhythmic concept was Cuban music.
“María Teresa y Danilo” was one of the compositions that brought many satisfactions to this duo. Nowadays it’s still preferred by the fanatical public of the genre. Many debates and speculations were made about this song, but here we tell you the true story. “María Teresa y Danilo” dates its beginnings to the 80s when soap operas like “Dallas” were in fashion.
Hansel came up with the idea of diving and writing on this topic. He magically composed the lyric during the plane trip with San Francisco – Miami trajectory and the rest we already know, multiple copies sold, and hundreds of awards granted to them for the feeling that caused this popular theme.
Photo of Hansel and Raúl in their beginnings
After such overwhelming success as a duo, Hansel and Raúl decides to separate in 1988. What was the reason?
Everyone wanted to make another kind of music. Each one followed a different path, for his part, Hansel recorded five solo albums including metals, more trumpets and trombones, and in three of these albums, he included neither the violin nor the flute, assuming almost completely the end of the Charanga rhythm in his music. However, a short time later he realized that this Caribbean rhythm was what identified with his audience and two years later he joined Raúl again to continue their successful career.
Hansel and Raúl has a total of 330 songs recorded and on December 31 this Charanga duo will have a performance in Los Angeles, CA and you may be lucky and they play your favorite single and if don’t you can ask for it. Classics such as “Soy”, “Se me nota”, “El ayer”, “María Teresa y Danilo”, “Kukucha kucha”, “Balancea mi corazón” (Yordano), “Ojos Verdes” (Alfredo Gutiérrez), among many others, will be present at this 1: 45min show.
Purchase your Tickets quickly before it´s sold out
We hope to see them there singing each of their hits and if you later travel to New York, don’t be surprised to see Hansel in that city because he and his family will be celebrating their daughter’s sweet sixteen, on the second day of January 2020.
Is Hansel a stage name?
Although some may consider that Hansel is a characteristic name of the children’s story “Hansel and Gretel”, this name comes from Germany and it’s of Jewish origin. Hansel Enrique is the name of this singer and songwriter “Charanguero” and he is named so to differentiate himself from Hansel Horacio (father). In Cuba, the tradition is maintained that every male child must bear the name of his grandfather; this is the reason for all his cousins are called Hansel.
More Details visiting:
Social Channel:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/HANSELYRAUL/