Search Results for: Cuban

Edgar “Balín” Ocando, Venezuelan musician born in Caracas in the parish of El Recreo, specifically in block 7 and 8 of Simón Rodríguez.

He studied music at the José Reyna school located behind the same building where he lived, he also studied at the Conac de Sarria with maestro Orlando Poleo.

In his childhood he met with friends who had the same restlessness and passion for music, getting together every weekend to make noise as the neighbor said to the one who had to endure the music end after end.

As a result of these rehearsals he ended up in a group with which he began his music career and received his first professional payment at the age of 14 with the group Ases de la Gaita, a group formed by childhood friends in order to get away from drugs, which for the 80s was very strong.

In high school he joined the ranks of the Venezuelan Children’s Choir under the direction of maestro Raul Cabrera. During his time in the choir, the son of Professor Cabrera, known as Raulito, formed the salsa group Sabor Latino and became part of it.

Coming from a musical family, he always looked for a way to be close to his uncles Rafael and Yelitza Sivira, who were singers of the Polifónico Rafael Suarez and always looked for a way to be present in the rehearsals.

Yelitza Sivira was the one who took the responsibility to take him and he only sat and watched how they vocalized with the piano with the help of the director Maria Cabrera. It was then when they created the Polifónico Infantil Rafael Suarez and he became a baritone.

Already in adolescence at the age of 17 years old, he started working in a bank through a scholarship granted by the institution Insbanca, and while working, the Coral del Banco Italo Venezolano was created, thus participating in bank choral meetings, it was then that he returned to music as an instrumentalist when he saw in a newspaper advertisement that they requested a drummer to be part of a group of bagpipes, for which he went to the audition where there were countless drummers and of which he was left with the position thus becoming part of Estrellas de la Gaita.

The following year he was invited by a friend to join the group Santoral of Freddy Rangel, arriving to record for the first time in Requena Studios, the following year in full rehearsal with Santoral I was called to join the group Los Caracuchos of Joseito Rodriguez, forming part as a drummer for 2 years and recording in Manoca Studios, it was then where he enters the percussion workshops of the Biggot Foundation with the teachers Alexander Livinali and Williams Troconis.

He was in the ranks of important Venezuelan groups and orchestras such as Los Caracuchos, Catatumbo, Los Casanovas, Melody Gaita, Sabor Latino, Orquesta La Moderna, etc.

In 1999 he changed course and moved to Mexico where he has participated as a percussionist and backing vocalist in groups such as Cokodrilos, Kumbia Kings,

Sonora 100% Dinamita, Alicia Villarreal and today he has his own orchestra called Rumba Latina de Venezuela, which he formed in 2005 and has opened concerts for great international figures such as: Oscar D’ León, Willie Colon, Víctor Manuelle, Porfi Baloa y sus Adolescentes, Nigga, etc.

As well as Mexican artists such as Julión Álvarez, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Mariana Seoane, El Grupo Pesado, Germán Montero, El Poder del Norte, Emilio Navaira among others.

Integrated by musicians of different nationalities from Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and hand in hand with our representation office and record label Indepe Music, we will continue to bring our music to more and more people in every corner of the country.

Edgar Ocando Manager

Phone (52)-8132179324

Email: [email protected]

Edgar Balin Ocando

You can read: Anacaona The Cuban Female Orchestra

José Antonio Fajardo, in the month of November we refer to one of the greatest musicians that the island of Cuba has given in the last century; we are talking about maestro José Antonio Fajardo Ramos: flutist, composer, orchestra conductor and music producer; one of the great promoters of Cuban music represented in the rhythms of bolero, son, guaracha, mambo, chachachá and pachanga.

José Fajardo was born in Guane, province of Pinar del Río in 1919. He began his musical career as a maraquero in his father Alberto Fajardo’s orchestra, later he took up the flute.

From the age of 16 he was part of several groups such as: Joseíto Fernández, Paulina Álvarez, Melodías del 40, La Romance de René Álvarez, the orchestra of maestro Antonio María Romeu, the orchestra of pianist Luis González Valdés: “Neno” González and the orchestra of Antonio Arcaño, known as Arcaño y sus Maravillas.

After his time in these famous groups, in 1949, Fajardo created his own orchestra called Fajardo y sus Estrellas, with musicians such as: Orlando “Cachaito López”, René Fernández on piano, violinists Ignacio Berroa and Félix Reyna, who was also the composer; percussionist Jesús Esquijarrosa on timbales; Carlos Real on tumbadora and Rolando Valdés on güiro; in the vocal part he initially integrated Joseito Valdés.

In the early fifties, with the boom of chachachá in 1951, things improved a lot and the charangas orchestras began to perform in the best cabarets, aristocratic salons and private parties of high society, such as the Montmatre and Tropicana cabarets.

Fajardo became internationally known in the mid 50’s at the head of his orchestra, Fajardo y sus Estrellas, he was the first charanguero to introduce the cymbals to the timbal and the pioneer in the incorporation of the cowbell and the bongo to the charanga, his group was one of the sensations of the golden age of chachacha and pachanga.

After going into exile in the 1960s, he toured Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, popularizing an eminently Cuban repertoire.

Maestro José Fajardo has been one of the only musicians who have stood out in different periods of Latin music; initially in Cuba, in the 50’s with the arrival of Chachachá, later in the era of Pachanga and Boogaloo, in the sixties in the United States, and he also came to prominence in the golden era of salsa in the seventies and eighties of the last century.

In the seventies, eighties and later, the flute master recorded with Joe Quijano & His Conjunto Cachana, Tico-Alegre All Stars; Ray Barretto and Adalberto Santiago; Johnny Pacheco, Pupi, Javier Y Su Charanga; Jimmy Sabater, Orlando Contreras, Alfredo Valdés Jr, Fania All Stars, Louie Ramirez, Graciela and Mario Bauza, Israel “Cachao” Lopez, with our great Joe Arroyo in the nineties and with Hector Casanova, Mario Muñoz, Andy Gonzalez, Eddie Montalvo, Manny Oquendo, Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, Alfredo Rodriguez and Francisco Aguabella.

After a brilliant musical career spanning more than six decades, Maestro José Antonio Fajardo passed away in New York City on December 11, 2001, leaving an enormous legacy to our culture.

The great musical contribution of this portentous son of Pinar del Rio, has highlighted him as the highest flute of Cuba and Latin America, a true ambassador of Cuban music and salsa in the world; from our beautiful page ‘Los Mejores Salseros del Mundo’ we want to highlight the enormous artistic career of maestro José Antonio Fajardo Ramos as a tribute to his wonderful musical work.

José Fajardo Jr.

You can read: Ángel Bonne He was part of Juan Formell’s Los Van Van Orchestra, and collaborated with the impressive Irakere band of maestro Chucho Valdés

The name of the city of Barquisimeto continues to be known as the musical capital of Venezuela.

Characteristic by which, for years, is national and international reference and for proof of this, excellent musicians born in this city, who triumph and shine with their own light, demonstrating quality and versatility in all Latin rhythms stand out.

And today’s character in “Salsa Escrita” is the multi-instrumentalist Jorge Gregorio Rojas Perozo, artistically known as Jorge “El Papi” Rojas, extraordinary tres player, guitarist, bassist, arranger, composer, producer and teacher of Latin rhythms and tumbaos.

“El Papi”, as he is commonly known, was born on November 28th in the city of Crepuscular and from a very young age he started in this wonderful art of music, studying at the Vicente Emilio Sojo Music Conservatory.

Welcome Jorge to “Salsa Escrita”, through International Salsa Magazine, www.salsagoogle.com our readers want to know your wide and successful trajectory.

Thank you Professor Carlos Colmenárez for giving me the opportunity to appear in your well read and well known salsa column.

Jorge, tell us in general terms, with which groups have you been part of?

Professor, in 1986 I was director and founder of Grupo Identidad Caribe, in the salsa genre, then in 1987, founder of Grupo Miyare, also salsa.

From 1988 to 1992, director of the Orquesta Profecía (Christian salsa); 1996 to 2003, director of the Orquesta Monumental. From 2003 to 2008 I was director of the Epsilon Band (rock-pop) with music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and from 2003 to 2010, bass player, accompanying on tours in Venezuela of: Henry Stephen, Trino Mora, Los Tres Tristes Tigres, Carlos Moreno, Los Pasteles Verdes, Los Ángeles Negros, Mirtha Pérez, Tania and Leo Dan; from 2007 to 2009, accompanying musician for singers: Mervin Rodriguez, Aurita Uribarri and Marco Molina.

In 2012 to the present, tres player of “Sasón Latino”; in 2018, musical director of the Orquesta Siete Mangos y una Flor.

Today I direct the salsa group “Coimbre” and in parallel I am recording my own production of salsa and sones with lyrics and arrangements of my authorship to provide a contribution to Latin music from the state of Lara.

Also, I am giving virtual classes of Latin rhythms and tumbaos in the Cuban tres, bass and guitar, both nationally and internationally.

Very interesting and admirable your trajectory; Jorge, by the way, I remember a performance of you with the “Orquesta Profecía”, alternating with the “Estrellas de Fania” in the Municipal Coliseum of Barquisimeto, how was that experience? Well professor, it was an unforgettable experience, to be sharing the stage with Ismael Miranda, Larry Harlow, Bobby Valentin, Richie Ray, Bobby Cruz, Pete “Conde” Rodriguez and Jhonny Pacheco; in an unforgettable night, where we opened that concert, taking pleasant impressions from the audience and salsa specialists.

And I tell you professor, besides alternating with Fania here in Barquisimeto, we also did it in the Poliedro of Caracas, in a tour made by them in our country in 1993.

And as for international tours, which countries have you visited? Professor Carlos, I had the honor of performing in the brother country of Neogranadino with the salsa group “Coimbre”, where the Colombian salsa public enjoyed the Afro-Caribbean music, made by musicians from Barquisimeto; visiting the cities of Cucuta and Medellin.

Recently we accompanied the sonero Ramoncito Mendez in his show at the end of 2019, here in the state of Lara. Current projects “Papi”, what do you have out there? Friend Carlos, at the moment, as I told you at the beginning, I am finishing my production and simultaneously I am teaching online classes, with people from abroad.

What are your digital platforms? They are, Facebook: Jorge El Papi Rojas; phone +58 426 3531337; email: [email protected]. Finally, on behalf of Salsa Escrita, we would like to congratulate you for your vast and interesting artistic career and we hope you continue to succeed in our country and abroad, with the help of God Almighty.

Thank you Professor Carlos Colmenárez, for the interview in your salsa column, very grateful and I wish you long life to continue supporting and projecting the musicians from Barquisimeto, Venezuela and around the world.

Jorge El Papi Rojas

You can read: Henry Valladares, a brilliant, versatile, and disciplined percussionist