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Víctor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity “

The legacy of a visionary who fused the saxophone with the essence of the Caribbean and national cinema.

Víctor Cuica was more than just a musician; he was a bridge between two worlds. Born on April 19, 1949, in the iconic Caracas neighborhood of La Pastora, Cuica established himself as a preeminent saxophonist and actor, earning global acclaim for his innovative fusion of Jazz with Afro-Caribbean roots.

His presence defined a golden era in Venezuelan culture, as he shared the stage with legends such as Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Porfi Jiménez, and Gerry Weil.

Victor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity”

Training and First Steps: The Birth of a Style

The journey of this virtuoso—master of the tenor and soprano saxophone as well as the flute—began in 1963 at the Military Music School of La Victoria. His time in the Venezuelan Navy band served as the catalyst for his love of Jazz, leading him to deepen his knowledge of flute, harmony, and composition at the “José Ángel Lamas” Higher School of Music.

His professional career took off in Chucho Sanoja’s orchestra. Shortly thereafter, he joined Oscar D’León’s ensemble. It was actually Cuica who suggested the name “Dimensión Latina” to replace the group’s former name, “Oscar y sus Estrellas,” thereby christening what would become the most iconic salsa orchestra in Venezuelan history.

Victor Cuica in concert held on August 22, 2011 in Juan Pedro Lopez Square in Caracas

Latin Jazz: From the Silver Screen to International Stages

By the late 1970s, Cuica expanded his horizons into the “seventh art.” In 1978, he composed and performed the soundtrack for “The Sea of Lost Time” (El Mar del Tiempo Perdido), based on the short story by Gabriel García Márquez. A year later, he solidified his own group, “Víctor Cuica y su Jazz Latino,” debuting to resounding success at the Alcázar Theater in Caracas and gaining international momentum in Costa Rica.

Throughout the 1980s, critics hailed him as the most important innovator of jazz fusion in the region. His talent brought him to historic venues:

1981: He triumphed at the “Memphis in May” festival in Tennessee.
1982: He performed at the prestigious “Domicile” club in Munich, Germany.
1985: He reached a milestone as the leader of the first Venezuelan group invited to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, where he shared the limelight with the legendary vibraphonist Lionel Hampton.

Artistic Maturity and Recognition

In the 1990s, his music reached new academic heights when Maestro Eduardo Marturet composed the work “Music for Six and Sax” specifically for him. It premiered with the Sinfonietta Caracas and represented Venezuela at the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville.

Víctor Cuica was not just a musician; he was a bridge between two worlds. Photograph at Juan Sebastian Bar

His discography, which includes gems such as Que sea para siempre (1984), Noctámbulo (1993), Just Friends (1998), and Los Locos de Caracas (1999), stands as a testament to his versatility. In 1995, the Venezuelan Artist’s Guild (Casa del Artista) honored him as Musician of the Year.

A Farewell with the Flavor of the Streets and Bohemia

Víctor Cuica passed away on Saturday, December 26, 2020, at the age of 71 due to a heart attack. His departure left a void in the film industry, where he starred in memorable films such as Santera (for which he also composed the award-winning soundtrack in 1997), and in the bohemian nights of Caracas, where his saxophone was often the soul of the evening.

A Tribute from His Peers

Multi-percussionist José Hidalgo, known as “El Tokun Mayor,” describes Cuica with words that summarize his essence:

“Víctor Cuica is the finest example of an artist intimately linked to his daily reality and cultural origins, without ever losing sight of the cosmopolitan and universal nature of his musical message. Cuica is the expression of genuine jazz performed with the simplicity of the streets.

Víctor is as authentic in his personal character as he is as an artist. This virtue was his companion as he traveled across numerous international stages, spanning the worlds of music, film, theater, and opera always with the transcendence of a bohemian, simple, and bold minstrel.

Cuica never ceases to surprise us, whether through his voice or the sound of his saxophone an instrument that, with his habitual ingenuity, he turned into a centerpiece of performance through his creativity and versatility.

His talent has graced stages across Europe and the Americas. His work projects far beyond the commercial mainstream and, today, leaves us with a brilliant musical improvisation that is truly beyond compare.”

DJ Augusto Felibertt with the one and only virtuoso Víctor Cuica

Today, the name Víctor Cuica remains etched in history as the man who gave Jazz a Caribbean color and gave the Venezuelan saxophone a voice of its own.

Victor Cuica and his Latin Jazz, March 23, 1980 at the Cantv Theater in Caracas

Also Read: Oscar Rojas Oscar Rojas has 54 years of musical career full of passion, rhythm and flavor

Chicago International Salsa Congress

North America / USA / Chicago

Mission of the Chicago International Salsa Congress

The mission of the Chicago International Salsa Congress is to unite cultures and generations, engender leadership through empowerment opportunities in its showcase and to keep alive the history of the many cultures collaboration in the creation and evolution of Latin and Afro-Caribbean music and dance.

The Chicago International Salsa Congress is brought to you by a special group of dedicated individuals whose energy, skills, passion and perseverance unite to bring you the number one Latin Music and Dance event in the Midwest!

In 2002 they produced the first Chicago International Salsa Congress (CISC) now in its 14th year. The CISC fosters personal awareness, develops leadership, creativity and inspires highest performance by providing emerging artists an opportunity to learn from and perform with professional artists in the congress showcase.

Schedule: Chicago International Salsa Congress

Día	Horario	Actividad
Jueves 2/9/17	3:00 PM – 11:30 PM	Onsite Registration opens
	7:30 PM	Rueda Summit
	8:30 PM – 9:30 PM	Opening Night! Meet & Greet the STARS of the 2017 CISC
	9:30 PM – 10:30 PM	Dance Showcase
	10:30 PM – 3:00 AM	CISC Concert Series featuring Carpacho y Su Super Combo!
Viernes 2/10/17	9:00 AM – 4:30 PM	Onsite Registration
	9:30 AM – 3:30 PM	Workshops
	4:00 PM – 5:30 PM	Emerging Artist Showcase / Chicago Midwest Salsa & Bachata Open Competition (Elimination)
	5:30 PM – 7:30 PM	Youth Performance Challenge w/Natasha Silva
	6:00 PM – 8:00 PM	Kizomba Bootcamp with Philippe & Upa Danca
	6:30 PM – 11:30 PM	Onsite Registration
	8:00 PM – 10:00 PM	Dance Showcase
	10:30 PM – 3:00 AM	CISC Concert Series: Tromboranga / Bachata Ballroom / Kizomba Party!
Sábado 2/11/17	9:00 AM – 4:30 PM	Onsite Registration
	9:30 AM – 3:30 PM	Workshops
	4:00 PM – 5:30 PM	Emerging Artist Showcase
	5:30 PM – 7:30 PM	Youth Performance Challenge w/Natasha Silva
	6:30 PM – 11:30 PM	Onsite Registration
	8:00 PM – 10:00 PM	Dance Showcase
	10:30 PM – 3:00 AM	CISC Concert Series: Jimmy Bosch with Yoko, La Japonesa Salsera! / Bachata & Kizomba
Domingo 2/12/17	9:00 AM – 4:30 PM	Onsite Registration
	9:30 AM – 3:30 PM	Workshops
	12:00 PM – 2:00 PM	Youth Performance Challenge w/Natasha Silva
	4:00 PM – 5:30 PM	Emerging Artist Showcase / Chicago Midwest Salsa & Bachata Open (Finals)
	6:30 PM – 11:30 PM	Onsite Registration
	8:00 PM – 10:00 PM	Dance Showcase
	10:30 PM – 3:00 AM	CISC Concert Series: Herman Olivera with Nelson Gonzalez / Bachata & Kizomba

Photo 1: Chicago International Salsa Congress

INSTRUCTORS

Enjoy 3 days of over 70 workshops covering Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels of dance styles, movement and musicality. The instructors are from American and European continent to don’t stop dancing.

PERFORMERS

The CISC produces seven Dance Showcases to excite your senses and inspire your creativity. Featuring world-class dancers from near and far, you will be captivated as we unleash their talents on the stage. The shows include our Matinee Emerging Artists Showcases at 4:00PM and World Class Dance Spectacular at 8:00PM featuring national and international performers.

LIVE MUSIC

CICS will present an unforgettable dancing experience in an elegant Grand Ballroom where Latin Music’s top artists and salseros connect. Enjoy four nights of non-stop dancing on our spacious dance floor until 3:00 AM to the hottest sounds of yesterday and today. The Chicago International Salsa Congress Concert Series is unmatched in celebrating Latin Music’s timeless presence in honoring the legendary pioneers while inviting a forward vision as new, young artists take up the torch and carry it forward.

Photo 2: Chicago International Salsa Congress

TROMBORANGA SALSA ORCHESTRA

As part of the new generation of independent latin orchestras, Tromboranga is the pure essence of “Salsa Dura”. Tromboranga’s spicy ingredients are the trombones sound, solid and strong percussion, and they recover the essence of “soneos” (voice improvisation among the chorus). With influences from the salsa music from the 60s and 70s, maintaining a raw, strong and a very danceable sound.

His original songs like “Humildad”, “Palo pa la campana”, “Amigo el ratón”, “Adios que te vaya bien”, talks about stories that can describe the life of any of us, and they have become number one in Latin radios and dance floors worldwide. Tromboranga is made up of musicians from the Caribbean and Europe, all residents of Barcelona, Spain.

JIMMY BOSCH

(18 October 1959, Jersey City, New Jersey), known also “El Trombón Criollo”, is a trombonist, composer and producer of Afro-Cuban jazz, salsa and Cuban music.

At thirteen he was already part of different local bands of Latin music. At age 18, while studying classical music at Rutgers University, he meets Manny Oquendo and joins his band. He plays with Manny Oquendo about two decades; then comes to work with Marc Anthony. In 1996 he created his own band, “Los Masters”, with whom he recorded two albums. He has his own record label, JRGR Records.

Photo 3: Chicago International Salsa Congress

YOKO LA JAPONESA SALSERA

Born in Osaka, Japan, Yoko Mimata began her artistic career at the age of fifteen as a vocalist in a rock band her native Osaka. Las Estrellas, a salsa band composed of former members of the famous Japanese orchestra “Orquesta de la Luz”, invited Yoko to join them as lead vocalist.

Subsequently, in 1997, settled in the Big Apple, city in that began to venture into the salsero environment. Her great debut took place at the Salsa Congress in New York in 2006, where she performed with the orchestra Chino Nuñez and Friends. Later she became the lead vocalist and participated in the recording of the second album by Chino Nuñez, “Dr. Salsa”; In which she sings duet with Ray Sepulveda “Hoy les cantamos”.

NELSON GONZÁLEZ

(Born May 30, 1948) is a Puerto Rican tres player. He specializes in the Cuban tres, and only occasionally plays the Puerto Rican tres (similar to the cuatro). He is a prolific session musician and has been a member of renowned salsa ensembles such as Fania All-Stars, Orchestra Harlow and Típica 73. He has authored a book on the tres guitar method published by Mel Bay. Together with Pancho Amat and Papi Oviedo he is considered one of the most influential modern tres players.

Photo 4: Chicago International Salsa Congress

HERMAN OLIVERA

He is a salsa singer from Newark, New Jersey. Born to Puerto Rican parents, he began his career in New York City where he earned his reputation as a “sonero,” that is, an expert in the demanding art of lyric extemporization. In a genre overrun by pop-oriented singers, Herman’s musicality and mastery in this regard garnered him the sobriquet of “El Sonero del Siglo XXI”. Today Herman counts among the most in-demand and hardworking salsa singers around. His voice literally permeates the sound of hard-hitting salsa from the 1980s to the present-with album credits with the likes of Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri, among many others where he has contributed to the continued vitality and development of the sonero tradition.

DJS

The fifteen DJs at this year’s congress will definitely get your feet, hips, shoulders, and everything else grooving on the dance floor with the best Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha on the planet!!!

VENUE INFORMATION

HYATT REGENCY O’HARE is just 5 minutes from O’Hare airport with a free shuttle. Easy access by train or car. Beautifully appointed guest rooms, great amenities and nearby shopping and dining make this a perfect getaway for your CISC weekend.

Photo 5: Chicago International Salsa Congress

Leader of K’ndela Salsa Band Eric Cabanilla and all his entertainment company has to offer

We are very pleased to be able to talk to the leader of K’ndela Salsa Band, a salsa group which has been gaining ground in New Jersey despite the great competition it faces.

Eric Cabanilla is a talented musician who, in addition to founding a successful band, has also managed to build an entertainment company with a solid team that has put its talents at the service of large audiences eager to enjoy a quality show. The artist has told us some of the most important details of his career, and we bring them here for all of you.

Eric Cabanilla posing for the amera — Leader of K’ndela Salsa Band Eric Cabanilla posing for the camera at an event

How Eric started to like music

Eric started his story saying that he and his siblings listened to the music their mother played as she cleaned the house and her children helped her with household duties. Back then, there were many romantic artists and groups such as Los Iracundos and La Sonora Matancera. These melodies helped him understand his love for salsa today.

One important thing to mention is that there were no musicians in his family to teach him about the professional part of this craft, so it can be said that he was the first to make this his way of life till today. His first impulse in this regard was to start writing poems at school, and he even won some poetry contests, which awoke in him the taste for putting words together to create pleasant sounds for others.

It was his great friend and musician Mike Pérez who encouraged him to put these compositions to songs, so he took those poems and rhymes he had created and added music to them. He worked alongside Mike for about seven years singing backup for the Orquesta Swing Combo until his sudden passing, which led to the dissolution of the group. Fortunately, the musicians were not left unprotected and could get a job in a new orchestra with new sound.

During this time, he had the opportunity to learn a lot about how the music biz works, as his responsibilities included institutionalizing the orchestra and formalizing its schedule through emails, business cards, written contracts, and that sort of thing.

Angel Peguero, Eric Cabanilla, and Stephany Moore — Dancer Angel Peguero, Eric Cabanilla, and dancer Stephany Moore

Thanks to all this acquired knowledge, once Swing Combo broke up, Eric already had an accurate idea of what to do when creating his own orchestra and how to manage it, so he jumped into action from there.

K’ndela Salsa Band

After all the experience he had gained, Eric finally decided to build something of his own, as he felt ready to take on such a challenge.

One of the first people he counted on was maestro Jimmy Bosch, “El Trombón Criollo,” who has a 50-year career and his own orchestra, Salsa Masters. He is always traveling the world with his orchestra, but whenever he is required to play with Eric and K’ndela Salsa Band, he makes an appearance without hesitation. He describes Bosch as a very professional man, to the point that he is the first to arrive and the last to leave at any rehearsal.

Together with Eric and Bosch, K’ndela also leverages the talent of other great musicians like bassist Edgar “Danny” Rosado, pianist Ray “El Loco” Cabrera, Xabi “El Chamo” Estrada, Eric Pizza, Brian ‘Tibiri’ Pozo, Jimmy “El Nene” Feliciano, and Daniel “El Gato” Arboleda.

This orchestra project was his first professional goal, but once he made it, he did not want to be confined to that. He also wanted to offer a complete package that offers more comprehensive entertainment than just playing and singing. That is when he took advantage of their closeness to a dance school where he sometimes performed to be in touch with dancers who wanted to join their shows.

Eric and the rest of the band — From left to right Ray “El Loco” Cabrera, Danny Rosado, Eric Cabanilla, Xavi “El Chamo” Estrada, Erik Piza, Brian “Tibiri” Pozo, Jimmy “El Nene” Feliciano, Daniel “El Gato” Arboleda and Jimmy “El Trombón Criollo” Bosch

Additionally, he hired a relative who worked as a mariachi, who in turn introduced him to other artists who did the same thing so he could hire them. Over time, he also included DJs who would liven up all kinds of events with their diverse mixes.

Something Eric wanted to clear up is that all these professionals are permanent workers in his company. He has a very good relationship with many dance schools in New Jersey, to which he offers his packages, and there is always a very generous group of its dancers that accepts the proposal. Whenever Eric is involved in a festival or private event, he never has any problem finding talent in the field of dance to accompany him thanks to his reliability, professionalism, and great respect for the work of others.

Read also: The Cajón throughout history

Musician and entrepreneur of Latin origin Jorge Torres talks about his band and his company

American multi-instrumentalist and entrepreneur of Puerto Rican descent Jorge Torres had a conversation recently with us about his musical origins, his company Jimmy Jorge Entertainment, his band, and his work with music today. In International Salsa Magazine, we are more than happy to interview him and learn what he has to tell us.

Jorge Torres and his conga — Musician and entrepreneur Jorge Torres next to his conga

Jorge’s beginnings in music in his native Chicago

Jorge said that when he was very young, his mother got a large stereo system that included a record player and radio where she listened to all kinds of music. His brother had a copy album “Che Che Cole” by Willie Colon and a cowbell he used to play constantly, making it the first instrument he heard in his childhood.

In the fifth grade in Philadelphia, he became interested in learning to play the guitar, but at that time his school did not offer guitar programs, but violin. So he decided to try the violin, but only played it during that year. In the eighth grade, he returned to Chicago to live with his father following the death of his mother, and his interest turned to steel drums, which he also referred to as Caribbean drums.

He spent another year playing this instrument until he reached high school and moved back to Philadelphia to live with his brother, which is when he changed his mind again and started loving the trumpet and the conga. He was so passionate about the latter that he bought his own conga, which he still has to this day. Then, other musician friends taught him how to play it, and the rest is history.

Early professional career

His learning to play the conga was the beginning of his life as a professional musician, and he played for various groups such as La Orquesta Cupey, Orquesta La Precaución, and Orquesta La Opinión, among others. During this time, Jorge learned to play many other instruments such as bongos and timbales. His teacher was Mikie Rivera, renowned Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and trova and jazz guitarist, who met with the young man and other musicians in the cellar of a friend’s house to mentor them and work with them.

These meetings aroused in him the idea of creating his own band in the future because of all that Rivera taught him about the music biz, and he wanted to put that knowledge into practice as soon as possible.

Jimmy Jorge and The Latin Jazz Expenses

Jorge’s band started as a small jazz group, but he did not want to settle for that. At some point, he was interested in having an orchestra with four wind instruments, three singers, piano, bass, bongos, timbales, and congas. That is how Jimmy Jorge and The Latin Jazz Express project arose.

This project started as a six-member Latin jazz band in 1995, but has managed to grow to the point that it has about 12 members and plays many other musical genres, although salsa is still very present in its repertoire.

Jorge Torres and the band — Jorge Torres and the rest of Jimmy Jorge and The Latin Express

Through hard work, Jimmy Jorge and The Latin Jazz Express have managed to position itself in the industry until they became the house band on the radio station called “La Mega 1310 AM” for some time and have played at all kinds of events such as The Puerto Rican Parade, La Feria del Barrio, Penn’s Landing’s Hispanic Fest, among others.

Some of the current members of the band are Peruvian singer Joseito Rivera, Puerto Rican singer Lia Montalvo, Dominican singer Hugo Tavares, conguero Edwin “Papo Buda,” percussionist Orlando Santana, and trombonist Edgar Salias.

Jimmy Jorge Entertainment

When Jorge began performing with American orchestras, he noticed that some of them, in addition to their musicians, also had dancers and DJs who were part of the orchestra and the show. The inclusion of these professionals in concerts seemed like a phenomenal idea to him and wanted to put it into practice for his own project, so he took advantage of the contact he had made with singers, DJs, photographers, dancers, and dance teachers to recruit them for his own shows in the future.

So, he began asking for phone numbers in order to build a network of artists he could count on in case he needed their services. Today, he has a large catalog of options for every type of show, making Jimmy Jorge Entertainment one of the most important Latin entertainment companies in Philadelphia today.

Vinny Rivera release his latest single “Mientes”

North America / USA / Boston

Vinny Rivera. The #1 Latin Kizomba Artist in the World

Vinny Rivera ‘s new single “Mientes” coming off of his album “La Torre” takes Kizomba to the next level. Good friend Guelo Star who is currently writing for the likes of Don Omar, Ivy Queen, Jowell y Randy, De La Ghetto just to name a few originally wrote this song with the spirit of Kizomba and Vinny Rivera was the perfect voice to compliment the writing. This love song is sure to bring The #1 Latin Kizomba singer and songwriter towards new heights of world music.

Sound off the bongos & kick in the bass, Vinny Rivera is ready to hit the stage. One of the hardest working singer/songwriters, Victor “Vinny” Rivera, continues to shine in the music entertainment scene. Surrounded by great mentors and industry leaders such as world renowned international producers M&N Pro, Jorgie Milliano, Grammy award winning producer Richy Peña (Niña Bonita), and Universal Latino’s recording artist Yunel Cruz, Vinny’s sound has captured audiences all around.

The music of Vinny Rivera is refreshing and lends a sweet tuned voice to the likes of urban bachata Superstar Prince Royce mixed in with Latin Pop Superstars Luis Fonsi & Enrique Iglesias. Genres of music are no different. His voice as well as being multilingual lends itself to Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Mambo, Pop, R&B and many more musical genres.

Vinny Rivera - Mientes — Vinny Rivera – Mientes

On the other hand and recognizing musical legend “Jerry Rivera”, Vinny Rivera alongside longtime friend and producer Jorgie Milliano pay tribute to a tropical classic “Amores Como El Nuestro” by giving it a tasteful Kizomba twist that audiences everywhere are sure to enjoy.

Vinny Rivera is currently working on a new Latin Kizomba album that will continue to capture the hearts and ears of all Kizomba lovers.

Besides, Vinny’s talent for capturing audiences has exponentially increased his passion for performing and entertaining. Performing in festivals and special events, the demand has been genuine and stage performances continue to impact his listeners.

Musical Trajectory

Victor Rivera, known artistically as Vinny Rivera, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Of Puerto Rican parents under the tutelage of his Dominican stepfather, he is one of the most hard working singers / composers to shine in the musical entertainment scene. Being influenced by the Boston city melting pot, he was exposed to a variety of musical genres including Reggae, Jazz, Soca, R & B and pop and the sounds of his native island and the neighboring Dominican Republic sounds the Salsa, Merengue, Bachata.

Completely addicted and forced by music and the desire to share his energy and healing skills, at the age of 16 he bought his first DJ set with his best friend Okland López and began playing music of all kinds of events. In that period he realized that he wanted to take the next step, to make music. He then began to study all kinds of music and finally was able to be comfortable enough to sing.

His friends encouraged him to record music and were associated as a trio together Loco Jow to pursue a career within the music industry. Although not signed with any record label they achieved a network of relationships around the world that got them heard everywhere, which allowed them to rank No.3 in a company of radio and distribution of popular music in South America.

Vinny continued to work with the group opening shows for world-renowned acts such as Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, Zion & Lennox, Ivy Queen, Rakim & Ken-Y, Tony Dize, Alexis & Fido.

The group split because of four years of Vinny’s enlistment in the United States Air Force. Now a veteran of the Air Force from June 2004 to December 2014 Vinny learned that “Life is too short and you have to give everything you have.”

He started working and learning with Grammy-winning Producers such as Richy Peña who produced the hit “Niña Bonita” by Chino & Nacho and Lenny Santos recognized by the Bachata group “Aventura”. To then sing and write with Universal Billboard and Cuban artist Yunel Cruz. He also wrote a final hit for Jowell and Randy “Lo Que Quiero”, which reached # 11 on the charts, being remixed with Reggaeton Super Stars Arcangel, Farruko and Divino produced by his great friend Jorgie Milliano.

His work and vocal skills have captured the respect and attention of the public around the world. The formula for Vinny Rivera’s latest plan is to use his music as a tool to address problems in the world. Until then he will continue to work diligently on making good music to enjoy.