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Salsa, Salsa & More Salsa

Musical Events Come To Europe

Europe welcomes music events after a long hiatus from the pandemic. Nightclubs with a limited number of people as well as small outdoor Salsa festivals and congresses begin to reactivate their activities by receiving attendees with the presentation of a vaccination certificate or a negative Covid-19 test.

Here is a list of Salsa events in Europe with tradition that gives you a tropical welcome and says goodbye to what happened in 2020.

MONACO SALSA CONGRESS

Adult couple dancing — 2020 passes are automatically valid for this new date

Since 2006 (first edition), the Monaco International Salsa Festival has been an unavoidable Salsa event for dance lovers.

This festival, a product of the passion of Hamidine Thiam and the experience of Gregory Salerno, has joined the best artists in the world on the same stage. Several of the festival’s shows have been broadcast on EuroSport for consecutive years, demonstrating the quality offered by this 15-year-old festival.

Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba for the following modalities: beginner, advanced, or just curious are presented in three rooms simultaneously. In addition, you can taste food in front of the stage only with VIP passes, quality shows, and DJ nights until almost dawn.

With optimism and eagerness, this edition of the Monaco Salsa Congress 2021 will take place from October 8^th to 10^th with the participation of Maykel Fonts, Tropical Gem Dance Company, Andrea & Silvi, SuperMario, 4DJs, and many more artists to share memorable moments with you.

Venue: Espace Léo Ferré. Les terrasses de Fontvieille, 25 avenue Albert II. 98000 Monaco

CROATIAN SUMMER SALSA FESTIVAL

Woman in leopard swimsuit and man in white shirt — Enjoy this unique experience in Croatia in late summer

You can already feel the energy of the festival that makes all the people of the western part of the city of Rovinj (Croatia) dance Salsa. Beaches, hotels with swimming pools at reasonably priced, streets, an old tobacco factory, squares, islands, the whole town is a dance floor for thousands of visitors from all over the world who live and breathe Salsa.

The Croatian Summer Salsa Festival aims to educate, inspire, communicate, and entertain fans of Salsa, dance, the sea, and the sun. The focus in this edition will be on three styles: Salsa, Salsa Cubana, and Mambo. There will be carefully designed professional workshops for all levels, high-level pre-festival workshops (Wednesdays and Thursdays), as well as intensive Bootcamps for advanced dancers.

Imagine and live the experience of being part of it!

Outdoor Social Dance: Party on the beach dancing to the most applauded Caribbean rhythm under the stars in one of the most beautiful cities on the Adriatic coast. Ah! And don’t forget that this event also offers a boat excursion.

Music & DJs: The perfect combination missed in 2020. Finally, it is time to connect with the sound of the Tumbadoras mixed with the ocean waves and the warm summer breeze.

Dance Instructors: They are present at this event to inspire you and raise your level from amateur to professional. With them, you can dance as a couple, watch their performances with incredible outfits, sing, and also they are host like real artists do.

Workshops & Bootcamps: For 15 years they have been dedicated to promoting the best possible social dance education with community artists to create a high-quality structured and progressive learning experience. To gain more skills in dancing Croatian Summer Salsa Festival brings you pre-festival classes, weekend workshops, and choreography bootcamps for those who want to push their limits.

From September 1^st to 5^th, the summer salsa festival in Croatia will be held in the landscape of the Seasunsalsa house in the city of Rovinj located on the Adriatic coast.

Official biosecurity measures will be respected.

BERLIN SALSA CONGRESS

Woman dressed in blue dress dancing with man in red jacket — Berlin Salsa Congress – Do you accept the challenge?

In Berlin, the people will dance Salsa again in a congress this 2021. This event will be held outdoors under the sun during the day and at night you will live your passion indoors with three dance floors.

In this edition of the Berlin Salsa Congress, the focus will be on high-level social dancing from noon to midnight. Also, you can improve your skills in a series of exclusive workshops taught by a lineup of instructors from the world community in Berlin.

This Salsa congress, the longest in Europe in continuous operation since 2001, is renewed and brings Choreography Bootcamps.

Bootcamp # 1 is about teamwork in the genres of Salsa and contemporary fusion.
Bootcamp # 2. This is an Afro-fusion of Mambo. Here you will develop skills in footwork. It is designed for dancers with an intermediate level.
Bootcamp # 3. It is based on footwork for ladies only. Rhythm: Salsa

A Choreography Bootcamp challenges you in many different ways. It’s not just about choreography or technique. It is much more. It is expanding your limits with friends with the same interest, achieving an incredible sensation of overcoming obstacles by performing in front of a large and enthusiastic audience.

Date: Thursday, August 26^th – Sunday, August 29^th

Venue: Tempodrom. Möckernstr. 10. 10963 Berlin, Germany

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Mozart & Mambo

The Instrumental Music Album With The Major Projection Of 2021

Sarah Willis playing the French Horn with Yuniet Lombida playing the saxophone — Mozart & Mambo was recorded in Havana (Cuba) in January 2020

After six years of Horn Discovery, Sarah Willis brings us in her third album the discovery of two worlds through a completely harmonic and natural fusion. Her album Mozart & Mambo combines solo pieces for Horn of classical music originating in Western Europe with the traditional rhythms of Cuba Island.

Sarah had this magnificent and unusual idea due to her multiple trips to Havana city to teach how to play this brass instrument.

“As a Horn player, I always wanted to record Mozart’s horn concerts … And when I met the Havana Lyceum Orchestra and its conductor José Antonio Méndez Padrón I had the idea of recording with them. I love the way they play Mozart. I love the way Pepe works with them… So, what better way than to mix some pieces of Mozart and Mambo? Then, we have pure Mozart. We also have some purely Cuban songs, but we also have a wonderful fusion of Mozart and Mambo. And, It is the title.

… The main concert on the album is the third concert for Mozart Horn, which is one of my favorites… It’s a catchy tune… I have an arranger in Australia called Joshua Davis, and I said, listen! I have this crazy idea.

– I want to turn this piece into a Mambo.

– He said, sure, no problem.

But he didn’t know much about Cuban percussion. So, I said:

– I have the ideal person to help us.

And I turned to a wonderful musician from Cuba, Yuniet Lombida, who plays the saxophone on the album and is one of the best saxophonists in Cuba”. Willis commented on a digital medium.

The splendid trio between the first woman in the brass section of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Havana Lyceum Orchestra under the baton of José Antonio Méndez Padrón (Pepe), and the consecrated saxophonist from Havana, Yuniet Lombida managed to create an exceptional experience among the Concerts for Mozart Horn and Caribbean intercalated rhythms: Mambo, Son, Salsa, and Bolero.

Harold Madrigal, Yuniet Lombida, Sarah Willis, Pepe Méndez, and Jorge Aragón

The album consists of 10 Tracks, which stand out: Rondo Alla Mambo and the two great Cuban classics Dos Gardenias and El Manisero with arrangements by Joshua Davis and Yuniet Lombida. Likewise, Rondo K. 371 and the first movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (titled Sarahnade Mambo) demonstrate the subtlety of classical music with the interventions of the Cuban tradition, extolled by the Havana Lyceum Orchestra. In the other hand, the trumpeter Harold Madrigal Frías displays his virtuosity in the album with the pieces: El Manisero, Dos Gardenias, and Qué Rico El Mambo.

For this month, you will be able to witness this extraordinary musical fusion live at the Rheingau, Kultursommer Nordhessen, Young Euro Classic festivals in Berlin City, and Elbphilharmonie in the town of Hamburg in Germany.

Much of the proceeds from the purchase of the Mozart & Mambo album are for the benefit of the Havana Lyceum Orchestra to provide them with modern and new musical instruments.

Who is Sarah Willis?

Based on the biography written by Sarah

Sarah Willis in black dress with French horn on her legs — Sarah Willis was included on Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Honor Roll, which indicates that she has been granted the title of Member of the British Empire

“People often ask me for more details about my life and my career. No dates or names, but about the how and why. So, I share a little more of the most influential and inspiring events of my life playing the Horn.

… It is true that I decided to play the Horn in my first Trumpet lesson. Actually, my first teacher was the Trombone and I adored it and the Trumpet, so I practiced as much as I could… I was used to practicing. My parents were quite strict about it, something for which I am very grateful.

… School became quite a lonely place as my classmates didn’t understand my passion truly.

… I must say that being a member of various youth orchestras was one of the most important and enjoyable parts of my musical training. Here, I met other young people who did not find it strange to spend a lot of time just practicing and listening to classical music.

After 3 years at the London music school, I “discovered” Berlin. The city was incredibly vibrant and exciting, and the first time I heard the local Philharmonic live, I decided that I had to be as close to this orchestra as possible, so I moved there. My first job was with the State Opera under the direction of Daniel Barenboim in 1991, just after the fall of the Wall that ran through the capital, so it was a very exciting time to be in the city at that time.

In 2001, I won the position at the Berliner Philharmoniker, something I had dreamed of since I first heard them play.

I started playing an Alexander horn when I was 16 years old. It was very unusual in England! I fell in love with the sound of this speaker and would not play anything else.

… My day job takes up most of my time and mental space, but since I started doing interviews with soloists and conductors for the Digital Concert Hall of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPh) and I became involved as a mentor and presenter of the BPh on YouTube since 2011, I have become very passionate about online music communication.

I started Horn Hangouts (musician talk show) in 2013 and have been presenting the Sarah’s Music TV show (conversations format with conductors, students, musicians, and dancers) for Deutsche Welle TV since 2014.

I love doing both with passion and I enjoy connecting with musicians from all over the world, reaching out to people who may not have easy access to live concerts or teachers”.

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Bobby Valentin, the King of Bass at the Fania All-Stars Machinery

Bobby Valentin The mind of a master

Roberto Valentin “Bobby Valentin” was one of the main collaborators and arrangers of the Fania All-Stars in the 1970s, over which time he also recorded numerous solo albums. Born in 1941 in the locality of Orocovis, Puerto Rico, he began playing guitar as a child and won a contest with a band that he conducted himself at the age of 11.

He began his trumpet studies at the age of 15 shortly before he moved with his family to New York, where he continued his studies under the direction of Carmina Caruso. In 1958 he started his professional career with the Joe Quijano’s Orchestra.

Valentin spent the next several years working as a trumpeter, guitarist, bassist and arranger for artists such as Willie Rosario, Charlie Palmieri, Ray Barreto, Tito Rodríguez and Willie Bobo, until the year 1965, when he debuted with an orchestra to his name by releasing two albums, one of them was under Johnny Pacheco‘s Fania label.

Bobby Valentin, the King of the Bass

During the following years, Valentin continued to release albums to his name under the Pacheco’s label, but he also began recording and making arrangements for the label’s band, the legendary Fania All Stars, which had the presence of important figures as Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri, Papo Lucca, Mongo Santamaría, among many others.

In 1975, he began recording for his own label, but his work with the Fania All Stars goes on until the day. Since then, the musician continues to perform with his orchestra for the most important salsa and jazz festivals from all over the world, while at the beginning of the decade Valentin contributed arrangements for some Pacheco‘s songs, it was only natural that he released his albums under his new label.

Fania All-Stars, to which he helped define the sound through his bass playing, in classic albums of the 1970s such as the Tribute to Tito Rodríguez or the live album at Yankee Stadium. — Bobby Valentín moved with his orchestra to Puerto Rico in 1968.

And while Bobby Valentin moved with his orchestra to Puerto Rico in 1968, he continued to travel often to New York to record for Fania, in addition to working and arranging songs for the label’s band, the Fania All-Stars to which he helped define the sound through his bass, on classic albums of the 1970s like the Tribute to Tito Rodriguez or the live album at Yankee Stadium.

In 1978 he began recording for his own label, Bronco Records, through which he recorded “La boda de ella“, a song that became one of the most important of his career.In addition to continuing to release albums for his own label, the latter of which saw the light in 2016 under the name “Mi Ritmo es bueno” and Mind Of A Master in 2018.

The pop classic The Twist composed by Hank Ballard and popularized by Chubby Checker in 1960, now sounds in salsa clave in a new version created by musician, arranger and composer Bobby Valentin y su Orquesta.

For award-winning Puerto Rican composer, arranger, producer and musical director, to remember is to live, as a result of which he presented the song in Spanish and dance in order to interest the new generations.

“When I was based in New York, this was a boom, Chubby Checker recorded it! At that time, what was done in rock & roll and today’s music is called salsa and it was all about dancing. There was the chachachá, the pachanga, the boogaloo… Everything was visual, with dancing! Chubby Checkerwas in all the TV shows… I recorded the song a year and a half ago, but the premiere was pushed back for the pandemic. I figured I could do it in salsa without losing the essence of that time,” he said.

Fania All-Stars Roberto Roena, Bobby Valentín, Johnny Pacheco

The Twist https://youtu.be/zf-SjdhbH9M

Sources

Amarie Magazine

Fania

Bobby Cruz’s musical career and future projects

Life and biography

Bobby Cruz is one of those names that definitely does not require much introduction. This tremendous songwriter and Christian pastor has made a dream career in which he has earned all sorts of awards and recognition that demonstrate his value as an artist, including gold records, Grammys, platinum records, among other world-class awards.

Roberto Cruz Ramos was born on 26 February 26 1937 in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a very humble family that was dedicated to farm activities for a living. His father was one of those many workers in the town who gathered sugar cane from the fields intended for growing that product and became a labour leader who was highly respected by his co-workers and locals. When the family moved to New York City, USA, he entered school, discovered his passion for music and began to be heavily influenced by performers and groups such as the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, which he considered a source of inspiration.

In 1963, he met the man who would become his great musical running mate and with whom he would get many of the most important hits of his career. This was Ricardo Maldonado Morales, artistically known as Richie Ray, who was his neighbor and with whom he gave life to the orquesta de Richie Ray y Bobby Cruz. Even today, this is still considered to be one of the most important groups in the history of salsa, so no one can talk about this genre without mentioning both stars as compulsory references for anyone who wishes to study salsa in depth.

Bobby Cruz next to Richie Ray — Bobby Cruz and Richie Ray in their best days

Together with Ray, he reaped unimagined success and won many awards, one of the most important being first place in the Orchestras Festival thanks to the song La Zafra, which conquered the public and the jury by its heartfelt lyrics which referred to the daily struggle of the workers in the sugar cane fields and their experiences. If we take into account the fact that the father of Bobby was a sugarcane worker and someone respected in his trade, this song acquires a far stronger meaning for anyone who has had the fortune of hearing it.

Within the year, more specifically in 1974, Bobby became an evangelical pastor after Ray invited him to attend the same evangelical church of which he formed part. He did not much like the idea at first, but then changed his mind and became a faithful servant of Jesus, as he defines himself.

That was how he started a very interesting facet in both his life and his artistic career. In a way, Cruz succeeded in mixing his passion for music with his new religious beliefs. This is how Bobby and Ray began to use a religious approach to their musical works, a decision that unfortunately led to the loss of a large number of their followers. However, that did not stop them and they went on to regain the confidence of their fans and members of their church, who were not very happy with the idea at first.

Bobby Cruz in his Church — Bobby Cruz during his duties as an evangelical pastor

Current projects

Currently, Bobby Cruz is involved in a host of projects that takes up a lot of his time. One of them is the launch of his new book entitled Hubo Una vez un niño, the pages of which tell the story of a group of young inmates and their experiences in prison. The artist used stories he heard during his visits to prisons in Puerto Rico and other countries as part of his work as an evangelical pastor. In those prisons, he discovered stories about boys born into good families and healthy homes, but that did not stop them from ending up in prison for many reasons.

The fact that many of these boys were sons of pastors really touched him and made him wonder what had led these boys to commit acts so reprehensible having grown up in Christian homes. Moreover, there were many criminals who wanted to join the church and redeem themselves after having broken the law at that time. All of these things inspired Bobby in such a way that he wanted to create a story where he could reflect all of these elements that bothered him. It is now available on Amazon and many other platforms through which those interested can purchase it.

As additional data, the Puerto Rican let it be known that he is already working on the television version of the book, which will consist of 10 or 12 chapters in total.

Cover of Hubo una vez un nio — Cover of the book Hubo una vez un niño

One of the projects that Cruz has in mind is the launch of a film based on the trajectory of the singer with his orchestra fellow Richie Ray. It will be titled Richie Ray y Bobby Cruz, los reyes de la salsa and is expected to be the closest thing to the reality lived by the duo in years of greatest splendor. Although people of any age can enjoy it, it is known that it will be focused on the public that enjoyed their talent in the 70s and the actors are immensely similar to the performers in the time.

Among other details, it has been revealed that the film is already made and is in the process of being edited for release this year. It is just not clear the name of the platform that will be used to broadcast it, since the artists are waiting for the most attractive proposal possible. It was rumored that there were talks with Netflix to be the streaming service charged with broadcasting the film, but nothing has been confirmed officially.

Official Facebook page: Bobby Cruz

By: Johnny Cruz correspondent of International Salsa Magazine in New York City, New York

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Guspira Records Presents The Karamba release their first album “Camino Así”

The Karamba is a musical group formed by six women from Venezuela, Cuba, Catalonia, Panama, and Argentina. It is a multicultural mix that creates a new, special and powerful musical color.

Between the chaos, traffic, the city, and stress, they joined in 2018 with the name of the Karamba on the streets of Barcelona. Of the need to acquire strength, get rid of fears, and spread joy, members share their way of understanding music to claim the strength of women.

Together they have been strengthened, combining rhythms and tunes in order to compose a single melody that fuses son, chachachá, salsa, timba, and rap rhythms. Enthusiastic melodies that explode with effusion and a powerful message of protest and feminine sovereignty that transmits the full force of past generations who championed the feminist fight and change.

Since their union, and in just two years, the Karamba has become one of the most internationally recognized bands at large festivals in Europe. They were especially noted for their performance at the Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) 2020, which is the most important professional music festival in Europe that takes place in Holland, and also at the Flawa Festival in London. They have also got Catalan audiences to fall in love with their presence at renowned festivals such as the Black Music Festival, Bioritme, Clownia, and the Esperanzah Festival, among many others.

Las Karamba is a musical group formed by six women from Venezuela, Cuba, Catalonia, Panama and Argentina. A multicultural mix that creates a new, special and powerful musical color. — The Karamba who are releasing their first album “Camino Así”.

The lyrics of their songs talk about the stories of all those women who kept silent, were under the shadow, fought alone during the course of history, and who could not explain. Now the Karamba endorse these stories in their new album “Camino Así” (Guspira Records, 2021).

The record starts off with “Presentes”, which is a clear declaration of intent. Through the music for the eponymous poem by Guisela López, they remark their values, objectives, and principles to the rhythm of a rumba tonada in collaboration with Erik Castillo, director of the group Compota de Manana.

With a Trap base, they surprise us with a change of register as they bet on electronic sounds that mark a considerable difference with respect to the rest of the songs. — The Karamba’s Cha Cha Chá takes us back to the life of “Margarita”

One of the values that take on special importance is gender equality. The Karamba leads us with a cha cha to the life of “Margarita”, a grandmother addicted to freedom. In the song “No Sabe Nah” they take a more vindicatory position, and together with singer Paula Grande, they call for the power of women. With a Trap base, they surprise us with a change in the register as they opt for electronic sounds that make a substantive difference from the rest of the songs.

The band is characterized by its constancy reflected in “Voy Subiendo” with the collaboration of trumpeter Yuri Hernández and trombonist Albert Costa. Slowly but steadily, the Karamba work to draw their path cut out for them. A path where they leave behind everything that weighs on them and does not work. In “Pasa la página” they look up to a relationship that is destined to fail.

Finally, Las Karamba strips off in "Basta Ya" — Finally, Las Karamba strips off in “Basta Ya”

With a salsa song that warms up in each beat, they encourage to look to the future with optimism and to overcome everything that has thrown them. Finally, in “Basta Ya“, the Karamba remove all social pressure and the alleged dogmas stipulated to be successful in life.

In “El Beso“, the first song they composed as a band, they remind us to love each other with intensity and continue the journey to the “Sabana”, a reflection on the frenzied pace of life that we talk. On a busy day-to-day basis, the Karamba invite you with their album “Camino Así” to relax, forget all the troubles and see the world in their own way following their tempo.

“Camino Así”, their first album, will be available on March 4th in physical and digital formats.

https://guspira.net/ca/las-karamba

LAS KARAMBA “CAMINO ASÍ” (Guspira Records 2021)

FormaGran Via de Les Corts Catalanes 1176 Bis 3º 5º (08020) Barcelona

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