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| Do you enjoy writing about Latin music? ISM is looking for articles to publish.
Would you like to get more involved in this genre and share your passion for Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Merengue and more. Why not joint our Global Team of volunteers as a correspondent? |
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According to many of the artists we have had the honor of interviewing in this section, one of the most important things to succeed in the world of music is education and academic preparation. Fortunately, the United States is full of academic institutions offering all kinds of degrees, courses and diplomas to contribute to knowledge base artists use for their work. One such institution is Berklee College of Music.
Berklee College of Music is one of the leading music institutes in the state of Massachusetts and offers all kinds of academic degrees related to this important branch of the arts on its campuses in Boston, New York and Valencia, Spain. Its biggest focus is developing the potential of its students in areas like music, dance and theater.
In this prestigious institution, students have the opportunity to experience every aspect of the music industry through an interdisciplinary curriculum. On its website, those interested can see everything that is offered such as undergraduate, graduate, summer programs and online courses.
In addition, Berklee has made available to its applicants the possibility of studying in an online mode through its Berklee Online initiative.
Berklee Online is an initiative by Berklee College of Music created in 2002 with a view to allowing aspiring musicians and established artists to pursue economic and high-quality degrees and educational programs from anywhere in the world.
Berklee students will be able to develop and improve all of their artistic skills through online certificate programs, award-winning courses, and undergraduate programs.
An important thing to note is that online students will be able to learn from the same professors from the physical campus, so at no time will there be any decrease in the quality of teaching compared to face-to-face classes. We are talking about the best professionals in each of their areas who have taught classes to numerous artists and have been part of national and international award-winning projects. Likewise, many of the graduates of this institution have won Grammys and other awards of this kind.
According to figures handled by the college, Berklee Online has students from around 140 countries and very diverse academic and work backgrounds, but with the same desire to learn and absorb the best from their instructors.
Another benefit offered by Berklee is the assignment of an academic advisor to students in order to support them in achieving their goals and help them in everything they need to make their experience the best it can be.
And for those who are not particularly interested in enrolling in a paid course, they can also opt for free resources to complement the activities they are carrying out. Among these resources, we can mention free sample lessons, degree handbooks, online course catalogs, news and exclusive content.
Once on the page online.berklee.edu, whoever wishes to have access to all this material must sign up and create an account by typing the data required by the page in order to get access to the content.
Berklee College of Music has been the home of many renowned artists who have been able to learn much of what they know today in its facilities.
In this same section, we have spoken with renowned musicians who attended this college, which has greatly contributed to the training that has allowed them to get to where they are today.
One of them is Venezuelan percussionist and musician Omar Ledezma Jr., who received a scholarship to study in this institution and, at that moment, he told us that he applied for the scholarship and managed to pass the audition required to enter the school. A month later, he was informed that he had been admitted to Berklee through a letter and, in his own words, it was one of the most important news in his life.
Today, Ledezma has an important participation in groups such as Pacific Mambo Orchestra with which he has played in major festivals such as Tempo Latino in several of its editions. He is also teaching at the SF Community Center where he shares his knowledge with other young people who want to follow the same path.
Another fitting case to mention is that of Puerto Rican arranger, composer and sound engineer Felix O. Rodriguez, who studied production, mixing and remastering at Berklee College of Music to prepare his return to the stage since leaving the music for an extended period of time. After that, he started his solo career with all the irons and released his first studio album. Having developed in the aforementioned areas, he has much more control over his work and has no need to hire as many people to record his music.
While it is true that these artists attended face-to-face classes, their professors and content were the same for online classes, so students enrolled in the online mode can enjoy the same benefits and the same learning without any problem.
Read also: Tracy Jenkins from Lula World Records spoke exclusively with us
Latin America / Cuba / La Habana
Cuban singer Omara Portuondo will embark on a world tour in April that will take her to places in the United States and Europe in a first stage, the artist announced at a press conference.
“Omara es Cuba” gives its name to the tour that will start on the 19th at the Regent Theater in the city of Los Angeles, and has concerts scheduled in New York, Chicago, Holland, Hungary, Singapore, South Korea, Canada and France . Among other countries, in some of which it will be presented for the last time.
For the month of November, the Bride of Feeling, as the artist is also known, has planned performances in South America on stages in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
The tour, which will last until 2020, will close this year with a great concert on the island.
For the occasion, the Cuban diva will be accompanied by talented musicians: pianist Roberto Fonseca, Andrés Coayo (percussion), Ruly Herrera on drums and bassist Yandy Martínez.
Fonseca stated that it is an honor to share the stage with Portuondo, whom she considers a universal singer who has gone through all styles but always maintaining her Cuban identity.
The repertoire of the tour will include classics performed by the artist throughout his career, including some from his time at the Buena Vista Social Club, an “all-star” project of which Portuondo was the main voice since its creation in 1997.
The 88-year-old artist is one of the most successful and beloved Cuban singers in Cuba, her discography includes thirty titles and she has recorded with the most notable Cuban and foreign artists.
Awarded the National Music Award (2006), she was also awarded a Latin Grammy for Best Contemporary Tropical Album in 2009 for her album “Gracias”.
Gilberto Santa Rosa (born August 21, 1962) is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and also known as “El Caballero de la Salsa” from Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Santa Rosa was recruited by La Grande Orchestra where she stayed for two years and met Elías López.
The 1980s brought a series of recordings for the singer with Orquesta Tommy Olivencia, El Gran Combo and the tribute album “Homenaje a Eddie Palmieri” with the Puerto Rican All Stars.
Gilberto Santa Rosa became a unique salsa improviser, walking the line between tropical and romantic styles of music, which contributed to his appreciation and popularity.
In 1986 Rosa signed with Combo Records and among others released the successful albums “Good Vibrations” featuring arrangements by Mario Ortiz, Ramon Sanchez and Tommy Villariny, “Keeping Cool! “and “De Amor y Salso”.
Due to the success of her fourth album entitled “Sala en Movimiento” released in 1989, Rosa signed with CBS Discos who could distribute her music internationally.
Teaming up with the young composer Omar Alfanno on the album “Punto de Vista” Rosa achieved consistent success with a series of hits including “Vivr sin Ella”, Perdoname” and De Cualquier”. The successor album “Perspectiva” released in 1991 was the Salsero’s biggest hit to date and included many of the same collaborators as its predecessor.
The singer generated a string of hits throughout the 1990s, always altering his particular sound and diversifying his music. From the orchestral “De Cara al Viento” (1994) and the energized “Esencia” (1996) to “De Corazón (1997) and “Expresión (1999).
At this point Rosa’s popularity and success had increased and the singer seemingly could do no wrong, with Rosa’s subsequent albums achieving both critical and commercial success, including 2002’s “Viceversa” which produced the hits “Por Más Que Intento” and “Un Montón de Estrellas”.
Santa Rosa ha sido honrada por Union City, New Jersey, USA con una llave de la ciudad y una estrella en su Paseo de la Fama, tiene el record de la mayor cantidad de álbumes número uno en la lista Billboard Tropical Albums, así como la mayor cantidad de nominaciones al Grammy por Mejor Salsa.
Canto y grabo varias producciones con el Maestro Mister “AFINQUE” Don Willie Rosario y ese fue el puente para grabar como solista.
En 1981, Gilberto Santa Rosa se unió a la banda Willie Rosario y su Orquesta, con la que grabó seis discos de larga duración. Su primera grabación se presentó en el álbum The Portrait Of a Salsa Man, en el sello Top Hits.
Canciones como “El Antifaz”, “La Mitad” y “El Condenado” se escuchan en la voz de Gilberto Santa Rosa, quien compartió la parte vocal con Tony Vega y Bobby Concepción en dicho álbum.
1982: Willie Rosario y su Orquesta graban el álbum Atízame el fogón para el sello Top Hits. Bobby Concepción, Tony Vega y Gilberto Santa Rosa participan como cantantes en este LP.
1983: El cantante santurcino participa en el álbum de Willie Rosario y su Orquesta, The Salsa Machine, en el sello Top Hits, de este álbum, canciones como “Amigo” y “Cuando Se Canta Bonito” son vocalizadas por Gilberto Santa Rosa.
Para la celebración musical estará acompañado por sus amigos y colegas, Gilberto Santarosa y Tony Vega,
Source:
Also Read: The Royalty of our Latin Music Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez first singer signed by Fania Records label
North America / USA / New York
For this special concert the Cuban legendary orchestra will join with the most popular lead Los Van Van vocalists: Mario “Mayito” Rivera and Pedro Calvo
Date: Saturday, June 1st
Show: 8:00PM
Cost: $50 – $100
Venue: 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West Bronx, New York 10468
Low cost onsite parking available for $5!
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents the return of Grammy-winning dance orchestra, Formell y Los Van Van, who bring direct from Cuba their blend of Afro-Cuban, disco and funk back to Lehman Center to celebrate their 50th Anniversary on Saturday, June 1st at 8PM.
Heralded as Cuba’s greatest dance orchestra known worldwide for their iconic live performances, Formell y Los Van Van features three of the late founder Juan Formell‘s children: Samuel Formell (Leader and Drummer/Timbalero) , Juan-Carlos Formell (Bassist) and the family’s youngest daughter, Vanessa Formell (lead vocalist).
BIO: Formell y Los Van Van, nicknamed the “Cuban Music Train,” is regarded as one of the most influential bands in the history of 20th century Cuban popular music. Founded in 1969 by Juan Formell when he was 27 years old, the band pioneered Songo, a hybrid rhythm that blended Cuba’s native folkloric son music with the go-go of the 1970s and has electrified dance floors in Havana for over forty-five years.
The band’s original members were: Juan Formell (bandleader, bass player, and songwriter), Cesar “Pupy” Pedroso (piano, songwriter), and Jose Luis “Changuito” Quintana (drums and timbales). Each one were music conservatory trained from a young age and were fascinated with the soul, go-go and disco music that dominated U.S. radio.
They named their dance band “Los Van Van” (which literally means “they go-go”) after the go-go fad, and pioneered the hybrid of son and go-go music – Songo – which can now be found throughout Latin jazz, pop, and world fusion.
And if the genius of Songo wasn’t enough, they also developed the complex rhythmic style that became known as Timba that was adapted by other bands in the ‘90s. Los Van Van soon became one of the best-known Cuban groups in the world, maintaining a loyal fan base throughout Latin America, Europe and Japan propelled by hits such as: “La Sandunguera,” “Anda, Ven y Muévete,” “Te Traigo” and “Yuya Martinez.”
In 1993, Changuito left the band and was replaced by Formell’s son Samuel who also proved to be an outstanding composer as evidenced by the song: “Te Pone La Cabeza Mala”, the title track of one of their best albums. Although American politics hindered their ability to break into the U.S. market, their popularity in the U.S. grew throughout the ’90s, and the band toured the U.S. for the first time in 1997, including a memorable concert at Lehman Center.
Two years later, Los Van Van was honored with the GRAMMY® Award for Best Salsa Performance for their fifteenth album, Llegó…Van Van — Van Van is Here and in 2013, the Latin Recording Academy awarded Juan Formell with a special Grammy for a Lifetime Achievement of Artistic Excellence.
With over 40 albums to their credit, Formell y Los Van Van’s 2015 album Homenaje A Juan Formell: La Fantasia, was 80% completed at the time of Juan Formell’s death in 2014 and was finished under the direction of his son Samuel with another son, Juan-Carlos Formell.
The album’s release on Reyes Records in December, 2014 was on the 45th anniversary of the band’s founding and it features several of the band’s hit dance tracks refreshed with contemporary arrangements as well as many new songs including the widely popular: “Somos Diferentes”, “Todo se Acabó” and “La Moda”. Sony Music released it worldwide in 2016 and it earned a 2017 Grammy nomination for the Best Tropical Latin Album.
The group’s most recent album “Los Van Van son La Patria” is scheduled to be released on Cuba’s Engrem label later this summer.
BIO: Mario “Mayito” Rivera is nicknamed “El Poeta de La Rumba” for his ability to vocally interpret all forms of Cuban music in both modern and traditional styles with a colorful range that can be powerfully dynamic or tender and soft.
He was born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, and has degrees from both the Escuela Nacional de Arte and the Instituto Superior de Arte. After college, he joined the band of Cuban singer Albita Rodríguez and played bass in Grupo Moncada.
From 1992 to 2011, Mayito was the characteristic voice and face of the extremely successful Cuban band, Los Van Van. He sang many of the band’s salsa hits, for which he was rewarded with a Latin GRAMMY® and two nominations.
Bio: Pedro “Pedrito” Calvo is a popular Cuban-born vocalist known for his charismatic and unique singing style which often includes clever word play and expressive rhythmic vocal sounds. Pedrito started his professional career singing with his father’s orchestra and years after with several Cuban orchestras including:
La Riviera, La Orquesta de Julio Valdés, and La Ritmo Oriental with hits such as: “Mi Socio Manolo” and “Aquí el que Manda es Mulé”. He was the most famous for his time (1974-2001) with Los Van Van, where he was part of the infamous lead singing trio of Los Van Van along with Mayito Rivera and Roberto Hernández.
Event Details:
www.LEHMANCENTER.org