Search Results for: Israel

Itamar Doari

Europe/ Israel / Galilee

Itamar Doari, Born and raised in Galilee, grew up surrounded by a variety of musical traditions: Arabic, Sephardic, Turkish, Persian, Bedouin

Itamar Doari is an international percussion artist who has spent most of his adult life traveling around the world giving concerts, recording albums, appearing at music conferences and most importantly studying the ancient art of rhythm and drumming. He began his musical journey at the young age of six, when he played his first drum in the Israeli desert oasis of Wadi Farran.

Itamar, born and raised in Galilee, grew up surrounded by a variety of musical traditions: Arabic, Sephardic, Turkish, Persian, Bedouin and many others which had a huge influence on his musical persona. During his early years of playing, he had the privilege of learning from some of the most prestigious teachers in percussion and hand drum technique in the world, among them; Zohar Fresco, Glen Vallez, Sallem Darwish and Ahmed Taher. Doari plays a wide range of instruments, including the Darbuka, Dohola and a variety of frame drums such as Bandir, Tar, Riq, Udu, and Cajon alongside Cymbals, bells, shakers and many others.

Itamar Doari’s wide ranging techniques have led him to work with an eclectic mix of some of the world’s finest musicians. Including prominent Jazz musician Avishai Cohen, with whom Doari has performed and recorded three albums, both as a musician and as a musical producer.

He was at the forefront of the Idan Raichal Project, which gained international success due to the unique Ethiopian musical exploration.

He has a continuing musical association with mandolinist and Grammy nominee Avi Avital, with whom Doari has collaborated in several projects including the “Between Worlds” Trio and with orchestras around the world. The great Ladino singer Yasmin Levy, Israeli Rock legend Berry Sakharof, oud player Samir Mekhul,Esther Ofarim, Yoni Rechter, Eviatar Banai, Amal Murcus, Ahuva Ozeri, Shotei Hanevuah, Nitin Sawhney, Omer Faruk, Tekbilek and Radiohead guitarist and composer Johnny Greenwood.

In 2010, Itamar became one of the founding members of the band Yemen Blues along with singer & composer Ravid Kahalani, the band explores music from a variety of different cultures from Yemen to West Africa inflected with contemporary grooves of funk, Arabic Music and the deep soul of old chants. A project particularly close to Itamar’s heart is one he created entitled WadiAtma.

In 2015, he put together a band of virtuoso musicians from the Flamenco and Middle Eastern traditions which created a musical melting pot of ancient art forms.

The name of the project unites souls (Atma in Sanskrit) with the wadi (originally an Arabic word that found its way to Spain via Andalusia) in a way that describes, in the best possible way, the meeting on stage: The Valley of the Souls. His collaborations have seen him perform on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and Festivals.

Itamar has recorded with several notable record labels, such as; Universal, EMI, Deutsche Grammophone, Sony, Helicon, Blue Note, Decca

Bebo Valdés is considered one of the central figures of the golden age of Cuban music

On March 22, 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden, Dionisio Ramón Emilio Valdés Amaro, better known as Bebo Valdés, died.

He was an excellent musician of Cuban music and Afro-Cuban jazz, considered one of the central figures of the golden age of Cuban music.

In addition to being a pianist, his best known facet, he has been a composer, arranger and orchestra conductor.

He was born in Quivicán, Cuba, on October 9, 1918. He was the father of the Afro-Cuban jazz pianist Chucho Valdés (b. 1941). From 1931 to 1935 he studied piano in his hometown with Moraima González; in 1936 he moved with his family to Havana, where he studied music theory, harmony and composition with Oscar Bofartigue.

In 1938 he made his professional debut with Happy D’Ulacia’s orchestra. He played in Havana, since the 1940s, in the orchestras Ulacia, García Curbelo, Julio Cueva and Orquesta Tropicana, and recorded albums with groups dedicated to performing Afro-Cuban jazz.2

Known among his family and friends by the affectionate nickname of Caballón because of his considerable stature, he composed mambos, such as La rareza del siglo, which covers the genre recently introduced by Pérez Prado and which would change the course of Cuban music. From 1948 until 1957, he worked at the Tropicana cabaret as pianist and arranger for Rita Montaner.

The Sabor de Cuba orchestra, of Bebo Valdés, and that of Armando Romeu, made the show of this night club, in which Valdés stopped performing in 1957, when he was hired by Ernesto Roca, of the Peer International Music Publishers, to make arrangements for Xiomara Alfaro and Pío Leyva; at the same time, he joined Guillermo Álvarez Guedez, of the Panart and Rolando Laserie in Radio Progreso. With his orchestra Sabor de Cuba, he accompanied singers Reinaldo Henríquez, Orlando Guerra (Cascarita), Pío Leyva and Ada Rex; Beny Moré also sang with this group, and Chucho Valdés made his debut.

About the descarga or jam session, there are multiple versions, this is the one by Bebo Valdés which, due to the concreteness of data, dates and record labels that made the recordings, is the most objective: “One night in October 1952, I was resting in a cabaret in Havana with members of the Tropicana orchestra.

Bebo Valdés Fue un excelente músico de música cubana y jazz afrocubano, considerado como una de las figuras centrales de la época dorada de la música

It is important to know that since 1948, Cuban, Mexican or even American musicians used to meet on Sunday afternoons at the Tropicana to play descarga, in the course of which we mixed jazz and Cuban rhythms.

Sometimes the descargas were held at four o’clock in the morning, at the end of the [Tropicana] show. The percussionist Guillermo Barreto was the one who animated them; we had received Roy Haynes, Kenny Drew, Sarah Vaughan, Richard Davis and many other musicians passing through; in fact, all the great names of jazz paraded through the Tropicana.

All of that could have been recorded, but no one was interested. So, that night Irving Price, the owner of a record store on Galiano Street, announces to me that producer Norman Granz is in town and that he can’t believe that Cuban musicians are capable of playing jazz.

Granz and Price ask me to go to the studio to record. It was September 16, 1952. So, I called some musicians, but I myself was late for the session, because in the morning I had another recording for RCA: I was going to accompany a singer! When I finally arrived at Panart’s studio, Granz had already left for the United States.

We called the orchestra The Andre’s All Star, after the name of Irving Price’s record store. We had decided to play classic jazz tunes, such as Distrust, Taboo, Sleep and Blues for Andre. At the end of the session, as there were still a few minutes available for the record, I started playing a riff, from which we improvised. We called that track “Con poco coco.”

The record was titled Cubano! and the participating musicians were all from the Tropicana cabaret: Gustavo Más, tenor saxophone; Alejandro Vivar (El Negro Vivar), trumpet; Kiki Hernández, double bass; Guillermo Barreto, timbal; Rolando Alfonso, tumbadora and Bebo Valdés, piano.

The works it contains are the same as those mentioned by Bebo Valdés, and the label, Mercury. In 1955, Bebo Valdés recorded, in the studios of Radio Progreso, Holiday Habana and She Adores the Latin Type, for the Decca label, which contained mambo, chachachá, bolero, jazz descarga, even jazz with bebop tendencies.

According to Luc Delannoy, in 1956 the Panart recorded Cuban Jam Session, with Julio Gutiérrez and Pedro Jústiz (Peruchín), as directors, and the musicians Alejandro Vivar (El Negro Vivar), Edilberto Escrich, Osvaldo Urrutia (Mosquifin), Emilio Peñalver, José Silva (CHombo), Juan Pablo Miranda, Salvador Vivar, Jesús Esquijarrosa (Chucho), Oscar Valdés, father, Marcelino Valdés, Walfredo de los Reyes and José Antonio Méndez. The participation of Israel López (Cachao) in a descarga did not occur until 1957, when the Panart recorded Descargas cubanas, with the participation of Cachao himself, Guillermo Barreto, Gustavo Tamayo, Rogelio Iglesias, Richard Egües, Andrés Hechavarría (El Niño Rivera), Rolito Pérez, Alfredo León, Arístides Soto (Tata Güines), Alejandro Vivar (El Negro Vivar), Generoso Jiménez, Orestes López (Macho), Emilio Peñalver and Virgilio Vixama. In other years, there were also recordings of downloads, and some unrecorded ones, such as those recalled by Leonardo Acosta at the Cuban Jazz Club, held between 1958 and 1960, with the participation of Pedro Jústiz (Peruchín), piano; Guillermo Barreto, drums and pailas, and Arístides Soto (Tata Güines), tumbadora (drums). This proves -or at least shows another side of the coin- that Bebo Valdés was one of the initiators of descarga in Cuba, a resource used by Cuban musicians in the most diverse instrumental formats, genres and styles of our popular music, as, for example, did the composers of the filin movement.

On June 8, 1952, with a band of twenty musicians, Bebo unveiled the batanga rhythm in the studios of RHC Cadena Azul; among the three singers in the orchestra was Beny Moré.

Bebo Valdés un virtuoso de la música cubana

That same year he travels to Mexico with the purpose of recording a disc with this new modality of Cuban music, which also included a new choreography; they were not successful, and, according to Bebo Valdés, “the batanga died a natural death”.

When he left Cuba in 1960 due to disagreements with the Cuban government, Bebo also abandoned his family, his wife Pilar Valdés and his five children (including Chucho). Bebo Valdés goes to Mexico, then moves to Los Angeles, California, where he works with singer Miguelito Valdés; from there he travels to Spain, where he records two albums as director of the orchestra that accompanies Chilean singer Lucho Gatica.

Later he toured England, France, Holland, Germany and Finland with the Lecuona Cuban Boys. In 1963 he settled in Sweden, and worked with the Hatuey Orchestra, a Swedish group playing Cuban music. In Sweden he formed a new family when he married in 1963.

International career

After thirty years of relative anonymity, on November 25, 1994, Valdés received a call from Paquito D’Rivera, who invited him to record a new album in Germany for the Messidor label. A new beginning in his career took place at the age of 76 with the recording of Bebo Rides Again.

He participated in Fernando Trueba’s film Calle 54, along with, among others, pianist and composer Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Elaine Elías, Chano Domínguez, Jerry González, Michel Camilo, Leandro J. Barbieri (Gato Barbieri), Ernesto Antonio Puente (Tito Puente), Arturo O’Farrill (Chico), Israel López (Cachao), Orlando Ríos (Puntilla) and Carlos Valdés (Patato).

In 2004 he traveled to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, to participate in Trueba’s film El milagro de Candeal, along with Carlinhos Brown, Marisa Monte, Mateus Aleluia and César Mendez.

Bebo y Chucho Valdés una verdadera dinastía de la Música Cubana

An integral musician capable of tackling the most diverse genres and styles of music, not only as a pianist and composer, but also as an orchestrator and orchestra conductor of sublime values; of solid technical training, both theoretical and pianistic, Bebo Valdés is one of the all-time greats of Cuban music. He was, with Israel López (Cachao) and Patato Valdés, nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for El arte del sabor, best traditional tropical album 2002.

In 2002, Fernando Trueba produced Lágrimas negras, an album that unites flamenco singer Diego el Cigala with Bebo Valdés on piano.

After its release in 2003, it became an international success, recognized with a Grammy, three Music Awards, an Ondas Award, five Amigo Awards, three Platinum Discs in Spain and one each in Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela. The New York Times praised the album as Best Latin Music Album of the Year and opened the doors to a tour of Paris, New York, London, Havana, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Mexico City, Madrid and Barcelona, among others. By the end of 2004 the album had sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.

He retired to Benalmádena, a village in the province of Málaga (Spain), until his death in Stockholm (Sweden).

Chucho Valdés

Tata Güines known as Manos de Oro, Cuban rumbero and percussionist

Known as Manos de Oro, he modernized the tumbadoras and played with the most important musicians of the island of Cuba.

He was born in Güines, Havana on June 30, 1930, in the bosom of a family of musicians, son of Joseíto “El tresero” and Niñita, who from a very young age used to play a boot-cleaning box in the corner of the Chapel of Santa Bárbara, in the legendary neighborhood of Leguina, where so many congas and bembés have been made and will continue to be enjoyed.

Artistic trajectory

Saying Federico Arístides Soto Alejo may not say anything to some music neophytes, but when you say Tata Güines, things change radically and everyone thinks: That is the tumbadora made soul and flavor.

Tata Güines conocido como Manos de Oro, modernizó las tumbadoras y tocó con los más relevantes músicos de la isla de Cuba

He became attached to percussion instruments, especially the tumbadora, which, as a Cuban, groaned under the effect of his prodigious hands. Under the influence of Chano Pozo, whose touches bewitched him and gave him the key to create his own style.

He was formed as a musician among the drums and the religious festivities of his neighborhood. He adopted his nickname as a child -el Tata-, and as a surname the name of the town where he grew up. Music was in his blood: his father and uncles made music with their hides.

He played double bass in the group Ases del Ritmo. He was part of the Partagás group, led by his uncle Dionisio Martínez, and later founded the Estrellas Nacientes orchestra and performed with the Swing Casino orchestra in Güines.

In 1946 he performed in his hometown with the Conjunto de Arsenio Rodríguez.

Tata Güines, rumbero y percusionista cubano

}In 1948 he moved to Havana, where he was a member of the orchestras La Nueva América, led by Pao Domini; La Habana Sport led by José Antonio Díaz, Unión, led by Orestes López, La Sensación led by Belisario López, and in 1952 he joined Fajardo y sus Estrellas, with which he traveled to New York in 1956.

He joined Los Jóvenes del Cayo, with which he appeared on the radio station La Voz del Aire; later he performed with the ensembles Camacho and Gloria Matancera.

He accompanied the trio Taicuba as a bongo player, and worked with Guillermo Portabales, Celina y Reutilio, and Ramón Veloz. He participated, along with Chano Pozo, in the comparsa Los Dandys de Belén; also, Los Mosqueteros del Rey, Los Mambises and Las Boyeras.

He recorded with Arturo O’Farrill (Chico) and with Cachao y su Ritmo Caliente, Frank Emilio, Guillermo Barreto, Gustavo Tamayo and others. He was part of the Quinteto Instrumental de Música Moderna (later Los Amigos), led by pianist Frank Emilio; Guillermo Barreto, timbal, Gustavo Tamayo, güiro, Israel López (Cachao) and Orlando Hernández (Papito), double bass.

In 1955 he travels to Caracas, Venezuela, to participate in the carnivals of that city. He traveled to New York with the Fajardo y sus Estrellas orchestra, with which he performed at the Palladium, where he coincided with Machito y sus Afro-Cubans and Benny Moré, whom he accompanied on the tumbadora; he also performed at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where he worked for the first time as a soloist.

He prepared a show and shared the stage with Josephine Baker, Frank Sinatra, Maynard Ferguson and Los Chavales de España, with whom he recorded the piece “No te puedo querer”.

In 1960 he returned to Cuba. Four years later he founded Los Tatagüinitos. He offered a concert with the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Manuel Duchesne Cuzán, with which he performed his work Perico no llores más. He accompanied the guitarist and composer Sergio Vitier in his work Ad Libitum, danced by Alicia Alonso and Antonio Gades.

International tours

He toured California, Chicago, Miami, Puerto Rico, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Martinique, Monte Carlo, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary, where he participated in the Jazz Festival; Soviet Union, Finland, Spain.

Musical Validity

Tata Güines was a master of masters of Cuban percussion. His death represents a notable loss for Cuban culture. Nobody like him in Cuba to make percussion an art.

In front of Tata Güines, the leather of the drum seemed the most delicate and expensive silk. He would place his agile hand on the tanned skin stretched by the fire, and with his fingernails he would achieve the saddest of laments as well as the most contagious smile.

Few knew him as Federico Arístides Soto Alejo, but everyone knew that he had modernized the tumbadoras, that he was a master at placing the “loose” beats in a song, as if “carelessly”, but that the piece could not survive if it lacked that imprint of someone who let himself be carried away by the rhythm of the claves, by his very fine ear and by the demands of a body accustomed, since he was almost a child, to music.

He died on February 4, 2008 in Güines, Havana.

Federico Arístides Soto Alejo Tata Güines

Awards and recognitions

National Music Award 2006

Félix Varela Order 2004

Alejo Carpentier Medal 2002

Tataguines Soto Martinez

La Sonora Matancera musical congregation of long trajectory and its sound quality, is one of the most popular in the Caribbean island “Cuba”

It was founded in Matanzas in 1924 under the name of La Tuna Liberal.

Its first members were: Valentín Cané, director and tres player, Manuel Valera, guitar and second voice, Manuel Sánchez (Jimagua), timbal, Ismael Governa, cornetín, Pablo Vázquez Govín (Bubú), double bass, Domingo Medina, guitar, Ismael Goberna, cornetín, Julio Govín, guitar, José Manuel Valera, guitar, Juan Bautista Llopis, guitar.

In 1926 Carlos Manuel Díaz Alfonso (Caíto), falsetto voice and maracas, and Rogelio Martínez Díaz (El Gallego), guitar, joined the group and it adopted the name Sexteto Soprano.

On January 12, 1927, under the name of Estudiantina Sonora Matancera, they moved to Havana. In November of that year they recorded their first two recordings for the Victor label: Fuera, fuera, chino, by José Manuel Valera, and El porqué de tus ojos, by Valentín Cané.

With the definitive name of Conjunto Sonora Matancera, it began its transmissions on the radio station El Progreso Cubano (later Radio Progreso). At that time it appeared on Radio Atwater Kent; in 1932, at the suggestion of Rogelio Martínez Díaz, it took the name of Sonora Matancera, and began its performances in the Havana Sport dance academies, and later in Marte and Belona, and later became part of the cast of CMQ Radio. In 1935, trumpeter Calixto Leicea joined the group; in 1939, composer, pianist and orchestrator Severino Ramos, who gave the Sonora its distinctive sound with his orchestrations.

La Sonora Matancera congregación musical de larga trayectoria y su calidad sonora, es una de las más populares en la isla caribeña “Cuba”

In 1944 pianist Lino Frias and trumpeter Pedro Knight Caraballo joined the group, who with Calixto Leicea formed the most interesting trumpet duo in the history of Cuban ensembles; in 1945 singer Bienvenido Granda Aguilera; in 1948, Angel Alfonso Furias (Yiyo), tumbadora. At this time the Sonora Matancera was formed by Rogelio Martínez Díaz, director, guitarist and chorus; Pablo Vázquez Govín (Bubú), double bass; José del Rosario Chávez (Manteca), timbal; Ángel Alfonso Furias (Yiyo), tumbadora, who replaced Valentín Cané; Calixto Leicea, first trumpet; Pedro Knight Caraballo, second trumpet; Lino Frías, pianist; Carlos Manuel Díaz Alfonso (Caíto), falsetto voice and maracas; Bienvenido Granda, singer and claves; and Celia Cruz, who soon became the stellar singer we knew and the mainstay of the Sonora Matancera hits. Thus began a period that critics have called the golden age of the Sonora.

In 1950, with the advent of television, the Sonora Matancera was one of the first musical groups to perform on this medium. It also signed a contract with the Seeco record company, with whose recordings it made a name for itself in the international market. In 1952, Raimundo Elpidio Vázquez replaced his father, Pablo Vázquez, on double bass (when Rogelio Martínez Díaz died in 2001, he took over the leadership of the group).

In 1926, it changed its name to “Septeto Soprano”. That same year, Carlos M. Díaz “Caíto” accompanied Eugenio Pérez in the choir.

Later in 1927, on Caíto’s recommendation, Rogelio Martínez joined the group and the name of the group was changed to Estudiantina Sonora Matancera.

With a great desire to improve the group travels to Havana where they get in touch with the record company “RCA Victor” and make their first recording on January 12, 1928.

At the beginning of the thirties, the group began to adapt to the new rhythms that were appearing at that time as well as adapting new instruments, such as the grand piano, which was played for the first time in the group by Dámaso Pérez Prado, who years later would become the “King of the Mambo”.

But it was in 1935 when the group took the name La Sonora Matancera, and with this change it introduced a new trumpet player: Calixto Leicea, who replaced Ismael Goberna, who died a few months later due to health problems.

The unforgettable José Rosario Chávez “Manteca”, who replaced the resigned “Jimagua”, also joined the band. Humberto Cané joined the group playing the tres and his father Valentín Cané began playing the tumbadora.

In 1938, Dámaso Pérez Prado retired and left the vacant piano position to Severino Ramos, who soon after became the musical arranger of the group.

During the first years of the forties they made presentations in dance academies, cabarets and in Radio Progreso Cubano, they also included in their repertoire: guarachas, montunos.

On January 6, 1944, two musicians from Arsenio Rodriguez’s group joined the group: Lino Frias (author of the popular song Mata Siguaraya) who began to play the piano and Pedro Knight who became the second trumpet player of the Sonora Matancera.

In the month of December, Bienvenido Granda enters the band recommended as vocalist, being his first recording “La Ola Marina” by Virgilio González, and with him they sign a contract with the nascent record label Panart Records. Valentín Cané, Israel del Pino, Caíto and Humberto Cané made recordings with this label.

In the middle of 1946 the founder Valentín Cané suffers asthmatic problems that force him to leave the group, dying two years later. Before the group joined Panart Records, it recorded other songs for the “Varsity” label, without the name of the Sonora Matancera appearing on the labels, here the first version of “Se Formó la Rumbantela” by Pablo Cairo, “Tumba Colorá”, “El Cinto De Mi Sombrero”, Bienvenido Granda and Humberto Cané participated in these numbers.

El Regreo de La Sonora Matancera 2022 2023

Members

Trumpets: Calixto Leicea and Pedro Knight

Double Bass: Elpidio Vázquez, replacing his father Pablo Vázquez, “Bubu”.

Piano: Lino Frías

Timbales, Bongó and Campana: José Rosario Chávez “Manteca” Chávez

Tumbadora: Ángel Alfonso Furias “Yiyo”.

Guitar and Choir: Rogelio Martínez

Maracas and Chorus: Carlos Díaz Alonso “Caíto”.

Claves and Choir: Bienvenido Granda.

Last January 13, 2023 they turned 99 years old and are still going strong from generation to generation.

Source:

Enrrique “Culebra” Iriarte, Venezuelan pianist, arranger and orchestra conductor.

Bibliography: Ecured Cuba

La Sonora Matancera

You can read: Carlos “Patato” Valdés one of the best percussionists in the history of Latin Jazz

Christmas songs in salsa format from Puerto Rico to the world

International Salsa Magaine presents by Bella Martinez the Irreverent writer of La Salsa.

Julito Alvarado compone, arregla, produce “La marquesina”

Julito Alvarado composes, arranges, produces, complements on backing vocals and plays his trumpet on the recently released Christmas single entitled La marquesina. For this, he invites Luisito Carrión and Prodigio Claudio to be part of the song conceptualized in a traditional septet format. Before looking at the credits, I thought I heard Henry Santiago in the chorus singing: “Tú pones la marquesina y te traigo lo que te gusta” (You put up the marquee and I’ll bring you what you like) between pregón and pregón. Indeed, I located his name in the credits.

In the first minute, Julito harmonizes with his characteristic trumpet solo. At the second minute, we are treated to the Puerto Rican cuatro solo by Prodigio, shortly after Luisito Carrión brings out his commercial announcer’s voice, announcing the solo.

In addition to the above mentioned, the musicians responsible for such sonority are: Jerry Rivas and Julito Alvarado, along with Henry Santiago on backing vocals; Efraín Hernández on bass; Pedro Bermúdez on piano; Omar Hernández on timbales and bongo set; Tommy Lee Ramos on tumbadoras and Neftalí Ortiz on güiro.

Melina Almodóvar brings us Estamos en Navidad, written by Luigi Flores, who also made the musical arrangement and played the piano.

The song starts in Melina’s voice, announcing that we are in Christmas and that a new year is coming. “Oh, what an emotion and blessing that we are in Christmas…” she announces the good wishes chanting, between soneos: “have a lot of prosperity and that your dreams come true”.

Before the first minute, Fabiola Muñoz Ortiz’s Puerto Rican cuatro takes center stage. During the second minute, the guest of honor adds Puerto Rican spice to the longest Christmas in the world with her Puerto Rican cuatro solo, after Melina gives way with a resounding: “Tell Fabiola, how Christmas is heard in Puerto Rico”.

Melina also sings about the coquito, the Christmas menu and everything else that might suggest a Puerto Rican Christmas in full swing. I love the positive message, whose lyric assures us that the best is yet to come. It is one of the few contemporary Christmas songs -if not the only one- in that line of positive and motivational inspiration, without being a religious or sacred lyric. Anyway, the Christmas salsa song is great. It is very tasty.

The musicians responsible for accompanying Melina on this recording are as follows: Alex Zapata on trombones, Daniel Silva on bass, Caliche Sabogal on all percussion, our beloved musical genius -Luis Aquino- on trumpets. Henry García, Melina Almodóvar and Ángel Vallenilla complement from the choirs.

Ángel “Papote” Alvarado y su Grupo Esencia “Yo vengo”

Angel “Papote” Alvarado and his Grupo Esencia bring us the single entitled Yo vengo. The song takes off and “takes a trip” from the first bars, affirming with forcefulness between trombones and tambourines: “I come from a truly powerful race, very deep roots and unparalleled culture”. The pen and accordion of Ricky Martinez affirm in the voice of Papote: “My homeland is a jewel and in the world is unique, my people and my flag, are national treasure …” declaring patriotic pride and cultural responsibility, between soneos that embrace the chorus: “I come, I come, I come …”.

Motivating to move forward with the well known “pa’ lante boricua”, an honorable mention is given by saying a musical farewell to the late plenero Tito Matos, shortly before José Eduardo embellishes the theme with his Puerto Rican cuatro, so present during the Christmas season. This is the song that awakens Puerto Rican patriotism and motivates it to flourish.

Statements like: “how happy I feel with my flag held high” and “Puerto Rico my homeland, the queen of my loves, for its people and my people, the most beautiful of flowers” while listening to the brothers Toñito and Victor Vazquez guapear with their trombones; synchronize our hearts to the rhythm of patriotic pride that only the Puerto Rican Afro-Caribbean essence understands.

In keeping with the Puerto Rican concept of celebrating Christmas as early as September, as soon as the gentle breezes of our tropical Christmas season begin to be felt, Choco Orta released this Christmas classic. From the pen of our own Gloria Gonzalez, Choco Orta produced, directed and released this all-time hit.

It is worth mentioning that this song has already consolidated as a classic, originally popularized by the quartet Los Hispanos. In this way, Choco celebrates with Los Hispanos the 70th anniversary of the longest running quartet in existence, in addition to his 35 years of artistic career.

Choco Orta considers the Los Hispanos quartet “one of the great pearls and treasures of our Puerto Rican soil. Currently, the members of the Los Hispanos quartet are Wisón Torres, Tato Díaz, Rafy Torres and Nino Segara.

For the production of this single, Choco had the collaboration of Nino Segarra in the arrangement, musical direction and keyboards. Musicians of the stature of Julio Loyola on trumpets; Moisés Cancel on trombones; Hilton Mercado on baritone saxophone; Ceferino Cabán on piano; Alexis Pérez on bass; Manny Trinidad on cuatro and guitar and Javier Tito Álvarez on tumbadoras, bongo and timbales delivered such perfection.

La Orquesta del Rey de Puerto Rico “El lechón vacunao”

The Orquesta del Rey de Puerto Rico brings us El lechón vacunao, from the pen of Miguel García. The composer manages to inject jocularity into the return of the Puerto Rican Christmas celebration with all the trappings of the law, after having been inhibited from celebrating Christmas in person because of COVID-19.

Néstor Ramos Zavala interprets the nice song. He is accompanied by: Michael Colón and David Irurita on trombones; Harel Orengo, José Claudio and Eduardo Alvelo on trumpets; Juan Ramos on bongo; Gary Rodríguez on tumbadoras; Javier González on timbal; Benjamín Vázquez on bass; Sebastián Alicea on piano; Israel Santana on Puerto Rican cuatro; Cándido Reyes on güiro; Millie Smith, Luis Martínez and Jorge Agosto on backing vocals; Ezequiel Colón is the voice of Don Seco.

By Bella Martinez, ISM Correspondents, San Juan, Puerto Rico