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Papo Lucca. The Giant of the South
Latin America / Puerto Rico
Papo Lucca born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on April 2, 1946, Enrique ‘Papo’ Lucca began playing the piano at age 11 with his father’s orchestra. Initially, La Ponceña played versions of tropical hits of the moment by bands like Cortijo y su Combo and La Sonora Matancera.
In the late 1960s, Papo became the orchestra’s musical director, beginning a profound transformation that would eventually establish la Ponceña as one of the most progressive groups in the history of Afro-Caribbean music. Papo’s orchestrations were bold, experimenting with elements of jazz, rock, and Brazilian music. Representing the authentic spirit of Puerto Rican salsa, his piano solos were velvety, displaying elegance, restraint, and infinite swing.
During the mid-’70s, La Ponceña began to enjoy unprecedented success with critics and the public. The band recorded for the Inca label, which eventually became part of the Fania empire. Papo was invited to arrange and play on sessions for the company’s biggest artists, including Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz and Cheo Feliciano. He also recorded and toured with the Fania All Stars.
This compilation pays tribute to the art of Papo Lucca through 14 classic songs recorded between 1967 and 1981. Although Lucca has recorded as a solo artist and also collaborated with a multitude of salsa stars, it is his work with La Ponceña that best expresses the clarity of his vision.
The music we make has to make people happy, as well as make them dance. That’s what it’s all about, says Lucca from her home in Puerto Rico. When the public can dance, no matter how complicated the music is. The first theme that this genre had was to divulge the things that happened in the different communities, as if it were a newspaper.
Our journey begins with two fiery songs from the beginnings of La Ponceña: “Hachero Pa’Un Palo” and “Fuego En El 23” are versions of songs by Cuban Arsenio Rodríguez. La Ponceña always had a soft spot for Puerto Rican folklore, but she also found inspiration in the golden age of Cuban music.
The precise moment in which La Ponceña becomes a mature orchestra in total control of its aesthetics can be found in the six songs from the Musical Conquest/Conquista Musical and El Gigante Del Sur albums. Launched on the market in 1976 and 1977 respectively, they represent the pinnacle of the salsa movement.
These songs combine a musical skill that approaches virtuosity with deep lyrics and a generous sense of humor. “Ñáñara Caí” is a hilarious narrative of pure magical realism, describing a world where everything is turned upside down (my favorite phrase: I saw a cow/Hit with Pacheco). Also included in Musical Conquest, “El Pío Pío” achieves the perfect cross between Afro-Cuban rhythm and contagious pop. This hit is a mandatory part of all La Ponceña concerts.
The opening theme of the El Gigante Del Sur album, “Boranda” seems to offer a salsa version of progressive rock. Its lyrics contain an important sociopolitical message, and the sophistication of its arrangement is a slap in the face for all those who believe that this music is only for dancing. “Soy Tan Feliz” combines bolero climates with an electric piano solo that recalls the psychedelic sound of jazz-rock from the ’70s. “Noche Como Boca ‘E Lobo” creates a tasty collision between salsa fever and Brazilian rhythms.
Lucca was not alone in his mission to reinvent the rules of Puerto Rican dance music. It was also benefited by the prowess of some of the best instrumentalists on the island. Furthermore, his instinct for choosing singers was always irreproachable.
Some of the vocalists of la Ponceña that appear here are Tito Gómez, who would later find fame with the Grupo Niche de Colombia; the inimitable Luigi Texidor, who gave a sense of placidity to all the songs he performed; and Yolanda Rivera, who added variety to the band’s sound with her unique timbre.
One of Rivera’s happiest moments is included here: Coming from 1980’s Unchained Force, Johnny Ortiz’s “Borinquen” is a soulful anthem to Puerto Rico, blessed with a sinuous melody and subtle instrumental arrangement–one of Rivera’s happiest moments. transcendental within the Ponceña canon.
The golden days of salsa are a distant memory in the new millennium, but Papo Lucca hasn’t stopped shining. Perhaps precisely because he continues to record new music, he refuses to idealize the past when I ask him what his favorite album with “La Ponceña.”
The last one, the most recent, he explained in his characteristically introverted tone. All the albums are very important in the career of the orchestra. They all fulfilled their mission at the time, which was to reaffirm the previous one. That’s the way to maintain a pool after 50 years.
The teacher was a little more direct when I asked him about his favorite concert of all time.
It was my first concert with the Fania All Stars at Madison Square Garden, back in 1974, he said. All the stars of the Fania were still alive. A few years later we played in front of 47,000 people in Cali. My knees always shake before I go on stage, but this time they shook a little more.
Anacaona Orchestra
Latin America / Cuba / Havana
Anacaona Orchestra. Women of Cuba Since 1932
Genesis Founded in 1932
Anacaona Orchestra founded on February 19, 1932 by Concepción Castro Zaldarriaga and her sisters, being then the first female sextet of Son Cubano and in 1934 expanded to the Jazz Band and Charanga Típica format, projecting itself to the world from the famous ¨Aires Libres of the Saratoga Hotel. ¨ in the Havana Prado.
Between the 1940s and 1960s, these talented women toured throughout North to South America, the Caribbean and France.
In Mexico, one of the countries most visited by the orchestra at this stage, its images and sounds were recorded in some film of Mexican Cinema, such as: ¨the night is ours¨, ¨I do not deny my past¨ and ¨Women of theater¨ in which they alternated with film and music artists from that country. Also at that same time they recorded with the RCA Víctor label.
The Aguirres
The sisters Giorgia and Dora Aguirre, with a solid musical background, specializing in Double Bass and Saxophone, recently graduated from the ¨Amadeo Roldan¨ Music Conservatory, joined the Anacaona Orchestra with its original founders in 1983, under the direction Alicia Castro, with whom they learned the most genuine genres of Cuban popular music, the rigor and discipline in this profession.
3rd Generation
After the retirement of the Castro sisters in December 1987, she assumed the direction of the Georgia Aguirre Orchestra, who, together with her sister and other young women who had also graduated from music schools, continued the work begun by the founders, consolidating a style that combines tradition with modernity, to preserve and enhance the history of Anacaona.
Tours
Internationally, they have traveled to more than 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the Caribbean, performing at important festivals and multiple stages, among which the most outstanding are:
The tour of 34 countries in the People’s Republic of China; his participation in the play ¨El Burgués Tropical¨ under the direction of Gerome Sabarì, inspired by Moliere’s classic, El Bourgeois Gentleman”; the tour made through some cities in the United States in which they also had a very emotional meeting with Graciela Pérez, singer and founder of Anacaona and the show “Sabor de la Habana” that opened the season of Cuban shows at the Cabaret Del Gran Casino Monte Carlo of the Principality of Monaco,
In addition to other important jazz and summer festivals in Spain, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Holland, Canada, Jamaica, Aruba, Curacao, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Peru, Honduras, Venezuela and Mexico, among others.
Rubby Haddock is one of the greatest exponents of our most danceable Latin Music in the Island of Enchantment
Our orchestra was born at the end of 1969, year in which we also began to record the 1st production “Presenting” which was released at the end of 1970.
Many talented musicians have passed through our orchestra such as Juancito Torres, Mario Ortiz, Rey Santos, Frank Morell, Hugo Dumont and many more that we will mention later.
Singers such as Sergio Cariño, Juan Acosta, Raul Carbonell Jr., Tony Rivas, Cucho Caro, Andres Reyes, Pedro Arroyo, Ricky Ramos, Tito Gomez, Yolanda Rivera, Eddie Rosario and Johnny Maldonado.
Rubby Haddock is one of the greatest exponents of good Latin music. His orchestra is known as one of the most danceable “Big Bands” on the Island.
He is called “El Maestro” by his followers and fellow artists. Because of his long artistic career, exposed to the world of show business, Rubby has become one of the best connoisseurs in the history of Latin music.
Born in Manhattan, New York on February 6th to Puerto Rican parents. His mother lived in Miami most of her life and in the late 60’s his father, Ruben Haddock who was a musician in New York, founded the most famous Dance Club in Puerto Rico, MIRAMAR CENTER when he owned El Club Coameño in Rio Piedras and El Club Caborrojeño in Bayamon.
A glorious time where his Producer Father brought to the Island of Puerto Rico the biggest stars of Latin music such as: TITO RODRIGUEZ, TITO PUENTE, LA LUPE, EDDIE PALMIERI, RICKY RAY, JOEY PASTRANA, JOE CUBA, WILLY COLON, HECTOR LAVOE, LARRY HARLOW, ISMAEL MIRANDA, CHIVIRICO DAVILA, TNT BAND among others, besides being manager and producer of ROBERTO Y SU NUEVO MONTUNO.
Rubby Haddock grew up with his father as a teenager in Puerto Rico within the entire business operation of Don Ruben, knowing these top stars of our music and hence the vein of musician and producer during his artistic career and experience in show business.
Rubby Haddock studied piano but showed that his passion was playing trombone.
For the years 1972 under the label UNIART, Rubby Haddock launches his first record production, “PRESENTING ORCH HADDOCK” becoming a powerful hit on the Island with the musical cut MONACILLO Y CORREA COTTO as some of the hits of this production.
In this first stage of Rubby’s musical career are among the different recordings: “PRESENTING”, “ASI ME LLAMAN”, “LA LEYENDA”, “DE REGRESO”, “UNLIMITED”, “2ND CONCIERTO FAMILIA TH”, “THE ENTERTAINER”, “THE ENTERTINER 2”, “OTRA VEZ”, “SALSA TROPICAL”, “EL RUBI DE LA SALSA”, “PASAPORTE MUSICAL”, “EL RUBI DE LA SALSA” and “PASAPORTE MUSICAL”.
In the second stage of his career, in 1978, when Rubby was the most popular in Puerto Rico with the song “Son Los Nervios”, one of the songs that propelled merengue on the island, Rubby surprised everyone by joining the U.S. Armed Forces in San Antonio Texas and Washington State, where in addition to completing medical courses, he also completed his Bachelor of Music Education at the Universities of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran.
In the 9th Infantry Div. Rubby became a member of the 9th Infantry Division Band where in addition to the Division Military Orchestra, Rubby most enjoyed the experience of being a member of the JAZZ ENSEMBLE BAND and the Big Band Jazz.
It didn’t take long for some of these great musicians to come and join Rubby’s Orchestra… At the request of a great Puerto Rican friend, and high ranking Army officer Eddie Velez, Rubby agreed to form his Orchestra back in Tacoma Washington State.
Remembering beautiful moments lived outside of his homeland until 1980, when he returned to Puerto Rico for a recording contract with the firm TH RECORDS, In this “come-back” in his return to Puerto Rico for the 80’s Rubby produces one of his most successful works: “De Regreso” with songs like: A Mi Jibarita, El Amor, Maria Teresa, Sra. Temptation with singers Raul Carbonell and Tony Rivas.
At the end of the 80’s Rubby Haddock ventured into Puerto Rican television, Wapa TV and Telemundo Channel 2, as producer of shows such as “Un puertorriqueño para la Historia (José Feliciano)”, New Year’s Eve Specials, etc.
Rubby Haddock y Sus Amigos, where the most prestigious artists such as: José José, José Feliciano, Mongo Santamaría, Barry Rogers, Eddie Palmieri, Julio Angel, and many more paraded in this section produced within the Midday Show. …. This show remained on the air for five and a half years.
By 1992 Rubby Haddock y su Orquesta represented Puerto Rico in the Puerto Rican Pavilion at Expo 1992 in Seville, Spain.
In the mid 90’s, although Rubby still continued as the Director of his Orchestra, he also ventured as an Entrepreneur with his own commercial Advertising Agency, where in addition to directing the entire operation of the agency Haddock & Haddock Adv, he was also the Creative, being in charge of all the production of Radio, Press and Television commercials for all the clients of the Agency.
By that time Rubby had already founded his own Recording Studio (Pentagrama Round), where he produced his three most recent productions of this decade in addition to sharing recordings for artist friends such as: Omar Alfano with Son By 4, it was from this studio that hits such as “A puro Dolor” were released.
His recording engineer was the outstanding engineer Sonny Hernandez. With him he shared works with artists such as: Danny Rivera, Andrés Jiménez, Ismael Miranda, Elvis Crespo, Melina León, Edwin Colon Sayas, Trió Borinquén, and others.
In 2000 Rubby moved to the United States where he currently lives. His fans constantly ask him to re-form his Orchestra because they miss his music and they also ask him for a compilation of his hits and a “Historia DVD” exposing the History of his Salsa, which seems to be Rubby Haddock’s next endeavor as an Artist.
Rubby has 3 sons, the first 2 Reuben Haddock and Rubby Haddock Jr, dedicated their careers to the business world and his youngest son Randy Haddock, who currently lives in New York, is a musician, singer and composer, already demonstrating great talent and the vein that comes from Don Ruben (grandfather) and Rubby (his father).
Sources:
https://www.rubbyhaddock.com/news
Also Read: Jerry Ferrao says in salsa key: “My life is a drum”.
Exclusive with tres player Iván Camblor from the group Pellejo Seco
Cuban musicians have always found the way to stand out in the entertainment world thanks to their talent and commitment and one of those examples is Ivan Camblor, tres player and vocalist with whom we have had the privilege to talk about his career and what was achieved with the group led by him right now, which is Pellejo Seco.
During the conversation, the artist elaborated on a few topics we found relevant to discuss and we were pleased to hear some of the most important data of one of the most important Cuban son groups in the Bay Area today.
Iván Camblor’s beginnings in music
As is the case of many other artists of his kind, Ivan showed a very early interest in music, specifically since he was at school in his hometown, Havana, Cuba. He defines himself as a self-taught composer who began his musical learning on the street, while he attended classes like any child his age.
From a very young age, many veteran musicians saw in him the enormous potential he had for music, so they began teaching him all they knew, leading him to the path of Cuban son and traditional Cuban music. Today, these genres is still his north after so many decades.
The Felix Varela School of Music
When he was old enough, Iván attended the Félix Varela School of Music, where he studied music appreciation theory, but unfortunately the island’s economic situation affected that part of his learning. Over time, the conditions of the institute started to worsen, making many teachers resign and leave students without chances to continue their studies, including Ivan, who could not see the classes he wanted because of the lack of staff.
Being unable to study what he wanted, Ivan decided to continue learning on his own with the musical groups he had contact with and that is how it continued until today.
His singing, composition and ability to play the Cuban tres came with the experience he acquired on the street and with friends who knew more about music than he did. He refers to guitarist and tres player Octavio Sánchez ”Cotán” and El Niño Rivera as his greatest teachers and influences.
With the experience gained, he had the opportunity to go through all the Cuban music companies, since there were not many tres players at that time and tres teaching was very new.
Music composed by Iván for films
Just as Iván was in several groups, he also had the opportunity to compose original music for films and such was the case of the film ”Hacerse El Sueco” directed by his great friend Edesio Alejandro, who contacted him to support him in the musical part of the production.
It is then when he proposed him to write four or five original tracks to be used for the film, but Ivan did not mind getting credit, but helping his great friend with his project, so all the material is under his label Orula Music.
However, he is grateful for the experience and the opportunity to help a good friend who needed his talent at that moment.
Ivan’s coming to the United States
Ivan remembers his coming to the United States as one of the most difficult things he had to do, since it is not easy to leave his roots and everything he knows to seek a different kind of future in other lands.
At first, Ivan was not at all convinced of this decision, but his then partner and mother of his only son made him see that it was the best for them to leave Cuba and go to the United States to try their luck, to which the artist finally agreed.
For many years, the tres player thought the worst of his host country because of the ideas the he grew up with in Cuba, but upon arrival, he found that the reality was very different from the propaganda he was bombarded with in his childhood and youth.
Once he was there, he started working on the area of music that he liked most since he was in Cuba, composition. It was then that the idea of forming his own musical group started going round his head.
How the group Pellejo Seco was created
Ivan conceived Pellejo Seco as a project in which he would pay homage to the Cuban community, so he tried to find the best musicians for the task. One of them was Cuban trumpeter Marcos Diaz, Puerto Rican Hector Lugo, trumpeter Mario Silva, Liban Montoya, Mexican singer Rogelio Maya and singer German Donatien. This is the original group with which the artist started his band, but others have already joined other orchestras or have started something on their own.
That was more than 20 years ago and, today, Pellejo Seco has managed to consolidate itself as one of the main Cuban music groups in the Bay Area. Now, it is the most required traditional Cuban music sextet in the area.
As for the name of the band, Ivan chose the name ”Pellejo Seco” as a tribute to the Cuban peasants whose skin is hard and dry as leather due to the sun and the working conditions that they are exposed to.
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