Search Results for: Jazz

Wálter Rebatta from Peru is one of the most outstanding figures of Latin music

We are honored to present in this new delivery, one of the most outstanding figures of Latin music, representing the brother country of Peru; who has put very high the name of the musicians born in Inca lands to the world.

With you, directly from France, we have as a special guest Wálter Antonio Rebatta Hinostroza, a brand new and spectacular percussionist, who was born on September 14, 1973, in Bella Vista, Callao, Peru, being artistically known as “El Chato”.

Welcome Wálter to Salsa Escrita “La Columna Salsera de Barquisimeto, Venezuela”.

Wálter Rebatta desde Perú es una de las figuras más resaltantes de la música latinaWálter Rebatta desde Perú es una de las figuras

It is an immense pleasure to have you as a special guest in International Salsa Magazine through www.SalsaGoogle.com.

Thank you very much to you, my friend, Professor Carlos, for the invitation to your well read and recognized column and I take this opportunity to give a sincere greeting to all Venezuelans who are like my brothers.

How did you start in music? Well, teacher in my neighborhood called Ventanilla, in Peru, I grew up and since I was a child I breathed musical air, where at the age of 6 years old I was already playing “El Cajon”, traditional Peruvian Creole instrument, under the tutelage of my older brother Kike Rebatta, who took me later to learn other percussion instruments and prepare me with music theory, and then enter the music school of the renowned teacher Edelmi Chavez, and thus enter to form ranks in the most recognized orchestras in my country, such as: La Iniciativa, Orquesta la Grande, Banana Latin Jazz, among others. Wálter, which international orchestras and artists have you accompanied? I have accompanied and worked with “Los Hermanos Colón” from Puerto Rico and among many groups, I have had the honor of being on stage with my Venezuelan brothers, Hildemaro “El Sonero del Amor”, with whom I have a great friendship, as well as with the master timbalero Alfredo Villamizar, from whom I have learned a lot and from whom I must thank through his column Salsa Escrita.

Wálter Rebatta Multi-Percusionista Peruano

“Chato”, you are currently based in the French city of Grenoble and we would like to know how is the salsa movement, especially in Europe. In fact, professor, in 1995, I came to Europe with the “Orquesta Salsa Perú” and I met Mr. Rodolfo Guerra, with whom a great friendship was born and I became part of the “Orquesta Sincopa Latina”, directed by him, being present in his productions: Salsa que te pasa, Demasiado corazón, Mi bachata, Puerto Rico, Todo, Escándalo, Mi silencio, Mi toque, Habla conmigo and Azafata.

Wálter, I have heard that you have accompanied great salsa artists in their presentations, tell me who? I have had the honor of accompanying the late Tito Gómez, Willie González, Luisito Carrión and the great Venezuelan sonero Orlando José Castillo “Watussi”. Also, let me tell you professor, that I have worked in the Italian television Media Set, in the very popular program “Notte Vola”, also in 2002, I participated in the Tour of the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, along with the orchestra of the prestigious world famous violinist Alfredo de La Fe.

Likewise, my friend Carlos, in 2004, I performed in numerous events with Latin jazz groups, among them “El Royal Cuba”, of the Cuban musician and singer Eduardo Céspedes.

In 2007, I participated in the prestigious and famous San Remo festival with the singer Daniele Silvestri, with whom I have recorded in his productions.

In 2009, I participated in the Italian tour “Terromotati Dil Abruzzo”, conducted by the famous singer Laura Pausini and later that same year I participated again in a tour in the United States for charity with Pausini again.

Excellent Wálter, and what can you tell us about the orchestra you are currently working with and what are your future projects? Professor Carlos, at present I am an official musician of the renowned orchestra “Mercadonegro” and in relation to my projects, is to form my own group and perhaps venture into the bachata, but without leaving aside the salsa, since living in Europe I have met many bachateros.

And something very important, my friend Colmenárez, I am also working on the project of my Venezuelan compadre, the musician Edwin Sanz, whom I would like you to interview at some point.

Very good Wálter, congratulations for your trajectory, what are your contacts in the digital platforms? My Facebook is: Wálter Antonio Rebatta Hinostroza and my whatsapp: +41 77 5122633.

Finally, we want to wish you the best on behalf of Salsa Escrita “La Columna Salsera de Barquisimeto” and that you continue to raise the name of Peru in all the stages of the world.

Thank you a thousand times, Professor Carlos Colmenárez, for taking me into account and thus making my career known and giving my greetings, thanks and respect to all the salseros of the world through International Salsa Magazine, www.SalsaGoogle.com and long live salsa, Peru and Venezuela, united forever.

Known artistically as Mahel, Singer, composer, percussionist and professional model

You can read: Walter Rebatta

Son Del Monte’s musical director and timbalero Manuel Rivera

Who is ”Manny”

Manuel ”Manny” Rivera is the musical director and timbalero of the Son Del Monte Orchestra. We had the great opportunity to have a friendly conversation with him to know in detail his beginnings, career, groups, role as musical director, among other things.

Manuel ''Manny'' Rivera tells us his interesting story — Manuel ”Manny” Rivera tells us his interesting story

Time in the Yambú Orchestra

After apologizing for his deficits in the Spanish language, he continued by thanking us for the opportunity to tell his story and describe his time in the Yambú Orchestra, which was the first group in which he could start developing his talents in the 70’s. ”what we wanted to do at that time was make a mix between jazz with typical music because the pianist, who was of African descent, was who wrote the music with musical director and bassist Ramón Rodríguez”. It is presumed that the pianist focused a lot on these genres because of his roots, but his colleagues were fine with it.

Although he loved jazz, Manuel began to notice that it was not very danceable for the audience, which is what caused him to become interested in charanga, a genre that was already very famous in New York City in those years. That’s how he decided to immerse himself in this set of rhythms because he liked to see people go to the dance floor and enjoy themselves.

He also liked Yambú’s style a lot, but felt he had to take a more accurate path for what he was feeling at the time.

Similarities of Son Del Monte with other jazz big bands and members

I was a bongo player, but I started playing timbales because they are widely used in charanga. What I was looking for was to do a similar thing to what Eddie Palmieri did with La Perfecta, who used trombones and a flute mixed with timbales to achieve a charanga sound” said Rivera on this subject. He also added that ”I also wanted to avoid monotony of charanga so I also started using trombones, violin and a flute. This is what I have baptized as chajunto, a mixture of charanga with the characteristics of an ensemble (conjunto in Spanish) ”.

He also pointed out that New York does not have an orchestra like his because he did not want to do the same thing that all groups of this kind do, but something different and novel. ”Son Del Monte is charanga with something more for the people, not only violin and flutes,” said the artist. ”I have three singers with three different styles and they are Puerto Rican Luis Ayala, Colombian Armando Son Giménez and Puerto Rican-Dominican Luisito Soto Junior,” he added.

The Son Del Monte Orchestra also features from the talent of flutist Mauricio Smith Junior, violinist Erick Salazar, trombonist Juanga Lakunza, trombonist Charlie García, bassist Bert Castro, conguero Joe González, pianist Andy Colón, among others. This is the group that has stuck by his side for more than six years in spite of the storms and they always perform together.

All members of the Son Del Monte Orchestra

Opinion on the academic training of musicians

Rivera was one of the best students at Harbor’s Conservatory of Music in Manhattan, New York and he thinks that institution had done so mucho good for folk music because of all the talent that graduated there. After studying there, he began to read percussion music and learned to play batá, tumbadora, Colombian rumba, guaguancó, yambú, and so on.

The musician stresses the importance of studying, as this knowledge helps to understand the clave, the moment to start playing an instrument, the chime, the reading of music, discipline and many more. Before this, Manuel played led by the spirit and sensations, but his teachers at the conservatory taught him to have the technical tools necessary for being even more professional.

What is more important, experience or studies?

”Definitely experience. I have seen many great artists learn to read music without going to a conservatory and a great example of that is Roberto Roena, who did not need that learning to be who he was. However, that is something that not everyone can do” said Manuel. I can also mention the case of Tito Rodriguez who was not a musician guided by the lyrics, but he knew very well what he wanted. These are some of the many examples of privileged artists who only needed accumulated experience to achieve wonders with their work”.

However, this does not mean studies are not important, as they can teach things that can be useful later on and under some circumstances.

Front cover of the Son Del Monte Orchestra's album ''Una Charanga Con Algo Más'' — Front cover of the Son Del Monte Orchestra’s album ”Una Charanga Con Algo Más”

Covid-19

”The pandemic did not let us do anything on stage. The guys went to the studio from time to time or we met virtually, as we do now. It was so sad because there are many venues that have failed to open their doors again. Since the pandemic started, we have not seen as much activity in New York as it used to be before” expressed the artist sadly.

Also of concern to the musical director of the Son Del Monte Orchestra is that this situation has put many musicians out of work, at least in the industry. Active musical groups have very few members in the vast majority of the cases, contrary to his and the orchestra he conducts. He hopes that it will improve with time.

Latin America – January 2023

Latin America – December 2022

This is the story of Percussionist Joe González

Young Joseph

Joseph Gonzalez has been one of the greatest Latin percussion icons of our time and it is worth talking about his past and current accomplishments. He was born on March 12, 1953 in the San Juan Hill section of Manhattan and grew up in a mixture of cultures with Puerto Rican and Italian roots, which ensured that the young Joseph and the rest of his siblings were raised with the best of each.

Percussionist Joe González posing for the camera

According to the musician himself, his passion for music started in the 1950s when he listened to all kinds of genres and rhythms at home, which trained the young man almost without him realizing it. At home, his family used to enjoy the talent of Frank Santana, Machito, Jerry Vale, Tito Puente, Mario Lanza, among many other artists of the time. Upon hearing these names, one can already get an idea of what Gonzalez’s vocational training would be like in the future.

From a young age, he would liven up family parties by playing the conga. At the age of 15, the boy first became interested in music as something more than just a hobby to kill some time. The teenager gave signs that music would be a very important part of his life.

Already in the 1960s, Gonzalez had made his first long-playing record with Frankie Nieves, vocalist and neighbor of the artist who had set himself the goal of taking over the boogaloo world and become one of its greatest exponents. The album was called ”The Terrible Frankie Nieves”, was under the direction of producer Stan Lewis and contained all kinds of popular genres for those years such as R&B, guaracha, mambo and much more.

Self-taugh musician

Something very striking about this music is that he never attended an institute or school of arts, but learned everything by himself through the experience he gained in San Juan Hill, where the best Latin music orchestras were always heard and whose musicians lived and some even resided in Amsterdam Houses.

In 1971, he became a member of the Ruben Betancourt’s orchestra, with whom he would play the group’s first LP entitled ”Orquesta Tentación” and published by the record label Mañana Records. A few years later, he married and soon he and his wife had their first daughter, to whom they gave the name Audrey Valentina. Around the same time, he separated from Rubénm stayed with ”Felix Morales & Orchestra Caprí” for two years and was part of ”Son De La Loma”, whose members were veteran musicians who taught Joe everything they knew.

Cover of the album ‘’62nd and 10th’’

During the 1980s, there was a dramatic decline in the Latin music scene, which caused Gonzalez to look for a regular job that could support his family and provide them with the the finaltial security they need. In those years, he partnered with jazzman Mario Bauzá and his orchestra, a group with which the percussionist finally achieved the level he was destined to get to.

He started making very important appearances in a lot of concerts with the Bauzá’s orchestra and recordings that would lead him to have access to many other opportunities on TV shows, film soundtracks, tours, awards, among many other things. This led him to be worthy of the Latin Grammy on several occasions and perform with stars such as Celia Cruz, Papo Vázquez, Arturo O’Farrill, Daniel Poce and many more.

His most recent album is entitled ”62nd to 10th”, which is absolutely dominated by Latin jazz and whose compositions are written by Gonzalez himself, except for one track. In this album, Joe Gonzalez once again demonstrates that he has not forgotten everything he has learned and is still as strong as ever.

By Johnny Cruz, ISM Correspondents, New York, New York City