Search Results for: Johnny Cru

Tribute to my friend Larry

It is now a year since the unfortunate departure of one of the greatest icons of Latin music, who is none other than the one and only producer, composer and pianist Larry Harlow. Let’s remember that he passed away on August 20, 2021 in a health center located in the Bronx at the age of 82. His death was caused by heart failure due to a kidney condition from which he had been suffering from for some time.

“El Judio Maravilloso” passed away on August 20, 2021

A little of his history

The also known as “El Judio Maravilloso” has a great success story behind him in the field of music, which began with the occupations of his parents. Recall that his mother was an opera singer and his father was a musician in the orchestras of Barrio Latino, which could explain his interest in the industry when he was very little. From a very young age, little Harry already handled certain instruments in a skilled way, showing what he could dedicate himself to in the future.

His great interest in Cuban music and culture led him to travel to Cuba, where he began his musical studies related to Afro-Cuban music. Unfortunately, the arrival of the Cuban Revolution prevented him from fulfilling his task and he had to leave the island prematurely due to the political crisis that started to develop.

Since then, the Harlow Orchestra became one of the first groups to be formed with the label of Fania Records. At the same time, Harlow was producing an tremendous amount of albums, both his and other musical stars’, catapulting him to becoming one of the most respected producers of that time. Reportedly, there were approximately 270 records in total, which gave us a lot of hits that continue to be heard to this day.

One of his greatest achievements was to have brought the world famous Cuban singer Celia Cruz to New York, thus becoming the first artist of Latin origin to perform at the Carnegie Hall, a famous concert hall located in Manhattan that had only had room for Anglo-Saxon artists until that time. It was “El Judio Maravilloso” who managed to bring Latin America to the Carnegie Hall for the first time from the hand of “La Guarachera de Cuba”, something unthinkable in those years.

Larry Harlow and Johnny Cruz in the 80’s

He also had an important role in the film “Our Latin Thing”, along with several transcendental figures of the Fania All Stars.

Relationship with the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery Museum

It is of common knwoledge that Larry and this server had a close relationship, since we knew each other for many years and lived many incredible experiences related to this wonderful genre called salsa. That is why the famous pianist sent me some of his most precious costumes to be exhibited in our gallery so that all his fans could be as close as possible to their idol.  After his departure, seeing all those things donated by him leaves a deep emptiness in those who see them, but at the same time this reaffirms our commitment to offer our public the best salsa exhibittions they have ever seen.

Larry has left an indelible mark in the hearts of all of us who got to know him during his lifetime, but our duty is to move on with our heads held high.

Harlow and Cruz in 2018

 

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

Papo Rosario and his “Salsa de La Buena”

We are incredibly pleased to talk about Luis Alberto Rosario, better known as Papo Rosario, who can be considered one of the most beloved salseros by people who have enjoyed his music for decades. In addition to being a very cloase and kind man to everyone around him, his musical and acting talent is undeniable.

Isidro Infante next to Papo Rosario

After having sung along with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico for more than 40 years, Rosario makes his debut as a soloist with his first recording work “Salsa de La Buena”, in which he receives the full support of maestro Isidro Infante. Both Rosario and Infante are part of Salsaneo Records, which is close to becoming one of the most important music labels thanks to its contemporary salsa. Thanks to the counselling and advice received from Isidro, Papo has managed to create one of the most important and interesting albums in 2002.

One of the things that makes the album stand out is the great amount of danceable rhythms, positive lyrics, good vocals and fresh sonority. It is evident that the essence of the artist always stands out and he does not let himself be dragged along by what he learned during his time in El Gran Combo. While it is true that there are some traits learned from his friend and former colleague Jerry Vivas, Rosario seems pretty determined to distance hemself from the past and focus on a vastly different future.

Rosario and Infante recording in the studio

What “Salsa de La Buena” is 

“Salsa de La Buena” has many tracks that can perfectly mark a before and after in current Latin music. It starts with a beautiful hymn to optimism and perseverance called “Gracias”, which is one of the four songs composed by the pen of maestro Infante. In the case of “Salsa de La Buena”, the song that gives its name to the entire album, speaks of the connection the singer has with his people as an exponent of the salsa genre. The arrangements and piano melodies are reminiscent of what Richie Ray and Bobby Valentín did when they sang “Los Reyes de La Salsa”.

Isidro also shows his great talent with “Los refranes de Don Yeyo”, a beautiful piano solo where you can see how important the Caribbean collection of proverbs is for the culture at large.

Johnny Cruz with Papo Rosario

Promotion for Papo Rosario’s album 

In a conversation between Papo Rosario and Johnny Cruz, director of the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery Museum, the two talk about this recording work and the artist tells how did the whole process go.

Rosario has said that both he and Infante had studied together, but had built their careers separately until they met again recently. That’s when he proposed him to make some arrangements to his songs, but they ended up collaborating to make the album in full. The main objective of the record production was to bring a positive message to the peoples and do what God has put on their shoulders.

In the same way, he pointed out that the salsa museum was quite empty the last time he went, but he was surprised to see that all those spaces have been filling up with truly valuable objects for salsa and its fans.

From there, they gave their regards to Isidro Infante and invited him to the museum to join them and talk about “Salsa de La Buena” and other issues that arise.

Johnny Cruz, Papo Rosario and Rubio Boris

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

Carlos Molina and El Museo de La Salsa

It makes us very happy to talk today about Carlos Molina Jr. and El Museo de La Salsa in Colombia, place that has become a salsa library with all the information the Latin public wants to get about their favorite artists. The popularity that this proposed reading has achieved is no coincidence, as it compiles the old, the new and the best of our Latin roots to raise anyone interested awareness of it.

Carlos Molina Jr., director of El Museo de la Salsa

Carlos Molina Jr., director of El Museo de La Salsa, knows everything that a proper salsero should know about this beautiful musical genre, since much of his life has been tied to this kind of music and the biggest stars who have excelled in it. Let us not forget that Daniel Santos himself had a chance to hold him when he was just a baby, which says a lot about the path taken by Molina growing up.

This man has so many things to say and stories to tell that he has written a book in which all this data can be read in great detail.

“El Legado”

Molina explained recently that the book arose due to his intention in paying tribute to his father, Carlos Alfredo Molina. He said that he had already worked on a documentary in his honor and wanted to use that same script for a text in which the most important stories of both his progenitor and himself could be read.

Carlos Molina Jr. next to Oscar D’ León

Molina Jr.’s father became known as “El Fotógrafo de La Salsa” in the middle and maintained a close relationship with several of the most famous artists of the genre. Such was his closeness that he even managed to attend many of their rehearsals and forged bonds of friendship that many can only dream of.

It was Molina Sr.’s work as a photographer that allowed his son to create El Museo de La Salsa and turn it into a place of pilgrimage where all lovers of the genre should visit at least once. The room has approximately 700 photographs, which are part of an archive of 300,000 negatives.

Childhood and adulthood surrounded by artists

Molina Jr.’s childhood was definitely not common, as his father’s profession allowed him to stay in constant contact with many big names in the industry. He got to witness a very important number of rehearsals and grew up forming a very special relationship with music.

Johnny Pacheco and Carlos Molina Jr.

He also managed to form the same relationship with several well-known singers, some of whom write the foreword for El Legado such as Willie Rosario, Andy Montañez and Papo Lucca. From the very beginning, the three luminaries maintained a very close relationship with the museum and did not hesitate to participate in the text when asked to do so.

“El Legado” tells completely true stories

The book is already on sale at the Museo de La Salsa, but it can also be found on Amazon, so anyone who wishes to read some of the most important salsa stories ust has to order their copy and enjoy everything the material has to offer.

Molina Jr. also commented that he still expects many more copies of the book to be printed and made available at “la Red de Bibliotecas Públicas de Cali”.

Celia Cruz and Carlos Molina Jr.

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