Search Results for: King of Mambo

The latest of salsa in the Bay Area of San Francisco

Someone to look out for is percussionist/bandleader/catalyst Javier Navarette who has been creating a serious buzz with his new group Javier Navarette and His Socially Distant Friends which features a “who’s who” of stellar Bay Area talent including esteemed violinist Anthony Blea, vocalist/percussionist Hector Lugo, rising star on the guitar, Kai Lyons, bassist Ayla Davila, percussionist Jesse Weber and charter members such as tresero/guitarist Camilo Landau, NY based trombonist and Javier’s brother Raul Navarette and PMO vocalist Chriselle Durandy.  Navarette and friends play an intoxicating brew of danceable Salsa, Cuban descarga, Rumba, Afro-Cuban folklore, Bomba, Timba and Latin Jazz played superbly by this all-star ensemble that have impressed large audiences at Carnaval San Francisco, the UC Theatre, Rocky’s Market and other festivals and hot spots.

Navarette is also currently a member of the hot Bobi Cespedes Band and was formerly a member of renowned bands such as Charanson, La Mixta Criolla, Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir among others.  He has established himself as one of the SF Bay’s rising stars….a rumbero with excellent chops, taste and well versed both in the Cuban and Puerto Rican culture and heritage.  Navarette also has taught in the classroom spreading the knowledge to younger grade school children in the Bay Area.  Navarette is also booking the popular Modupue Sundays series at Rocky’s Market in Oakland.  Go Javier!! 

Javier Navarrette from Javier Navarrette and His Socially Distant Friends

The Western Region Puerto Rican Council will once again present their “El Dia De San Juan” Salsa Festival on Saturday, June 18, 11 am to 7 pm at Swiss Park, 5811 Mowry Avenue in Newark.  Headlining the show will be Frankie Vasquez “El Sonero Del Barrio”.  Vasquez is considered one of the finest soneros in the business today.  With a star studded career that includes working with Manny Oquendo and Libre, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Los Soneros Del Barrio, Pedro Bermudez, Doug Beavers and many others, Vasquez displays his art of the soneo, his distinctive vocal tone always backed up by a swinging band on record and live.  Also appearing for the first time will be Izis La Enfermera De La Salsa from Puerto Rico, Gambizi & Dos Four hot from Carnaval SF, Hip Hop Jibarito, Orquesta Saboricua and Rinkinkaya playing Bomba, Plena and Jibaro music and DJ Santos Lopez.  For more information, go to wrprc.org!

SF JAZZ and the San Francisco Jazz Festival are featuring an impressive array of Salsa, Cuban and Latin Jazz starting Wednesday June 8 with Pacific Mambo Orchestra.  Followed by Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Grammy nominee Aymee Nuviola 6/9; Chucho Valdes with Dianne Reeves and Joe Lovano 6/12; Changui Majadero 6/13, Danilo Perez Global Messengers 6/14; Issac Delgado’s Con Tumbao Project w/Miguel Zenon, Oscar Hernandez, Pedrito Martinez, Alain Perez, Tony Succar and more 6/18.  SF JAZZ and Stanford University also co-presents two legends: Piano master Eddie Palmieri and trumpet phenom Arturo Sandoval at Stanford’s Frost Amphiteater on July 23.  Info: www.sfjazz.org.

The new hot spot for live music on Thursday’s is Charley’s LG, 15 N Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos featuring the following for June: Orquesta La Moderna Tradición on 6/2; Carlos Xavier and his band 6/9; Edgardo Cambon and Candela 6/16; Son Y Clave from Los Angeles on 6/23 and Julio Bravo and Salsabor on 6/30.  Presented by your friends at International Salsa Magazine and World Salsa Radio.  Yours truly, Luis Medina from KPFA/WorldSalsaRadio.com will be your MC and DJ for the evening.  WSR’s El De La Clave SF-Felipe Martinez will give dance lessons starting at 8 PM.  Get a discount on your advance tickets by visiting charleyslosgatos.com.

Tregar Otton from Orquesta La Moderna Tradición

More clubs and events (título 3)

La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley has been gaining a lot of notoriety with their monthly Baila events.  The June edition will also celebrate the cultural center’s 47th Anniversary on Friday, June 17th starting at 7 pm.  Corey Raynor, the venue’s production manager who organizes the event will also be celebrating his birthday.  The show will feature the explosive sounds of veteran timbalero Eric Rangel and his Orquesta America as well as KPOO/KPFA DJ Jose Ruiz in the main theater and DJ Ron Palma in the Bachata lounge. Salsa and Bachata dance lessons start at 7:30 pm.  For tickets and information, please visit lapena.org.

It’s Summertime and outdoor venues have opened back up for Salsa, Timba and Latin Jazz!  Modupue Sundays at Rocky’s Market at Oakland’s Brooklyn Basin is featuring the exciting band La Mixta Criolla on Sunday, June 5 under the direction of percussionist/vocalist Hector Lugo and a special Bomba dance performance by Shefali Shah. The festivities start at 5:30 pm.  Another great band Orquesta La Moderna Tradición will be at Rocky’s on Friday night, June 10th from 6 to 9 pm.   Rocky’s Market events are all outdoors and located at 288 Ninth Avenue in Oakland.  For more information, visit rockysmarket.com.

The Office on 1796 Willow Pass Road in downtown Concord is now offering Rumba Sundays every Sunday from 5 to 10 pm in a large, covered outdoor patio with a huge dance floor featuring Salsa bands such as Orquesta Taino on Sunday, June 5th.  The Office features live salsa monthly with SF Salsa Congress staple DJ Super Chino spinning Salsa, Bachata and more in-between the breaks!  Check out their Facebook page for more info!

Orquesta Taino posing for the camera

The Cigar Bar continues with their mission to bring you exciting danceable bands in their unique venue that combines great food, fine drinks, a parlor for cigar enthusiasts and a hot dance spot for weekend patrons.  The June Latin music offerings are the following: Pacho y Orchesta Evolution 6/3; Orquesta La Original w/Alexis 6/4; Orquesta Borinquen 6/10; Josh Jones Latin Jazz Ensemble 6/11; N’Rumba 6/17 ; Manteca 6/18; Orquesta Taino 6/24 and La Clave Del Blanco on 6/25.

The Ramp is heating things up for the Summer at their fine outdoor venue with their huge dance floor at 855 Terry Francois Blvd in San Francisco.  Their calendar includes great acts on Saturday afternoons starting at 4 pm with DJ Mendy with live music starting at 5 pm featuring N’Rumba on 6/4; Julio Bravo y Salsabor on 6/11; Somos El Son with Braulio Barrera 6/18 and Orquesta Borinquen on 6/25.

The Seahorse in Sausalito features fine Italian cuisine, beer and wine and a fine space for dancing on Saturday and Sundays starting at 6 pm with KPOO/KPFA DJ Jose Ruiz.  Featured acts for the month of June include La Clave Del Blanco on 6/4; Julio Bravo y Salsabor 6/5; Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca from Los Angeles on 6/11 and 6/12; Edgardo Cambon y Candela 6/18; Louie Romero and Mazacote 6/19; The Latin Rhythm Boys 6/20 and Eric Rangel and Orquesta America on 6/26.

Be sure to check out my radio programs Con Sabor on Saturday evenings from 9 to 11 PM PST on KPFA 94.1 FM and www.kpfa.org and Sabiduria Con Tumbao every Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 PM PST on worldsalsaradio.com. Enjoy your Summer!  Ciao 4 now!!

Louie Romero from Louie Romero Y Su Orquesta Mazacote

 

By Luis Medina, ISM Correspondents, San Francisco, California

While it is true that salsa is very much alive, it is also true that it has been enriched through fusions and transformations.  Of course, this is not the first time we see that the salsa sound is transformed to give way to increasingly daring musical themes.   

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “I’m glad there are collaborations where the wallet of other sounds invests in producing music that I enjoy.  Note that the only music I enjoy with the passion I enjoy nothing else is salsa.  This salsa I’m talking about also includes fusions and other inventions, as long as I like them.”

Well, let’s get to the mambo….

During the “Tropical Music Festival” I was backstage and was able to share with the musicians before and after their performances.  That privilege gave me the opportunity to talk to them about their projects, among other things.  On a side note, Oria Rivera graciously let me know about the release that same day of Bobby Valentin’s latest single.  As soon as I got home I listened to the song via You Tube.

Once again, maestro Valentín delivers a very daring and innovative song. I know that “chinchas” are going to fall on me as usual; but without being repetitive, you know that I am one of those who believe that Valentin is never wrong. 

Let’s establish that boogaloo or bugaloo is a Latin music and dance genre that was popular in the United States in the 1960s. It originated in New York City, mainly among Hispanic and Latin American teenagers. The style was a fusion of popular African-American rhythm and blues (R&B), in turn combining soul music with mambo and son montuno.

In the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans in the United States listened to various styles of music, including jump blues, R&B and doo-wop. Latinos in New York City shared those tastes, but also listened to genres such as mambo and cha-cha-chá. There was a mix of Puerto Ricans, Cubans and African-Americans in clubs, whose groups tried to find common musical ground. In the end, boogaloo or bugaloo was the common musical ground, a fusion of many styles cooking American son montuno, guaguancó, guajira, guaracha, mambo, R&B and soul on the same stove.  That must have been the reason why the boogaloo or bugalú allowed Spanish and English on equal terms.

As you can see, fusions are not a recent fad.

Well then.  The time has come to tell you what my salsa ears have heard, since there will be those who say that this is not a salsa song.  Well, the truth of the matter is that it is not suitable for salseros without musical appreciation skills.

From the first bars of this song, Bobby Valentín’s musical arrangement highlights the bass, accompanied by trumpets and saxophones in an arrangement that sounds great.  In the first thirty seconds of the song you can appreciate the vocal part of the composer -Bobby Valentín- ultra well accompanied by his most recent acquisition for the front of his orchestra: Leró Martínez. And for the most skeptical, Bobby and Leró sing in impeccable English.

The song is perfect, since in three minutes it opens up a range of musical possibilities in “English without barriers”.  Despite the brevity of the song, it lacks nothing.  Nor does it feel or sound like musical creativity was curtailed by trying to shorten the time.  The track flows naturally from the prelude, to the mambo, to the closing. At one and a half minutes, the saxophones provide the melody and the trumpets the breaks.  At the fiftieth minute, the trumpets play challenging the rhythm section, formed by:  Victor Roque on the tumbadoras, Kevin Vega on the timbal and Javier Oquendo on the bongo. Ceferino Cabán’s piano complements the “king’s” bass in a masterful way.

Shortly after the second minute (2.19), Victor “Yuca” Maldonado’s baritone saxophone sets the stage for Julito Alvarado and Angie Machado’s trumpets to firmly establish their presence.  This second minute also highlights the dynamism of the trombone by Eliut Cintrón. Let’s not forget that the composer, arranger, producer and bassist of this song was a trumpet player in his beginnings. At exactly 2.40 the bass takes command of the orchestra with more forcefulness, melodically allying itself with the sound of the trumpets and saxophones. Well into the second minute (2.44) the electric guitar in command of Javier Perez begins a correspondence with the bass, which is maintained until the closing of the song.

As for the cover art, it features a childish Bobby Valentine dressed as a musical celebrity.  The boy wears dark pants and a white shirt with those stylish puffed sleeves that scream mambo.  The title letters, which read It’s Boogaloo time are superimposed over the child’s image.  The style of the yellow letters that inscribe the word Boogaloo over the image described above make me imagine letters in some liquid material. The composition of the artwork rests on a rather garish salmon-colored background. According to the credits, both the graphic design and art direction were created by Orialis Valentin. Brava!

If you are one of those who say you are tired of the same old same old, I challenge you to listen to this gem, just as I recommended El Twist a while back. 

Salsa lives! I hope I have dispelled your doubts, if you had any.  If you still have any doubts, I confirm that you are not ready for this salsa conversation.

Musical Director: Bobby Valentín

Audio Recording & Mixing: Play Bach Studio

Engineer Carlitos Velázquez and Ramón Martínez

Mastering: WAVEM Acoustic LLC; Eduardo Ramos

Producer: Bobby Valentín

© 2022, Bronco Records, Inc. (Artist: Bobby Valentín)

How his career started

We have here Fernandito Rentas, who is a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Good afternoon, Mr. Rentas, how do you do?

Good afternoon. Thank goodness, i’m doing just fine right in good health and working hard. We are doing what is done daily, which is my regular job, but on the other hand, we are making the music that I would be able to do up to the present time, or rshould I say, musical projects.

Fernandito Rentas recording one of his songs

You come from Ponce. This is a city from which many famous Puerto Rican artists come, especially in the salsa genre. Do you think that coming from that city had something to do with the road you would take later on?

Ar some point, yes because that influence was around me since I was a little boy. I have always been interested in music and sports, but I enjoyed more of music. I don’t come from a family of musicians as far as I know, but my biggest influences come from distant relatives like, for example, Mr. Esteban Tato Rico Ramírez, who was a singer in the orchestra La Solución.

Basically, what I remember most about my childhood is that it was from there that I became interested in music. At the same time, I would see my parents dancing at parties and there was all that excitement and feeling of celebration. The church and its chants were also important in that regard.

Those were earlier influences, but it was from the age of 7 that I began to understand tropical music. As time went by, I got more interested in it. I couldn’t take music lessons due to economic problems at that time, so I did everything by ear. I do remember that there was an instrument I liked a lot when I was in elementary school, which was marimba. I was strock by it, which led me to join a group of classmates at school who practiced in the school canteen in the afternoon. I also remember my music teacher, Mr. Fermín Torres, who was from the Adjuntas or Coamo area in Puerto Rico, but he was well known in the musical area of the school system.

I didn’t really jump right into music until a few years later because our family moved to Florida, where I began to look out for other interests such as the US Armed Forces. When I graduated from high school, I joined the army and there I met other colleagues from my homeland, which made me reconnect to Latin music. I was not only focused on music of Puerto Rico, but also from Colombia, Venezuela and other countries.

Fernandito Rentas singing on stage

My idol as an artist in the genre has always been Oscar D’ León since the first time I saw him when I was 7 or 8 years old during the patron festivities in my village. When I went into the army, many colleagues who were already veterans in this issue helped me to train me. The first person I met was bass player Héctor Cruz, who I say was my godfather in music. That was in Germany when I served on the force in 1989. When I returned to the United States, I went to North Carolina and began to succeed in music step by step.

I spent nine years serving in the South Korean peninsula, where I was blessed to pull together a group of musicians and perform live music with many fellow musicians, including Korean friends I made there. I returned to the United States in 2011 and thank goodness I stay on this. These days, I had the opportunity to connect or lift me up from where I were and do something different. What I was looking for was to create my own productions with the music that I like, so that’s what I’ve been doing these last two years.

His groups

You were part of various groups including Orquesta Mambo Son, Grupo Descarga, among others. When did you decide to go solo and create your own productions?

I decided to do it in 2020. I had already had this interest for many years and was always seeking the opportunity to break the ice through groups. I was looking to take part in the production of a group I was with and start from that point, but unfortunately none of my groups managed to get into production.

I finally got the chance with the pandemic, as I started to be able to be interacted with colleagues and friends through Facebook and connect with musicians from around the world. Then, other comrades who were also in the armed forces told me about Mr. Robert Requena, who is a Chilean who lives in Medellin, Colombia.

Fernandito Rentas in his military uniform

When I wanted to do things differently adapting myself to the new era, they put me in touch with Mr. Requena and I expressed my ideas. Then, he was the one who showed me the first composition for my first song, which we titled Bailando debajo del agua (Dancing under the water). The thing is that this song is based on an event that happened here in my house, which I told Requena about and we used it for the song. Then, we talked about its musical bases and what I was looking for in my future songs, so he came up with the formula. Today, we are working on my sixth record and thinking about releasing it in June, but there are seven others that are being created right now.

Seeing as your career practically started with Covid-19, do you think the pandemic precipitated what you had in mind?

Well, in a way, yes. My desire to make a solo album is very old, but the 20 years in which I was serving in the armed forces limited me, thing that also happened to other colleagues who are also launching their own albums today, such as Arnaldo LaFontaine, Edwin El Calvito Reyes, Josean Rivera, José Rivero, among others. Arnaldo La Fontaine, Jose Rivero and I were singers in the same orchestra in the southeastern United States during the 1990s.

My interest in being a soloist was present for a long time, but the opportunity to do so did not come until I made use of technology. I can tell you that all my albums are being made in Medellin, Colombia. All I do here in New Jersey is go to the studio and record the voice. That advantage that we have today really helped us and, at the same time, the arrival of the pandemic has prevented us from going to other places to bring our talent. I have accumulated unimterrupted 33 years of career, but the pandemic prevented us from going out and locked us up at home. It was there when many other artists began to take alternate measures to be able to continue reaching people.

In any way, I think we have turned this situation to our advantage in the best way that the Lord has not allowed.

Art of his last song Qué difícil es

An artist I interviewed told me that many musicians were preferring to release single songs instead of full recordings. Are you makings full recordings or single songs?

Based on advice that Mr. Requena gave me, I am releasing single songs. Nowadays, the matter of full albums has become complicated due to the lack of record labels and factories where these materials are produced. I would say that the idea of releasing singles was the best because you want to know if the public is going to accept or like the album. Instead of releasing all the songs at the same time, releasing one song at a time is more comfortable, less expensive and easier to work with. For the time beingt, I have no plans to release a CD.

How did you balance your musical and military activities?

I had to balance them because our obligations and priorities in the military service are focused on the mission and commitment to the defense of the country. During our free time, we liked to clear the mind and do different things. We went to parties.

We felt great making music for our fellow soldiers, their communities and families. We were able to bring our Latin culture to the countries we went to.

Music was our main hobby and the to entertain ourselves on the weekends.

Social networks and website

Facebook: Fernandito Rentas II

Instagram: Fernandito Rentas

YouTube: Fernandito Rentas