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Search Results for: La Sonora Ponceña

Juancito Torres: The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico

We present the musical life of one of the greatest trumpeters in Latin music, the master Juan “Juancito” Torres Vélez, known as “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico.”

La Trompeta Nacional de Puerto Rico Juan Torres Vélez
La Trompeta Nacional de Puerto Rico Juan Torres Vélez

Born on January 14, 1936, in Caguas, Puerto Rico, to Justina Vélez Vázquez and Félix Torres Varcárcel, he began his musical journey playing the violin in his hometown. He joined the Municipal Band, where he was taught by Adrián Benjamín and Carlos Julio Bosch, who also taught him the intricacies of the trumpet.

Juancito was a fan of Placido Acevedo, the trumpeter and director of the Mayarí quartet, and Acevedo was his biggest influence for his development as a professional trumpeter. At the age of fourteen, he studied at the Escuela Libre de Música. In 1952, he joined the orchestra of jazz musician Ramón “Moncho” Usera Vives and stayed with him for a year before joining his teacher Miguelito Miranda’s band.

In 1955, he traveled to New York, where he worked with Xavier Cugat, Noro Morales, and the Lecuona Cuban Boys. It is also said that he was part of the orchestras of Pupy Campo and Tito Rodríguez and that he recorded with René Touzet, Dámaso Pérez Prado, and Eddie Cano.

Juancito Torres Primera Trompeta de Fania All Stars
Juancito Torres Primera Trompeta de Fania All Stars

Juancito returned to Puerto Rico in 1960 and enrolled at the Puerto Rico Conservatory to further his musical knowledge. In 1965, he appeared on the list of musicians who recorded the album Bobby Capó and His Orchestra with the great Bobby Capó. In the late 1960s, Juancito joined master Bobby Valentín’s orchestra, recording five albums with them between 1969 and 1975. During the 1970s, he recorded with Frank Ferrer, Justo Betancourt, Puerto Rico All Stars, and Marvin Santiago.

In 1979, Juan began his participation in recordings, concerts, and international tours with the Fania All Stars. He appeared as a member of the Pacheco and Masucci collective on at least ten albums between 1979 and 1997. These include Habana Jam, Commitment, Latin Connection, Lo que Pide la Gente, “Live”, Viva Colombia, and Bravo 97.

Juancito’s extraordinary musical career and great talent also allowed him to participate in recordings for many singers, musicians, and groups such as Cheo Feliciano, Tommy Olivencia y su Orquesta, Adalberto Santiago, Roberto Roena, Sonora Ponceña, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rojas, Pedro Arroyo, Descarga Boricua, Lalo Rodríguez, and Ray Barreto, among many others. “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico” also participated in recordings by musicians and singers of other rhythms and musical genres such as Pop, Tropical, Jazz-Rock, Progressive Metal, Rock, Reggae, and Funk/Soul.

Juancito Torres
Juancito Torres

Regarding our music, we remember some of the tracks in which our great musician from Caguas recorded immortal trumpet solos: “Cuando Te Vea” with Bobby Valentín, “Dime,” “Menéame La Cuna,” “Quítate La Máscara,” and “Puerto Rico/Adoración” with Fania, “Amada Mía” and “Salí Porque Salí” with Cheo Feliciano. “Pedregal” with Justo Betancourt, “Canto A Borinquen” and “Alianza De Generales” with Puerto Rico All Stars, and “Palo Pa’ Rumba,” “Prohibición de Salida,” and “Solito” with Eddie Palmieri.

Through this work on Juancito Torres’ artistic life, we want to pay a small but well-deserved tribute to one of the ambassadors of Puerto Rican music. Juan Torres Vélez’s musical career spanned half a century, during which he participated in more than a hundred albums in our music alone, which was named Salsa from the beginning of the 1970s. The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico will live forever in the hearts of Salseros around the world.

The trumpeter and producer Charlie Sepúlveda presented his new musical work titled Feeling Good Again, a jazz album released in 2003 on the Metrix label, which included our Juancito Torres on flugelhorn. Los Licenciados is the name of an album published by the Duque Records label and Omar Duque y su Orquesta. The recording year for this album is not specified, but Juancito Torres also participated as a trumpeter.

Charlie Sepulveda Feeling Good Again, Lanzado en 2003
Charlie Sepulveda Feeling Good Again, Lanzado en 2003

Juancito Torres suffered from high blood pressure and bronchial asthma. Unfortunately, he passed away from a heart attack while sleeping at his home in Carolina on July 26, 2003. We will always remember him.

Long Live Music! Long Live Salsa! Long Live Juancito Torres!

By:

The Best Salseros in the World

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Read Also: Luis “Perico” Ortiz: six decades of impeccable musical trajectory

Justo Betancourt Querol Cuban sonero and singer famous for his interpretation of the song “Pa’ bravo yo”

Heir to the solid musical tradition of his family, Justo Betancourt was an incomparable sonero, possessing a unique personal style, He began his career at a very early age in his native Cuba, where he participated with orchestras and bands.

Justo Betancourt Querol Cuban sonero and singer famous for his interpretation of the song Pa' bravo yo.
Justo Betancourt Querol Cuban sonero and singer famous for his interpretation of the song Pa’ bravo yo.

In the 1960s, he arrived in New York, where he launched a new and brilliant stage of his career, singing vocals for the legendary and inveterate group, La Sonora Matancera, which was already established in the city. Betancourt stayed with the group for five years.

In later years, he was a member of the chorus of several groups, including those of Eddie Palmieri and Ray Barretto.

At the end of 1976 Justo settled in Puerto Rico, fleeing the limitations of the New York environment and separating himself from the tours and recordings of Fania All Stars, to enter the modern and freer scene projected by groups such as Sonora Ponceña, Willie Rosario, Bobby Valentín and Roberto Roena, among others, from the island.

With young musicians including vocalists Sammy Gonzalez and Tito Rojas, he created his own orchestra which he called “Borincuba”, a name to reflect the mixture of Puerto Rican and Cuban artists.

In 1976 Johnny Pacheco in his interest to maintain the successful formula of the modernization of the sound of the Sonora Matancera as the typical sound of his group (the Tumbao Añejo), unites the voice of Justo Betancourt with that of his compatriot Celia Cruz, it was the first time that this duo of Cubans in exile was reunited, in the album “Recordando El Ayer” and in which the young pianist Papo Lucca was presented in a big way. Justo’s voice was recorded in the songs “La Equivocada” (a duet with Celia), “Ahora Sí” and “Guíllate”.

Celia, Johnny, Justo & Papo Recordando El Ayer 1976
Celia, Johnny, Justo & Papo Recordando El Ayer 1976

 

That same year 1976, Justo is part of the ten vocalists that the Fania All Stars summons for his first production in a recording studio in the project “Tribute To Tito Rodriguez”, in which he performs the song “Cara De Payaso”, (the other vocalists were Santos Colón, Bobby Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Héctor Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, Ismael Quintana, Pete “Conde” Rodríguez, Rubén Blades (his first recording with Fania All Stars) and Chivirico Dávila (his only recording with the group).

Fania All Stars Tribute To Tito Rodriguez 1976
Fania All Stars Tribute To Tito Rodriguez 1976

To complete this productive year, Justo Betancourt joins percussionist Mongo Santamaría as the lead vocalist for the musical work “Ubane”, with the production of Marty Sheller, one of the important experimental albums of the salsa boom, a work that recovers the saxophone for the Salsa and bembé orchestra in the old Cuban Guaracha of the 50’s, and in which a constellation of New York, Cuban, Puerto Rican and Colombian musicians participate.

Mongo y Justo Ubane 1976.
Mongo y Justo Ubane 1976.

However, the album did not succeed in definitely catching on with the public and ended in the most unjust failure.

With his new orchestra, he recorded four albums, of which he recorded as lead singer in only two albums: “Distinto Y Diferente” (1977) which includes the songs: “No Estás En Nada”, “Distinto Y Diferente”, “Soy Profesional” and “Óyela”; and “¡Presencia!” (1978) which includes a tremendous new version of the bolero “Psicología” and the song, composed by Catalino “Tite” Curet Alonso, “Camarón”. Justo was always among the best and remained oblivious to the decadence of the industrial boom of New York Salsa at the end of the decade.

Justo Betancourt Distinto Y Diferente 1977
Justo Betancourt Distinto Y Diferente 1977

His secret was to remain bravo by performing authentic Caribbean music without the commercial additives imposed by Salsa.

The young singer who performed in the chorus and Justo’s student in Borincuba, Tito Rojas, became the lead singer in the following album “Con Amor” (1978), which Betancourt conducted and participated in the chorus.

Tito Rojas’ last work before splitting from Borincuba to start his solo career was the album titled only as “Borincuba”, in which Justo also served as musical director and backing vocalist.

Justo Betancourt Presenta Su Conjunto Borincuba Canta Tito Rojas Con Amor 1978
Justo Betancourt Presenta Su Conjunto Borincuba Canta Tito Rojas Con Amor 1978

So in 1979, when Tito inherited the band, he started his solo career changing the name to Tito Rojas y el Conjunto Borincano¸ which had a short existence.

After a series of his own albums, he became the lead vocalist of the Puerto Rican Power Orchestra and appeared on their first two albums (1987 and 1989).

In 1990, Tito Rojas embarked on his solo career with the romantic salsa album “Sensual” which reached first place in the Latin Music Hit Parade in April.

In the following years, Betancourt, residing between New York and San Juan, continued in the inertia of the Fania contracts. In March 1979, when the Fania All Stars were part of the group of musicians who traveled to the island of Cuba to participate in the “Havana Jam Festival”, a musical exchange between the United States and Cuba organized by CBS and held at the Karl Marx Theater in Havana, Justo Betancourt and his compatriot Celia Cruz, for obvious political reasons, could not travel with the group; for this reason Justo decided to leave the All Stars.

Nevertheless, his contract with the Fania company remained in force, and that year he released another album titled “Justo Betancourt” (1979), produced by himself and Louie Ramirez, which included the songs “Yo Sin Ti” and “Qué Más Quieres De Mi”, among others.

In 1981, Betancourt returns to record again with the Sonora Matancera in an album entitled “Sonora Matancera Con Justo Betancourt”, produced by Javier Vásquez and recorded on the Bárbaro label, a subsidiary of Fania and owned by Jerry Masucci. On this album, four guest musicians appear for the first time to record with the Sonora: Pedro “Puchi” Boulong: on trumpet, José Daniel: on the tumbadora, Elpidio Vásquez Jr. (son of the bassist): on second bass, and Mario Hernández: on tres.

From this work the hit “Mala Pata” and a new version of the bolero “Hoy Sé Más” stand out.

In 1982, he recorded his last work on the Fania Records label “Leguleya No” (1982), with his own production company RMQ and with the arrangements and musical direction of Ray Santos and Javier Vásquez.

From 1982 onwards his appearances were variable, he participated in Israel Sardinas’ LP, “Israel, la Verdad” (1984), and participated in Celia Cruz and Tito Puente’s album “Homenaje A Benny Moré Vol. 3” in 1985, in one of the songs: “Tú Solo Tú”.

Except for these participations, he made no recordings between 1983 and 1989.

And so, there were plenty of reasons for Justo Betancourt, despite so many successes, to end up in virtual anonymity and indifference. He gradually withdrew from the world of the studios, although he continued to perform sporadically.

After years of recording silence, he returned in 1990 with his style with the album “Regresar” on his own label RMQ, of which he was the producer, director and did half of the arrangements written by Eric Figueroa.

In 1992 he released the album “El Bravo De Siempre”, for Rafael Viera’s RV Productions label, which featured the participation of Cuban percussion legend Carlos “Patato” Valdes, among other great Puerto Rican musicians.

In 1994 he participated in the project of Puerto Rican producer and musician Frank Ferrer called “Descarga Boricua”, alongside more than 30 experienced local and international musicians such as Ismael Miranda, Jerry Medina, Papo Vázquez, Juancito Torres, Alex Acuna, Mario Rivera, Pedro Guzmán and Ángel “Cachete” Maldonado, among others. There, and in several songs, he resorted to his superb vocal resources as in his good times. In the second work of the Descarga Boricua, edited in 1996, he participated briefly with some soneos in the song “Abrázate a Puerto Rico”, as well as in the third album of the reunion of the virtuous Puerto Rican musicians.

He returned to the recording studios again in 1998 with the CD “Mató” for the El Paso label in Puerto Rico, and from which the song “El Lema Del Guaguancó” stands out in the most vigorous style of Arsenio Rodríguez, composer of the song.

He also made his return as guest singer of the Fania All Stars for the concert of April 29, 2000 in Puerto Rico, a return that he made together with Ismael Miranda and Luigi Texidor to the group.

Justo Betancourt has participated as a backing vocalist in the recordings of many Latin music orchestras and works of renowned artists, such as La Conspiración de Ernie Agosto, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Roberto Roena, Willie Colón, Eddie Palmieri, Willie Rosario’s orchestra, Héctor Lavoe, Adalberto Santiago, Kim De Los Santos, Van Lester and the Puerto Rican Power orchestra, among others.

In 2002 he participated for pianist Papo Lucca in the musical project “Festival de Boleros” with the song “En Cada Beso”, along with a constellation of Boricua singers and musicians.

Sources:

Por: Jose Ramon Tremaria

Ecued

Fania Stars

Also Read: Nicky Marrero is an innovator, timbalero and bongo player, living legend of our Afro-Latin and Caribbean music.

Poncho Sanchez visited us at the Salsa Museum

Like every month, we are going to dedicate this edition to a very special name in the Latin music scene and it is about the extraordinary percussionist and conguero Poncho Sanchez, who has given us the honor of donating some of his congas and the suit he wore during the Grammy Awards to the Spaha Salsa Gallery Museum.   

In gratitude to such a generous act, we want to dedicate the following lines to his brilliant career and everything he has contributed to Latin music with his work and talent.    

Poncho playing the congas
Poncho Sánchez playing the congas live

Poncho’s beginnings in music 

Pablo Sanchez, better known as Poncho Sanchez, is currently a percussionist and salsa singer who leads a renowned Latin jazz and Cuban music band. He became such a talented artist after a long journey in the difficult and competitive music industry. 

Poncho is the son of two Mexicans from different cities who had eleven children, the musician being the youngest of them all. From a very young age, he developed an intense love for music, which led him to learn to play instruments on his own.   

Although Poncho was born in Laredo, Texas, he spent all his childhood in Los Angeles with his family. In that place, he began to have a lot of contact with American jazz, Latin jazz and soul. During his adolescent years, his musical tastes were dominated by artists such as Mongo Santamaría, James Brown, John Coltraine, Miles Davis, among many others.   

Poncho at Catalina Bar
Poncho Sánchez performing at Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood

When he decided he wanted to take music up professionally, he began to teach himself to play the congas, guitar, drums, timbales and flute. This is how he was preparing for what was to come in his professional life later on.   

When he reached adulthood in his twenties, he was playing in various dance clubs for a while, until finally he got Cal Tjader and his group to notice his talent and invite him to join them.   

Today, Poncho is very grateful to Cal and said that he learned a lot from him during the time he was in the group. In fact, he even recalled in an interview that he gave him some lessons just as he was a teacher and Poncho was a student. This, in order to be on par with his bandmates and be able to put on a good show to the public.   

Poncho and Tito Puente
Poncho Sánchez and Tito Puente ”The King of Timbales”

Poncho as a soloist  

In 1980, Poncho finally managed to form his own group with which he began to carry out certain projects, although he had not completely departed from Cal’s band. In fact, the conguero worked with the musical director till the end of his days in 1982.   

Just a few months later, he signed with the Concord Records label to release his first official solo album, which he titled ”Sonando”, marking the beginning of a partnership that remains intact to this day. So far, Poncho has some two dozen recordings with Concord.  

Following decades of starting his career, Poncho saw his dreams become a reality when he won a Grammy for ”Best Latin Album” in 1999 thanks to the Latin soul album he had recorded at the time. That’s when the artist finally felt that everything he had worked for in the previous years had paid off.   

As for his latest album called ”Trane’s Delight”, Poncho seeks to pay homage to the artists who have inspired him and helped him develop his own art, as he considers that these personalities have been a fundamental basis for his growth as a music professional. 

Johnny Cru ISM corresponde in New York City

Read also: The Great Pichie Pérez and his brilliant career 

Metamorphosis: from music to photojournalism, a reinvention without limits

In the salsa scene, we are privileged to have the presence and companionship of Felix “Guayciba” Ayala.Guayciba is one of the greatest photojournalists Puerto Rico has ever produced.

He has moved from the musical notes that embrace our ears to now capturing visuals that awaken our five senses of unrepeatable moments.

I appreciate and share first hand the reference of how this idea begins, how the seed of wanting to be a photojournalist is planted, after having directed the Guayciba Group for 12 years.

“In the mid-’80s, a group of friends and I got together. We started playing and put together a Christmas repertoire. People liked it, and they told me, ‘Hey Felix, you should form a group, you sound great.'”

Félix “Guayciba” Ayala y Chucho Valdes
Félix “Guayciba” Ayala y Chucho Valdes

Encouraged by the public’s reception, they set about the task of banding together and formalizing a repertoire of Christmas music, which they later expanded to include popular music. In 1987, the group did not yet have a name, but the musicians were already rehearsing and playing in a bar in Santa Rosa (Bayamón, Puerto Rico).

In 1988 they started calling themselves Murciélago Sound Machine and got their first professional contract, for which they charged $200.00. During one of the rehearsals, Felix’s neighbor, who owned a movie and video rental store, offered to give him the name of his store: Guayciba; which he had already registered with the State Department.

The rest is history.

Felix liked the name, even though he still didn’t know what it meant. Guay-ciba means to take care of the stone.  It turns out that our Taino Indians communicated by carving messages on stones, which we now know as petroglyphs.

This form of communication of our Indians, the Tainos, was engraved on the stones that are part of our heritage.

Since 1989, Guayciba claims to have lost his last name – Ayala – to replace it with the name he is known by in the media, Guayciba.

On the salsa stage we have the privilege of having the presence of Felix "Guayciba"
On the salsa stage we have the privilege of having the presence of Felix “Guayciba”

This was the name of the musical group of which Félix Guayciba was the director, composer and singer.  As the main member and founder, he took on the task with commitment and in 1989 they released their first record production, entitled Nuestra música primero en LP, because CDs were not yet widespread in the market.

Felix remembers that the first singer of Grupo Guayciba was Gisela Ortiz.  Some time later, Gisela got thyroid cancer and when she lost her voice, she had to be replaced by Aidita Encarnación.

Guayciba recalls that Aidita made her debut with the group during the “Coffee Festival” in Maricao and remained with the group until it disbanded in 2000.

In 1991 they produced Echemos pa’lante, which opened the door to radio stations on the island. In 1992 they produced Por ti doblaré rodillas, and in 1993 they released what Felix considers their masterpiece under the title Borinquen, nido de amores.

Félix affirms that this production became the classic album that consolidated them in Salsoul, Z-93 and Estereotempo.  Later they released La revolución apoya lo nuestro. In 1999 they released their last album, Contra viento y marea.

In this last Guayciba production, Maestro Luis ‘Perico’ Ortiz made two arrangements: “Déjame Soñar” by Perín Vázquez, which Tito Puente had already recorded on the 100th album, backing the voice of Tony Vega (Antonio Vega Ayala), the cousin of Félix Guayciba Ayala. The six albums of the Grupo Guayciba were recorded in the studio of Maestro Pedro Rivera Toledo, and in Contra viento y marea Maestro Rivera Toledo recorded the saxophone.

Félix “Guayciba” Ayala
Félix “Guayciba” Ayala

In his last album, the song “Por nada la cambiaré” was composed by Guayciba and dedicated to his homeland, Puerto Rico.

They never recorded Christmas music because their mission was to defend our music, the seis, the bomba, the plena and the guaracha, among other indigenous rhythms. The time came for the group to disband, but as Guayciba affirms: “We left a legacy for the musical history of our nation (…) Guayciba was, is and will be one of the best musical groups in the history of typical Puerto Rican music. I have retired, but at least we have left a legacy for history, we have left a mark”.

With the arrival of the new millennium, Guayciba’s musical stage ended to give way to the visual arts, making it clear that he had not retired from the humanistic arts, but had reinvented himself and now stood out in the visual arts.

The images captured by Guayciba’s photographic lens are full of life and movement. The viewer sees as if the artist, athlete or object in the photo comes to life.

Guayciba reflects while explaining how the image speaks or remains silent, depending on the adjustment made, the movement given, the position and the light.

He hastens to clarify: “I have used my musical career to distinguish myself in photography. I photograph artists the way I want them to photograph me.

I try to make the image I take of an artist or a show speak. In photojournalism, the photo has to speak.”

Guayciba made the decision to move from music to photojournalism as a result of a deep depression that he faced and fought with professional help.  Once the decision was made, he began training at the University of Puerto Rico.

He never forgot what one of the specialists who was part of the medical team that helped him recover told him: “I have faith in you.  If you are going to be a photojournalist, I want you to be the best photojournalist”.

Felix attended classes every Wednesday for three hours. He remembers his first photographic experiments.  One that comes to mind is Ricardo Arjona, who performed for an entire season at the Centro de Bellas Artes. Felix would leave his weekly class to go to the CBA, where he would stay until late.

On the salsa stage we have the privilege of having the presence of Felix "Guayciba"
On the salsa stage we have the privilege of having the presence of Felix “Guayciba”

The next day he would go to a megastore to develop the photos from the night before and bring them to the professor to evaluate the shots.  The professor would give him advice on what to do to improve the photos he had in hand.

Another moment he remembers with emotion was in 2002, when Fania played a concert at the Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium in Bayamón.

Guayciba already had a digital camera, and during that concert, he says he used 25 rolls of film with 36 exposures each.

He says this was his first international assignment. The first time he photographed an international artist was when he was still a photography student, practicing with Ricardo Arjona in the Fine Arts Department.

As a result of that coverage, he got in touch with the Guatemalan artist, who was thrilled with the photos Felix took, saying at the time that they were the best photos he had ever taken, adding that the Puerto Rican had captured his best side.

Felix has continued to evolve and has had the opportunity to cover concerts by Elton John, the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney, among others.  He says: “The only thing I don’t do is pornography, weddings or quinceañeras”. His specialty is artistic shows and sporting events.

Guayciba is the longest serving photographer to cover the Coliseo de Puerto Rico since its inauguration in 2004, when Sonora Ponceña, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz and Roberto Roena’s Apollo Sound performed in that memorable concert produced by Pepe Dueño.

One of the highlights of his career was a trip to Cuba in 2009, where Guayciba was the official photographer for the Puerto Rican delegation that went to the Cuba Disco Festival, which was dedicated to Puerto Rico in that edition.

He has taken more than 24,000 pictures of Cuba. The most memorable experience of his trips to Cuba was visiting the resting place of Che Guevara.

He continues to learn from all the images he has taken and published.  “At one point, during the performance of the 2013 musical Pedro Navaja, the Caballero de la Salsa, Gilberto Santa Rosa told me, “You have to let yourself be criticized and you have to accept criticism as long as it is constructive criticism.”

Felix added and still maintains: “It depends on who is criticizing you, because there are people who criticize you just to make fun of you; yes, you know, out of envy”. In fact, Felix understood that he had the best photos of Gilberto.

When he went to see him to show him, Santa Rosa told him: “They’re good, but these photos where I’m alone don’t say anything because it could be at the Fine Arts Center or it could be in some theater.  This concert is symphonic, where is the symphony orchestra?” Santa Rosa was right. “From that ear flattery I learned that you have to take the picture of the artist and the complements like stage, orchestra, etc..  It’s like writing a story.  You have to include the day, the historical setting, the characters, and make sure that the viewer can get a picture of what happened there in the moment. It’s more of a frozen in time effect.

Guayciba considers Conrado Pastrano her teacher and mentor. She expresses gratitude for all that she has learned in photography and acknowledges that there is still more to learn.

Conrado is an exceptional colleague who takes the time to explain ways to correct unwanted effects in images. Guayciba has developed her own unique style by studying the works of other colleagues and drawing inspiration from each of the photojournalists whom she admires.

Guayciba is highly regarded as one of the top photojournalists in Puerto Rico, although he is humble and has never claimed the title for himself.  He recognizes that there are others who may be more talented than him.  His motto is: “I may not be the best, but I am proficient in my craft and the photos I take convey a narrative.”

When he is at the ball park, he adeptly adjusts his lighting, shutter speed, and lens to capture the intricate details on a ball despite its velocity exceeding 100 miles per hour. When artists perform on stage, Guayciba faces the task of restoring their natural appearance despite the color filters and stage lighting often making them look unnatural or cartoonish.  Overcoming these challenges and bringing the images to life, imbues these artists with renewed enthusiasm for their craft, a pursuit they have devoted over two decades to.

At 68 years of age, he prays daily for longevity. He abstains from drugs and alcohol, including wine, champagne, and cider. His sole indulgence is tobacco and photography.

To view Félix Guayciba’s artistic works and keep in touch with this vital advocate of Puerto Rican culture, please visit the publication at www.guayciba.com. To email him, please use [email protected], or follow his IG account at https://www.instagram.com/guay54/.

To reach him by phone, please dial 787-637-8617. He is always available and eager to assist with his usual helpful demeanor.

Bella Martinez Puerto Rico

Also Read: Bella Martínez presents “Las memorias de Jimmie Morales: un conguero para la historia” [Read more…] about Metamorphosis: from music to photojournalism, a reinvention without limits

North America – October 2023

Yani Borrell

Thumbnail Juan Antón en inglés

Thumbnail John Narvaez and Elizabeth Rojas

René Latin Soul

Willito and JaphetThumbnail about the salsa museum

Las Maracas promo

Canada flag

CANADA

DIRECTORY OF NIGHTCLUBS

Dirty Martini
2075 Winston Park Dr Oakville, ON, Canada L6H 6P5

El Rancho
430 College St Toronto, ON, Canada M5T 1T3

LULA LOUNGE
1585 Dundas West Toronto, ON, Canada M6K1T9

Marlowe Restaurant and Bar
155 York Blvd Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4B 3B4

Sahara Restaurant
1855 Dundas St E, Mississauga ON L4X 1M1

Smokeshow BBQ & Brew
744 Mt Pleasant Rd Toronto, ON, Canada M4S 2N6

Mangos Kitchen Bar
744 Mt Pleasant Rd Toronto, ON, Canada M4S 2N6

Studio Nightclub
919 Granville street Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1L3
OCTOBER 2023 FESTIVALS

Canada Salsa and Bachata Congress
Oct 05 / 09 2023
Canada Fairmont Royal York Hotel100 Front St. W., Toronto, ON, Canada, M5J 1E3
United States flag

UNITED STATES

DIRECTORY OF NIGHTCLUBS

CALIFORNIA FLORIDA  ILLINOIS
MICHIGAN NEW JERSEY NEW YORK
 OHIO PENNSYLVANIA TEXAS
VIRGINIA WASHINGTON
OCTOBER 2023 FESTIVALS

NEW JERSEY BACHATA FESTIVAL
October 05 / 09, 2023
CoCo Key Water Resort at The Hotel ML915 NJ-73, Mount Laurel, NJ, United States, 08054

Seattle International Salsa & Bachata Fest
October 12 / 15, 2023
Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center17620 International Blvd, Seattle, WA, United States, 98188

Dallas Bachata Fusion Festival
October 19 / 23, 2023
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott 8440 Freeport Parkway, Irving, TX, United States, 75063

St. Louis International Salsa Congress
October 20 / 22, 2023
Holiday Inn St. Louis – Downtown Conv Ctr 811 North Ninth St, St Louis, MO, United States, 63101

West Palm SBK Fest
Oct 20 / 23 2023
Holiday Inn St. Louis – Downtown Conv Ctr Address: 811 North Ninth St, St Louis, MO, United States, 63101

Bailame Dance Festival
October 26 / 30, 2023
Sheraton Minneapolis West Hotel12201 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305

 

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International Salsa Magazine (ISM) is a monthly publication about Salsa activities around the world, that has been publishing since 2007. It is a world network of volunteers coordinated by ISM Magazine. We are working to strengthen all the events by working together.