Search Results for: La Sonora Ponceña

Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana, born in Ponce Puerto Rico, began his musical career in 1961 alongside Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta

Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, began his musical career in 1961 alongside Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta

Commemorating one more anniversary of the departure of the Maestro: Ismael Quintana (Ponce, June 3, 1937-Colorado, April 16, 2016) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of salsa, bolero and other genres of Caribbean music.

He began his musical career in 1961 alongside Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta, and later continued as a solo singer.

In 1970, he signed with Fania Records and joined the Fania All Stars, in addition to recording more solo albums.

By 2012, his health condition prevented him from continuing to perform and he stopped giving concerts.

In April 2016, he died of a heart attack at his residence in Colorado in the United States at 78 years of age and paid the first tributes.

Quintana was the singer who gave the name salsa to Afro-Caribbean music, after having heard it in Venezuela.

Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana, born in Ponce, a town rich in culture on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, moved to New York when he was very young. It was in the South Bronx that he fell in love with Latin music.

During these early years, he played percussion with a variety of bands throughout New York City.

He persevered and eventually joined Angel Natel’s orchestra as a teenage bongosero.

During one memorable night in 1959, the band was asked to play a particular number for one of the club’s dancers.

Natel’s singer was not familiar with the song, but Ismael was. He stepped up to the microphone, performed the song and in the process electrified the crowd with his talented voice. That night launched a magnificent career, a career that would eventually position Quintana as one of the most prominent vocalists in Latin music.

In 1961, visionary keyboardist Eddie Palmieri decided to leave the sanctuary of Tito Rodriguez’s eminent orchestra to pursue the dream of forming his own band.

Eddie was present when Quintana auditioned for Orlando Marin’s popular orchestra.

The pianist would eventually track him down and offer him the opportunity to become the lead singer of his new orchestra, La Perfecta.

This proved to be a vital move in Eddie’s quest to become one of the top Latin music bandleaders. Their alliance would last 12 years.

Together, Quintana and Palmieri pushed the boundaries of progressive salsa, creating dissonant improvisations that fused the raw tradition of Afro-Caribbean music (exemplified by the singer’s hardcore sonics) with a relentless desire to experiment (illustrated by Palmieri’s choice of electronic keyboards, use of structures borrowed from other musical formats, as well as meandering solos that had their own idiosyncratic logic).

Quintana inició su carrera musical en 1961 al lado de Eddie Palmieri y La Perfecta

The 1965 album Azúcar Pa’Tí is probably the aesthetic pinnacle of their collaboration. It featured classic salsa anthems such as “Oyelo Que Te Conviene”, included here for your listening pleasure.

Another unforgettable moment was Eddie’s decision to record a double LP set in the Sing Sing penitentiary.

Quintana’s voice sounds appropriately impassioned on that socially significant 1972 concert recording.

By 1973, Quintana had decided to embark on a solo career. He signed a contract with UA Latino Records and recorded two albums of excellent quality.

Quintana En 1970, firma con el sello Fania Records

The second of these two releases gave him the opportunity to sing tangos and ballads, backed by a spectacular orchestra led by South American arrangers Héctor Garrido and Jorge Calandrelli.

Surprisingly, the singer has stated in interviews that he prefers to dance ballads and boleros rather than sing more fast-paced material.

Quintana’s first work for Vaya Records was recorded in 1974, It included the hit “La Blusita Colorá”, which is featured in this collection.

The singer also collaborated with keyboardist and bandleader of La Sonora Ponceña Papo Lucca, as well as Ricardo Marrero.

In 1975, Quintana was invited to join the legendary Fania All-Stars as one of their lead vocalists.

He appeared in the movie Salsa and participated in many of the combo’s historic performances, delivering a blistering version of the self-written “Mi Debilidad” at Yankee Stadium.

When not traveling the world with the All-Stars, Quintana could be found in the recording studio, working on material that appeared on his albums for Vaya Records.

Ismael Quintana’s name appears on many classic albums from the salsa explosion of the 1970s, both as a background singer and as a percussionist.

His phenomenal vocal abilities have obscured the fact that he is one of the most exciting maracas players in the genre.

He is also an innovative composer, having written many of the songs that make up Eddie Palmieri’s seminal albums of that era.

Quintana is also known as one of the nicest guys in the Latin music business.

A true professional who is never late for his concerts and a devoted family man who doesn’t smoke or drink.

Ponce in Puerto Rico has given birth to several legendary Latin singers, from Héctor Lavoé and Cheo Feliciano to Ednita Nazario and Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodríguez. Ismael Quintana is yet another luminary from that region.

This Latin Heritage compilation is a well-deserved tribute to one of salsa’s best. Fania All Stars.

By:

Marino Del Jesus

Historia Salsera

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: The Royalty of our Latin Music Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez first singer signed by Fania Records label

Betty Zapata ¨The Lady of Salsa¨

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

In Venezuela, Caracas, the neighborhood is a way of life with its own identity. The neighborhoods of the entire National Territory, its inhabitants, become outstanding characters. Such is the case of Betty Zapata who was born in the emblematic La Pastora Parish located in the Capital (Caracas). There he spends his childhood in a neighborhood of colonial and historical houses of Venezuela.

There are many memories of that legendary Zone, they are inevitably built by those associated with survival, preparation, development, work, love, struggle and family formation, its magic and what marked it for life… . “Music”.

My connection with music is due in part to the fact that I live in a popular area where the music that was heard was Afro-Caribbean (mostly Salsa), the parties or meetings in my house and the neighborhood were always enlivened by that type of music, the most rooted and sticky collectively, originating the most varied dancers.

In the Carnestolendas festivities, improvised platforms (Templetes) were installed to stage the most varied costume and dance contests. Leaving my childhood and beginning my adolescent stage, I participated in dance competitions, obtaining recognition and prizes that were awarded to the young people of my generation.

I attended festive celebrations (dance meetings) with my older sisters at the age of 12, not because I was a dancer, but to not leave me alone, since I was the youngest of 3 sisters, this allowed me to share with people older than me and which I was learning the different dance styles “remembering with great affection the Cayender family, made up of excellent dancers” they are part of my school and love for dance. My cadence, flavor and body movement also allowed me to learn until I had my own dance style.

The music of the moment was the Danzones, Billo’s, Melodicos and in my house my sisters listened in the 70’s to Joe Cuba, Ricardo Rey and Bobby Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, the Latin Dimension prevails, Grupo Mango, Salsa Mayor, La Banda and his Young Sauce. That stuck with me forever and I felt drawn to Salsa.

That gave me the basis to fully incorporate myself into the exciting world of music. In the Barrio salsa is something essential, if you don’t dance it, enjoy it, feel it, you’re nothing.

Attending a meeting, an event, a concert, a presentation, a party or a meeting and there is no salsa, you feel an emptiness since with it we enjoy, we share, we dance and it definitely puts us to enjoy.

Photo - Betty Zapata ¨The Lady of Salsa¨ — Photo – Betty Zapata ¨The Lady of Salsa¨

In the course of my 6 decades of existence, I have not ceased to be linked to it in different facets: as an audience, spectator, guest, contestant, jury, organizer, producer and director of events.

Each of these participations has allowed me to stand out, stand out and be a well-known, popular and loved person, a reference in the organization of a good party, night events, presentations of representative groups of the world of Salsa such as:

Ray de La Paz, Herman Olivera, Frankie Vásquez, Bobbie Valentin, Willie Rosario, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Sonora Ponceña, La Selecta, Mulenze, Carlos Cano Estremera, Julio López, Yolandita Rivera, Mambo Legends among others, and for those from the Patio: Bailatino, Rumberos del Callejón , Ensamble La Calle, Albondiga y su Pandilla, Repicao, Tributo, On Fire, La áquina de la Salsa, La Negramenta, Gerardo Rosales, Javier Plaza’s Son Risa Orchestra among others.

This has allowed me to be an obligatory reference when it comes to producing and making an event of great importance and musical quality where the Dancing Public is respected and appreciated, providing them with the comforts to enjoy an excellent show and Latin music is seen as an element of identity that belongs to all of us to live it and feel it.

I am (Betty Zapata) currently planning and developing projects in the short, medium and long term and to give you a heads-up I am giving you the scoop: I am here with my radio program to promote, support, disseminate and promote our exciting and magical world of Caribbean music.

Meet the venezuelan Oeste 11 orchestra

Latin America /  Venezuela / Caracas

Did you know that tropical music arises from the region surrounding the Caribbean Sea and the Antillean region of the American continent, where there is a mixture of rhythms from the African continent, fused with folklore and rhythms from the different American countries?

In this edition we can say that many music and dance lovers tend to choose Salsa and/or Tropical music, since they are musical genres that people enjoy as a couple or in a group, whether at an event, party or festival. giving it essence, life and sharing among all the members, for this reason there are many singers and members of orchestras that specialize in these genres, today we have as a special guest the Oeste 11 Orchestra from Caracas, Venezuela.

It was made up of young musicians belonging to the Venezuelan Orchestral Movement, among them the Venezuelan percussionist Alejandro Alfonzo who baptized it in 2007 with the name “Oeste 11” for all the musical experiences they shared since childhood, because most of their members were formed together in said parish.

It is currently made up of 13 musicians, who specialize in the musical genre “Salsa”, giving life to 2 discographies, the first entitled “AL NATURAL” that came out in 2015, consists of 8 unreleased songs and a cover. “With his songs I lie, Al natural, I forgot about you, Forget you, Medicine, You made fun of me, I have decided to forget you, My sweet friend and Dancing”

And for this month of May their second discography “Amor y gusto” will be available, which will be composed of 11 unreleased songs, and to give a preview of the new album they already presented us this March 31 their first single (theme), titled “ I want you to feel Mine”, which is accompanied by a music video that you can enjoy on her YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpleKvxCg9Y.

And over the years they had the opportunity to share on stage with several well-known artists and/or groups, such as the Latin Dimension, Rafael el Pollo Brito, Proyecto A, Los Satélites, Magia Caribeña, Grupo Mango, and other national artists. of different musical genres.

Among their achievements, they mention that in the National Festival of Salsa Orchestras Dile no a la Payola de PDVSA la Estancia were the winners in 2014, they were also selected to honor the Sonora Ponceña for her 60 years of artistic career and were in the Festival Sounds Caracas.

If you want to listen to their discographies “Al Natural” and “I want you to feel mine”, they are available worldwide on the platforms Amazon, Itunes, Spotify, Tidal, Google Music, among others.

For more information:

E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oeste11/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oeste11?lang=es
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oeste11/?hl=es-la
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR-wi3ybnoTbLH9C3-8keMA
Phones: +584242251360 / +584265161630 del manager Alejandro Alfonzo

Mulatu Astatke, the first African to earn a PhD from Berklee College of Music

Mulatu Astatke (or Astatqé) (Jimma, Ethiopia, December 19, 1943) is an Ethiopian musician, composer and arranger. He is considered the father of Ethio-Jazz.

His musical training took place at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, where he studied clarinet, piano and harmony, New York and Boston, where he was the first African student and also the first African to earn a PhD from Berklee College of Music; there he was trained in vibraphone and percussion.

Mulatu Astatke, the first African to earn a PhD from Berklee College of Music

Later he combined the influence of jazz and Latin music with traditional Ethiopian music.

My desire to start making Ethio-jazz began in London while I was studying there in the 1950s; then I knew I wanted to be different with my music. I looked for musicians from different African backgrounds and saw that they were successful and promoted the culture of their country.

However, there was very little from East Africa and Ethiopia, so I decided at that point that I would create something unique based on the rich heritage of our music and show how much we have contributed to the world of music in general.

That journey began to take shape at Berklee College in Bastan. I was the first African musician to study there and that period was very important for me.

I learned the technical aspects of many different musical forms and my teachers gave me the confidence to move in my own direction, teaching me that it was okay to be different in my music and try something completely new.

Ethiopian cultural music is based on four modes tezeta, bati, anchihoy and Ambassel and within my music, I knew that those modes could not be played.

They had to remain at the center of my music or the whole character of the sound would change and become distorted. I began to add beautiful colors with chords, voicings, bass lines and rhythm sections, writing progressions that fit together well. It’s very difficult to write 12-note music around the Ethiopian modes without destroying them.

In the mid-’60s I returned to Addis, but I kept going back and forth to the United States.

At that time, no one was fusing Ethiopian music with jazz.

In my country there was the First National Theater Orchestra, and both the police and the army had their own orchestras.

There were also bands like the Echoes and the Ras Band.

Musicians at that time based their melodies strictly on the four Ethiopian modes, using techniques like the “canon,” with melodic lines echoing each other.

With Ethiopian jazz, I consciously wanted to expand and explore the modes in different ways.

Mulatu Astatke (or Astatqé) (Jimma, Ethiopia, December 19, 1943) is an Ethiopian musician, composer and arranger. He is considered the father of Ethio-Jazz.

I formed a group called The Ethiopian Quintet in New York, made up of a mix of Ethiopian, Latino, and African-American musicians (there weren’t many Ethiopian musicians in the United States at that time).

The band included trumpeter and pianist Rudy Houston, who later played with Yambu, and Felix Torres, who played with Sonora Ponceña.

I have always felt a deep connection between Latin and African music; I traveled to Cuba to find out where the first American landed, I heard their musicians play and dance and although they sang in Spanish, the tempo, rhythm and feeling were very similar to aspects of African music.

So, with the Ethiopian Quintet, I wanted to show the African contribution to Latin music and it was my first opportunity to experiment and start developing my vision of Ethio-Jazz with this band.

With the American and Puerto Rican musicians in the group we created a different atmosphere and arrangements.

It was a great opportunity for me and they loved what I was writing and the direction I was trying to take.

We did quite a few concerts, some Spanish weddings, events upstate New York and in Manhattan.

We played at the Village Gate with Dave Pike, a great friend of mine at the time, one of the world’s greatest vibraphone players. He played a lot with Herbie Mann and I remember sitting in to watch one of his recording sessions.

I saw a lot of other great musicians in concert, from Coltrane to Bud Powell and Bill Evans. On the New York live circuit I met a producer called Gil Snapper.

His musical training was at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London,

Gil was a very nice and interesting guy and worked with musicians of many different styles.

He picked up on my music very quickly; we got on well and he invited me to record with The Ethiopian Quintet, so our first albums with him were ‘Afro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2, both recorded during 1966.

On the first volume, I performed an adaptation of an old Ethiopian warrior song, ‘I Faram Gami I Faram’.

I would have liked to have an Ethiopian singer for the song, but it was sung in Latin and the lyrics were translated to the singer so he could sing it in Spanish.

Nevertheless, it turned out to be a nice combination. The album included other compositions that were important steps for me: ‘Mascaram Setaba’ (Summer is Coming), ‘Shagu’ and ‘Almaz’. On the second volume, Rudy Houston suggested a piece of music that we called ‘The Panther’, in reference to the animal, but also in recognition of the Black Panthers, who were very active in the civil rights struggle in the United States at that time.

On this album, one of my favorites is my composition ‘Girl From Addis Ababa’, which worked very well as a fusion of Ethiopian modes and R&R rhythms, an indicator of the more refined Ethiopian jazz sound of my later album for Worthy, ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ (1972). It also included my new arrangement of the 1950s tune ‘Lover’s Mambo’.

Both albums include nice arrangements also by Oscar Garcia, Rudy Houston and Gil Snapper as well.

I feel proud of the recording when I listen to it again. It was an important moment in my career and it was a very interesting and progressive time to be in New York in the mid-60s.

I was there at the same time as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fela Kuti and, each in their own way, we tried to do our part to put Africa on the map of contemporary jazz.

Mulatu Astatke, April 2018

Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet – Afro-Latin Soul (1966, R-2018)

Tracks: Afro Latin Soul: 01. I Faram Gami I Faram (Mulatu Astatke)

02. Mascaram Setaba (Mulatu Astatke)

03. Shagu (Mulatu Astatke)

04. One For Buzayhew (Mulatu Astatke) ke)

05. Alone In The Crowd (Gil Snapper)

06. Almaz (Mulatu Astatke)

07. Mulatu’s Hideaway (Mulatu Astatke)

08. Askum (Rudy Houston)

09. A Kiss Before Dawn (Gil Snapper & Weiss)

10. Playboy Cha Cha (Oscar Garcia) Afro Latin Soul Vol. 2:

11. The Panther (Boogaloo) (Rudy Houston)

Konjit (Pretty) (Oscar Garcia)

Soul Power (Rudy Houston)

Lover’s Mambo (Traditional, Arr. Mulatu Astatke)

Love Mood For Two (Rudy Houston)

Jijiger (Rudy Houston)

Girl From Addis Ababa (Mulatu Astatke)

Karayu (Oscar Garcia)

Raina (Rudy Houston)

Musicians:

Mulatu Astatke (Vibraphone, Piano, Drums)

Rudy Houston (Piano, Trumpet)

Robert Cuadrado (Bass)

Felix Torres / John Perez (Congas / Bongos on Vol. 1)

Pete Iglesias (Congas on Vol. 2)

Tony Pearson (Timbales)

Information provided (October 5, 2024)

Also Read: Flora Purim has earned her two Grammy nominations for Best Female Jazz Performance

Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery & Johnny Cruz: ¡Que viva la Salsa!

North America / USA / California

Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery & Johnny Cruz: ¡Que viva la Salsa!

A private collection that was built over four decades has opened its doors to the public in El Barrio, New York, becoming the only permanent exhibition dedicated to salsa and its heritage

By Carmen Mercedes Aular

With the magic and passion of Johnny Cruz as host, Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery opened its doors to the New York community and the world a year ago, after 5 years of starting as a private gallery for an exclusive audience.

In this extraordinary place are exhibited 40 years of music, experiences and memories that now everyone can relive and consequently know the history behind each instrument, behind each object that rests in this immaculate space and carefully organized by Cruz. The collection includes instruments, pictures, newspapers, clothing and several gadgets donated by great musicians of Latin music.

Must share the good things

The initiative to bring the VIP experience to more people was conceived by Johnny Cruz to realize the positive impact that the gallery would have on the community of El Barrio and the way in which, through it, he could get more involved with schools from the neighborhood. The goal is to continue teaching children and adults the history of Latin music and show them how music is part of history and culture, and how it’s also part of El Barrio.

Cruz hopes to tell the story of each element of the gallery to anyone who wants to listen, and continue to increase the collection with donations from the stars of Latin music. Anyone interested in the history of music can learn something new and continue to share this information with other people so that the successes of these artists are never forgotten and kept alive in the collective memory.

In the near future, they hope to carry the information from the gallery to schools and universities in New York. In addition, they are working to collect resources to expand the collection and preserve exposure in the best and safest way possible, and become a source of employment for the community.

What awaits you at SpaHa Salsa Gallery?

At 1708 Lexington Ave NYC, you can find a wide variety of instruments, costumes, and other items from top artists of Latin music. One of the pieces of more recent data is the costume used by Sophy from Puerto Rico, in the tribute concert to Rafael Hernández at the Center for Fine Arts of Puerto Rico.

The great Eric Vélez supported the gallery by donating the congas that are in the permanent exhibition. You can also appreciate the tuxedo that Adalberto Santiago used in his 55th anniversary concert and a Bobby Cruz costume. A piece that you definitely have to watch is the colorful and vibrant Celia Cruz’s dress. Mike Rodriguez donated his güiro, maracas and tamboril. Willie Álvarez’s trombone also rests in this exposition.

Tourists and locals can learn about the history of objects belonging to musicians of La Fania All Stars or La Sonora Ponceña, the shoes of Héctor Casanova perched on the congas of Eddie Montalvo and numerous pieces full of anecdotes that will always, very gladly, share their host. The commitment of the gallery, and Johnny Cruz, is reaffirmed every day with donations of great glories that have a single purpose: to keep the music alive.

Soon, you will have access to the membership of the SpaHa Salsa Gallery, with which you will get information about the events before the general public and discounts in a wide network of restaurants in town, among other benefits, as a way to promote the gallery and obtain funds for its expansion and maintenance.

Within the gallery’s events programming for this month is Pablito Rosario and Cachete Maldonado’s visit, a celebration for Governor Andrew Cuomo for his triumph in the primaries vote in the state of New York, and another for Assemblyman Roberto Rodríguez, who has the support of the Latino community in the area where SpaHa Salsa Gallery lives. Moreover, Nicky Marrero, musician of the Fania All Stars, will donate the timbales he used recently in a tribute to Celia Cruz, so you can meet him in the gallery; on that day, he will be signing the instrument to formally deliver it to the collection.

The gallery is open to the public from Wednesday to Friday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm at 1708 Lexington Ave. NY 10029 (El Barrio).

You can get more information about events, membership and donations by calling 917-747-8505.

About the precursor of the initiative

Johnny Cruz has a history of 40 years in the world of Latin music, during which he has been collecting musical instruments. In the last 5 years he created Spaha Salsa Gallery in El Barrio in New York City and a year ago he shares it with friends, contacts, tourists and the community.

He has been a percussionist for the last 40 years and is passionate about music, singing it, producing it, composing it, telling it, living it today and keeping it alive forever. He has worked closely with some of the most outstanding Latin musicians in the business throughout his career and has been honored with a variety of awards over the years.

Photo by Johnny Cruz with more music instruments

At this time, he produces a public access television program for mnn.org called The Windows of Latin America. The program has been on the air weekly for 20 years, and it is the only TV space in New York where salsa is broadcast.

In a few days he will be premiering a collaborative production with Adalberto Santiago, with songs that recap his musical career of more than six decades and have the admiration and gratitude of Cruz. Within the framework of this launch, there will be an event in which great Latin music personalities will meet again at the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery to share a fun time with fans and friends.

Since the beginning of this trip, his desire has been to create a space for the community. Sharing these artifacts is their way of giving back to a community that they have had the pleasure of being part of for many years, a bit of their culture and their heritage for the world.