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Latest News From Events In Netherlands
Alfredo Rodríguez Trio, Latin Weekender 2021, And Alain Pérez Quinteto
With the arrival of the penultimate month of the year, it’s normal, that we are eager to enjoy and start having memorable moments now that 2021 is almost over. That is why, as a first step, we offer you the latest news about the most important Latin events taking place in the country known to be partially below mean sea level, the Netherlands.
Alfredo Rodríguez Trio Live
Get ready to delight yourself with the masterful sound of Jazz and its fusions with the virtuoso Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez along with the participation of Michael Olivera (Drums) and Yarel Hernández (Double Bass) in a dazzling Latin Jazz concert on November 19th at the Bimhuis auditorium in Amsterdam.
Energy, Latin Style, And Unique Enthusiasm Come Together In The Music Of This Trio
Alfredo Rodríguez (composer and pianist) was born into a family of artists whose father is the famous singer and TV host from the island of Cuba, Alfredito Rodríguez.
From a young age, he was a prodigy on the string instrument. “He studied classical piano at the prestigious Amadeo Roldán Conservatory and the Higher Institute of Art while playing popular music in his father’s orchestra at night. While performing at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival, he was discovered by his future mentor and producer, the legendary Quincy Jones.” Excerpt from his biography.
The 36-year-old pianist from Havana has classical training with nuances of styles of dance music from the bars of his hometown and the Progressive Jazz of Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea, which we can evidence in each composition and concert.
Rodríguez already has four studio albums, and one of his most emblematic presentations was made in 2019 with Richard Bona with a full house in one of the best concert halls in the world, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, located in the capital of the Netherlands.
Date: Friday, November 19th
Venue: Bimhuis. Piet Heinkade 31019Amsterdam, Netherlands
Time: 8:30 PM
Ticket: € 23 (Sitting) / € 19 (Standing)
Latin Weekender 2021
Latin Weekender is the Latin festival per excellence in the Netherlands. This sixth edition will feature 25 workshops at all levels, boot camps, a pool party, shows, a concert with the Pegasaya Orchestra, and nine social events of Salsa, Bachata, Tango, Kizomba, and Afro Dance.
Get away from the routine with your group of friends and lovers of Latin music for a long weekend and experience the passion for dance.
Remember to buy your tickets in advance as there is currently less availability for Latin Weekender 2020 reservations.
Date: Friday, November 19th – Sunday, November 21st
Venue: Center Parcs Limburgse Peel. Peelheideweg 25, 5966 PJ America, Netherlands
The Pegasaya Orchestra will be present at the Latin Weekender 2021, and you can’t miss it. The band, made up of ten musicians, was founded in 1985 in Tilburg city (the sixth most populous city in the Netherlands).
This orchestra, the greatest leader on the Dutch Latin scene, has participated in national and international festivals. They have been the first band to win the audience award twice as The Most Popular Group at the Rotterdam Summer Carnival (1995 and 1999). In February 2001, Pegasaya released their compilation album “The Best of the Pegasaya Orchestra” and also featured live performances on the Holland Casino chain in the Netherlands for a year (2007/2008). They also accompanied Elvis Crespo on May 28th, 2009 during his concert at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam as well as Jeniffer López at her presentation at the Hennie Huisman Soundmix show in 2003.
Double Concert: Alain Pérez Quinteto + Alfredo Rodríguez Trio
Music Meeting Concerts presents a special Sunday in the Cuban style with the musical meeting between Alain Pérez Quinteto and Alfredo Rodríguez Trío in two unique performances on the third Sunday of November.
Music Meeting Festival 2021 organizes for this fall a series of concerts at LUX and Brebl in Nijmegen, LantarenVenster in Rotterdam, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and MuziekPublique in Brussels. Music lovers will be able to enjoy unique evenings with challenging compositions and collaborations by music teachers from all over the world as a prelude to the Music Meeting Festival 2022.
Alain Pérez, the Cuban artist with numerous Latin Grammy Award nominations, will present his magic and charm with his fusion of Salsa, Latin Jazz, and Flamenco on November 21st in Nijmegen. Alain, known for leading the legendary singer Celia Cruz’s orchestra before he turned thirty, consolidated his musical career by becoming the bassist of Paco de Lucia for six consecutive years. Currently, Pérez has his band and is one of the most important musicians in his native country. Alain Pérez plays bass, guitar, piano, percussion, and sings; he also works as a composer, arranger, and producer. For this event, Alain (Bass and Voice) will be accompanied by Andy García (Piano), Inoidel González (Tenor Saxophone), José Montaña (Percussion), and Alain Ladrón de Guevara on drums.
On the other hand, Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez breaks the third wall between him and his audience when he shares his skill and technique live. Attendees feel close to the refined play of the notes with the rhythm and harmony of the melodies that can be sung with ease. For this Latin event, Rodríguez (Piano) has in collaboration with his two friends: Munir Hossn (Bass / Spanish Guitar) and Michael Olivera (Drums).
Date: Sunday, November 21st
Venue: Mariënburg 38-39, 6511 PS Nijmegen, Netherlands
Start: 3:00 PM
Admission: € 22.50
Ray Santos ¨ The last of the Mambo Kings ¨
He was the last surviving member of the glory days of mambo preceding what we know today as salsa.
Ray Santos was a Latin musician, was born to Puerto Rican parents on December 28, 1928, in New York City, attended the Juilliard School of Music where he studied saxophone.
He was a Professor at the City University of New York (City College), where he teaches a Band or ¨performance¨ course.
Ray Santos ¨The last of the Mambo Kings¨
He was a musician in the orchestras of Machito, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez. He was also was an arranger and musical director for recordings of Tommy Olivencia, Junior Toledo, Willie Rosario, Lalo Rodriguez, and Rudy Victorino and an Oscar winner in 1992, for the music of the film “The Mambo Kings” starring Armand.
Maestro Santos is a Puerto Rican man who has made significant contributions to Latin music as an arranger, bandleader, and musician.
However, beyond the circles of mambo lovers and Latin music big bands of yesteryear, not much is known about his distinguished professional career in Puerto Rico.
Part of it, happens because of the nature of Ray Santos himself. This is a literate person but with an amiable and accessible character, totally devoid of vanity, presumption, or ostentation exhibited by other music personalities with attainments less than him.
For instance, unless he is asked directly, Ray Santos is not going to say that he participated with three arrangements on the compact disc “Palo Pa’ Rumba” CD of Eddie Palmieri, which received a Grammy Award from the Recording Academy in 1985.
Nor will he say that he also arranged for Eddie Palmieri and Tito Puente on the CD “Obra Maestra” which received a Grammy Award in 2001.
For Linda Rondstat he wrote all the arrangements and was the conductor for her CD “Frenesí”, which received a Grammy Award in 1993.
In the movie “Mambo Kings” he was a mambo director and arranger, including the arrangement of “Beautiful Maria of my Soul”, a song that was nominated for an “Oscar®” as “Best Song from a Motion Picture” at the 65th Academy Awards® of the Academy of Picture Arts and Sciences.
In other words, this is a person who has reached a seat of honor in the world of Latin music, is Puerto Rican, and is practically unknown by his countrymen.
On the one hand, the album “Mi Luz Mayor” celebrates the legacy of Machito, Puente, and Rodriguez. And on the other, The great contribution of Ray Santos to Afro-Caribbean dance music.
We would like to present the outstanding professional career of Maestro Ray Santos after he suffered a recent health problem.
Ray Santos passed away at his home died on October 17, 2019, at the age of 90.
Facebook: Ray Santos
Sources:
By Ewin Martinez Torre
Latin Heritage Contributor
San Juan – Puerto Rico
Jaime Torres Torres
National Foundation for Popular Culture
Articles of Interest: Ralph Irrizary, a well-known percussionist, is considered one of the most “Swing” timbaleros in the world
“Big Band Máquina” Latest Production from Angel Meléndez released by Gia Fu
International Salsa Magazine from Silicon Valley presents the album “Big Band Máquina” a production of Angel Melendez and Gia Fu, a real musical gem with 12 melodies of rhythm and flavor dedicated to the dancer, music lover, and collector of the world of Salsa.
Undoubtedly, this record production made between Hong Kong and Puerto Rico will be immortalized as one of the most important albums of the XXI century.
Grammy-nominated Angel Meléndez reappears on the scene with his latest album, Big Band Máquina, which will be available starting Saturday, September 18, 2021.
This production has the particularity of having the talented artist and producer, Gia Fu.
Gia releases this production through the independent label Kong Records Limited.
Angel Melendez, a Latin artist, based in the United States, gives us a new and refreshing chapter in his musical career after his album, Angel Melendez & the 911 Mambo Orchestra. Big Band Máquina album consists of eleven songs and a Bonus Track.
The Big Band Máquina project was directed by Ralph Riley. Ralph, Angel, Gia, and other magnificent professionals such as Juan Picorelli and Rolando Alejandro, completed the complicated feat of organizing the 30 artists’ work collaborated on the project.
The recording of the songs took place in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, at the well-known Rolo’s Studio.
The Team of collaborating artists on this album comprises a quite heterogeneous combination of generations of musicians. Some of the excellent members of the Team were: Tito Allen, Primi Cruz, Hermán Olivera, Rico Walker, Carlos García, Willie Otero, Jorge Yadiel Santos, and Gerardo Rivas.
In addition, Big Band Máquina gives us the presence of a group of musical stars such as Richie Bastar, Gilbérto “PULPO” Colón Jr, Jan Duclerc, Sammy García, Luis Marin, Pedro Pérez, and, especially, Angel Meléndez.
Who is Angel Melendez?
Angel Melendez is a Puerto Rican artist based in the city of Chicago, United States. Angel has had an impressive musical career in the world of Latin music, primarily Salsa.
Melendez had the opportunity to study at VanderCook College of Music, which provided the foundation for his experience as a producer, trombonist, arranger, and music director.
His valuable performance has led him to become an artist nominated for the “Best Tropical Music” category at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. This nomination was due to his previous album, Angel Melendez & the 911 Mambo Orchestra. Later he was honored with the award in “Best Latin Album” 4th Annual Independent Music Awards 2005.
Angel has had the opportunity to collaborate directly with internationally renowned artists such as Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago, Cheo Feliciano, The Singers of the Apollo Sounds, Frankie Ruiz, Eddie Santiago, Hector Tricoche, Tito Allen, Johnny Rivera and the Fania All Starr Records.
References & Reviews:
“As one of the most recognized musicians in Chicago, he leads the most popular Latin bands locally. The 20 piece 911 Mambo Orchestra and Tributo Lavoe are widely recognized and move people to the dance floor. Angel’s bands play an array of Latin music from the modern tropical sounds of today to the most traditional hard hitting Mambo of the 50’s”.
“Whenever a big band can produce great blasts of sound without sacrificing technical detail, audiences are in for a thrilling ride.”
Facebook: Gia Fu(昭盈)
Article of Interest: Ayumi “Azucar” Suzuki, she plays Latin percussion, Classic percussion, Marimba & Vibraphone
Pianist Fadi Gaziri Debuts In Salsa Music With Cuba Classic
A Studio Album That Reflects The Multicultural Sound Of Western Europe And Latin America
The son of medical parents and the grandson of a passionate pianist, Fadi Gaziri ventures into the Salsa world with the album Cuba Classic, independent record production in collaboration with his German colleague and great friend Fritz Wengler.
Cuba Classic fuses the incredible universe of emotions that classical music transmits with the passion, conventional melodies of Jazz, and the rhythmic base of the Caribbean that characterizes Latin culture.
“Arranging classical pieces to fit a Salsa vibe was surprisingly easy… The melodies can be rhythmically changed to suit the Latin vibe while keeping authenticity…” Voiced by the talented British pianist.
This masterpiece with hybrid two-language titles strikes a perfect balance between the original title of a classic work and the sensation of the indicated awakening of a Latin melody. “I always liked Salsa for its quality to make people dance, so naturally and with such confidence.
As for the music itself, I love the colorful brass arrangements and Latin percussion. It’s a lot of fun to listen to and to play… ”. Fadi indicated.
The 13 songs on the album are El Capo (Zarathustra, R. Strauss), 5 Sinfonía De Salsa (Beethoven’s 5th Symphony). “I had a lot of fun with this one. …The Reorganization, the phrasing, using repetitions, increases, and the complete brass arrangement to make it sound like a proper Cuban track”. Fadi added recalling his experience with the production of this theme.
The next track on the album is Mambo Loco Nórdico (Grieg’s Piano Concerto in LA minor), resembling Havana at its turbulent peak and with great determination. Continues, the fourth track Mambo Austriaco (Mozart – Symphony No. 40 and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik), and the exquisite mix of Calipso Alemán (Beethoven’s Symphony 9).
In addition, you will also find in Mambo Classic: G-String Bossa (Air on a G string, JS Bach), Salsa Húngara (Brahms Hungarian Rhapsody) thought for the Latin ballroom dance competition tracks, due to the grace of the exuberant exposure of the horns.
Funeral De Che Guevara (Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody in C sharp minor), Havanera (Carmen Bizet) is another of the themes that stand out on this album. “It was inspired by the character of Che Guevara and his revolutionary spirit. Along, with a trumpet blast from Mariachi… Fernando’s lyrics and voice also add to the overall feeling”. Gaziri commented to us.
Rumba Rusa (Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky), La Toccata Loca (Bach Toccata in D minor), Green Leaves (traditional Greensleeves), and finally the piece Lambada A La Luz De La Luna (Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven) beginning with the funeral march played with a trumpet solo intervened with a joyous lambada, ending in a Latin urban sound.
Fadi’s main idea with Mambo Classic is to simplify the music on this album for use in schools across the country and have children perform it by simply playing percussion with the backing tracks.
Similarly, Gazziri hopes to present this record production live in 2021 on the big stages of Berlin and the rest of Europe.
Why The Fusion Of Latin Rhythm With Classical Music?
This talented artist since his return to Hamburg in 2017 has been involved in teaching music to children and teenagers in schools in this port city located in northern Germany.
Gaziri showed signs of concern every day as he observed his students’ reluctance to learn classical music, a feeling already developed as a famed behavior among young people today. But why don’t German students like to learn about their cultural heritage? The main reasons that Fadi realized were that his students were not motivated to continue with their studies due to the complexity of the music and the difficult handling of the instruments that did not allow them to master them quickly.
Realizing this, Gaziri began to devise the fusion of the Latin genre with classical music and thus seek to reverse the discouragement of his students. “I wanted children to learn classical music in a fun and interactive way. Something that would not take long to learn and that could involve all participants, regardless of their age, nationality, or musical ability. Most schools have Latin percussion that sits on the shelves and is rarely used.
So, I thought it would be a great idea to put in some classic melodies and accompany them with this Latin percussion. Wouldn’t it be fun and a good learning experience at the same time? Fadi told us.
Currently, this prodigious pianist is evaluating the possibility of continuing to teach in German schools full-time by 2022.
The Story Of Fadi Gaziri
Fadi Gaziri is a natural music producer and composer for audiovisual media, film, and theater. He was born in Moscow and began his musical studies of piano and violin at the famous Gnessin Music Academy.
At age 12, he moved to Sweden with his family and later to England (1998) where he continued his musical training.
This extraordinary producer studied Music Composition, Piano, and Languages at Durham University in 2004 graduating with great honors and passing his ABRSM piano exams with distinction. Two years later he entered Bournemouth University to study for a Master’s in Film Composition.
That same year (2006) Fadi moved to Hamburg and started working on music for commercials, films, and sound branding. At the same time, he began touring the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Germany accelerating his musical career.
In 2014 Fadi released his first solo album titled Northern Lights, a mix of cinematic and folk sounds that he combines with electronic texture. He used his technological knowledge to loop while playing piano, violin, and adding subtle voices that he performed himself.
Over the next three years, Gaziri released his second EP “The Jump”, founded a music supervision company, and has been dealing with song placement, and licensing for film and television ever since. He assumed a permanent position as an in-house music producer at TUi Cruises in Berlin and composed, and arranged music for more than ten theatrical productions performed on board the ships.