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Tito Rojas

Latino America/ Puerto Rico/ Humacoa

Tito Rojas, The Salsa Rooster

Julio César Rojas López better known as Tito Rojas was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, June 14, 1955, is a Puerto Rican salsa singer.

Tito Rojas grew up and was educated in the city of Humacao, located on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, where he attended primary and secondary school. From an early age Rojas enjoyed singing salsa to his family and friends.

In 1974 he had an audition with Pedro Conga and his International Orchestra. He sang the song ««Olvídate de mí»» accompanied by the orchestra and Pedro Conga hired him as a singer.

Tito Rojas
Tito Rojas

Some time later he left the band to join the “Borincuba Set”, led by Justo Betancourt, as lead vocalist. With this orchestra he participated in the recording of “Con amor” (“With Love”), becoming a success in 1978.

After a while, Rojas formed his own short-lived band, Conjunto Boricano. Between 1987 and 1988 he sang, with good success, salsa versions of “Noche de boda” and “Quiéreme tal como soy” together with the “Puerto Rican Power”.

In 1990, Rojas recorded the successful lp Sensual as a soloist for the “Musical Productions” label. Tito Rojas from 1992, A Mi Estilo” from 1993 and in 1995 he recorded in his own right, which he placed on Billboard’s Latin hits list.

He gained recognition from the recording industry by winning the double Platinum Album, the Paoli Award for “Best Salsa Artist of the Year” and the “ACE” award.

In 1996, Rojas had other successes with Humildemente and Pa’l pueblo, as well as 20º Aniversario, Alegrías y penas and Navidad Con Tito Rojas in 1999 and continued in the following years with the albums in 2000 Rompiendo noche, 2001 Auténticamente en vivo and Quiero. arriving home in 2003 Canta el gallo and Perseverancia 2004 The same as always, Fighting Hard and Traditional, 2005 Slate and new account, 2006 Better Than Always, 2007 No Comments and Successes and More

Tito Rojas
Tito Rojas in concert

Tito Rojas is currently performing concerts and tours around the world.

Orchestra “Real Expression”

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Orchestra “Real Expression”. Relay youth in Afro-Caribbean music

The “Real Expression” Orchestra was born under the initiative of a group of friends who converged during the 90’s as part of their free time and to liven up their family parties.

Empirical musicians moved by the passion for the salsa genre and their musical preferences chose a series of songs to inspire their repertoire of “hard sauce” paying homage to orchestras such as: Los Satélites, Fruko y sus Tesos, Dimensión Latina, Roberto Blades, among others.

Real Expression" Orchestra
Real Expression” Orchestra

Relaunching

The “Real Expression” Orchestra in 2016 had an unexpected loss. Its founder Oswaldo García and pianist of the group, exercising his role as a GNB official, lost his life in a confrontation.

This moment marked a silence in the Royal Expression Orchestra, which after the physical disappearance of Oswaldo, could not find a path to musical growth and there was no longer reason to celebrate.

After a year, his son Wladimir A. García, who learned the magic of the piano from his father, decides again to summon these friends of his father to continue the legacy that was Oswaldo’s passion in life.

During the year 2018, the “homemade” rehearsals and the desire to consolidate the group continued and in December of that year Wladimir Alexander formally decided to start piano lessons with the teacher Alberto Crespo, a Venezuelan pianist recognized in the salsa scene for his participation. in Bands such as Bailatino, and professionalize their innate skills in order to take on the challenge of Musical Direction of the Orchestra, under a concept of varied salsa repertoire and coupling talents of different ages in order to capture audiences of all ages.

With this impetus and desire, “Orquesta Real Expression” was born with a group of musicians of all ages and periods, a fresh and original repertoire with a “street tumbao”, extolling what is born at night in the Caracas parish “23 de January” cradle of salsa par excellence and in homage to all “street and guataca” dancers.

Real Expression" Orchestra
Real Expression” Orchestra

Musicians

After the call, many musicians were encouraged to participate, including Gilberto Gil (tumbadoras) who has been supporting Wladimir Alexander since he took over the orchestra, we consider him “the brother of the house”.

There is also Gonzalo Ribas (singer) of the old school with an original soneo and a musician by vocation formally dedicated to the business of selling spare parts. In the voice is also part of this project Jeanmicet Canónico, singer with a career in traditional Venezuelan music.

Jeanmicet is currently part of the “Francisco Pacheco y su Pueblo” Project and his son, also renowned percussionist Roland Orozco, decided to join the percussion base for “Real Expression” with Luis Urbina.

On bass we are accompanied by “Yimmito León” from the family of the great Oscar D’ León, son of Yimmy Leon. The sax is represented by Javier José Torres Perez (saxophonist and flutist).

Following the line of brass Meyderson Rada (trumpet) who also belongs to the project of Francisco Pacheco y su Pueblo, and as arranger and bass Premmlim Villamizar of the new generation of, under the direction of Wladimir Alexander singer and piano.

Repertoire

The repertoire includes songs covered by orchestras such as Los Satélites, Grupo Canela de Colombia, Spanish Harlem, Hildemaro, Eddy Santiago, Eddie Palmieri, Oscar D’ León, among others.

Real Expression Orchestra. Musical Direction: Wladimir Alexander Garcia. Phone (0414)3175583. email: [email protected] Instagram: orchestrarealexpression / twitter: @ExpressionReal / Facebook: Real Expression Orchestra.

Under the production of: La Negrix Salsera

Email: [email protected]. Instagram: Yohelia Acosta / Facebook: Yohelia Acosta.

Leo Pacheco Sonero del barrio and beloved example of father and friend was lead vocalist of the Orquesta Renovación under the direction of the tumbador Nico Monterola.

On May 17, 1948, Alejo Veliz Pacheco was born in Las González, Miranda State.

Under the musical influence of his father, an outstanding Afro-Venezuelan drummer, his debut as a professional took place in 1973, when he became the lead vocalist of the Renovación, after the departure of Orlando Castillo “Watussi” to the orchestra of Porfi Jiménez.

Leo Pacheco Sonero del barrio and beloved example of a father and friend
Leo Pacheco Sonero del barrio and beloved example of a father and friend

An advanced group, which emerged on February 6, 1973, under the musical influence of Harlow y la Perfecta, became the ideal competition to the “Galician” Dimensión Latina.

Under the direction of tumbador Nico Monterola, La Renovación, despite not having much luck, presented in its ranks timbalero Alfredo Cutuflá, (great Venezuelan timbalero, with a brilliant career in France), then Cheo Navarro (Director of Bailatino), the future trombonists of Oscar D’ León, the Piñango brothers: Nené and Taito.

This is the first recording for the album of La Renovación, one of the best Venezuelan salsa groups of the 70s. La Renovación since its foundation had in its ranks a select group of musicians that in the future would make a brilliant career in our salsa, needless to say that this group in its different stages has always tried to maintain a very fat and hard sound in the style of the good bands of New York”.

Orquesta Renovación under the direction of the tumbador Nico Monterola
Orquesta Renovación under the direction of the tumbador Nico Monterola

This LP gathers many good songs but there is one in particular that I like very much and it is “Guaguancó a Barlovento”, authored by Orlando Watussi, who was also founder of this group, but he left before the recording of this first album.

Rafael García on bass, Félix Suárez “Shakaito” (future director of the Bronko), Hungria Rojas (later Oscar D’ León’s bongos player) and the vocalization of Leo Pacheco, who recorded with them, (5) Cinco Producciones: Echa Pa’ lante (1974); Llegó la Renovación (1975); Pare Cochero (1975); Lo máximo es Renovación (1976) and A todo el mundo le gusta (1976).

Due to some problems he left La Renovación and went on tour to Colombia with Nelson Henríquez, commitments that prevented him from joining the newly formed orchestra of Oscar D’ León, who observed in Leo his great conditions to do the chorus and second voice, (as a substitute for the work done by Wladimir Lozano in Dimensión Latina), and in a nightclub, Oscar told him: “Leo was looking for you, because the two of us, for whatever comes out …”, “here there is nothing else…”, “here we are going to bust everybody…”.

In fact, after Rodrigo Mendoza’s departure in March 1977, the band replaced him thanks to Leo Pacheco’s very special timbre to do the chorus and second voice, with some songs that served as witnesses, such as the unforgettable: Juramento, Fuego de Amor, Capullito de Azucena, Cruel Desilusión (Con la Crítica de Oscar), among others.

Oscar D'Leon Y Su Salsa Mayor El Oscar De La Salsa
Oscar D’Leon Y Su Salsa Mayor El Oscar De La Salsa

The last days of May 1977, the breakup of Oscar D’ León’s Salsa Mayor is announced, where the bassist-singer in record time reassembles his orchestra dismantling the Renovación itself, while Leo Pacheco, together with the timbalero Alfredo Padilla, Henry Camba, William Puchi, Miguel Pacheco, José “Pipo” Pérez form: “Nuestra Orquesta La Salsa Mayor”, with whom he recorded three anthological albums: De frente y luchando (1978); Strong & Hots (1979); Sello de garantía (1979).

He continued his musical activity in the following years with La Crítica, Combo Venezuela and other groups.

“There was a lot of history left to tell, impossible to tell in this opportunity for reasons of space, although we hope it will be the beginning of a series of works on Venezuelan Salsa, which unfortunately we begin with the sad news of the death of Leo Pacheco, who left us with the fullness of his vocal cords and strength, which impressed the doctors on the day of his death when he resisted 8 hours with a heart attack while driving home in Ocumare del Tuy in his native Miranda state”.

For July 2023 the Lutier, Percussionist and friend Maestro Nico Monterola made a well-deserved tribute with a single titled:

“Tribute to Leo Pacheco”.

Sonero of the neighborhood and beloved example of father and friend.

Leo Pacheco Sonero del barrio and beloved example of a father and friend
Leo Pacheco Sonero del barrio and beloved example of a father and friend

 

Source: Jose “Cheo” Guevara of Asocosalsa 74

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