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“We are the Real Latin music world network” |
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Search Results for: Latin Music
Anthony Carrillo The Legendary and Virtuoso Bongocero for Batacumbele and
Anthony Carrillo was born in New York City on 117th Street and Lexington Avenue, a neighborhood marked by significant complexities in terms of violence and drugs. This is why his father decided to move the family back to Puerto Rico in 1972.
“I remember that when I opened my eyes the second day, I heard the music of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe”.
Me opening my eyes, and the smell of the earth. It’s a scene I’ll never forget in my life.”
Once in Puerto Rico, his father continued to play music and was connected with musicians such as David “La Mole” Ortiz, who would later become a great mentor and collaborator for Anthony.
In the mid-1970s, Anthony and his brother began collaborating with the Areito Folkloric Ballet.
Anthony Carrillo: Master Percussionist
Master percussionist Anthony Carrillo comes from a proud Puerto Rican musical heritage. Although perhaps best known for his performances alongside his childhood friend and famous LP artist, Giovanni Hidalgo, Carrillo has performed with numerous renowned musicians throughout his career, including Eddie Palmieri, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Paul Simon, and Harry Belafonte.
He was also an integral member of the outstanding percussion ensemble, Batacumbele, and, in contrast, the Puerto Rican metal band, PUYA. Piano legend Eddie Palmieri has referred to Carrillo as “the best bongocero in the universe.”
Under his own name, Anthony Carrillo has released three CDs, which include the historic first rumba recordings from Puerto Rico. His most recent performances include the off-Broadway musical “I Like it Like That” in 2017, and recording bongos with Puerto Rican artist Residente on his recent track “Hijos del Cañaveral.”
In April 2018, his Latin jazz group, AA team, released two original singles featuring Carrillo on bongos, drums, and vocals.
In August 2018, his dance orchestra, YÁMBAWA, released a four-track EP with originals and English-language pop standards infused with Spanish rap. He has stated that these two productions form his most prolific and inspired body of work in his career so far.
Musical Origins
Anthony Carrillo was born in New York City of Puerto Rican ancestry. From childhood, he expressed a special interest in music. His father, Mr. Roman “Don Nan” Carrillo, was his first teacher.
Through his father, Anthony Carrillo was exposed to the music of “Ramito” (one of the greatest exponents of folkloric music in Puerto Rico) and Rafael Cortijo.
Anthony’s earliest influences were “Papi Andino” (Ramito’s bongocero) and Roberto Roena (Cortijo’s bongocero).
When he was only nine years old, Anthony Carrillo’s family returned to Puerto Rico.
It was then that his father asked David Ortiz “La Mole” who was considered one of the best Rumberos in Puerto Rico to teach his son the techniques and patterns of Rumba. By age 13, Anthony was already part of the touring National folkloric group Areito, directed by Mrs. Irene Mcleane.
In the early 1980s, Anthony Carrillo became a member of the famous folkloric group, La Familia Cepeda, the foremost exponents and keepers of the traditional “Bomba” and “Plena” styles.
Collaborators:
Also Read: Papo Vázquez the Pirate & Troubadour of Our Latin Music
Gabrielito Y La Verdad giving everything in Los Angeles and beyond
Gabriel González from the group Gabrielito Y La Verdad has been kind enough to speak exclusively with International Salsa Magazine and me, Karina García, about his beginnings, bands, and current career. The composer, actor, and musician gave us some of his time to address the most important issues concerning his successful career and everything that surrounds it, for which we are extremely grateful.
How Gabriel started to become interested in music
Gabriel was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he took his first steps towards what would become his lifelong vocation. Since his parents were Mexican immigrants, it was not uncommon for him to listen to rancheras, huapango, boleros, son jalisciense, and other genres typical of that country.
He liked music so much that he began participating in contests at “El Mercadito,” a place located east of Los Angeles, where amateur concerts and all kinds of musical events were held. After his father sang there several times, he told him he wanted to do the same, and that is how he began entertaining wider audiences with his voice.
Years later, after his passion for music was being shaped and getting more serious, he contacted his uncle, who was a promoter, and took him with him to Mexico to get some acting work in movies. This means that his artistic career was not just limited to singing but also to acting, but at some point, both areas would end up mixing.
It should be noted that his work as an actor made him stay in Mexico for several years, so he shared with many great actors of the time who were also singers, such as Yolanda del Río, Federico Villa, David Reynoso, Lucha Villa, and many more.
Upon returning to California, he experienced a significant culture impact. He realized that he was not Mexican enough for Mexicans nor American enough for Americans. This double identity made it much easier for him to cross cultural and musical boundaries, so from playing ranchera, huapango, and son jalisciense, he was given a chance to play other styles such as son montuno, which for Gabriel is the basis of salsa and much of Latin music.
Gabriel’s professional beginnings in music
Gabriel tells us that, during a huge part of his career, he worked as a solo artist, but he went on to collaborate with several groups and one of them was the Mexican band Quetzal, which specializes in playing Chicano rock and son jarocho. His sister Martha González was the lead singer, so he was able to work with them on and off for about 20 years. He describes his time with Quetzal as a very nice period in which he learned a lot and was even blessed to win a Grammy, but everything has an end, so he went ahead and worked with many other bands in the Los Angeles salsa scene.
In fact, today he is a member of Boogaloo Assassins and has been playing with them since 2015, while also having his own project, which he named Gabrielito Y La Verdad.
Gabrielito Y La Verdad
After all experience gained so far, Gabriel decided to form his own group Gabrielito Y La Verdad, with which he had his first big hit “Oye Muñeca,” released around 2019. Since the project began, the artist has had the same keyboardist and pianist, but the rest of the musicians have come and gone over the years, as it is not easy to maintain a cohesive musical group for a long time.
In fact, he usually has a list of musicians he can call, and their presence at an event depends almost entirely on their availability and ability to read sheet music. Gabriel often works with the same musicians Jimmy Bosch uses, so when the Puerto Rican travels to Los Angeles, Gabriel knows he can count on them if an event comes up. He also often uses some of Jerry Rivera’s musicians and those of many other exponents of the genre.
Facets additional to singing
In addition to being a singer and film actor, Gabriel has also participated in commercials and done a little musical theater, since the condition of being an artist forces you to learn a little about everything. Being still very young, he participated in the film ”Mojado de Nacimiento” alongside La Sonora Santanera.
One of those memorable experiences was his participation in the second national tour of the musical ”In The Heights” with Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was during this tour that Gabriel learned that he had won a Grammy with the band Quetzal. The news came during a bus trip, making it clear that he experienced several of these facets at the same time without any problems.
More recently, he has served as composer of several of Gabrielito Y La Verdad’s songs in collaboration with pianist Matt Amper, who is also actively involved in the creation of the group’s original songs.
Collaborations with other artists
Gabriel has shared the stage and collaborated with big names in the industry like Bruno Mars, “El Divo de Juarez” Juan Gabriel, Los Van Van, Silk Sonic, and many others. Similarly, during his acting career, Gabriel also met many great actors of the time with whom he shot scenes during the day, and at night, did voice-overs at the studios, and went out singing.
All this led him to share the stage with Aida Cuevas, Rosenda Bernal, Los Lobos, and Lalo Guerrero. While still with Quetzal, he opened for Aerosmith, Taj Mahal, and others.
Read also: Creator of Afro-Rican Jazz William Cepeda talks about this subgenre
Kadenza Dance School
Latin America / Argentina/ Buenos Aires
Kadenza Dance School is a dance academy located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They don’t just teach people the steps of a musical rhythm; they demonstrate through their teaching that dancing nourishes the spirit of those who practice it. Not only that, but dance also allows for a connection with emotions, giving students more freedom for their spirit or soul.
KADENZA is a school geared toward students of all ages and with different goals, whether they wish to pursue a professional path or use dance as a form of recreation or therapy. All their students and teachers benefit from a comfortable reception area, spacious studios equipped with mirrors, barres, wooden floors, high-quality sound systems, and Wi-Fi throughout the studio. In short, it’s an ideal place to learn with passion, as the atmosphere is full of joy, respect, and good vibes, where one can enjoy what they love to do most… which is dancing.
They also state that they are seriously committed to the quality of instruction, where qualified professors and instructors give their best in every class. This ensures their students incorporate the essentials of each technique and develop the maximum potential of their learning in the rhythms chosen by the student.
The Directors: Yamila Larraura and Juan Pablo Villar
The School’s Directors are Yamila Larraura and Juan Pablo Villar, who mention that, “Anyone can open an Academy, but few are the ones that make a difference.”
If we want to know more about the history of these two directors, we can start with Yamila Larraura, who was born in Argentina. Since she was a child, she began listening to Afro-Latin music thanks to her father, “Jorge Washington Larraura,” who was of Uruguayan origin. When she was 14, she went on vacation to Villa Gesell with her parents and a friend of theirs. It was on this trip that her interest in Salsa was awakened, as she went to a place near the beach that played Salsa music and offered classes in the afternoon with all the people from the beach.
One of the songs heard back then was “El Muerto se fue de Rumba” by the group “Las Sabrosas Zarigüellas,” which was very catchy for everyone who heard it. After her vacation, she decided to enroll in Salsa classes, where her teachers were Pablo Demaro and Kimena Puente.
As for Juan Pablo Villar, during his youth, he worked as a waiter in a bar and took theater classes, which also included lessons in national folklore and Latin rhythms (Salsa). This was his first contact with dance, and from that moment, he developed an interest in it. One day, a person came to the bar and mentioned that they taught classes in a studio, asking if they could leave flyers at the bar for people who wanted to dance. Knowing this, Juan Pablo Villar decided to go to the Salsa classes taught by Professor Pablo Demaro.
They explain that the Salsa classes back then were in a Cuban style, which featured fairly simple movements and figures. It was in these very classes that the future directors of KADENZA, Juan Pablo Villar and Yamila Larraura, first met.
The Journey to Kadenza
To gain a better experience, and to teach and give classes, they had to learn new techniques. They decided to seek out the best teachers in Argentina, who at that time were from the “Escuela de Mambo en Dos,” led by teachers Liz Paredes and Carlos Aragón, until they moved to Italy in 2007.
Afterward, they formed a dance group with their colleagues called “Combo Bayres,” during which time they toured the country and performed on various stages. In 2007, Liz Paredes and Carlos Aragón returned from Italy and formed the “Compañía Mambo en Dos,” where Yamila Larraura and Juan Pablo Villar joined the project. They gained great experience in the artistic world, traveling to different Argentine cities like Mar del Plata, Rosario, among others.
They also had the opportunity to travel abroad, attending the Salsa Congress in Uruguay, and later going to the United States, to New York City, to present at the Salsa Congress where they met great dance legends like Eddie Torres. Another great experience they had was the honor of being the official dancers for the famous Venezuelan Salsa singer “Oscar D’León” and the Dominican Salsero José Alberto, also known as “El Canario.” By 2010, they left the Mambo en Dos company to start their own school.
The academy’s beginning went without a name for a year, simply referred to as Pablo and Yamila’s school, but they were always looking for a name that would identify the essence they wished to convey. They eventually came up with “Cadenza,” which in Italian means “style of free rhythms.” To make the name more original, they changed it to “KADENZA,” feeling proud of their choice.
Contact Information
For more information, contact them at:
- Website: http://www.kadenza.com.ar
- Facebook:escueladebaile
- Phones: 5354-0957 / 15-3331-7875
- Email: [email protected]
- Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/106664874547676369685
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-he58RYqrJwoxoH8OID3ZA
How Money Is Made Today: Recording Artists, Record Labels, and Digital Platforms
Carlos Navarro is a renowned multi-percussionist, producer, bandleader, and singer, known for leading the Orquesta Son y Clave. Here are some key details about him and his music:
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Musical Style: He specializes in genres like salsa, mambo, merengue, and Latin jazz.
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Orquesta Son y Clave: The band has gained popularity in recent years, even sharing the stage with world-class artists like The Rolling Stones.
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Collaborations: He has worked with major talents in Latin music in Los Angeles, including Tito Nieves, Luis Barbarán, and others.
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Family Connection: He is the brother of the famous singer Cherry Navarro.
Carlos Navarro reconocido multi-percusionista, productor, bandleader y cantante, conocido por liderar la Orquesta Son y Clave
1). What’s the current process for recording, music production, and royalty distribution?
The current process begins with recording, which can now be done in professional studios or in home studios equipped with high-quality technology. Next is music production, which includes editing, mixing, and mastering to ensure the material meets industry standards.
Once the final product is complete, it’s distributed digitally through aggregators or distributors who place it on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, among others. As for royalties, these are mainly collected by collective management societies and the platforms themselves, who distribute the income based on streams, downloads, or licenses, assigning it to the author, performer, and producer as stipulated in their contracts.
2). What is the impact of digital platforms that artists use to release their music?
Digital platforms have transformed the music industry by democratizing access. Today, any artist, regardless of their fame or resources, can distribute their music globally. The biggest impact is visibility: a song can reach millions of listeners without the need for a traditional record label.
However, there is also the challenge of market saturation, which requires artists to accompany distribution with solid strategies for digital marketing, branding, and social media presence.
3). How are the revenues distributed once the product is complete?
Revenue distribution varies according to contractual agreements, but generally, it’s split between authors and composers (publishing royalties), performers and producers (master recording royalties), and the distribution company or label.
In the digital environment, streaming platforms pay a percentage for each stream, which first goes to the digital distributor and is then divided according to the percentages agreed upon in publishing and production contracts. This system makes good administrative management essential so that everyone involved receives what they’re owed.
4). Name some current business models for producing a record.
- Independent Digital Distribution: The artist pays a digital distributor (e.g., DistroKid, CD Baby, TuneCore) and keeps most of their rights.
- Record Label Contract: The label invests in production and promotion in exchange for a percentage of royalties and even the master rights.
- Licensing and Sync: Producing music geared toward films, commercials, and video games, generating income from usage licenses.
- Crowdfunding: Fans support the funding of the album in exchange for exclusive rewards.
- 360 Deal: The label or company handles not only production and distribution but also concerts, merchandise, and image rights, in exchange for a larger percentage.
5). What strategies can artists use to monetize their work in the digital environment?
- Streaming and Digital Downloads: Maximizing presence on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, etc.
- YouTube and Content ID: Monetizing through views, ads, and copyright control.
- Digital and Physical Merchandise: T-shirts, vinyl records, NFTs, and exclusive products.
- Social Media and Subscriptions: Platforms like Patreon or TikTok offer the possibility of direct income from fans.
- Licensing and Sync: Offering music for TV series, films, video games, and advertising campaigns.
- Virtual Concerts and Exclusive Experiences: Monetized live streams, digital meet-and-greets, or access to exclusive content.
6). What do you think about creating a digital platform among us, the Latin musicians, where the profits go to the artists?
I think that’s an extremely valuable and necessary proposal. A digital platform created by and for Latin musicians would have a direct impact on the independence and sustainability of our artistic projects. By eliminating traditional intermediaries and ensuring most of the profits go directly to the artists, it would foster a fairer and more equitable industry.
Furthermore, this kind of initiative would not only allow for a better distribution of income but also the creation of a strong community where we can support each other, give visibility to emerging talents, and preserve the cultural identity of our music. In a market dominated by global platforms that prioritize volume over quality, having our own space would be a strategic tool to strengthen our voice as Latin artists and give true value to our creative work.
Also Read: How Money is Made Today as a Recording Artist with Record Labels and Digital Platforms