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Papo Lucca. The Giant of the South

Latin America / Puerto Rico

Papo Lucca born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on April 2, 1946, Enrique ‘Papo’ Lucca began playing the piano at age 11 with his father’s orchestra. Initially, La Ponceña played versions of tropical hits of the moment by bands like Cortijo y su Combo and La Sonora Matancera.

In the late 1960s, Papo became the orchestra’s musical director, beginning a profound transformation that would eventually establish la Ponceña as one of the most progressive groups in the history of Afro-Caribbean music. Papo’s orchestrations were bold, experimenting with elements of jazz, rock, and Brazilian music. Representing the authentic spirit of Puerto Rican salsa, his piano solos were velvety, displaying elegance, restraint, and infinite swing.

During the mid-’70s, La Ponceña began to enjoy unprecedented success with critics and the public. The band recorded for the Inca label, which eventually became part of the Fania empire. Papo was invited to arrange and play on sessions for the company’s biggest artists, including Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz and Cheo Feliciano. He also recorded and toured with the Fania All Stars.

This compilation pays tribute to the art of Papo Lucca through 14 classic songs recorded between 1967 and 1981. Although Lucca has recorded as a solo artist and also collaborated with a multitude of salsa stars, it is his work with La Ponceña that best expresses the clarity of his vision.

The music we make has to make people happy, as well as make them dance. That’s what it’s all about, says Lucca from her home in Puerto Rico. When the public can dance, no matter how complicated the music is. The first theme that this genre had was to divulge the things that happened in the different communities, as if it were a newspaper.

Our journey begins with two fiery songs from the beginnings of La Ponceña: “Hachero Pa’Un Palo” and “Fuego En El 23” are versions of songs by Cuban Arsenio Rodríguez. La Ponceña always had a soft spot for Puerto Rican folklore, but she also found inspiration in the golden age of Cuban music.

The precise moment in which La Ponceña becomes a mature orchestra in total control of its aesthetics can be found in the six songs from the Musical Conquest/Conquista Musical and El Gigante Del Sur albums. Launched on the market in 1976 and 1977 respectively, they represent the pinnacle of the salsa movement.

These songs combine a musical skill that approaches virtuosity with deep lyrics and a generous sense of humor. “Ñáñara Caí” is a hilarious narrative of pure magical realism, describing a world where everything is turned upside down (my favorite phrase: I saw a cow/Hit with Pacheco). Also included in Musical Conquest, “El Pío Pío” achieves the perfect cross between Afro-Cuban rhythm and contagious pop. This hit is a mandatory part of all La Ponceña concerts.

The opening theme of the El Gigante Del Sur album, “Boranda” seems to offer a salsa version of progressive rock. Its lyrics contain an important sociopolitical message, and the sophistication of its arrangement is a slap in the face for all those who believe that this music is only for dancing. “Soy Tan Feliz” combines bolero climates with an electric piano solo that recalls the psychedelic sound of jazz-rock from the ’70s. “Noche Como Boca ‘E Lobo” creates a tasty collision between salsa fever and Brazilian rhythms.

Lucca was not alone in his mission to reinvent the rules of Puerto Rican dance music. It was also benefited by the prowess of some of the best instrumentalists on the island. Furthermore, his instinct for choosing singers was always irreproachable.

Some of the vocalists of la Ponceña that appear here are Tito Gómez, who would later find fame with the Grupo Niche de Colombia; the inimitable Luigi Texidor, who gave a sense of placidity to all the songs he performed; and Yolanda Rivera, who added variety to the band’s sound with her unique timbre.

One of Rivera’s happiest moments is included here: Coming from 1980’s Unchained Force, Johnny Ortiz’s “Borinquen” is a soulful anthem to Puerto Rico, blessed with a sinuous melody and subtle instrumental arrangement–one of Rivera’s happiest moments. transcendental within the Ponceña canon.

The golden days of salsa are a distant memory in the new millennium, but Papo Lucca hasn’t stopped shining. Perhaps precisely because he continues to record new music, he refuses to idealize the past when I ask him what his favorite album with “La Ponceña.”

The last one, the most recent, he explained in his characteristically introverted tone. All the albums are very important in the career of the orchestra. They all fulfilled their mission at the time, which was to reaffirm the previous one. That’s the way to maintain a pool after 50 years.

The teacher was a little more direct when I asked him about his favorite concert of all time.

It was my first concert with the Fania All Stars at Madison Square Garden, back in 1974, he said. All the stars of the Fania were still alive. A few years later we played in front of 47,000 people in Cali. My knees always shake before I go on stage, but this time they shook a little more.

Edwin Ortiz Y La Mafia Del Guaguancó is present in ISM

As all our readers already know, this section is always looking for the best Latin talents to give them the exposure they deserve and today is the case of New York producer and musician Edwin Ortiz, who was kind enough to share a bit of his story with us.

Edwin is an artist who was born in the East Harlem section of New York, where he began his musical career with the full works and spent most of his life, but left that city with his pregnant wife to raise their son in a different environment. It was there that they moved to Washington DC, where the musician has continued to live and pursued his career to this day.

Below, we will provide more info about the artist’s career during these moments and how he managed to become the great bandleader and musician he his today.

Bandleader and bongo player Edwin Ortiz kindly talked to us about his interesting career

Edwin’s music education

Just as other great musicians, Edwin studied at the prestigious Johnny Colon Music School, the institution in which he learned a lot of what he knows today. His first lessons are focused to teaching how to play the flute alongside Mario Rivera, which can be said to be the first contact the young man had with music. However, it was not this instrument that would capture his attention, but the bongo.

His brother Edgar Ortiz was an acclaimed bongocero in the Orquesta Las Siete Potencias and the Tito Puente Orchestra, so Edwin already had a lot to learn from. However, it was with acclaimed percussionist Manny Oquendo with whom he turned professional and decided to dedicate himself fully to the bongo as his main instrument, to the point that it is the only one he still plays today.

Outside of his work as a musician, Edwin is in charge of everything about the management of his most recent orchestra Edwin Ortiz Y la Mafia del Guaguancó.

Edwin Ortiz Y La Mafia del Guaguancó

Before even thinking about founding his own orchestra, Edwin was involved in a number groups of different genres throughout the Washington DC Metro area, whose main genre was cumbia at the time. In that sense, the artist wanted a change in his style and to do something different from what he was playing at the time, although he knew it was ging to be hard.

His big break came when the director of the band he was in at the time was going to move to the state of Florida, so he left Edwin in charge of the group in order to make the changes he believed were pertinent. That is when he took the opportunity to introduce salsa, a genre he had always been passionate about, in the metropolitan area with the resources he had on hand at the time. He invested in some 25 salsa arrangements and released a new version of the classic ”Olga Y Margara”, which was the first of many hits to come for his career.

Edwin toca el bongó — Edwin playing the bongó live

Later, when he was finally creating an orchestra of his own, he took pains to find the best musicians possible, many of whom were recommended by friends and seen playing by Edwin himself. However, he would soon realize that the best musicians were not necessarily the best pieces he required for his band, which made him change his approach a bit when choosing the team that would accompany him in his project.

At first, the project was called Orquesta La Romana, but it was not long before Edwin decided to call it ‘‘Edwin Ortiz y La Mafia del Guaguancó’’. This change was due to the fact that Bobby Quesada, a musician whom Edwin greatly admired, had an orchestra with the same name, but it had already disbanded by that time. He always liked the name ”La Mafia del Guaguancó” so he gave it to his own group. He knew how risky this move was and the displeasure of some of its members with the change, but fortunately it was worth it.

Today, the musicians of the orchestra are affectionately known as ”the mafiosos” in the Washington DC Metro area, so this has become part of the band’s identity.

Diferente A Las Demás

One of their most recent musical works is entitled ”Diferente A Las Demás” and it is a tribute to women that was released in March, the month dedicated to them.

With respect to this song, Edwin was telling us that he and his partner and the lead singer of the band Vivian Mojica had the opportunity to meet the talented musician Héctor Luis Pagán, who kindly invited them to his home and shared with them part of his repertoire, including the song ”Diferente A Las Demás”. Edwin loved it since the first time he heard it and Pagan gave it to him with pleasure. That is how the orchestra got down to work and recorded their own version of the song.

Edwin y Vivian — La Mafia del Guaguancó vocalist Vivian and Edwin Ortiz

The first thing the bandleader did was look for the right arranger for it, who was Ramón Sánchez, and the producer he had always wanted to work with, Isidro Infante, whom Edwin has known for more than 30 years.

Then came the recording, mixing and remastering. In the end, the chosen date was 1 March of this year as a tribute to International Women’s Day, achieving a result that made everyone in the orchestra very happy.

Exclusive with tres player Iván Camblor from the group Pellejo Seco

Cuban musicians have always found the way to stand out in the entertainment world thanks to their talent and commitment and one of those examples is Ivan Camblor, tres player and vocalist with whom we have had the privilege to talk about his career and what was achieved with the group led by him right now, which is Pellejo Seco.

During the conversation, the artist elaborated on a few topics we found relevant to discuss and we were pleased to hear some of the most important data of one of the most important Cuban son groups in the Bay Area today.

Ivan playing the tres — Cuban musician Iván Camblor playing the Cuban tres live

Iván Camblor’s beginnings in music

As is the case of many other artists of his kind, Ivan showed a very early interest in music, specifically since he was at school in his hometown, Havana, Cuba. He defines himself as a self-taught composer who began his musical learning on the street, while he attended classes like any child his age.

From a very young age, many veteran musicians saw in him the enormous potential he had for music, so they began teaching him all they knew, leading him to the path of Cuban son and traditional Cuban music. Today, these genres is still his north after so many decades.

The Felix Varela School of Music

When he was old enough, Iván attended the Félix Varela School of Music, where he studied music appreciation theory, but unfortunately the island’s economic situation affected that part of his learning. Over time, the conditions of the institute started to worsen, making many teachers resign and leave students without chances to continue their studies, including Ivan, who could not see the classes he wanted because of the lack of staff.

Being unable to study what he wanted, Ivan decided to continue learning on his own with the musical groups he had contact with and that is how it continued until today.

His singing, composition and ability to play the Cuban tres came with the experience he acquired on the street and with friends who knew more about music than he did. He refers to guitarist and tres player Octavio Sánchez ”Cotán” and El Niño Rivera as his greatest teachers and influences.

With the experience gained, he had the opportunity to go through all the Cuban music companies, since there were not many tres players at that time and tres teaching was very new.

Ivan with Chucho Valdez — Pellejo Seco vocalist Sulkary Valverde, Cuban pianist Chucho Valdez, and Iván Camblor

Music composed by Iván for films

Just as Iván was in several groups, he also had the opportunity to compose original music for films and such was the case of the film ”Hacerse El Sueco” directed by his great friend Edesio Alejandro, who contacted him to support him in the musical part of the production.

It is then when he proposed him to write four or five original tracks to be used for the film, but Ivan did not mind getting credit, but helping his great friend with his project, so all the material is under his label Orula Music.

However, he is grateful for the experience and the opportunity to help a good friend who needed his talent at that moment.

Ivan’s coming to the United States

Ivan remembers his coming to the United States as one of the most difficult things he had to do, since it is not easy to leave his roots and everything he knows to seek a different kind of future in other lands.

At first, Ivan was not at all convinced of this decision, but his then partner and mother of his only son made him see that it was the best for them to leave Cuba and go to the United States to try their luck, to which the artist finally agreed.

For many years, the tres player thought the worst of his host country because of the ideas the he grew up with in Cuba, but upon arrival, he found that the reality was very different from the propaganda he was bombarded with in his childhood and youth.

Once he was there, he started working on the area of music that he liked most since he was in Cuba, composition. It was then that the idea of forming his own musical group started going round his head.

Iván creó el Pellejo Seco — Iván Camblor conceived Pellejo Seco as a Cuban son and traditional Cuban music group

How the group Pellejo Seco was created

Ivan conceived Pellejo Seco as a project in which he would pay homage to the Cuban community, so he tried to find the best musicians for the task. One of them was Cuban trumpeter Marcos Diaz, Puerto Rican Hector Lugo, trumpeter Mario Silva, Liban Montoya, Mexican singer Rogelio Maya and singer German Donatien. This is the original group with which the artist started his band, but others have already joined other orchestras or have started something on their own.

That was more than 20 years ago and, today, Pellejo Seco has managed to consolidate itself as one of the main Cuban music groups in the Bay Area. Now, it is the most required traditional Cuban music sextet in the area.

As for the name of the band, Ivan chose the name ”Pellejo Seco” as a tribute to the Cuban peasants whose skin is hard and dry as leather due to the sun and the working conditions that they are exposed to.

Marimba is the name given in Spanish to a very old musical instrument that, over time, has gained visibility and importance in many countries.

The marimba is a musical percussion instrument with a rich history that spans continents and cultures.

Although its exact origin is debated, it is believed that the marimba has its roots in Africa and was developed by different African cultures such as the Bantu and the Marimberos.

The term “marimba” comes from the Bantu “marimba” or “malimba”, meaning “single bar xylophone”.

In America, historical records indicate that diatonic xylophones, precursors of the modern marimba, were introduced in Central America between the XVI and XVII centuries.

The first known marimba in America dates from 1545 in the Santa Lucia hacienda, in the municipality of Jiquipilas, Chiapas, Mexico. In Guatemala, historian Domingo Juarros documented in 1680 the use of marimbas with gourd resonators by Mayan musicians.

Musical Duo of a Guitarist and a Marimba player in Guanacaste in Costa Rica dates back to 1888

Throughout the 17th to 19th centuries, the marimba spread throughout most of the Americas and became a typical element of Mayan and Ladino ensembles.

Today, the marimba is considered a patriotic symbol of Guatemala and Costa Rica, and its music, along with the traditional songs and dances of Colombia’s South Pacific region and Ecuador’s Esmeraldas province, was inscribed in 2010 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The modern marimba, like the one seen in the image provided, consists of a series of wooden slats of different sizes, arranged from largest to smallest, each with a different sound pitch.

They are struck with mallets to produce musical notes, and each key has its own soundboard.

The development of the modern chromatic marimba was established in Chiapas, Mexico, around 1890.

This instrument has been integrated into a variety of musical genres, from traditional Latin American music to academic concerts, jazz and martial bands.

The marimba remains a vital instrument that celebrates the cultural heritage and musical creativity of the regions where it is loved and played.

Image of a musical duet between a guitarist and a marimba player dated Guanacaste, 1888.

Learning about the materials and components of the marimba, being aware of the playing techniques and learning about the existing varieties helps to broaden cultural knowledge and to discover a wonderful universe of particular sounds.

It is enriching to know, among other things, that a series of woods of multiple sizes arranged from longest to shortest are essential to assemble the keyboard. For the soundboard, on the other hand, it is necessary to work on the tuning so that each wood of this structure is in tune with each key.

As for playing procedures, the four-stick technique and the art of glissando appear as alternatives to keep in mind. Of course, the most advisable thing to do is to attend a marimba workshop in order to master the techniques correctly.

Nor should we forget that, since ancient times, many types of marimbas have been made and used and have contributed their characteristic sounds to multiple musical genres and styles.

Thanks to those who dare to experiment with instruments and musical compositions without being conditioned by prejudices, for example, the folk marimba and the midi marimba can coexist in harmony, to cite two specific cases.

Saurce: Recuperando la historia en Guanacaste

Also Read: Son Cubano is one of the most popular musical styles in Cuba and Kiki Valera is one of its leading exponents

Charlie Aponte presents his best salsa album

North America / USA / Las Vegas

Charlie Aponte presents his best Salsa album. Partying with his first Latin Grammy 2018 nomination

Puerto Rican salsero Charlie Aponte has plenty of reasons to celebrate his first Latin GRAMMY nomination, with his second production

“Pa’ Mi Gente” which was recognized in the category of “Best Salsa Album” for the nineteenth installment of these prestigious awards that will be delivered on Thursday, November 15 in Las Vegas.

“Very grateful to the Recording Academy, especially its members, for this important support that is definitely one more step to continue reaping success” said the artist who is reaching his five years as a solo artist.

“Pa’ Mi Gente” achieved an important debut, reaching the top of the “record pools” lists, with its songs, “La Salsa se Hizo Pa’ Bailar” and “No se le Presta el Alma”, which have been the most listened to, likewise; “Nobody takes away what you dance”, which was the first promotional single and which contains a video on his official YouTube channel, by this artist who works independently with the Criollisimo Inc. label.

This album is made up of 11 songs, among them one of his own authorship under the guidance of the musical director on the album and all his presentations, maestro Sammy García, who together recorded this production in the MÁS Audio studio of the sound engineer and producer Angelo Torres.

Charlie Aponte, who will soon release his new music video “Besos de Azúcar”, continues with his artistic commitments, including New York, Medellín and various presentations in his native Puerto Rico, and to end the year he will be with the public of Colombia, in the “Heroic City” Cartagena.

Biography Charlie Aponte:

Charlie Aponte, one of the most beloved voices remembered by thousands of salseros around the world, returns to the stage as a soloist in 2015 after 41 years of belonging to the salsa university, “El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico” Now he’s back as a solo artist.

Born in Caguas, PR on February 2, 1951. It was in 1973 when, after the departure of Pellín Rodríguez, he joined the “Mulatos del Sabor”. Since then there have been many successes that have been proclaimed as successes through Charlie’s voice. He has contributed as a vocalist and displayed his capacity as a sonero in hits such as “Brujería”, “Amor Brutal”, “La Loma del Tamarindo”, “Compañera Mía”, “No hay cama pa’ tan tan Gente”, “Hojas Blancas”, “ Rice with Beans”. Among many others.

In 2014, together with the multi-award winning producer, Maestro Sergio George (Top Stop Music), he presented his new musical proposal “Una Nueva Historia”. This new proposal has the best and most recognized composers and arrangers. Presenting the song “Para Festejar” as his new single in promotion, and grateful for the public’s reception of his musical production, which was on the Billboard charts for 10 consecutive weeks, which catalogs it as an excellent piece of music.

He debuts as executive producer of his new proposal “Pa’ Mi Gente”, a production by the best musicians, arrangers, composers, available in all major stores and digital platforms. In this new project he has a bolero composed by the artist, among other surprises for the public that follows him.

Accustomed to leaving his soul in each of his performances, he assures that with this album he intends that his followers listen to him, dance and continue to appreciate the quality with which his music is made.