| March 2026 – Festivals | ||
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Día Nacional de La ZalsaMar 22, 2026 Plaza de la Independencia $ 30.00 + ivu & c.s |
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Search Results for: Latin
Andy Durán: The Architect of Mambo and Latin Jazz
If there is one name that embodies technical elegance and rhythmic passion in the contemporary Caribbean, it is Andy Durán.
A musician, arranger, composer, and conductor, Durán has spent over four decades serving as the guardian of the big band sound. He keeps the flame of legends like Tito Puente and Pérez Prado alive, but with a distinctive signature that fuses academic precision with popular soul.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 2, 1949, as Nelson Valor Ramos, this extraordinary artist is today an essential figure in music production and direction.
The Musician: Master of the Arrangement
Andy Durán is more than just a conductor; he is a scholar of musical structure. His academic background has allowed him to master the art of the arrangement the ability to transform a simple melody into a complex masterpiece where twenty musicians move as a single, unstoppable force.
- The Big Band Sound: He is one of the few directors who has kept the large orchestra format relevant in Venezuela. His ensemble, Andy Durán’s Latin Jazz Big Band, is an institution renowned for its rhythmic precision and powerful brass section.
- Stylistic Versatility: While Mambo is his backbone, his repertoire flows seamlessly through Jazz, Salsa, Mambo-Jazz, and traditional Venezuelan music.
- Cult Discography: Albums such as Tropicalia, Mambo 2000, and his acclaimed tribute to Tito Puente, Fidelidad, are essential pieces for any collector of the genre.
The Person: The Educator and Music Lover
Behind the baton, Durán is known for his humility and profound work ethic; he is frequently described as a “gentleman of music.”
- Relentless Researcher: Beyond performance, he is a historian of rhythm. His concerts often turn into masterclasses where he explains the origins of the pieces, always honoring the original composers.
- Generational Bridge: He has served as a mentor for young Venezuelan musicians, integrating new talent into his ranks and proving that classic Caribbean genres have no expiration date.
- Cultural Resilience: In an era dominated by commercial trends, Durán remains faithful to acoustic quality and the complexity of Latin Jazz, earning the respect of international critics.
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Si existe un nombre que personifica la elegancia técnica y la pasión por el ritmo en el Caribe contemporáneo, ese es Andy Durán
Career and Legacy
Andy Durán is one of the greatest exponents of Salsa and Latin Jazz in Venezuela. With 16 albums to his credit, he holds the most extensive discography of any Venezuelan jazz artist. Additionally, he is recognized as the country’s premier music copyist.
His beginnings date back to his youth with the group Nelson y su Sexteto. In 1978, he founded the Orquesta Palladium. Shortly after, he adopted the stage name “Andy Durán” to avoid confusion with other artists of the era and because it was easy to remember and write.
Since 1982, he has been fully dedicated to professional music, working alongside giants such as Aldemaro Romero, Eduardo Cabrera, the Billo’s Caracas Boys, Los Melódicos, and Soledad Bravo. In 1985, he released his first LP, Mambo Salsa. Among his most notable works are:
- Tropicalia Caraqueña
- Canelita y Andy Durán: Tribute to Celia Cruz
- Tito & Tito (A tribute to Tito Puente and Tito Rodríguez)
- Salsa Dura y Descarga: A Tribute to Fania
- Fiesta con Billo
Reflections by Andy Durán: Is Singing Easy?
The Requirements: Flawless pitch, breath control, phrasing, and diction; in addition, a strong memory for melodies, lyrics, and orchestral arrangements.
It is highly recommended to know how to dance according to the genre being performed (e.g., Salsa). It is also beneficial to have basic acting skills to handle dramatic themes when necessary.
Reading is mandatory to develop a rich vocabulary for improvisation or public speaking; it also prevents embarrassing spelling errors in written lyrics. Keeping the vocal cords healthy and trained is a vital matter. Music theory and sight-singing are the ideal, essential, and unavoidable tools.
Finally, a singer must define their style and repertoire with great care. One must invest in professional orchestral arrangements and have an arranger-director or advisor—this is an investment, just like stage attire.
Remember, my fellow singers: a director’s worst nightmare is a singer who is out of tune, off-beat, and forgetful.
Best regards to all vocalists and singers.
Maestro Andy Durán: Director, Arranger, and Composer
P.S. Vocalists must meet two more requirements: keep your nerves in check and sing from the heart.
Also Read: Víctor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity“
The Latin sensation in Zurich. Salsa Passion
Europe / Spain
Salsa passion is known as one of the best Salsa Dance School in Zurich to build your foundation. More than 15 years of teaching experiences. See why it’s rated as one of the best in tow.
Salsa, Kizomba, Bachata, Cha Cha Cha, Lady Styling, Rhythm and dance Technique. Salsa dance Courses and Workshops for Beginner to Advanced levels. As a student you would benefit from Winny’s and diverse dance and music background. From leading to following technique, from rhythm to musicality, Spin, Body control, styling and footwork technique.
Good teaching strategies can be borrowed, but a good teaching heart is unique and cannot be replicated. Whether you want to become an excellent dancer, for fun or just for social reason, we love to help you to achieve your goal and teach with our hearts and passions.
Director of Salsa Passion – Winny. She is one of the best female instructor in Switzerland that can both lead and follow equally well in all Latin Styles such as Salsa Cubana, Cross Body Style, Mambo on2, Salsa Puerto Rican, New York On2, L.A style on1, Son and Cha Cha Cha.
Whether you are completely new to the art, or experienced dancer, we have the patient, the knowledge, the experience to bring you further.
Dancing is about social and fun, but while you are investing your time and money to learn, why not learn it properly.
They’ve developed a “step by step” method that is fun and efficient for everyone to learn. We teach the “know how”. You will learn the vocabulary and the techniques of how to put them together, so you can become creative in a long run, and not just coping or try to memories a program.
“For us, teaching is not just a job, is an opportunity to give, and we love it!” Salsa with a smile, Salsa with passion!
What do we teach
Rhythm
How to dance into the rhythm with the style that you have choose to learn.
Music and Interpretation
We teach our classes with live percussion. We also have special training CD to help you to develop your skill.
Coordination, body movement and Posture
We love to show you how to look good while dancing, not just walking around and making steps. They have warm up and exercise at each course, to help you to perfect your coordination and body movement.
Partner Work – turn patterns and combination for all levels
Any figure or combination without technique is no different then it’s like just making a bunch of movements. We will show you how to makes each figure leadable, what makes a combination easy to follow or the opposite. We taught each figure with leading and follow technique, and how you can become a “smooth dancers”. Read our tricks and tips.
Footwork
Steps and combination to help you develop your dancing technique with balance, speed, and “shine” on the dance floor.
Turning /Spinning technique
How to keep your balance when turn, how to gain speed and avoid getting dizzy. We have exercise to develop your turning technique at each of our course, plus tricks and tips how to turn during Partner Work.
Información de contacto:
- Email address: [email protected]
- Telephone: +41-76-5173138
- Location: 4th Floor, Militärstr 84. 8004 ZH
Latin America – February 2017
Víctor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity “
The legacy of a visionary who fused the saxophone with the essence of the Caribbean and national cinema.
Víctor Cuica was more than just a musician; he was a bridge between two worlds. Born on April 19, 1949, in the iconic Caracas neighborhood of La Pastora, Cuica established himself as a preeminent saxophonist and actor, earning global acclaim for his innovative fusion of Jazz with Afro-Caribbean roots.
His presence defined a golden era in Venezuelan culture, as he shared the stage with legends such as Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Porfi Jiménez, and Gerry Weil.
Victor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity”
Training and First Steps: The Birth of a Style
The journey of this virtuoso—master of the tenor and soprano saxophone as well as the flute—began in 1963 at the Military Music School of La Victoria. His time in the Venezuelan Navy band served as the catalyst for his love of Jazz, leading him to deepen his knowledge of flute, harmony, and composition at the “José Ángel Lamas” Higher School of Music.
His professional career took off in Chucho Sanoja’s orchestra. Shortly thereafter, he joined Oscar D’León’s ensemble. It was actually Cuica who suggested the name “Dimensión Latina” to replace the group’s former name, “Oscar y sus Estrellas,” thereby christening what would become the most iconic salsa orchestra in Venezuelan history.
Victor Cuica in concert held on August 22, 2011 in Juan Pedro Lopez Square in Caracas
Latin Jazz: From the Silver Screen to International Stages
By the late 1970s, Cuica expanded his horizons into the “seventh art.” In 1978, he composed and performed the soundtrack for “The Sea of Lost Time” (El Mar del Tiempo Perdido), based on the short story by Gabriel García Márquez. A year later, he solidified his own group, “Víctor Cuica y su Jazz Latino,” debuting to resounding success at the Alcázar Theater in Caracas and gaining international momentum in Costa Rica.
Throughout the 1980s, critics hailed him as the most important innovator of jazz fusion in the region. His talent brought him to historic venues:
- 1981: He triumphed at the “Memphis in May” festival in Tennessee.
- 1982: He performed at the prestigious “Domicile” club in Munich, Germany.
- 1985: He reached a milestone as the leader of the first Venezuelan group invited to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, where he shared the limelight with the legendary vibraphonist Lionel Hampton.
Artistic Maturity and Recognition
In the 1990s, his music reached new academic heights when Maestro Eduardo Marturet composed the work “Music for Six and Sax” specifically for him. It premiered with the Sinfonietta Caracas and represented Venezuela at the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville.
Víctor Cuica was not just a musician; he was a bridge between two worlds. Photograph at Juan Sebastian Bar
His discography, which includes gems such as Que sea para siempre (1984), Noctámbulo (1993), Just Friends (1998), and Los Locos de Caracas (1999), stands as a testament to his versatility. In 1995, the Venezuelan Artist’s Guild (Casa del Artista) honored him as Musician of the Year.
A Farewell with the Flavor of the Streets and Bohemia
Víctor Cuica passed away on Saturday, December 26, 2020, at the age of 71 due to a heart attack. His departure left a void in the film industry, where he starred in memorable films such as Santera (for which he also composed the award-winning soundtrack in 1997), and in the bohemian nights of Caracas, where his saxophone was often the soul of the evening.
A Tribute from His Peers
Multi-percussionist José Hidalgo, known as “El Tokun Mayor,” describes Cuica with words that summarize his essence:
“Víctor Cuica is the finest example of an artist intimately linked to his daily reality and cultural origins, without ever losing sight of the cosmopolitan and universal nature of his musical message. Cuica is the expression of genuine jazz performed with the simplicity of the streets.
Víctor is as authentic in his personal character as he is as an artist. This virtue was his companion as he traveled across numerous international stages, spanning the worlds of music, film, theater, and opera always with the transcendence of a bohemian, simple, and bold minstrel.
Cuica never ceases to surprise us, whether through his voice or the sound of his saxophone an instrument that, with his habitual ingenuity, he turned into a centerpiece of performance through his creativity and versatility.
His talent has graced stages across Europe and the Americas. His work projects far beyond the commercial mainstream and, today, leaves us with a brilliant musical improvisation that is truly beyond compare.”
DJ Augusto Felibertt with the one and only virtuoso Víctor Cuica
Today, the name Víctor Cuica remains etched in history as the man who gave Jazz a Caribbean color and gave the Venezuelan saxophone a voice of its own.
Victor Cuica and his Latin Jazz, March 23, 1980 at the Cantv Theater in Caracas
Also Read: Oscar Rojas Oscar Rojas has 54 years of musical career full of passion, rhythm and flavor