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The best marimba band found in Los Angeles

Every day there are more Latin bands that leave the music of our countries in the highest and one of them is Marimba Tropical and the great talents who make up this group. To know a bit of this project, we have made contact with its current director and one of its founders, Lucas Critchfield, with whom we have been able to talk via email about his life and the group he leads.

bandleader Lucas — This is bandleader and musician Lucas Critchfield during a wedding where he played

Lucas’ beginnings in music and marimba

Like many other artists, he had an interest in music at a young age. In his particular case, he used to imitate animal sounds such as roosters, crows and other typical animals from the rural area of New Mexico, where he spent practically his entire childhood. In addition to that, he was always very curious about the Native American drums because of their particular sound, although this was not the first instrument he would play, but the bells.

When he joined the school band, Lucas wanted to play the drums, but first he had to play the bells for a while. He was in that band from sixth through twelfth grade and was also in his college marching band, which was his springboard to a more professional path in music.

Some time later, he managed to play in international bands Troopers and Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps in the state of California, where he played quad drums for about five years and toured all over the United States.

His first contact with what would become his main instrument, the marimba, was in the University of New Mexico band, something that did not convince Lucas completely since he did not think he had the ability to take on a challenge like that. Fortunately, he dared to do so and did so well that, two years later, he became the leader of the band, which played the Mexican style and whose mentor, Steve Chavez, owned a multitude of Mexican marimbas.

By 1993, his father took him to Chiapas, Mexico, where he met numerous marimba makers and was encouraged to buy his first marimba to start playing marimba professionally.

Lucas playing ”Marimbas Para Mamá” for a church and reception

Lucas’ first band

Lucas’ first band was Marimba Dulce in Albuquerque in around 1997. The group lasted 10 years and he shared the project with Mike Anaya on bass and Anthony Bacca on drums. At the same time, he studied music education and earned a master’s degree in percussion.

In addition to all that, he was also fortunate enough to play with steel drum bands, reggae groups, symphonic orchestras, among many others.

Back in 2008, he also taught music classes in high school and middle school and did the same in the state of California, where he would return to teach percussion in elementary schools.

Marimba Tropical’s founding

The group Lucas created and currently leads receives is called Marimba Tropical, which was founded in 2009 and short-lived because of the difficulties of a nascent group without many resources to stay in the market for a long time. It all started with Lucas meeting a couple of musicians in the Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps, with whom he got to play at some dive clubs and at blues festivals.

In those years, they did not have a large repertoire, so they did repetitive shows and even repeated several songs in the same concert, so sometimes they did not get a chance to eat. Group’s conditions were not the best, so Lucas and the young musicians who accompanied him did not have a very good time and it was very difficult for them to take the project forward.

Years later, specifically in 2015, the band became a duo only composed of Lucas and his partner Jasenia Ruvalcaba Morningstar, who is a Southern California native, plays the bootom of the marimba and also the maracas, the güiro and the flute. She is also a music teacher.

While both Lucas and Jasenia are the key players in the group, they also have Aaron Leutwiler in San Diego, while talented musicians Nancy Guzman and Horacio Peralta support them in Los Angeles when they are busy with other commitments.

What Lucas aspires to achieve from Marimba Tropical in the future is to spread love to the marimba as much as he can and to make it as common in the United States as it is now in Chiapas, Oaxaca and Central America. Similarly, the artist wants to keep offering memories to the natives of these places, whose smiles when he plays ”Las Mañanitas” make him feel very honored to be able to represent so many places at the same time.

Gabrielito Y La Verdad shines in Los Angeles

We are so pleased to have spoken with Mexican singer-songwriter and percussionist Gabriel González, who gladly embraced the opportunity to share with us a little of his personal story with music and the beginning of his band Gabrielito Y La Verdad. This project has brought him great joy and personal satisfaction since its foundation, as well as the possibility of meeting some of the today’s largest artists and being on stages where Gabriel never imagined playing.

Gabriel is the leader of La Verdad — Mexican percussionist Gabriel González,who is the leader of Gabrielito Y La Verdad

Gabriel’s beginnings in music

Gabriel’s first contacts with music occurred when he was just a seven year old boy in East of Los Angeles. That city had a place called ”El Mercadito” where there were amateur contests the boy always took advantage of to practice his singing and this start his career as a vocalist.

Being in his native Mexico, he became interested in regional Mexican music, ranchera, guatango, boleros, son and many others. When he moved to the United States with his family, he also began to know son jarocho, son jalicience and son montuno.

The first group he played and toured with was the Los Angeles Chicano rock band Quetzal, which is the one that gave him his first job opportunity and with which he would stay for some time until his interests shifted definitively.

As he left Quetzal, Gabriel resumed his interest in son montuno and thereafter in salsa as well. From then on, he became so good at these genres that he played with most of the salsa orchestras in Los Angeles and its nightclubs, which attracted the interest of many promoters who invited him to new places. In fact, he himself says that sometimes he would be called to play at venues without knowing which band he would be playing with that night.

Gabriel posing for the camera — Percussionist Gabriel González posing for the camera with some of his instruments

Salsa orchestras in which Gabriel participated

In California, there were many salsa orchestras in which Gabriel participated and one of the most important was Johnny Polanco Y Su Conjunto Amistad. The artist sang with the late Polanco on a few occasions over several years, as they respected each other professionally and never missed any opportunity to show it on stage.

The singer-songwriter also played with the Orquesta de Ángel Lebrón Y Su Sabor Latino on many occasions. The conguero and orchestra leader also relied heavily on the Mexican and what he had to offer, so he did not hesitate to call him whenever he needed him.

Gabrielito Y La Verdad

Gabriel had already gained so much popularity that, one night, he was invited to a concert whose flyer announced him as ”Gabrielito Y Su Orquesta”, meaning that he had already his own importance outside of being a simple element of support for groups and artists better known than him. The best thing about this is that the event was a complete success, leading the musician to think about creating his own orchestra, which he later named ”Gabrielito Y La Verdad”.

From that moment Gabriel founded Gabrielito Y La Verdad, it has been ten years, in which he has dedicated himself to tour all over California and considers that his journey has been very successful and filled with gratification.

In view of the success and fans amassed by the orchestra during this time, Gabriel decided it was time to make original music and write his own songs, while acknowledging that his thing is singing and playing percussion because that is at what he excels.

Gabriel and Bruno Mars — Bruno Mars and Gabriel González during a musical event

Gabriel’s contact with other artists

Gabriel and his orchestra have also had the opportunity to share with great music luminaries, from whom he has been able to learn many things and apply them to his own career. Among the artists and groups he has shared the stage with are Juan Gabriel, Los Van Van, Cubanismo, Los Cuban All Stars, Silk Sonic and Bruno Mars.

In every case, Gabriel was impressed with the discipline and professionalism of each of the above-mentioned artists or orchestras, but at the same time, how humble and pleasant they were off the stage.

In Bruno Mars’ case, he attended one of Gabriel’s shows along with the rest of his musicians without any of them noticing that the singer-songwriter was listening to them play with great interest. The artist was so fascinated with the orchestra that he invited it to open for him at a private party he would soon have in Las Vegas, an experience that was a great honor for the Mexican and the rest of the group.

From this anecdote Gabriel learned that he must always give his best in his work, since he does not know who may be watching him.

Los Angeles

Enjoy an unforgettable Cuban night in Los Angeles

Go back to your beloved island at A night in Havana

As long as we leave our home countries to go and live in a new land, there are times when we long for the place that we left behind and would like to be there, even for a short time, and remember so many good things we experienced despite the challenges. Fortunately, the United States is a multicultural country that allows us to go back to our roots through festivals, concerts and events in general that serve to take us back to our place of origin.

In the case of the millions of Cubans who make life in Los Angeles, there are many options to entertain and remember their beloved island at the same time. A night in Havana is a great alternative to return to the Cuban capital again and again with everything that its organizers have to offer attendees. It will be a night to remember where there will be endless activities for the whole family.

This is a fundraising gala, which will be held in order to provide financing to a few vacational projects in countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, among others. At the event, attendees will be able to enjoy dinners, dances, entertainment, surprise guests, auctions, drinks and much more. The best thing is that everything what is taking place here will be enlivened by a live salsa orchestra whose talent will offer those present an evening that they will not forget for a long time.

The All-Barro Foundation motto — The All-Barro Foundation’s motto

What the purpose of A night in Havana is

The main organizing body for A Night in Havana is the non-profit organization Al-Barro Foundation, which has been created with the firm intention of promoting awareness of the humanitarian crises happening in many countries of Latin America and the Middle East and to sensitizing anyone who can offer the one who needs it most a caring hand. In its website, its creators explain what they do and the events through which they seek to raise as many funds as possible for charity causes. This is why there are opportunities like this to spend a pleasant time and contribute to those most in need at the same time. On the same website, those who wish to attend the gala can acquire their tickets, ranging in cost from about $100 to $500 according to anything they include.

As for the chosen location, it is a spectacular event venue located in North Hollywood whose elegance, good taste and greatness will pleasantly shock the lucky ones who attend this wonderful place. It is none other than the incredible Bellaire Banquet Hall, which is one of those great venues where you can appreciate a spectacular dance floor with an aquarium of great extension included, which is rather striking in a place of these characteristics. This makes any evening much more special than anyone can imagine.

Image of the Bellair Banquet Hall — Here is the Bellair Banquet Hall

Given that the event will be held at the beginning of the month of October, there is still chance to get a place in this great event. The only thing to be done is to contact the numbers 424-222-2121 and 818-203-7594. Another way to communicate with the organizers of the event is to send an email to [email protected] or the Facebook page of the Al-Barro Foundation.

Another relevant piece of information is the cost of entry. Those who wish to attend A Night In Havana can pay the general admission amounting to $100. If they want to buy the VIP ticket, it has a cost of $150.

Link to the foundation’s website: albarrofoundation

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Los Angeles salsa and its origins

Salsa and its origins

Salsa is a musical genre of Latino origin that has become very popular around the world thanks to the enormous number of artists who have been responsible for spreading it far and wide. Neither salsa or any of the other genre remains static in time and this is because all the transformations and combinations suffered at the years begin to pass. This has given rise to a number of new styles that have also been spreading to many countries thanks to those interested in learning to dance them.

How Los Angeles Salsa Originated

Los Angeles salsa and how to dance it — Two people dancing Los Angeles salsa

One of those styles is Los Angeles salsa, which is named after the city where it was born. In Los Angeles, United States, a family of Mexican origin was directly involved in the origins of this style of salsa. Francisco Vásquez, who spent a significant part of his life in Los Angeles, was delighted with the way many of the greatest dancers of those years danced in nightclubs.

Around this time, this man began to mimic the movements made by these dancers, to perfect them and to add other Hollywood dance steps. After all this process experienced by Francisco, he gave rise to what would later be known as On1. Sometime later, Francisco would teach his brothers what he learned in these clubs, which gave origin to what would become a family business known as Los Rumberos. These brothers were real important in the expansion of this salsa style, but there were many other professional dancers and lovers of Latin culture who have created other companies focused on promoting many musical styles from Latin America.

A very important thing to say about this salsa style is that it was neither the only nor the first salsa rhythm to become famous around the world, as New York salsa has also become very popular in recent years and includes some of the sounds present in tango, jazz, among others.

The presence of Los Angeles salsa in Europe

A type of salsa that only emerged at the local level has become one of the most sought-after musical styles by European music festivals to give them a privileged place in their respective programs, which implies that Latin music has already expanded in its multiple variants to every corner of the Old Continent.

One of the most important reasons why this style has become so famous is the richness of its steps and the varied movements in relation to other typical dance forms of salsa. If Europeans were already very interested in Latin rhythms, such a diversity of rhythms and styles makes them even more curious about our musical culture.

These competitions and festivals held around Europe are very striking and prestigious, as they invite locals to learn to dance different rhythms in order to be eligible for one of the luxurious prizes offered therein. The best of all this is that these competitions include all levels, so you don’t have to be a professional dancer to have a good time and gain one or another recognition.

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