Search Results for: Los Angeles

Anderson Quintero

North America / United State / California

Anderson Quintero. The Multi Percussionist of relief generation in the Quintero Dynasty

Anderson Quintero began his musical career at the age of seven, when he joined Salserin, the only children’s Salsa orchestra visiting more than 10 countries.

Throughout his journey in this group, the young Anderson Quintero demonstrated the talent inherited from his father and the rest of his paternal family, who have been recognized as the greatest percussionists in Venezuela.

While in Salserin, Anderson Quintero became the official timbale player of the group, however he continued his developed on other percussion instruments.

This experience led him to visit about 20 countries, and record 5 musical productions.

Nevertheless, the talent that flowed through Quintero’s veins grew stronger with his studies in the Conservatory José Angel Lamas, along with lessons through which he discovered an interest for drumset.

Well-known musicians such as Vinnie Colaiuta, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Paul Wertico, Brian Blade, Robby Ameen, Jack Dejohnettee, and others, have influenced his musical career.

His talent on the drums eventually led him to join several rock bands in the city of Caracas, Venezuela.

During 2004 and 2005, Anderson Quintero was part of the band that accompanied Venezuelan singer/songwriter/Grammy Award Winner Franco de Vita on his tour “Mil y una Historias”, visiting more than 10 countries and garnering 2 Grammy nominations in 2006. That same year Quintero met up with two ex-band members of Salserin, Servando and Florentino, and joined their band “Enamorame”, playing drums and the timbales.

In mid-2006, Anderson Quintero moved to New York City, where he began to gain international recognition. Since then, he has performed with Jerry Rivera, Obie Bermudez, Louie Vega, Don Omar, Servando Y Florentino, Chino Y Nacho, Luisito Quintero Percussion Madness, Paloma San Basilio, Huascar Barradas , Aditus, Vanessa May, Kevin Jones, Tenth worlds, Sheila Charles (Ray Charles’ daughter), Emilly King, Taxi Amarillo, and Willie Colon’s bands, with whom he has traveled internationally.

Anderson worked on a musical about the life of the “Guarachera de América” Celia Cruz, in an Off-Broadway show.

He is a first-call session drummer in Venezuela and has recorded with the most important artist in that country in many different styles of music: pop, rock, folk, ethnic, latin, and jazz.

He’s also on tour with Venezuelan Trombon Ensamble, the best known trombone players in Venezuela. He recently joined the band of Spanish singer Paloma San Basilio, playing drums for their American tour.

In 2011 Quintero won a Grammy for Chino y Nacho’s album “mi nina bonita”.

He recently recorded drums on the album “punto ciego” by Venezuela’s progressive rock band LEXESTET and on “third element” by Luisito Quintero.

Anderson began 2014 touring with Frank Quintero and then joined the salsa orquestra “Los Adolescentes” for a tour around Mexico.

Currently he finds himself in the city of Los Angeles, California where he continues his musical career.

Arturo “Chico” O’farrill

North America / United States / New York

Arturo “Chico” O’farrill “The Afro-Cuban Jazz Architect”

Arturo O’Farrill or better known as “Chico” O’Farrill was born in Havana (Cuba) on October 28, 1921. He was the son of a recognized Jewish family whose father was an eminent lawyer whom one day decided to immigrate to the United States. Arturo undertook his studies at the Riverside Military School in Gainesville, Georgia (interned by his father).

He began to love the jazz orchestras (big bands) and within that environment he fed musically, listening to recordings of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, and Tommy Dorsey, so much, that in a brief time he learned to plays the trumpet and became the trumpet player of the military band as well as the several dance groups.

Years later, Chico returned to Cuba. He studied law and at the same time developed his facet as a composer, receiving a composition and harmony study with the master, Félix Guerrero. Likewise, he was also Armando Romeu Bellamar Orchestra’s member and the Isidro Pérez Orchestra, when the Son and the Mambo prevailed in the Latin music.

TRAJECTORY

From 1943 to 1947 “The Afro-Cuban Jazz Architect” worked at the cabaret Montmartre. He was a member of Bellamar Orchestra, directed by Armando Romeu and integrated by Luis and Pucho Escalante, Gustavo Mas and Mario Romeu, among others. He traveled to Mexico and Europe as a trumpeter musician as well as he created the band, Los Raqueteros del Swing, being the director and trumpet.

Subsequently, he founded Los Beboppers (the first group of Cuban bop), which was presented at the Saratoga Hotel with Chico again as the director and the trumpet.

In the ‘50s decade began the successes for Chico as an arranger, working briefly for several orchestra directors, such as Gil Fuller, Noro Morales, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Benny Goodman.

In the same way, he composed his first great masterpiece “Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite” in five movements: Song, Mambo, 6/8, Jazz and Rumba Open. This masterpiece was made and recorded for the businessman Norman Granz’s label, using the Machito’s Orchestra as an accompanist and rhythmic base.

“Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite”, according to Luc Delannoy: “begins and ends with a hypnotic flute and conga duo that reflects the essence of Cuban treatment; the union of musical universes: the European (the flute) and the African (the conga).

To these two instruments is joined the oboe, followed by the trumpets, saxophones and the “Tumbao” of the double bass… After a return to swing and bebop in the fourth movement, Chico takes us to the origins of Latin jazz with a melody of clear Arabic accents, before sinking back into the universe of Afro-Cuban percussions”. Likewise, for Benny Carter, this Suite was: “The reason for the coherence of the rhythmic parts and their relationships with the solos that have their own life and independence, Masterpiece of a genius.”

In New York and following the success of “Afro Cuban Jazz Suite”, O’Farrill writes “Cuban Fantasy” for Stan Kenton, who later changes its name to “Cuban Episode”.

In 1953 he traveled to California, where he founded his orchestra that included renowned musicians such as Mario Bauzá, Doug Mettome, Jimmy Nottingham, Eddie Bert, Fred Zito, Lenny Hambro, Flip Phillips, and saxophonist Eddie Wasserman. The orchestra used the rhythm section of the Machito’s Afro-Cuban, harp and oboe. With this concept he recorded for Norman Granz, performed in Birdland (New York), and the Hat Ballroom located in Los Angeles. In this period he composed three new movements: “La Jungla”, “Contraste”, and “Rhumba Finale”, baptized as “Manteca Suite” recorded with the Jazz player Dizzy Gillespie and orchestra of 21 excellent musicians in 1954.

He returns to Cuba again in 1956 to be inspired and immediately began working for the best record companies on the island such as Panart and RCA Víctor, recording “Chico’s Cha-Cha-Cha”, adapting the Charanga rhythm to the big band format. This album is released, one more time, on compact disc by BMG during the last decade of the twentieth century. Chico also made a recording for the popular D’Aida Quartet and arrangements for Bola de Nieve and the famous Orchestra Director, Aldemaro Romero.

In 1958 the restless O’Farrill moved for Mexico, an essential platform for all Latin American musicians at that time. There he returned to create another special sound and appears on television as musical director of the Andy Russell singer, and there his life changed radically. He started a semi-retirement period, but never stopped creating music. At that moment, he composed his famous “Azteca Suite” for trumpeter Art Farmer, and he made history again!

In the 60s he returned to New York and makes arrangements for such important figures as La Lupe (They Call Me La Lupe); Cal Tjader (Along Comes Cal); Clark Terry (Spanish Rice); Count Basie (High Voltage); Gato Barbieri (Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata); Ringo Starr (Night and Day) and dabbled in the Rock music with David Bowie (I Know It’s Gonna Happen, Looking for Lester), and finally he was director of the Aldemaro Romero´s Orchestra.

This stage extends until the end of the 20th century, although already in the 70s, the big bands go down in history for several genres that would be manifested due to their novelty and immense popularity in the United States and around the world. The architects of the new fashion used new techniques, styles, and sounds, especially in the field of harmonization. Suddenly popular music stopped being exclusively for the ballroom and -of course- “new sound” icons appeared in the Jazz Music. For this reason, Chico O’Farrill begins working in the lucrative field of music for television commercials.

In the mid-1990s, “The Afro-Cuban Jazz Architect” was contacted by American producer and Jazz director Todd Barkan with Pure Emotion, a compiled of his musical career with which he got a nomination for the 37th edition of the Grammy awards.

O’Farrill toured Europe with his orchestra in 1996 and recorded his latest album titled “Heart Of A Legend”, which contains 14 tracks, a formidable orchestra of 18 masters and a staff of international artists. The arrangements of “Heart Of A Legend”, considered for many as the best album of his career, took care by himself and the musical direction was entrusted to his son, Arturo O’Farrill Jr., a formidable pianist and heir of his legacy.

Arturo “Chico” O’farrill died on June 29, 2001, in New York City at 80 years.

Undeniably, Chico for more than half a century was a great musical creator. He was at the forefront of an innovative style that many know as Latin Jazz nowadays, which was called at the beginning with many names, such as Cuban bop, Mambo Jazz and Afro-Cuban Jazz.

Our dear “AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ARCHITECT” Until forever!

In memory of 18 years of his passing!

Balazo de Norteamérica:

Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill

“The Afro-Cuban Jazz Architect”

In memory of 18 years of his passing!

Hansel & Raul celebrate the New Year in a concert in California

North America/ United States / California

Hansel & Raul celebrate the New Year with an awesome concert in California

The Charanga Ambassadors in the world will say goodbye to 2019 presenting the most select of their repertoire of the great hits

Date: Tuesday, December 31^st

General Admission: 7:00PM

Cocktail Hour: 7:00PM – 8:00PM

Dinner: 8:00PM

Price: $120 (Adult) / $ 60 (Children under 12)

Venue: Crowne Plaza Los Angeles – Commerce Casino. 6121 East Telegraph Road, Commerce, CA 90040

The Charanga´s Legends will share all their talent with their fans for this last day of the year. This exceptional duo with 35 years of trajectory, time transgressor, continue to fill places to a full house in South America and the main cities of the United States, and this December 31, 2019, is the turn of Commerce city in Los Angeles County in California.

Hansel & Raul will be accompanied for the third time by Mr. Carlos Navarro orchestra, Son and Clave. This complicity of unique and singular talents has been joined in the different cities of the California State since the 90s, achieving the resounding success in each of their performances.

This duo formed in the Miami city in 1984 is still the Ambassadors of “La Charanga” with 330 recorded singles, six gold records and four platinum records for sales made, in addition to two Grammy awards with the album “Encore” in 1978.

Hansel & Raul, borne in Cuba, enjoy all their biggest hits summarized in their more than three decades of artistic career as a duo, and it’s for that the public will always have the last word when choosing the songs that they most prefer of these fantastic legends, but don’t worry, because Hansel assured us that their classics such as “Soy”, “María Teresa y Danilo”, “Ella”, “Ayer”, “Se me Nota”, and “Balancea mi Corazón” (songwriter Venezuelan, Yordano) among many others, will be present in this show of one hour and forty-five minutes.

But wait, here’s still more! If you want to enjoy these Legends with the harmonic concept originating from the island “La Charanga” in advance and you aren’t here this month nor next in the United States, don’t perturb, because Hansel & Raul will be visiting Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador in a Small tour of South America, returning in December for the “New Year´s Eve 2020” event in the United States.

“LA CHARANGA IS MY FAVORITE MUSIC …

… IT’S VERY NICE AND LIGHT…

… AND IT IS THE TYPICAL MUSIC OF CUBA.”

Hansel E. Martínez

Event Details:

http://www.HANSELYRAUL.com

Social Channel:

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Antonio Cartagena is an acclaimed artist, leaving the name of Peru on high all over the world

Antonio Cartagena is one of our best bastions who was born artistically in 1990 from a humble family with Afro-Peruvian roots.

Born in the Constitutional province of Callao (Bellavista) and having studied higher education in the National Police of Peru and half of career in the course of Psychology at the University San Martin.

Being able more the art is consecrated presenting his first success “Sin Ti” belonging in that instant to the Orchestra Peru Salsa All Star at the same time is invited to record songs like Niña and Tengo Todo Execto a Ti by the Orchestra of the Prestigious Oscar “Pitín” Sanchez La Sensual 990 achieving a greater acceptance the demands of work.

They were not made to wait in all the Peruvian literal for such reason is that Antonio Cartagena is traced important goals as the conquest of other countries reason others so that in 1991 produces his first album as a soloist with 10 songs where they highlighted songs like; Sedúceme and Necesito un Amor.

Becoming known in countries such as Colombia, Venezuela and part of the United States.

In 1992 he launches to the market a fresh and romantic Salsa where he highlights songs like Y que Tiene el and M Dueña; from there he reaffirms the internationalization being hired for a tour in the United States with all his group visiting places like New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Virginia, Dallas, Texas, San Diego, among others.

Then in 1993 he is hired by the prestigious international record company RMM of Mr. Ralph Mercado, one of the biggest salsa producers in the world; recording his first international album entitled Dime Que Si, where the most outstanding songs are Apaga La Luz and Perdone Querida.

To perform in dream stages such as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and Miami Arenas, alternating with many stars such as Oscar Leon, Van Lester, India, Marc Anthony, Tito Puente, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, Celia Cruz, Domingo Quiñonez, Ray de la Paz, Tony Vega, Ray Sepulveda, Johnny Rivera, Tito Nieves, Jose Alberto el Canario, Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Giovanni Hidalgo, and an innumerable list of the greats of the firmament of the salsa market. The tour continued to include Canada, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico and Argentina.

These were events that marked a milestone in the vertiginous career of the artist; who arrives in his country after three years of coming and going; with a production titled Punto de Vista (1996), where he consecrates himself with the songs Si Tu No Estas and Pídele Perdón, successfully placing himself at the threshold of his career in his own country.

Already in 1997 he wants to impose the criollismo converting famous and traditional waltzes of our country in salsa; Disc that made him known all over the world even in Europe, presenting himself in stages of Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain among others.

In the year 2000 and without stopping touring nationally and internationally, Antonio Cartagena produced a new album which highlights the theme Nadie Quien te Quiera como Yo.

Then in 2001 he travels to New York to produce an album titled Volveré, with songs such as Ni Siquiera, giving much to talk about in that country and in Latin America, visiting countries such as the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, etc.

In 2005 he presents a renewed and updated product imposing themes such as Salsa Regaee, titled No Me Digas Que No, placing himself in the first places of our musical environment.

Antonio Cartagena, is one of our best internationally recognized bastions, who is going through his best moment, considered in salsa as the best exponent of music in his genre and winner for this year of a number of awards such as: Nominated for Best Interpreter of the year in the salsa music genre.

Cartagena is an acclaimed artist, leaving the name of Peru on high all over the world.

Antonio Cartagena

Hansel and Raúl, The Charanga Legend duo

Hansel and Raúl is a charismatic and transgressive Charanga duo of the line of romantic lyrics of the time. They positioned the Cuban “Charanga” rhythm on the top of global popularity, a danceable genre that they imposed on each stage they were invited to and which incorporated their unique Caribbean essence.

This particular duo with three decades of trajectory was born in Miami in 1984 after breaking from the orchestra “Charanga 76”, where they were co-founder members and their main vocalists. With this New York orchestra, born in Brooklyn, they won international recognition and their first Grammy for the album “Encore” in 1978.

Photo of Hansel and Raúl — Hansel and Raúl – The Charanga Legend duo

“Many of the artists who recorded with them during their stay in “Charanga 76” include the renowned pianist – for many years – by Héctor Lavoe, Gilbert Colón and the first Jewish-American flutist woman, Andrea Brachfeld.”

Very pleasant memories come to Hansel‘s mind during this interview, especially his first composition “Si no te encuentras tú” for Charanga 76, his voice took a turn and he showed nostalgia as well as pride in remembering it: “I don’t sit to write a song with a guitar or piano. The Inspiration comes to me alone, there is nothing personal”.

Each anecdote that he tells us is remembered as facts that have led to their musical maturity. Each fun fact has been defined as part of their career, such was the case of the great master, Israel “Cachao” López, who with all his musical wisdom and mastery of his instrument, the Double Bass, taught the rhythmic base to the orchestra. “The conguero and the timbalero even the güirero he taught them to play well. He was a teacher of all, including us who learned a lot from him. R.I.P, he was a glory of music”, Hansel said to us.

But that wasn’t all he told us about the legend of Cuban music, “Cachao”, who was the Double Bassist of the “Charanga 76” orchestra for 12 years, also he told us that every time they wen a tour the “Inventor of Mambo” had them buy a plane seat to his Double Bass, he sat it next to him and even put the belt on the string instrument, as is dictated by airline regulations.

The funniest thing would come later when the Double Bass received the same attention as each member of the orchestra. Amazing! The Double Bass also had its portion of food during each trip as each musician of the orchestra, and when the flight attendant brought it was when the offer was presented by each musician for that fabulous portion, although the end was always the same, the trumpeter won!

Hansel y Raúl - Photo — Hansel y Raúl concert

Photo in concert - Hansel and Raúl — Hansel and Raúl – Photo behind the scenes

Each experience with Charanga 76 made them evolve in music and although with this orchestra they made themselves renowned professionally, as a duo they flew the fence. They have received multiple musical awards, their sympathetic lyrics, and in some cases, satirical or burlesque have won the applause, admiration, and respect of colleagues in the music industry and the general public on three continents: America, Europe, and Asia.

“The Jersey Boys” was their first youth musical group with only 5 members and although the musical instruments they played were the basics of Rock, their rhythmic concept was Cuban music.

“María Teresa y Danilo” was one of the compositions that brought many satisfactions to this duo. Nowadays it’s still preferred by the fanatical public of the genre. Many debates and speculations were made about this song, but here we tell you the true story. “María Teresa y Danilo” dates its beginnings to the 80s when soap operas like “Dallas” were in fashion.

Hansel came up with the idea of diving and writing on this topic. He magically composed the lyric during the plane trip with San Francisco – Miami trajectory and the rest we already know, multiple copies sold, and hundreds of awards granted to them for the feeling that caused this popular theme.

After such overwhelming success as a duo, Hansel and Raúl decides to separate in 1988. What was the reason?

Everyone wanted to make another kind of music. Each one followed a different path, for his part, Hansel recorded five solo albums including metals, more trumpets and trombones, and in three of these albums, he included neither the violin nor the flute, assuming almost completely the end of the Charanga rhythm in his music. However, a short time later he realized that this Caribbean rhythm was what identified with his audience and two years later he joined Raúl again to continue their successful career.

Hansel and Raúl has a total of 330 songs recorded and on December 31 this Charanga duo will have a performance in Los Angeles, CA and you may be lucky and they play your favorite single and if don’t you can ask for it. Classics such as “Soy”, “Se me nota”, “El ayer”, “María Teresa y Danilo”, “Kukucha kucha”, “Balancea mi corazón” (Yordano), “Ojos Verdes” (Alfredo Gutiérrez), among many others, will be present at this 1: 45min show.

Purchase your Tickets quickly before it´s sold out

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We hope to see them there singing each of their hits and if you later travel to New York, don’t be surprised to see Hansel in that city because he and his family will be celebrating their daughter’s sweet sixteen, on the second day of January 2020.

Is Hansel a stage name?

Although some may consider that Hansel is a characteristic name of the children’s story “Hansel and Gretel”, this name comes from Germany and it’s of Jewish origin. Hansel Enrique is the name of this singer and songwriter “Charanguero” and he is named so to differentiate himself from Hansel Horacio (father). In Cuba, the tradition is maintained that every male child must bear the name of his grandfather; this is the reason for all his cousins are called Hansel.

More Details visiting:

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