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Franky Swing

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Franky Swing: From Venezuela Triumphed in Latin America

Franky Swing was born in Caracas-Venezuela, on December 3, from a humble family, as the main musical reference we will find his older brother, from a very young age his interest in singing was noted, he sang whenever he could, his father encouraged him to do it in family gatherings performing very naturally. During his childhood he belonged to the choir and the marching band at his school, his singing teacher saw great potential in him and advised him to dedicate himself to music.

Franky grew up, and could not devote himself to singing academically, because, to support his family, he worked at a nightclub where he only had one day off a week.

One day he had the opportunity to sing in another nightclub, where his brother worked, and it was there that he discovered that what really moved his life was music.

The night witnessed his first musical experiences, and thus, between clubs, events and private parties he was making himself known musically among friends, neighbors and clients; without losing sight of his desires: to soon realize an important musical project.

In 2007, he began as a soloist, a great professional experience that did not transcend beyond personal enrichment, then he became the vocalist of the LYRI-K group with which he was able to make himself known with more projection at a national and international level, and thus embarking on that artistic path that he longed for so much.

Songs such as “GUARAPO Y MELAO”, “LATINOS” and “REGRESA A MI” sounded throughout the national territory, the latter achieving position No. 8 in the record report on the country’s radio stations. LYRI-K was a good professional experience that Franky Swing had, because with it he not only gained great national exposure, but also managed to cross borders showing his talent in countries like Ecuador.

Additionally, with LYRI-K he participated in national events of great impact such as the Solid Fest (2011) and social concerts, being the image of the SENOSALUD FOUNDATION.

At an academic level, Franky attended speech workshops to acquire more knowledge about this exciting world, managing to participate in radio commercials for different brands and companies.

After his departure from LYRI K, FRANKY SWING undertakes a new solo project and comes with a romantic song entitled “NADA SIN TI”, lyrics and music by Ramón Montes, arrangements by Leo Gonzalez and Lino Paz, an excellent single to conquer the heart of the international public with his warm voice, covered in ballads and merengue.

Franky Swing continues to reap successes now with new songs that have crossed borders, currently in Mexico presenting songs like “Mi vecina me tiene loco”, “Olvidarme de ti” this particular single was recorded in Mexico and Venezuela, by the hand of Lois and Blackie and the Cuban Yumar Bonachea, can be enjoyed in two versions: Batucada and Electronic Merengue; also the single “Quiero”, authored by Francisco Figuera produced in Electronic Merengue.

Franky Swing - Photo — Franky Swing – Photo

The single “Llorando Fue” recorded in Venezuela, in the same Electronic Merengue vein as the album “Mira como es“, reaching important positions in the top 45 of Argentina called Elegidos 45.

In 2015, a new single titled “Una y Otra Vez” recorded in Venezuela, by Jhosir Córdoba, brings freshness in tropical Merengue with an urban touch, the lyrics and music are by Venezuelan Ottoniel Poveda.

Promoted in all social networks with a lot of focus on Latin America, particularly in Mexico City and in the important media in the country to infect everyone with his dance music.

Franky also took on the task of participating in humanitarian social works such as HELP IS, THE NIGHT OF DREAMS INFINITE LOVE AND I LEND YOU MY VOICE.

On the other hand, the recognitions received by FANTASIA TV THE PROGRAM, FINALLY THE END, HAYEK INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN MERIT AWARDS, RECOGNITION AS A SINGER BY THE OAXAQUE BOARD OF POPULAR CULTURE A.C., THANKS IN THE EL LAVADIARIO PROGRAM, RECOGNITION BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MEXICAN ANNOUNCER C , AWARDED WITH THE RAY TICO PRIZE OF THE COSTA RICAN COMMUNITY B. AWARDED AT THE INMORTAL AWARDS AS A TROPICAL MUSIC SINGER Already living in Mexico in 2017, he joins the group “INTERSALSA ORQUESTA“, where he had the opportunity to record several singles in which is the promotional “DILE A ELLA“, this theme was written by the Venezuelan Wilmer Hernández and musical arrangement by the Venezuelan Taylor Aranguren.

Among the musical themes we can highlight “TU NO SABES QUERER”, “ADIOS AMOR” a version of Mr. Cristian Nodal adapted to the salsa genre, collaborations in feautiring in the “GIGANTES DE LA CUMBIA” project with the song “UN SUEÑO” original theme of the group “LOS ANGELES DE CHARLY” duet with the singer “JUAN SOLO” the singles where Franky has been involved with his voice have been happy songs that have made the whole world enjoy, Franky Swing with his charisma, flavor and excellent voice gives him that authentic touch to each song he has recorded.

Franky Swing in 2018, presented us with his new single entitled “DAME UNA OPORTUNIDAD”, lyrics and music by Francisco Figuera and arrangements by Mauricio Jiménez, with the participation of Dante Vargas on trumpet, this song came to stay in the salsa genre and thus continue giving rumba joy and flavor to the international public.

All of us at some point in our lives have made mistakes, which perhaps have hurt someone’s feelings, it can be your partner, a friend, or in any life situation where the beings we appreciate are involved, and at Recognizing that we have failed, we seek forgiveness and try to correct the mistake, doing everything possible to put ourselves in the other person’s place and feel their pain.

Brief synopsis of the single “DAME UNA OPORTUNIDAD” Currently, Franky Swing follows the path of this tropical genre and this time comes with the theme “SABOR A NADA” a very interesting proposal, this arrangement was made in Venezuela by the hand of Wuilmer Herrera , where a fresh concept was shaped to continue giving good music to the international public, it should be noted that the lyrics and music of this single go hand in hand with the Venezuelan composer Jhon Semeco.

Sabor a Nada is the name of Franky Swing’s new single, this single is about those loves that are not consummated, where there are promises that are not kept, loves that are adrift and that fail to have a story, love without color without flavor, that’s what this great single by the great Venezuelan singer Franky Swing is about, who little by little continues to bring joy to Latin America.

If you want to know more about Franky Swing, I invite you to follow him on all his social networks Contacts: Frank Figuera:+52 155-6444-2153 / 55-7410-5180

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/frankyswing

Videoclip https://youtu.be/M7B2wJ4fKIo

Video lyrics https://youtu.be/ltee6FSIQYg

Plataformas digitales: Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4tvKmZc3DNOLW6bcOwFgFc

Sabor a nada iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sabor-a-nada-single/1449554732

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/14789867

G o o g l e p l a y: h t t p s : / / p l a y . g oo g l e . c o m / s t o r e / m u s i c / a l b u m /

Franky_Swing_Mira_Como_Es?id=Bw2svrdawij6iyvk3grloe3eqc4

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/mx/album/mira-como-es/1386202738

Twitter: @franky_swing

Instagram: @FRANKY_SWING

Fan page Facebook: Franky Swing

Youtube: Franky_swing

Rebernation: Franky Swing

WebSite: www.frankyswing.com

Webwix: http://frankyswing362.wix.com/frankyswing1

Email: [email protected]

Bebo Valdés is considered one of the central figures of the golden age of Cuban music

On March 22, 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden, Dionisio Ramón Emilio Valdés Amaro, better known as Bebo Valdés, died.

He was an excellent musician of Cuban music and Afro-Cuban jazz, considered one of the central figures of the golden age of Cuban music.

In addition to being a pianist, his best known facet, he has been a composer, arranger and orchestra conductor.

He was born in Quivicán, Cuba, on October 9, 1918. He was the father of the Afro-Cuban jazz pianist Chucho Valdés (b. 1941). From 1931 to 1935 he studied piano in his hometown with Moraima González; in 1936 he moved with his family to Havana, where he studied music theory, harmony and composition with Oscar Bofartigue.

In 1938 he made his professional debut with Happy D’Ulacia’s orchestra. He played in Havana, since the 1940s, in the orchestras Ulacia, García Curbelo, Julio Cueva and Orquesta Tropicana, and recorded albums with groups dedicated to performing Afro-Cuban jazz.2

Known among his family and friends by the affectionate nickname of Caballón because of his considerable stature, he composed mambos, such as La rareza del siglo, which covers the genre recently introduced by Pérez Prado and which would change the course of Cuban music. From 1948 until 1957, he worked at the Tropicana cabaret as pianist and arranger for Rita Montaner.

The Sabor de Cuba orchestra, of Bebo Valdés, and that of Armando Romeu, made the show of this night club, in which Valdés stopped performing in 1957, when he was hired by Ernesto Roca, of the Peer International Music Publishers, to make arrangements for Xiomara Alfaro and Pío Leyva; at the same time, he joined Guillermo Álvarez Guedez, of the Panart and Rolando Laserie in Radio Progreso. With his orchestra Sabor de Cuba, he accompanied singers Reinaldo Henríquez, Orlando Guerra (Cascarita), Pío Leyva and Ada Rex; Beny Moré also sang with this group, and Chucho Valdés made his debut.

About the descarga or jam session, there are multiple versions, this is the one by Bebo Valdés which, due to the concreteness of data, dates and record labels that made the recordings, is the most objective: “One night in October 1952, I was resting in a cabaret in Havana with members of the Tropicana orchestra.

Bebo Valdés Fue un excelente músico de música cubana y jazz afrocubano, considerado como una de las figuras centrales de la época dorada de la música

It is important to know that since 1948, Cuban, Mexican or even American musicians used to meet on Sunday afternoons at the Tropicana to play descarga, in the course of which we mixed jazz and Cuban rhythms.

Sometimes the descargas were held at four o’clock in the morning, at the end of the [Tropicana] show. The percussionist Guillermo Barreto was the one who animated them; we had received Roy Haynes, Kenny Drew, Sarah Vaughan, Richard Davis and many other musicians passing through; in fact, all the great names of jazz paraded through the Tropicana.

All of that could have been recorded, but no one was interested. So, that night Irving Price, the owner of a record store on Galiano Street, announces to me that producer Norman Granz is in town and that he can’t believe that Cuban musicians are capable of playing jazz.

Granz and Price ask me to go to the studio to record. It was September 16, 1952. So, I called some musicians, but I myself was late for the session, because in the morning I had another recording for RCA: I was going to accompany a singer! When I finally arrived at Panart’s studio, Granz had already left for the United States.

We called the orchestra The Andre’s All Star, after the name of Irving Price’s record store. We had decided to play classic jazz tunes, such as Distrust, Taboo, Sleep and Blues for Andre. At the end of the session, as there were still a few minutes available for the record, I started playing a riff, from which we improvised. We called that track “Con poco coco.”

The record was titled Cubano! and the participating musicians were all from the Tropicana cabaret: Gustavo Más, tenor saxophone; Alejandro Vivar (El Negro Vivar), trumpet; Kiki Hernández, double bass; Guillermo Barreto, timbal; Rolando Alfonso, tumbadora and Bebo Valdés, piano.

The works it contains are the same as those mentioned by Bebo Valdés, and the label, Mercury. In 1955, Bebo Valdés recorded, in the studios of Radio Progreso, Holiday Habana and She Adores the Latin Type, for the Decca label, which contained mambo, chachachá, bolero, jazz descarga, even jazz with bebop tendencies.

According to Luc Delannoy, in 1956 the Panart recorded Cuban Jam Session, with Julio Gutiérrez and Pedro Jústiz (Peruchín), as directors, and the musicians Alejandro Vivar (El Negro Vivar), Edilberto Escrich, Osvaldo Urrutia (Mosquifin), Emilio Peñalver, José Silva (CHombo), Juan Pablo Miranda, Salvador Vivar, Jesús Esquijarrosa (Chucho), Oscar Valdés, father, Marcelino Valdés, Walfredo de los Reyes and José Antonio Méndez. The participation of Israel López (Cachao) in a descarga did not occur until 1957, when the Panart recorded Descargas cubanas, with the participation of Cachao himself, Guillermo Barreto, Gustavo Tamayo, Rogelio Iglesias, Richard Egües, Andrés Hechavarría (El Niño Rivera), Rolito Pérez, Alfredo León, Arístides Soto (Tata Güines), Alejandro Vivar (El Negro Vivar), Generoso Jiménez, Orestes López (Macho), Emilio Peñalver and Virgilio Vixama. In other years, there were also recordings of downloads, and some unrecorded ones, such as those recalled by Leonardo Acosta at the Cuban Jazz Club, held between 1958 and 1960, with the participation of Pedro Jústiz (Peruchín), piano; Guillermo Barreto, drums and pailas, and Arístides Soto (Tata Güines), tumbadora (drums). This proves -or at least shows another side of the coin- that Bebo Valdés was one of the initiators of descarga in Cuba, a resource used by Cuban musicians in the most diverse instrumental formats, genres and styles of our popular music, as, for example, did the composers of the filin movement.

On June 8, 1952, with a band of twenty musicians, Bebo unveiled the batanga rhythm in the studios of RHC Cadena Azul; among the three singers in the orchestra was Beny Moré.

Bebo Valdés un virtuoso de la música cubana

That same year he travels to Mexico with the purpose of recording a disc with this new modality of Cuban music, which also included a new choreography; they were not successful, and, according to Bebo Valdés, “the batanga died a natural death”.

When he left Cuba in 1960 due to disagreements with the Cuban government, Bebo also abandoned his family, his wife Pilar Valdés and his five children (including Chucho). Bebo Valdés goes to Mexico, then moves to Los Angeles, California, where he works with singer Miguelito Valdés; from there he travels to Spain, where he records two albums as director of the orchestra that accompanies Chilean singer Lucho Gatica.

Later he toured England, France, Holland, Germany and Finland with the Lecuona Cuban Boys. In 1963 he settled in Sweden, and worked with the Hatuey Orchestra, a Swedish group playing Cuban music. In Sweden he formed a new family when he married in 1963.

International career

After thirty years of relative anonymity, on November 25, 1994, Valdés received a call from Paquito D’Rivera, who invited him to record a new album in Germany for the Messidor label. A new beginning in his career took place at the age of 76 with the recording of Bebo Rides Again.

He participated in Fernando Trueba’s film Calle 54, along with, among others, pianist and composer Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Elaine Elías, Chano Domínguez, Jerry González, Michel Camilo, Leandro J. Barbieri (Gato Barbieri), Ernesto Antonio Puente (Tito Puente), Arturo O’Farrill (Chico), Israel López (Cachao), Orlando Ríos (Puntilla) and Carlos Valdés (Patato).

In 2004 he traveled to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, to participate in Trueba’s film El milagro de Candeal, along with Carlinhos Brown, Marisa Monte, Mateus Aleluia and César Mendez.

Bebo y Chucho Valdés una verdadera dinastía de la Música Cubana

An integral musician capable of tackling the most diverse genres and styles of music, not only as a pianist and composer, but also as an orchestrator and orchestra conductor of sublime values; of solid technical training, both theoretical and pianistic, Bebo Valdés is one of the all-time greats of Cuban music. He was, with Israel López (Cachao) and Patato Valdés, nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for El arte del sabor, best traditional tropical album 2002.

In 2002, Fernando Trueba produced Lágrimas negras, an album that unites flamenco singer Diego el Cigala with Bebo Valdés on piano.

After its release in 2003, it became an international success, recognized with a Grammy, three Music Awards, an Ondas Award, five Amigo Awards, three Platinum Discs in Spain and one each in Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela. The New York Times praised the album as Best Latin Music Album of the Year and opened the doors to a tour of Paris, New York, London, Havana, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Mexico City, Madrid and Barcelona, among others. By the end of 2004 the album had sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.

He retired to Benalmádena, a village in the province of Málaga (Spain), until his death in Stockholm (Sweden).

Chucho Valdés

Mauro Mosquera Singer and Composer from Medellín Colombia

Mauricio Esneider Mosquera (Mauro Mosquera) was born in the city of Medellín and has composed songs for various artists such as El Combo de las Estrellas, Pipe Bueno, John Alex Castaño, Diego Galé, among others.

He has been part of great orchestras as a singer and some are: El Grupo Niche, Fruko y sus Tesos, The Latin Brothers, La Sonora Dinamita, Orquesta Metal Puro de Ecuador.

He has also recorded choruses with Los Gigantes del Vallenato, Hevert Vargas, El Grupo Niche, Olga Tañon, for different artists of Codiscos y Discos Fuentes, Los Grandes de la Salsa Volumen II, Maité Hontelé, etc.

As a soloist he has recorded three albums and has been contracted by: Manizales, Pereira, Bogotá, Pasto, Cali, Quibdó, Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico, Los Angeles California, New York, Dallas, Utah, Montreal, Toronto, Quebec.

He is currently producing music for national and international Salsa artists and national popular music.

He has been invited as a singer to important events with the Symphony of Pereira in several opportunities, with the Symphonic Band of the University of Antioquia and with his Swing Orchestra he has performed in Medejazz, in the Fair of the Flowers and in the municipal parties of Antioquia.

Ángel Canales the Legacy Perico Macoña

Angel Canales is an icon of Salsa, one of the performers who despite his early retirement, his music is still frequently played in countries like Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Panama among others, his legacy has impacted many generations of musicians and producers, who admire his ideas, his rebelliousness, his daring when choosing arrangers and musicians, breaking patterns and schemes.

Perico Macoña - MAuro Masquera Ft. Budu — Perico Macoña – MAuro Masquera Ft. Budu

“Perico Macoña”, the voice of Mauro Mosquera from Colombia and the urban touch with Budu from Venezuela.

This musical project was born with the idea of showing this legacy to new generations, keeping the essence in the arrangements and without trying to imitate him, each performer gives a new personality to the songs, a production full of special guests, directed by the young talent Irving Manuel, the first promotional cut was presented in November 2019 in the voice of Rafu Warner with the classic “Hace Tiempo”.

Beginning in 2020 the recordings continued until the whole project and the recording of the guests was delayed due to the pandemic, although not with the same speed several musical sessions could be finished and thanks to today’s technology that allows us to record from a distance, the second single of the production entitled “Perico Macoña” was completed, the voice of Mauro Mosquera from Colombia and the urban touch with Budu from Venezuela, achieving a mix between the classic sound and the current.

These two songs are available worldwide on all digital platforms and of course on YouTube. Throughout the year, the new cuts of the production will continue to be presented, seeking to bring together a strong group of guests who, with all due respect, will take this musical legacy to new generations to last for many years to come.

Mauro Mosquera Singer and Composer from Barranquilla Colombia.

By: Diana Maria Ruti – Miami Correspondent for International Salsa Magazine

Eva Gordillo, psychologist by profession and director Salseros Academy

Eva Gordillo: The so-called Cuban style is the original way of dancing “casino” or “rueda de casino”.

The first steps of this dance were developed in the sports casino in Havana and other dance halls in the Cuban capital at the end of the 1950s, hence its name in Cuba: “–“, as it was originally called “El baile del casino”.

In Barquisimeto, the musical capital of Venezuela, the dancers of Afro-Caribbean rhythms have a place to develop, improve and learn skills with the help of professionals, who achieve the integration of its participants, creating an atmosphere of great joy for all ages.

In this sense, our special guest in Salsa Escrita “La Columna Salsera de Barquisimeto”, through International Salsa Magazine, www.salsamundi.com, is Eva Gordillo, psychologist by profession and director of the dance academy “Salseros Academy”.

Dancers of Salseros Academy Dance Academy

Eva has been a passionate dancer since the age of 13 and today, with only 22 years old, she has toured most of the dance schools in the twilight city and some outside the state of Lara, projecting and developing herself as an instructor of proven hierarchy and reliability.

Welcome Eva to the only salsa magazine in the world, International Salsa Magazine and Salsa Escrita. Thank you, Professor Carlos, for giving me the opportunity to be present in your prestigious salsa column, which is already recognized in my country, the Caribbean, the United States and Europe, thus supporting the entire existing salsa movement in Venezuela.

Eva Gordillo and Members of the Salseros Academy dance academy

Eva, how and when did the idea of having your own dance academy come up? Friend Carlos, on November 26, 2018, I started and materialized my great dream, my own academy and together with my colleagues and friends, Eleazar Hernandez and Manuel Gamez, we started this adventure, from which today, we are harvesting many fruits and we feel extremely happy with this project and grateful, mainly with God, because everything is thanks to Him.

Excellent, very good friend, by the way, what kind of dances do you develop and teach in “Salseros Academy”? In our academy we give group and personalized classes, for all ages, conditions and levels. Our strength is Latin rhythms, especially Salsa, as our name indicates.

We focus on their different dance ramifications, such as New York style mambo, Salsa en Linea or Los Angeles style, Cuban Timba en Linea and En Rueda or “Salsa Casino”. Amiga Eva, in addition to salsa, do you teach other dance rhythms? Indeed Carlos, in addition we teach some Cuban music derivatives such as the chachachá, pachanga and boogaloo.

We are also projecting ourselves strongly with the bachata and its variants, as well as other Latin genres, such as merengue, among others.

During a visit to the headquarters of “Salseros Academy” in the city of Barquisimeto, by the Latin American correspondent team of International Salsa Magazine, we were able to see the excellent, comfortable and spacious facilities, located on Carrera 16 between Calle 61 and Avenida Rotaria, where Eva is accompanied by four experienced instructors specialized in different dance styles. The attendance and registration of participants is massive, given the proven quality and recognized throughout the city of Barquisimeto.

Friend Eva Gordillo, do you also have other projects at a musical and danceable level? That’s right teacher, at present we are heading to be producers of salsa events, thus promoting the Latin dance movement in our state Lara.

By the way, last year we had the pleasure of carrying out an event called “La Gran Gala de la Salsa” (The Great Salsa Gala), on the occasion of the celebration of the 1st anniversary of our academy, in which the dancers were able to enjoy the “Kadencia Latina” and “Jossy y su Banda” orchestras. Digital platforms and contacts for those interested in dancing at Salseros Academy? Friend Carlos, they are: Instagram: @salserosacademy, @evacarolgz, Whatsapp: 0424-5697908, Facebook: Grupo Salseros.

On behalf of the academy, my team and students, we would like to thank you for your support and projection of our work through your column “Salsa Escrita” in International Salsa Magazine. We wish you success and blessings to continue driving the Venezuelan salsa movement.

By Carlos Colmenares, ISM Journalist Correspondents, Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Javier Cabanillas and his Cabanijazz Project

It has been a privilege for International Salsa Magazine to talk to Mexican bandleader, professor and musician Javier Cabanillas, who told us in detail about his life from the day he started in music until today, when the fruits of all the hard work and great talent are seen.

Interesting beginnings

Javier begins by speaking of his beginnings in the world of music on the streets of Tijuana, in his native Mexico. He tells us that he used to work in San Diego, USA, and Tijuana is a border city, so he had to cross the border every day in order to fulfill his professional commitments.

On his days off, he often went to what is known colloquially as ”sobremesas” or ”tianguis”, which are closed streets where vendors set up their stands to offer their goods to passersby. In those places, he played the conga, as he felt that this was a space where he could freely express his art in front of an audience, although his dream was to do it on stage. What he did not know was that sooner or later it would come true.

Javier did not think he could walking down a red carpet in Los Angeles, since his activity was completely informal. He was just looking to blow off some steam and drain daily stress. I felt very comfortable playing the conga as I did, but over time, I began to professionalize myself in the musical area and that is how I have gradually achieved what I have set myself out to do,” says the artist.

Although it is a long time ago, Javier remembers very fondly those years because that gentle scene and that communication with people on the street helped him to develop the warmth an artist needs to connect with the audience.

Javier Cabanillas and his Cabanijazz Project at the 62nd Monterrey Jazz Festival

How have your Latin roots affected your career in the United States?

As to how his roots have affected his career, Javier says that he had to learn most things on the go, but always ramaining respectful toward all cultures in which his music was involved. He mentions this as his origins are focused on northern Mexico where the typical thing is to listen to norteño and banda music, but he did not choose those genres for his career, but jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms. ”I had a lot of respect for that culture because I felt that it was not completely mine, which led me to be much more responsible and respectful when experimenting with this market,” he said.

When talking about learning to play an instrument or genre that does not belong to his culture, he said that there are always some limitations because musical language will always vary. In his case, the kind of musical language comprehensible to him is that of mariachi or banda music, making easier for him to identify certain elements. When he went to live in San Francisco, he spent time with musicians from all nationalities and could realize that they were not able to do many of the things that were not proper from their countries of origin. This makes learning more complicated, but not impossible.

In that sense, Cabanillas says there are some useful techniques to learn to play instruments and rhythms we did not grow up with, so there is a revolution of percussionists and musicians who have managed to break that mold. The Internet has played an extremely important role in all this, as artists of all kinds can access content that helps them improve and develop professionally. In his particular case, YouTube and these online tools did not exist, so he could only count on his ear and imitate what he heard to learn.

Cabanillas' music is based on jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms — Cabanillas’ music is based on jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms

The Grammy

One of the great victories in Cabanillas’ artistic life was the Grammy he won with the Pacific Mambo Orchestra. Since the members of the group did not have the necessary funds to produce an album, they turned to other financing options supported by the community through an online fundraising campaign. The intention was that anyone could make a donation or even buy the album in advance.

30 days later, they achieved their goal and recorded the album. Javier was one of the 36 musicians who participated in the production and his role was to be in charge of percussion with his congas. The orchestra was not supported by any major label, so they did everything independently. This gave them more control over what they wanted to offer to the audience, since they were not subject to what any management wanted from them. This meant that the process of preparing the material was very organic and spontaneous.

When the album came into competition in the ”Best Tropical Album of the Year” category, it managed to be among the five best nominees along with Marc Anthony, Carlos Vives, Los Ángeles Azules, Sergio George, Oscar D’ León and many more. Three of them were working with Sony Latin Music, so they had great chance chances to win because they worked with such a big label, while Pacific Mambo did not have all that machinery behind them, not even close.

Javier Cabanillas with the Grammy he won with the Pacific Mambo Orchestra

That’s how we were invited to Los Angeles, walked down the red carpet like the rest of the artists and took a huge surprise to win the Grammy in our category. At that moment, I felt that all my effort was worthwhile” the conguero said excitedly. He confesses that he and his orchestra fellows did not expect the win because they were the least popular nominees in the category. Fortunately, the judges focused their attention on the quality of their work and not on their popularity at the time.

Cabanijazz Project

As noted, the name of the group is a play on words between the artist’s last name and the word ”jazz”. The whole idea came up in Tijuana, where he was clear that he wanted to start a project in which he would not limited to a single rhyming scheme. He did not want to use something as generic and worn-out as ”Javier Cabanillas Y Su Orquesta”, so he started to play with other elements to obtain an original name that would capture the essence he wanted to show. This is how the name ”Cabanijazz Project” was born.

The project started as a quintet that played in several festivals and events, achieving some success in a short time. Later, he added more musicians until having eight. When he started working in San Francisco, he began studying more and absorb the culture around him for a few years. Some time later, he restarted his project again with Bay Area musicians and started uploading his material to music platforms such as ITunes and Spotify.

Among the instruments used by his group, the trombone, the tenor saxophone and the baritone cannot be left out. They are the three largest wind instruments in the brass range, so they were the ones that achieved the sound Javier was looking for in his orchestra.

Another important detail is that the music they play is entirely original and they only change their repertoire a little when they play live.

San Francisco Salsa Festival 2023

One of the group’s upcoming performances will be at the annual San Francisco Salsa Festival to be held in March 2023. Cabanillas says that one day he received an email from the event organizers informing him that Cabanijazz Project was the choice to play there. They were recommended by several of Javier’s friends and colleagues who assured the organizers that the band was the best choice for its quality.

They have already played three times at the festival before the pandemic resulted in the suspension of the event, so the artist and his musicians already have a lot of experience entertaining the tough Bay Area audience. Cabanijazz Project will be the opening band for the festival and will perform along with two other local groups that will also offer their talent to the attendees.