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De Tierra Caliente founder Bronson Tennis talks about his career and band

There have been many American musicians who have fallen to the charms of Latin music, which is a practically inexhaustible source of genres allowing them to experiment with in many ways. One of them is Bronson Tennis, with whom we have been fortunate to talk about his interesting career and current musical group, De Tierra Caliente.

Bronson playing — De Tierra Caliente founder Bronson Tennis playing the guitar

Bronson’s beginnings in music

Bronson Tennis began to put his eyes on music when he was just a child, when he was very attracted to the 1990s alternative rock movement in the United States. When he was only 11 years old, his parents bought him his first bass guitar and later he also wanted to learn to play the guitar and sing.

In family matters, Bronson and his three brothers are musicians and several of his cousins and uncles have also been musicians. In addition, his mother was a fine artist and his grandmother was an art teacher.

Both in school and church, the boy always chased opportunities to sing and show his vocal skills to anyone who wanted to hear. He also took advantage of all these spaces to learn as much as he could about music until he was old enough to exercise it professionally.

Today, his main instrument is the guitar, although he also plays the cavaquinho (an instrument of Portuguese origin which is widely used in samba) and the roncoco, which is an adaptation of the Andean charango that he uses to play salsa and Cuban son.

Bronson posing for the camera — Bronson Tennis playing the guitar while posing for the camera

Professional debut in music

Bronson also told us that he began his career path as a bassist and chorister in several musical groups in the city of San Diego between 2006 and 2009. He then spent some time in Philadelphia, where he also played with other bands from a variety of genres.

It is interesting that he lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he also worked as a bassist and singer in some bands. In fact, in that same country, he helped form a Caribbean funk band in which he learned a lot about these genres so foreign to what he played in his childhood and youth. He stayed about four years in Argentina, specifically between 2009 and 2012, until he moved to Brazil for about six months to continue learning more and more about Latin music, but it was not his last stop in South America, as he was also in Colombia for a while more.

Following this, he returned to Philadelphia and decided to form his own orchestra which he named De Tierra Caliente.

Prior to De Tierra Caliente

When Bronson returned to Philadelphia, he had the chance to meet some musicians from the Puerto Rican music scene in that city and saw that they had similar outlooks on music, so they got back in the saddle to prepare a formal project amongst themselves.

The artist assures that it was in Argentina where he learned what it takes to move forward with his band. ”Argentines are people who do everything with strength and confidence, whether in music or in soccer. No matter who or what they have to face, as they take on all the challenges with confidence and that is something we could all learn from Argentina.” Bronson said of his stay in that country.

Bronson and his band — (L to R) Papo Buda, Bronson Tennis, Eubie Nieves, Andy Meyer and Steve Cochran

In Brazil, he studied percussion and learned Portuguese, while Colombia taught him to play salsa, champeta, vallenato and many other genres. In short, each country he has visited gave him tools to facilitate his learning in everything about Latin music in various areas.

Precisely thanks to all this acquired knowledge is that Bronson finally felt able to form his own band in 2014 in union with fellow musicians who understood what he wanted to carry out.

How De Tierra Caliente started

Upon his return to the United States, Bronson was very clear that he wanted to incorporate all those elements learned in South America and the Caribbean, but giving them his own touch. It was then that he met conguero Papo Buda, with whom he agreed on much and began the recruiting process for the rest of the musicians.

After that, Bronson and Papo could add more artists to the group, resulting in a fairly consistent group over time. Since its founding, very few musicians have left the band and Bronson and those who remain have an excellent relationship with all of them despite no longer being band mates.

Among his greatest inspirations, Bronson mentioned many artists and groups of various nationalities and genres such as El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, the Brazilian composer and singer Paulinho da Viola, the group Caribe Funk and many others.

De Tierra Caliente playing live in Yardley

Damian Ballester and the transformations of Cuban Folk Dance

Latin America / Cuba

The relationship of Africa within the musical and dance culture in Latin America is notorious when we see the cultural expressions of the peoples of this continent, it is easy to see how similar they are, the use of percussion is one of the most relevant topics, in itself a mixture of cultural customs, religion, musicality, dance, in itself all the elements of the black race.

America, one of the main destinations of the ships with black slaves from many areas of Africa, caused our culture to be armed with a bit of each custom, therefore, we can say that in America there is a bit of each African people, this relationship of variety of slaves focused on dividing the forces of the race so as not to make it powerful, divided languages, customs, words and religions only left the marginalized population to communicate through percussion, an element that made the system improve at times of understanding within the fences where they lived.

Due to the above, African religions and customs are born in Cuba but, adopted by those already existing on the island, this combination gives us a rich variant of movements from three continents, Europe through Spain and Africa in all its splendor.

To clarify some topics of the folklore of the Caribbean island and its current dance transformations, we had to contact a great teacher, Damian Ballester, director of Iya Aye, one of the best folklore groups on the island of Cuba, to speak with this professional of the dance is necessary if we want to obtain real information about Cuban traditions, a great teacher who has left his teachings in many Spanish-speaking countries, among which Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and now in the United States stand out…

we begin by greeting him and opening a pleasant conversation, to which we got an original response “Greetings acere, what was it”, calling him opens up a range of questions on the subject in question, here is an extract of the most common doubts generated around the relationship with salsa, its festivals and diffusion in the world.

Greetings Prof. Damian, grateful for your receptivity, we want to give information to our readers about the relationship of Cuban folklore within our world, Salsa, to begin with, what is defined as Cuban Folkloric dances?

Grateful for the opportunity and sure, that if we report on the case, folk dances are nothing more than the set of cultural goods or phenomena that constitute a cultural complex with manifestations of all aspects of popular life. It is the sum of the manifestations acquired by experience, by inheritance, by tradition, by the satisfaction of biological or sociological needs, among other things. This lasts through several generations and almost always undergoes transformations.

They will get compound terms in the word folklore, which speaks of people or people, popular knowledge, together with the popular knowledge of the people. It is a very long topic, because I should talk about so many things about my culture, better let’s leave the definition until here and thus add flavor to the interview.

Much better, we continue then, do African dances have any impact on Cuban folk dances?

Yes, of course, it is the root, the exercise of dance has always characterized my land and has suffered the same processes of contagion and transculturation between the ways of dancing of the colonizer and the styles introduced by African ethnic groups since the 16th century, in fact, the colonizers brought romance, active in the Cuban countryside for several centuries, with its couplets and their ways of singing and founding alegrías, while the black slaves included their ancestral rites, their drums, and their particular sense of rhythm and movement. bodily.

Given this brief explanation, we can say that not only dances of African origin contributed or influenced Cuban folklore, we can say that there is also an incidence from Spain, France and the Caribbean, but its main axis was born from the Spanish and the African.

We know the extent of Cuban folklore, for how long should a person prepare to be called a professor in this branch?

First of all, to carry the name, whether it is a teacher or instructor of Cuban folklore genres, there are two factors that are very important, the first is study, since Cuban folklore is made up of a very wide range of genres divided into different styles, I could mention some examples: Peasant, popular, Afro-Cuban and Franco-Haitian folklore.

Within the styles of peasant folklore, examples could be given of the Cuban zapateo, the ripiado parakeet, the chidonga, the hawk, the caringa, the son montuno, among others.

Within the styles of popular folklore, the Complex of the rumba, the mambo, the chachachá, the danzón, the dance, the pilón, the congas and the comparsas, the casino can be mentioned, within the Afro-Cuban folklore the Bantú cycle can be mentioned, the Yorubas, the Arara, the Abakua, within Franco-Haitian folklore we can mention the French tomb, the Haitian merengue, the gaga, the vodu among others, if I continue we will not finish today. (laughs to close)

Of the folkloric dances, which are the most outstanding or spread worldwide?

It could be said that there are several, examples are the popular folkloric ones, one could say the casino, the mambo, the chachachá, the son, the rumba complex, that the latter people tend to say are African or Afro-Cuban dances, that have African influence does not mean that they are classified within Afro-Cuban dances because this genre emerged in Cuba, was used as an object of protest against the government of that time and was eradicated in the essence of Cuban. In the same way, the one that has had the most impact and remained in the whole world are the Yoruba dances or dances of the orishas.

Should we open another interview to just talk about the many genres that the island embraces, what institutions correctly form the folkloric traditions in Cuba?

There are many institutions in Cuba, from the community point of view what is named in Cuba as amateur dancer are the community projects and actions that are nothing more than groups created in the communities, all of these supervised technically and methodologically by specialists from the houses of culture of each area by provincial and national methodologists governed by the Ministry of Culture.

From a professional point of view, there are art schools such as the ENA (NATIONAL SCHOOL OF ART) and the ISA (SUPERIOR INSTITUTE OF ART) all governed by a logical curriculum organized by specialists and connoisseurs of the genres.

Other institutions that could be mentioned, is the little school of the national folkloric group of Cuba with 56 years of creation in charge of rescuing and safeguarding the traditional Cuban musical and dance traditions.

Wao, Enough, Do you know if there is any similar institution in the world?

In the world there are countless schools that are training dancers with the Cuban style and technique, whether they are Cuban or foreign teachers, but nothing like the preparation of art schools in Cuba that work with a logical and well-prepared program, in some schools around the world it could be said that they do not work under a logical methodological program for the teaching of these genres due to the commercial and monetary part, unfortunately there are many dedicated to commerce, to money and not to the necessary dedication.

This dissemination has been achieved while respecting the roots and traditions of the farmers? The root? The original essence?

Unfortunately, it could be said that a good diffusion of Cuban genres worldwide has not been respected or achieved, of 100% of the performers, it could be said that only 10% are protecting Cuban traditions, it is sad to say, but trade and populism it is destroying the folklore of an entire country.

Have these changes in traditions positively or negatively impacted Cuban culture?

First of all, traditions do not change if they are not passed down from generation to generation. In terms of their impact, I see it negatively because the dissemination that is taking place is incorrect and worst of all, there is no organization, which was of Cuba, can follow up on the program that is being given to Cuban genres, in itself, many see the commercial and hence they do not care about the poor distribution of what is taught.

What is the reason that so many dancers seek to perform Cuban dances? It is notorious to see it at festivals and congresses.

There are two very important factors: 1 Cuban music, which has been evolving in an incredible way, fusing Cuban rhythms within its repertoire, and the other factor is not because I am from Cuba, Cuban folklore could be said to be the most complete genre available. world level from the point of view of dance, is that it has a history, virtuosity is varied, it could be said that it is well complemented, due to its complexity and interpretive difficulty, it is what attracts attention, additionally, salsa comes from us, from these roots is born what now wants to be denied.

Teacher and the Cubans? Have Cubans spread their dance correctly?

It could be said that the vast majority of Cubans have disseminated the genres well, why do I say that the vast majority?

Because there is another small group that deforms it, money changes everything, foreigners think that all Cubans They dance, it has happened that they say Cuban and quickly you think he is a dancer, he knows everything, he is good, and no, that is not reality, one thing must be clear about being an opportunist, not a dancer, being a dancer by hobby and another is being one by profession or for being a teacher.

There are Cuban teachers who are hurt by the deformation that is happening with what has been studied so much, but there are others who only care about getting paid and do not care if their students do it well or badly.

How has the interpretation of Cuban roots impacted the so-called Salsa Casino in the world? Has the original and real spread of traditions been respected?

Look, since Cuban music began to evolve inside the casino, it began to undergo a series of transformations from movements to choreography due to the musical style that Cuban orchestras began to spread, known as TIMBA, which was well accepted by the public, If we talk about the impact from the traditional point of view, it could be said that there is no original interpretation of the Cuban roots because they are not executing a specific traditional genre, but rather what they are using different styles of the traditional folk dances that all this could be called Variety.

Have Cuban music and dance festivals or congresses devoted time and effort to improving these transformations? Have they worried about minimizing the damage?

In most cases, very few, first of all, if it is a competitive event, the organizers make the mistake of hiring unqualified personnel to evaluate genres of Cuban origin, and that is where the serious faults come from. There have been cases where there are groups , couples or soloists who perform a good technique within normal limits and the jury evaluates for a taste problem if they see it as beautiful and give it less points, or disqualify it, it is not about beauty, it is about correctness, the organizers should be more careful about these things.

What recommendations would you give to our dancer readers on this controversial topic?

The dancer must be clear about four aspects that are fundamental to his artistic life and entire career: dedication, love of dance and, most importantly, study.

Do only what you love and you will be happy, the one who does what he loves is blessedly condemned to success, which will come when it should come, because everything that should be, will be, and will come naturally.

Let’s spend time respecting the roots and cultures of peoples, and above all, let’s take a good look at who we entrust our desire to learn, there are thousands of ways to learn correctly, everything is in the research, knowing who we contact and why There are hundreds of excellent instructors in the world, not to mention the many means of learning today.

I invite you to learn a little about this and other topics, I have a virtual classroom where I teach a lot of the theoretical and practical content online, I do it through the son rumbero academy and its virtual classroom format, follow the @sonrumbero accounts on Instagram and Facebook.

Federico Betancourt “Pioneer of Salsa in Venezuela”

Latin America / Venezuela / Carabobo

Jesús Federico Betancourt was born in the city of Valencia, Carabobo state, on March 22, 1940. He was always attracted to music from a very young age.

In his adolescence, he liked Cuban rhythms, being influenced by Sonora Matancera, Mon Rivera, Eddie Palmieri and Joe Cotto. Before entering the entertainment world, he works at the Bank of Venezuela.

He affirms that he has not carried out formal studies at the musical level, learning the necessary theory to be able to perform as an orchestra conductor, but without interest in interpreting any instrument, but with a well-tuned ear, which has allowed him to remain in the music business for decades. , in fact on certain occasions he is named as the King of the Güiro.

His career began when he entered the Los Selectos Orchestra, where they played songs by the Billos Caracas Boy’s and the Los Melodicos Orchestra, which were at their peak in the 1960s, all this in a particular way, said Orchestra did not go beyond that.

In 1965, Federico Betancourt decides to satisfy his artistic restlessness and founds a band called Federico y su Combo Latino. The members that made up this band were chosen from among the founder and together with Roberto Monserrat.

But it was not until the middle of 1966, when the twenty-six (26) year old undertook the recording of the LP that would make him famous forever. This record production entitled LLEGO LA SALSA, would mark an important stage in Venezuelan Salsa, because it was the first LP that made use of the word SALSA in the country.

Federico Betancourt himself recounts that the Venezuelan announcer Phidias Danilo Escalona had a Radio Program called LA HORA DE LA SALSA, EL SABOR Y EL BEMBÉ, where all the Cuban and Puerto Rican Caribbean rhythms that were fashionable at the time were placed, among those who highlighted La Sonora Matancera with Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Joe Cuba, Tito Rodríguez among others, and who was the one who supported them the most in terms of recording the album.

The production was recorded under the Palacio label, and the LP was titled LLEGÓ LA SALSA, he affirms that the title was chosen without taking into account the importance that it would revert in the future, he also affirms that it was not the name that gave him success , the album was a “bump” in sales, since all the songs were the most requested at the time, using his words: “The album sold like hot cakes”.

The music lovers of the time requested it on specialized sites such as the LA SALSA album. Federico says: “The father of the word SALSA was Phidias Danilo Escalona, he used it for the first time in his radio program, and I, humbly, with the success of my LP, gave him the push for its mass use.”

Federico Betancourt - Photo — Federico Betancourt – Photo

In Venezuela, the word SALSA was welcomed by the public willingly, since it suggested a mixture of flavors, which was exactly what happened in the Phidias program, but at the level of rhythms. After the appearance of Federico’s album, all the shows that were performed at the level of Caribbean and Cuban rhythms, carried the name of SALSA.

It is important to name the musicians who took part in this historic production: The musicians are: Ali Rojas Bongo and Cencerro, Roberto Monserrat Music Director and Timbal, Pedro Medina Congas, Alfredo Arcas Trombone, César Pinto Trumpet, Enrique Iriarte Piano, Rafael Prado Bass, Carlín Rodríguez Singer and maracas, Dimas Pedroza Singer, Federico Betancourt Güiro and Director of the Orchestra. The musical arrangements were by the famous trumpeter Eduvigis Carrillo (RIP). Production themes:

Llego la Salsa CD - Federico su Combo Latino — Llego la Salsa CD – Federico su Combo Latino

1.- Cocolía

2.- Conmigo
3.- El Pachanguero

4.- Sancocho Caliente
5.- Guaguancó Manía

6.- Celosa

7.- Despierta Rumbero

8.- No Critiquen
9.- Saoco

10.- Baila Yemaya
11.- Café Y Pan

12.- Que Me Querías

After the success obtained with the record work, the time came for the first international outing, which was to Colombia, in 1969. It happened because the singer of Los Melodicos, Víctor Piñero, informed Betancourt that he was stuck in Cartagena and Barranquilla with the themes El Cobrador and Federico Boogaloo. After the information, the young musician went to the neighboring country and got a contract for the famous Reina del Mar parties, in Cartagena, on November 11, 1969.

The experience of the band was so good, that in 1970 they returned to visit the country. From then until our days Federico y su Combo continues to be an emblematic and legendary band in Venezuela, for this reason the WEB of the classy salsero SALSA BRAVA, offers its respects to such an important salsa figure.

Discography
1966	Llegó La Salsa	Palacio (LPS-6171)
1966	Salsa y Sabor	Palacio (LPS-6185)
1967	Más Salsa	Palacio (LPS-6205)
1967	Durísimo – Vol. 4	Palacio (LPS-6216)
1968	Federico Boogaloo	Palacio (LPS-6228)
1968	Psicodélico Con Salsa	Gilmar (LPG-110)
1969	Mejor Que Nunca	Gilmar (LPG-111)
1969	Vibración y Ritmo	Sonus (102-17080)
1970	Dos Sets	Velvet (LPV-1539)
1970	La Machaca	Velvet (LPV-1539)
1973	Federico Si Te Pone A Bailar	Palacio (LPS-6332)
1975	Derrape De Salsa	BASF (10.068)
1976	Siguelo Ahí…. a Lo Cortico	BASF (10.070)
1977	Ayer y Hoy	BASF (10.076)
1977	Esto Es Lo Mejor	Palacio (LPS-6372)
1978	Mis Exitos y Más	BASF (10.079)
1978	Sabor	Foca (LPF-10.037)
1979	Federico y Su Combo	Foca (LPF-10.120)
1979	Federico y Su Orq. – El Maestro	Discomoda (DCM-1128)
1980	Federico y Su Orq. con Memo Morales	Discomoda (DCM-1148)
1982	No Le Digan	Integra (PF-14.075)
1983	Nuevamente	Palacio (LPS-66.541)
1984	SaaaBroooSo!	Palacio (LPS-66.552)

Compilation
1996	Mis Exitos y Más…Vol.1	Sonograma
1996	Mis Exitos y Más…Vol.2	Sonograma
1996	Mis Exitos y Más…Vol.3	Sonograma
2005	El Pionero De La Salsa	Palacio
2008	Salsa De Oro	Gilmar

Charlie Cardona

Latin America / Colombia / Bogota

Born on July 8 in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Who since he was a child had an inclination for music, especially for singing, inheriting this artistic vein from his father. Charlie Cardona in his childhood sang with his brothers, at family gatherings, later with groups of friends and later he came to the stage with different musical groups in renowned night spots in the Colombian capital.

The opportunity to start his professional career was presented to him the same night he received his bachelor’s degree when he made his debut with LA MÁXIMA DE MAÑUNGO, an outstanding orchestra in Colombian folk music that he joined for two years, hence his taste for this genre.

In 1987 he began his studies of Solfeggio and Singing at the National University of Colombia, shortly after he met a group of musicians with whom he began in the salsa environment and through them he had contact with the producer and percussionist Willie Salcedo who is the one who takes for the first time to the recording studios where he begins singing jingles and choirs for different groups.

Year later, Charlie Cardona recorded with the tropical group FUERZA CARIBE, the song TE QUIERO under the production of the Ramírez brothers, being the beginning of a great list of successes in the voice of this great interpreter.

In 1989 with LOS ALFA 8 he recorded the songs TU Y YO and AL ROJO VIVO, songs that were his first hits in the Salsa genre, which became very popular on radio in Latin America and the United States.

Buena Fortuna - Charlie Cardona — Buena Fortuna – Charlie Cardona

In September 1990, he was called by Jairo Varela, director of GRUPO NICHE, to be part of the most important salsa institution in Colombia. For Charlie Cardona, it was his great trial by fire; He leaves his beloved Bogotá and settles definitively in Cali. Cardona assumes responsibility for a repertoire full of successes that in less than a month lead him to debut in the framework of the National Beauty Reign, a concert that is televised live throughout Colombia and they are the witnesses of the launch of the new star of the Colombian sauce.

In 1993 he recorded the songs DUELE MÁS, LAS TRES SON CARIBE and UN ALTO EN EL CAMINO, the theme and title of the album for which they received the award for Best Tropical/Salsa Group of the year at the Premios lo Nuestro de la Música Latina.

Charlie Cardona, with his voice and style, reflected his artistic acumen in five records over six years at the head of GRUPO NICHE until July 1996, the date when he retired from this institution to make his dream come true, to start his career as a soloist. In May 1997 he signs with the WEA Latina label and it is the beginning of his solo career, his first album, made in New York City under the direction of the outstanding musician and producer Sergio George.

El Amor Todo Lo Poder is the title of his second production as a soloist, which was made in 1999 in the city of Miami, where he presents us with a more mature Artist interpreting excellent songs, among which stand out PARA OLVIDARLA, TONTO CORAZÓN, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and I ASK YOU FOR PEACE, the latter dedicated to his Colombian land.

Zoukchata social Fest - Charlie Cardona — Zoukchata social Fest – Charlie Cardona

In the same year he is nominated in the category of Revelation Artist of the Year at the Lo Nuestro Awards for Latin Music. In 2008, he released his third musical production Para Ser Feliz, the first under the NL Entertainment label, where he presents nine songs dedicated to love, family and God, including the hits LA MUJER DE MI VIDA and YOUR HANDS / CARPINTERO DEL LOVE.

From this musical history it can be concluded without a doubt that Cardona is a Colombian artist with international recognition, who remains present in several generations of different countries of the world with great acceptance, recognition and remembrance, with a large discography full of successes. Charlie studied Advertising and Marketing at the Central University of Bogotá, although it was a great effort to fulfill these two great commitments, he recognizes that the two careers complement each other and enrich his professional life.

In addition to being a great singer, this incredible artist is an excellent communicator; In 1999, he presented the program THANK YOU TO GOD SALSA for two years, on Radio Caracol’s Tropicana Estéreo station in the city of Cali, achieving first place in all of southwestern Colombia.

Cardona currently resides in Colombia with his family, focusing on soccer, swimming and athletics in his spare time. BUENA FORTUNA is the title of his new musical production, a work that was recently presented to the tropical music market.

It is the fourth in his solo career and was produced by N.L. ENTERTAINMENT. BUENA FORTUNA is the result of the mixture of the talent of a varied and significant number of Colombian and foreign artists, instrumentalists and arrangers, all successful in the salsa market of which our award-winning artist is a part and makes history, always leaving the name of his beloved high. Colombia.

With CHARLIE CARDONA Salsa has a great interpreter, and music a unique vocalist. GOOD FORTUNE to all!

Larry Harlow and Ismael Miranda: beginning of the so-called “Salsa Arseniana” in honor of the music of Arsenio Rodriguez, the creator of Son Montuno and “King of Guaguanco”

Extracted from the book called: “El origen y la creación de la Salsa”; creator: Mon Rivera, promoter: Al Santiago.

For sale on Amazon kdp, by clicking on the following link:

With which is attached a complete summary of the musical work of Larry Harlow with Ismael Miranda from its creation in 1966 to 71.

At the end is the original song of Arsenio: “Oiga mi Guaguanco”, with the fabulous musical arrangement of Harlow himself in “Salsa Clasica”, with the exquisite singing of the “Niño Bonito de Puerto Rico” Ismael Miranda.

Larry Harlow and Ismael Miranda: 1966 – 1971 with trombones.

Julio Cesar Galindo Alarcón Diplomático de Peru Ministro (R), Historiador Musical. Autor de Libro sobre Creacion de la Salsa

Lawrence Ira Khan, better known in the music scene as Larry Harlow, affectionately known as “The Wonderful Jew”, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 20, 1939 and died in New York on August 20, 2021, American musician, orchestra conductor, pianist, composer, musical arranger, producer, creator of the so-called “Latin Opera”, in 73 he was one of the most important disseminators of Afro-Cuban Jazz, “Arseniana” Salsa and Classical Salsa, confirming at the highest level the use of the trombone and the USA instrumental technique, corroborated as the two most important characteristics that identify the new American Musical Movement.

The beginning of Larry’s musical work must be analyzed from his return from Cuba in 1959, after having traveled to the island in the mid 50’s, to know and study Cuban music in its different rhythms, but because of the Revolution he had to return to New York; finding the boom and enthusiasm produced by the Pachanga spread by Charlie Palmieri, Pacheco, Quijano, Orlando Marin, Mon, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto, Richie, among others.

At the end of 65 he forms his orchestra with trombones and application of the instrumental technique of Jazz; he signs a contract with the “Fania” label and plans to record his first album.

In 1966 he recorded his first album called “Heavy Smokin” with Felo Brito’s vocals; L.P. little known, in which stand out: “Tu Tu Ratan”, “Maria la O”, “Rica Combinación”, “Mi Guaguancó”, “Orchestra Harlow” and “Adios Mamá”.

In the same year he recorded his second album called “Gettin’ Off” or “Bajándote”, sung by Ramón Quian: “Monguito” el Unico, an excellent full-length album that was a great success.

Some of the highlights are “Bajandote”, “Guarachita”, sung by Vickie; “Tu no lo creas”, “Meta y Guaguancó”, “Coco May May” and “Cienfuegos”.

In ’66, a young teenager appears singing in Andy Harlow y su Sexteto’s group.

Andy gave him to his friend Joey Pastrana at the beginning of 67 to record the album “Let’s Ball”, in which the young singer Ismael Miranda had his first hit with the song “Rumbón Melón”.

Larry Harlow who lacked a good singer, offered the job to Ismael, who without hesitation accepted it immediately; and debuted with Larry on his third album in 67 called “El Exigente” and thus began the WONDERFUL DUPLE OF LARRY HARLOW AND ISMAEL MIRANDA, who together formed a sensational duet, amazing and impressive, in the History of Classical Salsa.

In “El Exigente” with the debut of the “Niño Bonito de Puerto Rico”, the songs “El Exigente”, “Las luces”, “Rumba me llaman” and “El Mejor” stand out. The following year, in 1968, he recorded the album, “Orchestra Harlow presenta a Ismael Miranda”. With this unsurpassable combination, the Classic, Brava and Hard Niuyorquina Salsa begins in the unique style of the “Judío Maravilloso” with the singing of the fabulous Ismael Miranda, one of the most attractive, fine and sharp voices in the history of Salsa, in which stand out the songs: “La Contra- ria”, “Jaguey”, “Yo me voy”, “Lamento Cubano”, “Bobby’s Boo-galoo, ‘Rumba a la vida’ and ‘Mi Guajira si’.

In 1969 he recorded his fifth album and third with Ismael Miranda, called “Mi Mono y Yo”, in which he continues the teaching of Classical Salsa with Afro-Cuban Jazz fusion, in which almost all the songs stand out: “El Malecón”, “Voy para la luna”, “Amorcito Ven”, “Jovenes del Muelle”, “Ven Rumbero Ven”, “Para donde tu vas”, “Mi Madre” and “Traigo Guajira”. With these last two albums, Larry with Ismael had achieved the expected success; and they had become the favorite orchestra in all the Salsa Concerts that had already become customary in the weekends of the Big Apple. In ’69, the author witnessed for a month these Salsa Dance Concerts that were usually given in the halls of the Hotels of the New York districts.

DIPLOMATICO DE PERU, MINISTRO (R); HISTORIADOR MUSICAL; AUTOR DE LIBRO SOBRE CREACION DE LA SALSA.

In 1970, Larry introduces the electric piano in his orchestral format; this motivates him to title his album of the same year: “Electric Harlow”. With the recording of this album really begins the so-called “Salsa Arseniana” of Larry, coinciding with the last year of life of the great Cuban musician Arsenio Rodriguez, the father of Son Montuno and “King of Guaguancó”, Legend and undisputed genius of the development of Cuban music; but, however, having been the most important Cuban musician of the twentieth century, for his contribution of having created the Son Montuno and the modernization of Guaguancó, has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CREATION OF SALSA: BUT YES; FOR HIS VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOVEMENT CREATED BY MON.

In “Electric Harlow” stand out: “La Revolution”, the wonderful Salsa arrangement of “Oiga mi Guaguancó”, by Arsenio Rodríguez, “Guasasa”, “Con Dulzura”, “Donde va Chichi” and “Tu Cosita Mami”. In 71 he recorded his album “Abran Paso”, and here we have to refer to Ismael Miranda as a singer-songwriter; because if from his first album recorded with Larry: “El Exigente”; he had already shown his composer’s fiber, having composed some songs together with Harlow; in this 71 album: “Abran Paso”, he confirms and ratifies his conditions as a singer-songwriter, composing five themes of his authorship, successfully distinguishing the theme of the same name of the album: ‘Abran Paso’, ‘Donde lle- vas el Son’, ‘Abandonada fue’, ‘Oigan bien mi Guaguancó’ and ‘Dolor y Amor’. Other highlights include: “Se casa la Rumba” and ‘Vengo Virao’, by Tite Curet Alonso.

Orchestra Harlow Vocal Ismael Miranda – Electric Harlow

Having died the penultimate day of 70 Arsenio Rodriguez, Larry Harlow, a few months later had the idea of offering him a posthumous tribute, which materialized with the recording in 71 of an album “Homenaje Póstumo”, which was called “Tribute to Arsenio Rodriguez”, including four hit songs by Arsenio: “Tumba y Bongo”, ‘No me llores’, ‘Sueltala’ and ‘El Terror’; ‘Arsenio’, Harlow’s theme with Ismael Miranda and ‘Saludos a todos los Barrios’, by Lázaro Prieto. The Harlow Orchestra in the last two albums was integrated with: Conductor and piano: Larry Harlow; Singer: Ismael Miranda; Trumpets: Larry Spencer and Ralph Castrello; Trombones: Lewis Khan, Leopoldo Pineda and Sam Burtis; Bass: Lydio Fuentes; Congas: Frankie Rodríguez; Bongó: Manny Oquendo; Timbal: Phil Newsum; and Tres y Cuatro: Yomo Toro, in “Abran Paso”.

Finally, Larry Harlow participated as pianist in “Red Garter”; and also as pianist and producer in “Chee-tah”. Ismael Miranda did it as a singer in the two concerts of the “Fania All Stars” in ’68 and ’71.

Julio Cesar Galindo Alarcón

Diplomat of Peru Minister (R), Musical Historian. Author of a book on the Creation of Salsa.

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