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Maelo y su Klan want to bring tropical rhythms to the whole world

Maelo y su Klan is the latest project, and one of the dreams, of the producer with more than twenty years of experience, Johnny Ysmael Salaverria Dicurú. The popular “Maelo” as his dearest friends call him, continues his career by working and pouring his heart into this project. With them the first genre fusion between Son and Kizomba is known. In the following lines we will talk about Maelo and his most beloved project.

Who is Maelo?

Johnny Ysmael Salaverria Dicurú was born in San Juan parish, in Caracas, capital city of Venezuela, where he spent his childhood surrounded by the joy of the Caribbean “soneros and salseros”. He was a child when he first expressed his interest in one of the most popular tropical Caribbean rhythms, salsa. Part of his influences came from his uncle, Héctor Bruno Dicurú.

Ysmael D´La O, is his artistic name on stage and producing, but his closest friends call him “El Tiburón de la Salsa”. He left with $80, and a luggage full of dreams, to look out for adventures abroad. His destiny was Tenerife, where he quickly earned the love and respect of the natives, and was embraced as an adopted son.

Maelo as a producer has worked with renowned soloists and groups, from all over the world. To name a few: Nicky Jam, El Binomio de Oro, Tito Rojas, Oscar D’León, Porfi Baloa, Tony Vega, La Dimensión Latina, Ray Sepúlveda, Guayacán, El Grupo Niche. As a promoter and producer of events, one of his greatest achievements was El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico who celebrated their 50th anniversary, and visited Europe hand in hand with him.

We can call Maelo, the cultural ambassador of Caribbean rhythms, making more than 30 countries listen and enjoy them. He was the first Latin American to have 100 continuous virtual conversations during the pandemic, a time when creativity was the escape of many artists.

Among his awards and recognitions is being nominated as International Producer of the Year in 2020, Producer and Promoter of the Virtual Euro Festival in the 20/21 edition. But soon more will come, since Maelo’s talent is infinite.

Defining Maelo and his Klan

The band stands out in danceable rhythms such as: Son, Charanga, Guaguancó, Salsa, Tropical, Latin Jazz and a lot of fusion with an original sound, which is inspired by African rhythms. Of course, with the influences of great masters of the old tropical school. In this way, a combination is created that generates a modern sound, worthy of the new generation. But what most characterizes this Klan is the creation of the fusion of the genres between Son and Kizomba.

The works of Maelo y su Klan have the collaboration of the renowned arranger and director of Billo’s Caracas Boys, the Venezuelan Julio Cesar Estrada. Also by Paquito Barón, ex-member of the Orquesta Bronco of Venezuela, in the musical production.

The Klan has all the merits and the support of the Anglo-Saxon and Asian public. One of his productions entitled ¡Cultura viva! Fusion is positioned as the new sound in Afro-Caribbean music. Maelo not only puts his talent for the band, but also puts all his knowledge of the tropical rhythms of Latin America, as well as its movements through Europe and Asia. Let’s hope that the journey of Maelo y su Klan will be a very long one, full of great successes, so that they can continue to please the public that loves these tropical rhythms.

Latin America – February 2023

First edition articles ISM

Irakere was a Cuban group that developed an important work in Cuban popular music and Latin Jazz under the direction of Chucho Valdés

Irakere was formed as such in 1967 but had begun to work much earlier; in that year precisely they went to a selection called in Havana to organize with the best musicians of that time the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music; already in 1972 they were approaching to what they currently produce deciding in 1973 to call it Irakere, which in Yoruba language means Vegetation and that is how, starting from its name, they work based on the Afro-Cuban musical roots.

In this way, through the combination, mixture and interrelation of classical, impressionism, jazz, rock and various compositional techniques they managed to walk through all styles such as dance music, concert, traditional and popular Cuban music.

Thanks to the impulse of pianist Chucho Valdés, the Cuban group Irakere took off in 1973, nourished by Thelonious Monk’s bop.

Founders

Grupo Irakere: It was founded in Havana in 1973, by:

Jesús Valdés(Chucho) composer, director and pianist;

Paquito D’Rivera (Paquito), alto and tenor saxophone, flute and clarinet;

Carlos Averhoff, tenor saxophone, soprano, flute and bass clarinet;

Jorge Varona, trumpet, trombone and percussion;

Carlos del Puerto, bass, bass guitar and tuba;

Carlos Emilio Morales, guitar;

Bernardo García, drums and batá drums;

Jorge Alfonso, batá drums;

Enrique Plá, drums;

Carlos Barbón, güiro, chekeré and tambourine; and

Oscar Valdés, singer, tumbadora (conga), batá drums and bongo.

Irakere, fue un grupo cubano que desarrolló un importante trabajo en la música popular cubana y el Jazz Latino

On the founding of Irakere, Chucho Valdés expressed:

“For us the group always existed, it was present at all times; it was like something pending. At the beginning it had no name, it was just an idea we were working on: to use Cuban folkloric percussion in dance music, and to look for different timbres with a common characteristic: “ours”.

Then Oscar Valdés came up with the idea of combining the not easy and little known batá drum with the tumbadora, güiro and cowbell and so, step by step we arrived at the current group…”.

About Irakere’s first stage, the musicologist Leonardo Acosta points out: “one of the successes of Irakere had been not to try to invent and identify itself with a “new rhythm”, according to the old guidelines of advertising so much used from the forties to the sixties.

The slogan about the “new rhythm” was until recently the “open sesame” on which the musicians counted to become famous overnight, and by that way sometimes quite commercial results were achieved.

Apart from the fact that no “new rhythm” is so new, they all come from the alteration or amalgamation of pre-existing rhythms.

Irakere’s only alchemy comes from the spontaneous creativity of its members. Since there is no commercial endeavor, laboratory practices are unnecessary, and the group can perform a contradanza, a danzón, a son montuno or a cha cha chá without fear of seeming “old-fashioned”, since they are in fact playing something else at the same time. And without setting themselves the goal, nor having to invent a “pega” name, almost by an imperative of the material they are working on, new rhythmic combinations are emerging, to the point that Irakere’s rhythm is unmistakable among Cuban listeners or dancers.

Certainly, and in spite of their triumphs in international jazz festivals, Irakere is not a jazz group. But these successes are not gratuitous either, because as we have seen, they have formidable musicians with great experience in the jazz field, especially in the aspect of improvisation, the great discovery of jazz and perhaps its greatest contribution to the music of the 20th century.

“Paquito D’Rivera: Irakere was born against the will of the Cuban authorities”.

When talking about Cuban music, the name of one of the most emblematic groups in the country’s musical history comes to mind, Irakere, which in Yoruba language means vegetation, jungle.

Irakere became the seed that would germinate a lush forest of rhythms and sounds, a school through which many of the great stars of Cuban music have paraded.

Founded more than four decades ago, this legendary band has been a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz and the initiator of the musical revolution in the seventies.

Gracias al impulso del pianista Chucho Valdés, el grupo cubano Irakere levantó vuelo en 1973

Irakere emerged at a time when, due to political demands on the island, music and culture were treated as an instrument of revolutionary identification and jazz was branded as imperialist music.

It was at this time, in the late sixties and early seventies, that a group of great musicians founded a band whose main goal was to enrich Cuban popular dance music with Latin jazz as essential elements.

Under the direction of the outstanding pianist Jesús “Chucho” Valdés, excellent musicians came together in search of a different sonority, based on the use of Afro-Cuban folkloric percussion together with the renewed timbres of the popular rhythms of the time that fused jazz, rock, funk and popular Cuban rhythms such as son, mambo or cha cha chá, together with classical or concert music.

“Irakere was the Musical Generation of change”.

Sources:

https://www.ecured.cu/Irakere

Leonardo Acosta

Radio Televisión Marti

Mirna Guerra

Irakere

You can read: Israel Kantor was an excellent bassist, arranger and composer who achieved great popularity in Cuba for his vocal technique and original “Sonear” style

EFG London Jazz Festival

Commemorates 30 Years With A Display Of International Latin Jazz Artists

EFG London Jazz Festival celebrates its 30th birthday with the innovation and musical freedom that has always characterized the London Jazz scene.

This festival, the largest and in constant transition in North London, opens its space from Friday, November 11^th to Sunday, November 20^th to present a program of live and digital presentations with world-class artists, emerging talents, collaborations specials, avant-garde sounds, and the latest music for a massive audience that has established the EFG London Jazz Festival https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/ as one of the main international Jazz events in Europe.

This emblematic event in the United Kingdom has three outstanding aspects that have characterized it over the years, they are Character, Impulse, and Wealth. The Character is evidenced in each edition with the contribution of special collaborations, discoveries, and exclusive commissions. The second aspect of this festival is the Impulse, being this event the highlight of the Jazz calendar in the capital. Finally, the third aspect is the Wealth that can be easily found in a club or concert hall packed with spectators to enjoy 300 live shows in more than 70 places attracting around 100,000 people daily.

In this 2022 edition, the star lineup is represented by nine international Latin Jazz artists such as Fiona Ross (Friday, November 11^th), Katriona Taylor Quintet presenting “La Reina de la Bossa Nova” (Saturday, November 12^th), Yuri Hernández (Sunday, November 13^th), Colectiva (Thursday, November 17^th), Mexico’s Woman of the Year for Arts and Culture, Migdalia Van Der Hoven (Thursday, November 17^th), the Jazz/Latin group led by Steve Rubie from the 606 Club, Samara (Friday, November 18^th), Trombonist Laura Impallomeni (Saturday, November 19^th), Osvaldo Chacón (Sunday, November 20^th) and Chucho Valdés (Sunday, November 20^th).

L I V E B A N D S

Fiona Ross

“Voices celebrate the power, connection, and expression of song, beauty, and aptitude…”

At fourteen she lied about her age to play weekend Jazz clubs in London. Photo: Alexander Barnes-Ross

Vocalist, pianist, songwriter, and producer, Fiona Ross, has become known for having an authentic contemporary Jazz sound obtained by mixing the fast rhythm of Latin Jazz, a brief flirtation with vintage Jazz, a bit of Neo Soul, and a touch of melancholy ballads.

Multi-award-winning Jazz artist, editor-in-chief, journalist, and founder of the award-winning organization Women in Jazz Media Fiona Ross was Director of the British Academy of New Music in London for nearly a decade, where she was responsible for the formation of Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, among many others. Fiona’s date will be on November 11^th at 8:30 PM at the London Polish Jazz Café Posk (238-246 Kings St. W6 0RF), and the ticket is £15.

Yuri Hernández + DJ Flecha

“…Celebrating unity with the power of music.”

Many describe her album Loco Soñador as “a wild and sensual masterpiece.”

This multifaceted 10-day event brings to its lineup the established singer within the Latin music industry for the last two decades, Yuri Hernández. The establishment that will host it will be Juju’s Bar & Stage (Ely’s Yard, 15 Hanbury St, London E1 6QR) on Sunday, November 13^th from 6 PM, and the cost of the ticket doesn’t exceed £9.

Hernández is one of the most sought-after musicians in northern Spain and is introduced to the UK Latin Jazz scene through Loco Soñador, his second studio album released in 2020. Joining this musical genius will be DJ Flecha (Joel Verdecia) with his supporting act promoting Cuban music. This veteran DJ (25 years of career) has been nominated three times as Best Latin Tropical DJ in a European country for his technique and originality when mixing.

Colectiva & Osvaldo Chacón

“Beyond the margins, some of the most innovative artists at the forefront of Jazz are pushing its limits and expanding the definition of the genre while drawing influences from a wide range of other languages.”

Osvaldo Chacón and his band have played at the Royal Festival Hall, among many others.

This Afro-Latin and Jazz music band, Colectiva, reflects on themes of sisterhood and female empowerment. They are rooted in the sounds of Africa, Latin America, and the diaspora, creating a genre that the group has dubbed Jazz Tropicaliente (Hot/Tropical/Jazz). Their debut single is Under The, written in collaboration with pianist María Grapsa and released in April 2021. This track received great support from global radio stations and famous DJs in the music industry.

Colectiva will be presented on November 17^th at 8:30 PM at the London Kings Place-Hall Two-(90 York Way, N1 9AG), and tickets have a permanent price of £15.

On the other hand, Osvaldo Chacón’s band is the leading Timba orchestra in the UK and has been nominated multiple times for the prestigious LUKAS awards. Osvaldo Chacón, composer, producer, and singer-songwriter, has shared the stage with great Salsa figures such as Adalberto Santiago, Azuquita, Tito Allen (Fania All Stars), Salsaceltica, Eddie Palmieri, as well as the greatest world-famous stars such as Celia Cruz, Oscar D’León, Rubén Blades, and Alberto “El Canario”. Supporting Osvaldo Chacón will be DJ Javier La Rosa mixing Salsa, Cuban Timba, Reggaeton, Latin Hip-Hop, and R&B. Sunday, November 20^th is the date when you can enjoy these presentations. Time: 8 PM. Venue: Juju’s Bar & Stage. Ticket: £10.

Chucho Valdés

“The Icons are the living legends of Jazz and the leading heroes of the genre who paved the way and continue to create, inspiring artists, and audiences alike.

Valdés, with his valuable contribution, has given direction to Afro-Cuban Jazz

The EFG London Jazz Festival brings the Cuban pianist, composer, and arranger Chucho Valdés, who celebrates his 80th birthday with his extraordinary work La Creación with the Yoruban Orchestra and Hilario Durán & John Beasley.

The winner of six Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards is the most influential figure in Afro-Cuban Jazz of the 20th and 21st centuries. In an extensive career spanning six decades, Valdés has pushed the boundaries of new expressions in Afro-Cuban music. His influence and inspiration in the genre are immeasurable to the point that his work sets the standard by which new generations are governed and drives their careers. To see Chucho Valdés head to the London Southbank Center (Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX) at 7:30 PM. and tickets range from £30 – £45.

Along with Chucho will be the cellist, vocalist, composer, and niece Ana Carla Maza. Within her discography is the album La Flor (2020) which incorporates Latin rhythms, Pop melodies and Jazz harmonies along with classical techniques. Bahía (June 26, 2022) is her most recent production inspired by Cuban Son, Samba, Bossa Nova, Tango, Jazz, and Chanson with a rich mix of classical cello and voice.