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Life and career of Ernie Acevedo

Introduction

This will be a very special edition because we are going to talk about one of the most transcendental figures of Latin music of his time. We are talking about bandleader and percussionist Ernie Acevedo, who has been one of the greatest pillars of the Latin music movement in the United States from the very moment he decided to explore this highly competitive area of arts.

Percussionist Ernie Acevedo recording in the studio

Biography

Ernest ”Ernie” Acevedo was born in New York City and his parents were two Puerto Ricans who were making their living in the United States. His family had deep musical roots, which may be why the young man to devote his life to this wonderful world. This artistic side of the family comes especially from his uncles who played Christian music, with the exception of Jason Youvert. The latter played bass for a few groups throughout his career and one of them was Ray Rodriguez & Duro.

While still very young, little Ernie showed signs of getting great skills with percussion, which made his father decide to take him to play with him and even become a kind of manager for his son and many other young boys with dreams of being artists who entertained parties and celebrations of all kinds in the neighborhood where they lived. This group of boys was called Orquesta Combinación Latina, but it was not long before it would be renamed Sonora Amantes and would have an alignment of instruments totally different from the previous one.

Given that Ernie was always sure of following this path, he chose to prepare as best as possible for it, so he studied at Johnny Colon School and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, which contributed enormously to the learing of the musician and would serve him well for what he did next.

The great beginning of the percussionist’s career was given in the 1970s thanks to his collaboration with the famous bongo player Ralphy Santi, a union that represented a giant leap in the carrer of Ernie. After that, there was an endless list of artists who wanted to work with him such as Héctor Lavoe, Johnny Pacheco, Oscar D’ León, Pete ”El Conde” Rodríguez, Larry Harlow, Daniel Santos, Héctor Casanova and many more.

All of this would be the prelude to the creation of Conjunto Imagen, a group that would be of key importance in the good name of Acevedo as an artist.

Conjunto Imagen

In the year 2021, El Conjunto Imagen was founded on May 21, 1989, starting a legacy impossible to omit in the history of Afro-Caribbean music in the United States, Latin America and the Antilles. The main members of the group were coordinating and agreeing for a while to crystallize this idea that was running through their heads for a long time. Among them were Ernie Acevedo, Jose ”Junior” Rivera, Luis Hernandez, Angelo Gonzalez and many others.

These childhood friends always were clear that they wanted to create a highly successful musical group and go that succeed. In the year 2021, they celebrated their 30th anniversary with their 14th record production entitled ”Los Rumberos”, with which this group proved once more they are one of the most talented Latin groups despite the passage of time. This musical work has great names in the industry such as Juan ”Tiny” Colón in the arrangements, Toby Rivera, Guillermo ”El Pulpo” Colón Jr. and Miguel ”El Zurdo” Rodríguez. Luis Arona Junior Rivera, among others.

Record production to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Conjunto Imagen

By Johnny Cruz, ISM Correspondents, New York, New York City

Edgar “Balín” Ocando Venezuelan percussionist musician based in Mexico

Edgar “Balín” Ocando, Venezuelan musician born in Caracas in the parish of El Recreo, specifically in block 7 and 8 of Simón Rodríguez.

He studied music at the José Reyna school located behind the same building where he lived, he also studied at the Conac de Sarria with maestro Orlando Poleo.

In his childhood he met with friends who had the same restlessness and passion for music, getting together every weekend to make noise as the neighbor said to the one who had to endure the music end after end.

As a result of these rehearsals he ended up in a group with which he began his music career and received his first professional payment at the age of 14 with the group Ases de la Gaita, a group formed by childhood friends in order to get away from drugs, which for the 80s was very strong.

Edgar “Balín” Ocando músico percusionista venezolano radicado en México

In high school he joined the ranks of the Venezuelan Children’s Choir under the direction of maestro Raul Cabrera. During his time in the choir, the son of Professor Cabrera, known as Raulito, formed the salsa group Sabor Latino and became part of it.

Coming from a musical family, he always looked for a way to be close to his uncles Rafael and Yelitza Sivira, who were singers of the Polifónico Rafael Suarez and always looked for a way to be present in the rehearsals.

Yelitza Sivira was the one who took the responsibility to take him and he only sat and watched how they vocalized with the piano with the help of the director Maria Cabrera. It was then when they created the Polifónico Infantil Rafael Suarez and he became a baritone.

Already in adolescence at the age of 17 years old, he started working in a bank through a scholarship granted by the institution Insbanca, and while working, the Coral del Banco Italo Venezolano was created, thus participating in bank choral meetings, it was then that he returned to music as an instrumentalist when he saw in a newspaper advertisement that they requested a drummer to be part of a group of bagpipes, for which he went to the audition where there were countless drummers and of which he was left with the position thus becoming part of Estrellas de la Gaita.

The following year he was invited by a friend to join the group Santoral of Freddy Rangel, arriving to record for the first time in Requena Studios, the following year in full rehearsal with Santoral I was called to join the group Los Caracuchos of Joseito Rodriguez, forming part as a drummer for 2 years and recording in Manoca Studios, it was then where he enters the percussion workshops of the Biggot Foundation with the teachers Alexander Livinali and Williams Troconis.

He was in the ranks of important Venezuelan groups and orchestras such as Los Caracuchos, Catatumbo, Los Casanovas, Melody Gaita, Sabor Latino, Orquesta La Moderna, etc.

In 1999 he changed course and moved to Mexico where he has participated as a percussionist and backing vocalist in groups such as Cokodrilos, Kumbia Kings,

Sonora 100% Dinamita, Alicia Villarreal and today he has his own orchestra called Rumba Latina de Venezuela, which he formed in 2005 and has opened concerts for great international figures such as: Oscar D’ León, Willie Colon, Víctor Manuelle, Porfi Baloa y sus Adolescentes, Nigga, etc.

As well as Mexican artists such as Julión Álvarez, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Mariana Seoane, El Grupo Pesado, Germán Montero, El Poder del Norte, Emilio Navaira among others.

Integrated by musicians of different nationalities from Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and hand in hand with our representation office and record label Indepe Music, we will continue to bring our music to more and more people in every corner of the country.

Edgar Ocando Manager

Phone (52)-8132179324

Email: [email protected]

Edgar Balin Ocando

You can read: Anacaona The Cuban Female Orchestra

Marco Bermúdez extraordinary Musician, Percussionist, Singer, Composer

On october 19, 1961 in Portoviejo, Ecuador, Marco Bermudez Brito was born. Extraordinary Musician, Percussionist, Singer, Composer.

Nobody is a prophet in his own land. At the age of 23 he traveled to the United States as a singer. And in 2004, being a member of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO), he won the Grammy in the category Best Salsa Album for the album Across 110th street.

On a day like today, October 20, Marco Bermudez was born in Portoviejo, Ecuador. He is an excellent performer, composer and studio musician in all styles of Latin music.

He was born into a family with a rich musical heritage and has resided in New York for the past thirty-four years. Marco has toured the world with Latin music greats: Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar D’ Leon, Tito Nieves, Domingo Quiñones, Jose Alberto and all the artists on the RMM Records label.

Marco’s discography includes: RMM All Stars 10th Anniversary CD/DVD Live at the Continental Arena New Jersey; Recorded a Selena (RMM) and Tropical Tribute to the Beatles CD/DVD recorded live at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Marco is currently one of the singers of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. As a performer and composer, Bermudez has collaborated in the record productions of the SHO, writing the lyrics of the songs Son de Corazón, Regalo de Dios, Qué Bonito, La Fiesta began.

(One more year of life for this Ecuadorian performer, composer and musician who has performed in different variations of Latin music.

Experiences with Isidro Infante y La Élite, Conjunto Clásico, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar D’León, Tito Nieves, Domingo Quiñones, José Alberto “El canario”, and Ralph Mercado’s RMM Records family in which he participated in productions such as “RMM All Stars 10th Anniversary – Live in Continental Arena of New Jersey”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, “Recorded a Selena”, and “Recorded a Selena”; the album “Recorded a Selena” (RMM) and “Tropical Tribute to the Beatles”, a CD/DVD recorded live at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

The pinnacle of his career came when he became part of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s line-up of singers, collaborating in different record productions and strengthening his facet as a composer through titles such as “Son de corazón”, “Qué bonito”, “Regalo de Dios” and “La fiesta empezó”.

He has also been part of The Mambo Legends project sharing microphones with Frankie Vázquez and Jorge Maldonado.His story is told to us when he was in Ecuador on vacation with his wife.

“From a very young age, I was always surrounded by music,” she says proudly. He refers to his parents, siblings and most of all to his uncle, the great singer Eduardo Brito.

Marco, at the age of 9, together with his brother Eduardo formed the duo Hermanos Bermúdez Brito, being the first to record the pasillo Romance de la tejedora manabita, lyrics by Paco del Casty and music by Filemón Macías, Marco’s uncle: “Con horma de esperanzas/y encajes de clavellina/ va tejiendo su sombrero/ la manabita más linda” (With a last of hopes/and lace of carnation/ she weaves her hat/ the prettiest manabita).

In the early eighties, brothers Mariano and Venancio Larrea invited him to join the Marfil group, from Guayaquil. That was when the group turned to salsa music, which was just becoming popular in these parts.

But his life and stage changed in 1984, when he and his brother joined the Manabita orchestra Los Profetas, which would perform in Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago.

With the illusion of succeeding in the north, Bermúdez stayed and formed El Combo de Nueva York, which was the staff orchestra of a chain of nightclubs in Queens.

At that time, Marco was concerned about his musical training, besides being a singer and composer, he was also a percussionist. His entry into the big leagues of salsa came when he was part of La Élite, led by maestro Isidro Infante, for 6 years.

There he achieved fame as the interpreter of the songs Santo, Militar and Montuno and for the album Tributo Tropical a Los Beatles.

He was also part of La Charanga de Johnny Almendra and Los Jóvenes del Barrio, and was one of the singers of the legendary Conjunto Clásico orchestra. “Even when there is a tour they call me because I know the repertoire and I know the routine”.

At the beginning of 2003 he made a great leap when he joined the SHO, an orchestra that besides winning the Grammy and achieving nominations for two of its albums, is considered “the best salsa orchestra in the world”, according to the Puerto Rican critic Jaime Torres Torres, who in referring to Bermúdez affirms: “He is the only recognized Ecuadorian salsa singer who dominates the difficult art of soneo and clave”.

About the renowned SHO, Bermúdez says that in reality this orchestra “is the sound of the Harlem neighborhood, where urban salsa was born.

We are inspired by masters like Tito Puente and Mario Bauza, who left us that legacy”. And although every salsa singer is mistakenly called a sonero, very few are.

The soneo is an improvisation by the singer when the percussionist solos on the drums, he explains.

The next SHO album will feature three songs by Bermúdez: Son de corazón, Regalo de Dios and La fiesta empezó. “I like to write everything, romantic, jocular, nature and rumba songs,” says Marco who is currently selecting songs for his solo album which he hopes will be released this year. It will include a recording with Las Leyendas del Mambo, Tito Puente’s legendary orchestra.

These are his plans. His dream: “to come to Ecuador as a soloist or with SHO because I have had recognition abroad, but it must be nice to be recognized in your country”. Although they say that no one is a prophet in his own land, Bermúdez, the sonero, will surely be.

At the age of 9, together with his brother Eduardo, he formed the duo Hermanos Bermúdez Brito, being the first to record the pasillo Romance de la tejedora manabita.

In the early eighties, the brothers Mariano and Venancio Larrea invited him to join the Marfil group, from Guayaquil.

In 1984, together with his brother, he joined the Manabita orchestra Los Profetas, which would perform in the United States. He stayed in New York and formed El Combo de Nueva York, which was the staff orchestra of a chain of nightclubs in Queens.

Later he was part of La Élite, led by maestro Isidro Infante, for 6 years.

He was also part of La Charanga de Johnny Almendra and Los Jóvenes del Barrio, and was one of the singers of the Conjunto Clásico orchestra.

At the beginning of 2003 he joined the “Spanish Harlem Orquestra” of Maestro Oscar Hernandez. He has collaborated, among others, with the band of “Mister Moña” Jimmy Bosch and “La Mambo Legends.

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Marco Bermudez

Puerto Rican salsa singer Jai Ramos spoke to us of his life and projects

First years and military life

We are talking with Puerto Rican salsa singer Jai Ramos. How are you feeling? Glad to have you here.

I’m feeling fine. Thank you very much for the invitation. I feel blessed to be able to release my songs, but more important is the opportunity I have to be here talking to you and your audience.

person with clave in your hand — During his youth, Jai Ramos listened to ballads and popular music

Why did you choose salsa as your main genre? Was it to do with your environment or your roots?

It had much to do with my roots. When I started to lean towards music, I listened to ballads and various popular music singers that we had in Puerto Rico such as Chuco Avellanet, Lucecita, Lissette, among others. I also listened to other international artists such as Nino Bravo.

However, what made the switch was to go to the movies to see Our Latin Thing with the Fania stars. That’s when I made the change to salsa.

It’s very interesting because most of the artists you mentioned are boleristas or balladers, in other words, it was a huge change.

That’s correct.

You belonged to the United States Army, how did you combine your military career with your musical activities?

Interesting and very valid question. Even though I became interested in music, the places where I wanted to take music lessons would not accept me. After I finished school and became an adult, I joined the military and started to get exposure to different local music groups after arriving in the United States. That’s how I began to develop in my spare time. Admittedly, it was difficult, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I’ve talked to several Puerto Rican artists who were also in the U.S. Army at various ranks.

Did you get to coexist with other artists and salseros there? If so, do you think that helped you pursue your career in music?

Absolutely. Ar first, I met a lot of people who had a lot of musical experience in their spare time even though they were serving in the armed forces and they were the ones who provided me with the knowledge needed to improve this balance. With the passage of time, I also got to know people with musical experience who are very famous today such as Angel Santos. He and I served in the armed forces at the same time and retired at about the same time, so he chose composition, while I chose music performance.

I made a career in the army for 22 years of service. During all that time, I met many people and today I have communication with many of them even though we’re now civilians.

Jai Ramos shared with many other salsa artists during his time in the army

What Ramos learned from other artists

You got to share and sing along with artists such as Ray Barreto, Celia Cruz, Grupo Niche, Oscar D’ León, Nino Segarra, among many others. What did you learn from each of them?

Good question. They all taught me that they were still human beings and have a duty to the people in spite of being so famous. They were all very humble and that gave me to understand that they are flesh and blood people like us, but that they achieved success because of their talent.

When I was on a military base in Atlanta, I had an enormous exposure to many of them and it was Mr. Enrique Mercado who invited me to be part of his orchestra, which opened up for many great artists such as Celia Cruz, Ray Barreto, Grupo Niche, Eddie Palmieri, Conjunto Libre and the King of timbales Tito Puente. When I met them, I realized that they are devoted to people, prompted me to move forward in this career.

In musical and technical matters, what did these artists teach you?

Discipline and professionalism. Many people think that music is just entertainment, but those working on it see it as their profession. I also perceived the pride of providing entertainment for people, but always with quality. I understood that idea and started to apply this in my life.

Jai Ramos and family — Jai Ramos with all his family

What did you learn not to do?

Some of the musicians who accompanied orchestras had certain habits that I was able to observe and I became convinced that I did not wanted to copy them. Sooner or later, I knew that such habits would eventually affect anyone.

I want to clarify that I did not see these things in any of the artists. That is why they are so professional, since they always behave well, both on and off stage. At the same time, they are humble enough to speak directly to a person like me who approached them to ask questions and get some advice.

What led you to have a solo career after having belonged to several orchestras?

I’ve always loved to be a lead singer, but I wasn’t the only one in the orchestra. However, something I noticed while being part of an orchestra is that I was always subjected to the music projects of our musical director, which stopped me from implementing my own ideas and my own music. That’s why I ventured to pursue a solo career and implement what God has put in my heart and mind.

You had already told me about your most recent release “Seguimos Como El León”, a tribute to Angel Santos Junior. Why did it take you to embark on this project? Why pay tribute to Angel Santos Junior?

Thank you for that question. I want to keep giving credit where credit is due. Angel and I were very close friends and I’m using the past tense because unfortunately he passed away on 15 April 15 this year. When I came here to San Antonio, he was one of the first musicians I met and I shared with him in many performances. As I mentioned before, he and I were in the army at the same time.

One of the things Angel has achieved was to create many successful compositions. When I decide to launch my own project, one of the people that I had in mind to get an original song was Angel. When I called him and asked if he had something available, he told me that he only has one song, which was “Seguimos Como El León”. By that time, I knew he was having health problems, but I had no knowledge that he had already been evicted.

cover jai ramos — Cover of the song “Seguimos Como El León”

When I listened to the lyrics, I didn’t realize that he was giving a message about himself for when he left. Almost all of his compositions had a joking or small-town tone, but this one is a message of overcoming.

By the time we finished the song, maestro Nino Segarra and yours truly agreed to record the project, master it and record it. Then, I shared it with Angel so that he could listen to it and I told him that we gave him credit. Nino Segarra and I thought it was important that everyone who listened to the song always knew that it was one of his compositions.

When we were getting ready to do the release, we learned that he passed away. So, I proceeded to communicate with his family to ask permission from them to use his image and pay tribute to him with that song. They agreed, so I changed the cover and the title of the song to make it look like a posthumous tribute to Angel and thus to perpetuate his name.

What did you learn from Angel Santos artistically and musically?

He was my mentor in this release. I carried out the project, but he mentored me into most of the steps I followed. The biggest lesson I learned from him in the last years was how to be an independent producer and how to implement the ideas I had in mind.

You have songs with titles such as “Seguimos Como El León” and “Lo Que Dios Me Dio”. We can note that these songs are focused on bringing positive messages and about personal growth. Why are these aspects so important to you? Why reflect them in your music?

I am a servant of the Lord. In my spare time, I am a minister at a church. With all the things happening today, I felt in my heart that I had to be part of the solution and bring a positive message in the midst of what is going on.

My musical proposal is based on messages about personal growth with the idea of getting people closer to the Creator.

cover jai ramos lo que dios me dio — Cover of the song “Lo Que Dios Me Dio”

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Carlos Molina Jr. presents his book El Legado, 100% real salsa stories

Carlos Molina and El Museo de La Salsa

It makes us very happy to talk today about Carlos Molina Jr. and El Museo de La Salsa in Colombia, place that has become a salsa library with all the information the Latin public wants to get about their favorite artists. The popularity that this proposed reading has achieved is no coincidence, as it compiles the old, the new and the best of our Latin roots to raise anyone interested awareness of it.

Carlos Molina Jr., director of El Museo de la Salsa

Carlos Molina Jr., director of El Museo de La Salsa, knows everything that a proper salsero should know about this beautiful musical genre, since much of his life has been tied to this kind of music and the biggest stars who have excelled in it. Let us not forget that Daniel Santos himself had a chance to hold him when he was just a baby, which says a lot about the path taken by Molina growing up.

This man has so many things to say and stories to tell that he has written a book in which all this data can be read in great detail.

“El Legado”

Molina explained recently that the book arose due to his intention in paying tribute to his father, Carlos Alfredo Molina. He said that he had already worked on a documentary in his honor and wanted to use that same script for a text in which the most important stories of both his progenitor and himself could be read.

Carlos Molina Jr. next to Oscar D’ León

Molina Jr.’s father became known as “El Fotógrafo de La Salsa” in the middle and maintained a close relationship with several of the most famous artists of the genre. Such was his closeness that he even managed to attend many of their rehearsals and forged bonds of friendship that many can only dream of.

It was Molina Sr.’s work as a photographer that allowed his son to create El Museo de La Salsa and turn it into a place of pilgrimage where all lovers of the genre should visit at least once. The room has approximately 700 photographs, which are part of an archive of 300,000 negatives.

Childhood and adulthood surrounded by artists

Molina Jr.’s childhood was definitely not common, as his father’s profession allowed him to stay in constant contact with many big names in the industry. He got to witness a very important number of rehearsals and grew up forming a very special relationship with music.

Johnny Pacheco and Carlos Molina Jr.

He also managed to form the same relationship with several well-known singers, some of whom write the foreword for El Legado such as Willie Rosario, Andy Montañez and Papo Lucca. From the very beginning, the three luminaries maintained a very close relationship with the museum and did not hesitate to participate in the text when asked to do so.

“El Legado” tells completely true stories

The book is already on sale at the Museo de La Salsa, but it can also be found on Amazon, so anyone who wishes to read some of the most important salsa stories ust has to order their copy and enjoy everything the material has to offer.

Molina Jr. also commented that he still expects many more copies of the book to be printed and made available at “la Red de Bibliotecas Públicas de Cali”.

Celia Cruz and Carlos Molina Jr.

By Johnny Cruz, ISM Correspondents, New York, New York City