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International Salsa Magazine presents Quique Mota as a new Dominican talent of Latin music, a salsa singer born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 1974, during his youth his parents Luis Mota and Balbina Castillo observed his emotion, passion, taste every time he listened those tropical rhythms of the time, which were the Merengue, Son, Timba, Salsa, the latter most notorious motive inclining his taste towards this contagious rhythm.

And his interest was further developed when he was influenced by his paternal uncle Ramón Mota “mon trumpeta” making the decision to soon become a vocalist, starting with the parties in the neighborhood, singing whenever he had the opportunity and on Fridays at his school, where he was forced to sing since his companions always liked to hear him sing.

Motivated by great singers such as Ismael Miranda, Ismael Rivera, José Alberto “El Canario” Oscar D’León, Paquito Guzmán, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tonny Vega, Wilmer Lozano, among other artists, he decided at the age of fifteen that that was what I wanted to do on a professional level; So he began to work on vocalization for a few years and singing in different popular events, he gained experience both as a singer and as a composer.

He mentions that Salsa is more than a musical genre that was born from the neighborhoods and that became popular through the corners and / or streets of New York between 1960 and 1970 … it is the history and experiences of the people, the town (person generally lower class), where the musicians express their musical themes in their lyrics, especially the romantic part and the rumba, managing to reach their listeners and / or dancers in their being; For Quique personally it is his relief, a poem as well as the song, an essence in his life with which he was born and at the age of 15 he wanted to find the meaning of his dreams of being a great salsa musician.

The salsa genre emerged many years ago where it acquired its fame, but today the young population believe that Salsa is old music, outdated with a very good reputation, unfortunately the majority of the young population chooses what is fashionable, listening more reggaetón, hip-hop, electronics, rap, among others, losing in the process the opportunity to listen and enjoy good music, acquiring in the majority (rap and reggaetón) vulgar language as well as the degradation of the person (woman and ¬ / o men).

He tells us that if we want to make Salsa notice and popularize, we need to support both new talents and great artists and make ourselves noticed, without thinking that it is old music, that it can evolve and update us with a modern language without reaching vulgarity so much in the letter as in the clothing, so that it adapts to the taste of the new and current generation; And another very important point is that the songs that you create are adapted to the country where the singer and if not explain the meaning, for example in the Dominican Republic there are many terms that we do not know, and in his next musical theme that is a romantic sauce I call it ¨ Ella es mi Golpe¨ what does it mean ¨She is the love of his life¨, which tells us that it will be released in about 2 and a half months with its video clip.

All his songs are his own, they are his experiences, experiences, things he sees, phrases that his life offers him … many things can give the emergence of phrases for the creation of his musical themes; Quique Mota, presents his first single. “Dice”, a song of his authorship, which already sounds on the Dominican Republic stations and internationally, such as Canada, USA, among others, with which he intends to gain the popularity of the public.

For Quique, the pandemic that we live to date due to COVID-19 was not an obstacle as it happened to many, I take advantage of the time of course with all possible precautions to avoid contagion to continue with his musical career, he mentions that The human being is a being that adapts to his environment and this was a clear example, only that one has to know how to take advantage of the tools that one has at hand, musical talent is not only about concerts, parties … depending on what We can do to benefit ourselves without putting ourselves at risk is to overcome difficulties and many of them took advantage of one of the most extensive and complex tools that is the Internet.Although almost all of us use it, we do not use it correctly but in the most basic thing. … Such a wide work tool and knowing how to use it is a success for you… for example events, classes, concerts, live interviews through social networks.

Quique had his ups and downs in his musical career and he tells us that his friend Montuno Salsa advised him and it was his apprenticeship and motto in his beginning as a new talent … “time job … do not faint easily and lose the opportunity to continue since you have to take advantage of the opportunities “…” dreams are pursued and fought, they are not achieved overnight, they are processes that must be fought as warriors … a Well made sauce, even if it doesn’t have the support that you think or need, it will like it wherever it is as long as it is well made and it doesn’t get tired of working … and the most important thing is I put my work in the hands of papa Dios, the great one … “

Quique mentions that everything is crossing and emerging is thanks to: his Venezuelan producer Franklin Zamora, who upon meeting him in the Dominican Republic knew what Quique really wanted and how to express it and / or express it, he also has Mary Yemaya, a Venezuelan promoter and producer of salaeeos events, it is she who guides him in Salsa and encourages him to contact us to promote it and get to know it better; He also thanks Juan Carlos Trinidad, José Bello, Montuno Salsa, Dj Salsero 2020, Etnia Salsera,, Joseph Fonceca, Edward Serrano and mainly his family, especially his beloved wife. He wants to extend a special thanks to the people of Venezuela for contributing a group of talented and valuable people who have helped him to pursue his dreams and to join great talents of Latin music worldwide, becoming one of the best exponents of the salsa genre in his country.

He mentions that he wants to give a special thanks to the people of Venezuela, for bringing many valuable and talented people into their lives, who will pursue their dreams and get hooked on the great talents of salsa music worldwide, becoming one of the best exponents of the salsa genre of your country.

The “Cantaor” Of The XXI Century

Flamenco has been his principal victory. Tango his maximum exploration. Salsa his greatest ambition, and Bolero his deepest romanticism. The world has witnessed his talent, Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar or better known as Diego “El Cigala” has immersed us in these torrential musical genres with his masterful voice for 24 years. Each album shows us intoxicating rhythms that introduce you to joy on many occasions, and many others evoke stories of deep melancholy in their unequivocal lyrics.

Diego, a good, upright, and friendly man has lived very hard moments like the loss of the two most important women in his life. Her wife, Amparo Fernandez, a victim of cancer that took her life in 2015 in her home (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic), and a year after lost her mother, Aurora Salazar Motos.

For 26 years, Amparo was his manager, friend, confidant, wife, and mother of his two oldest children (Diego and Rafael). She was always his stick of support even during the worst stage of his career.

Diego El Cigala has always been very familiar, sentimental, and a believer in God. “… My children make me and they will always keep me going, music heals me from the inside, and God accompanies me making everything possible”, explains the nationalized Dominican artist.

A year and a half after these fateful circumstances, the XXI century cantaor resurfaces and rebuilds his life with his current couple Dolores “Quina” and his third son Manuel, who was the product of this relationship.

Quina loves me, I love her, and she understands me like nobody. I have grief and joy every day of my life. I see my children, my wife, my granddaughters and shot forward.”

The Meeting

At the beginning of 2000, there was a meeting. Diego “El Cigala” and Bebo Valdés got together for the first time, and very much in the style of a bridal link, Diego and Bebo created a strong bond of friendship, mutual respect, and professional admiration.

It was an afternoon at the house of musical director Fernando Trueba where they met and did not stop exchanging opinions about flamenco and Cuban music. From there their first collaboration together, three songs from the CD “Corren tiempos de alegría” released in 2001.

Bebo ever transmitted serenity and tranquility to Diego, which allowed them to record two years later Lágrimas Negras, an album with which they won a Latin Grammy Award for Traditional Tropical Album in 2004.

Both artists lived moments of unique and spiritual teachings. Each day Diego regrets Bebo’s physical departure and misses him so much that every day he looks up and sees Bebo saying to him: What’s wrong?

Bebo helped him get to know the Caribbean where he ended up living, helped him transcend flamenco, and learn about other genres. For that, the only way to pay tribute to him was with the sixth track belonging to the Indestructible record production, Fiesta para Bebo, with the special guest, Los Muñequitos de Matanza.

Since Lágrimas Negras, the cantaor of the XXI century has been able to venture into new genres and collaborations, such as the material Cigala & Tango (2010), Indestructible (2016), and his most recent record production “Cigala canta a México” presented in 2020.

El Cigala Indestructible

Since 2016 Indestructible presented the greatest musical fusion of the American and European continent. It was a Salsa and flamenco production that brought together the founders of the Fania All-Stars after 25 years and recalled emblematic songs such as El ratón, Periódico de ayer, Moreno soy, and Juanito alimaña popularized by Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe, among many others.

Diego El Cigala from the gypsy ethnic group grew up in love with this Latin music since his childhood thanks to his father and the great stars of hard Salsa such as Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, La Fania All-Stars, and El Gran Combo.

This tenth studio album in tribute to his wife Amparo Fernandez, and his great teacher and friend, Bebo Valdés, was recorded in different territories of the American continent, bringing the color and sound of Salsa from each area to this CD. The cities that he visited and captured part of the recording were: Cali (Colombia), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Havana (Cuba), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), New York (United States), Miami (United States), and Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) where the production ended with the addition of guitar, choirs, cajón, and flamenco clapping.

As part of this fusion of genres, El Cigala had the opportunity to count on the talent of Oscar D’Leon, Bobby Valentin, Larry Harlow, Roberto Roena, Eddie Montalvo, Nicky Marrero, Jorge Santana, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Luis Perico Ortiz, Horacio el Negro, José Aguirre, Diego del Morao, and the percussion group Los Muñequitos de Matanza with whom he created a very special connection because they have a lot of similarity with the culture of his gypsy people, “I love them, no I’ve seen better people with so much heart “, that’s how El Cigala described them.

Indestructible, nominated for the Latin Grammy for Best Tropical Album in 2018, represents the immortality of Salsa, the essence of the Afro-Caribbean rhythm that endures in the Latin roots of the new generations although it no longer has the same boom that is enjoyed between the period from 1970 to 2000.

Salsa was in the 70s a way to confront racism and xenophobia that Latin Americans were experiencing in the United States. That unites Salsa with gypsy music and the gypsy people, who have also experienced these prejudices”. Diego “El Cigala”