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Oscar D’León’s La Crítica was founded in Caracas in 1978

La Critica by Oscar D’León

We had just returned from New York when “Chiquitín,” Oscar D’León’s longtime secretary, called us at the office to let us know there was a commotion in the “Faraón de la Salsa’s” office.

Oscar D'León's La Crítica was founded in Caracas in 1978 — Oscar D’León’s La Crítica was founded in Caracas in 1978

It was about the defection of some musicians from the Orquesta La Salsa Mayor. Indeed, Leo Pacheco, Felipe Blanco, and other musicians had decided to leave for financial reasons.

The news caused a stir; Oscar had already achieved a very special sound. He had moved away from the trombones that characterized his style and had incorporated a brass section with trumpets that made a difference. Suddenly, he was without his powerful machinery. Leo and his group formed what was called Nuestra Orquesta La Salsa Mayor, and Oscar, without a second thought, reassembled his group alongside Enrique “Culebra” Iriarte.

La Crítica

No one should doubt that Oscar had a tough time, but the prestige he had gained and the popularity of the sonero allowed him to come out on top.

Paul González, the son of “El Guajiro” González, a veteran guarachero and who at the time served as manager for the now-called “Sonero del Mundo,” devised the orchestra known today as La Crítica to avoid future setbacks and to have an orchestra on hand to alternate in scheduled dances.

The project’s formation brought together pianist and arranger Mauricio Silva, percussionist Radamés Pimentel, and Teo Hernández, who would serve as vocalist.

Since 1978, La Crítica emerged as an exceptional group. The jazz influences infused by Mauricio Silva from the very beginning were crucial for the public to accept the band as a favorite. In that “beginning,” other significant names included “Cheo” Navarro and Gustavo Quinto, who were already known from their time with Grupo Mango.

It could be said that Teo Hernández was the newest to the scene, as he had only been “toiling” in the world of salsa for five years, although he already had a “summa cum laude” after recording with maestro Ray Pérez and his Dementes. A female voice would debut with the orchestra: Gladys Torres.

40 Years of La Crítica

There have been many setbacks and successes over 40 years.

The musicality of this successful group is to be celebrated this Saturday, June 16, at the BOD Cultural Center. The event is at 5:00 in the afternoon, when the salsa public will gather en masse.

La musicalidad de esta exitosa agrupación ha de ser celebrada este sábado 16 de junio en las instalaciones del Centro Cultural BOD.

Jorge Collazo, who was Oscar D’León’s press chief and now is La Crítica’s on their return, tells us that a spectacular night is being prepared, “an evening to remember, a show that no salsero should miss.

The original singers will be there: the sonero Teo Hernández and Gladys Torres, who will take the stage accompanied by top-tier musicians and luxury guests to celebrate, dance, and sing the well-known hits of the moment, we are talking about ‘Se necesita rumbero,’ ‘Amada ven,’ ‘La merenguita,’ ‘Madre,’ ‘Rumba rumbero,’ ‘No lloraré,’ ‘A él,’ and ‘Cruel desilusión,’ among others.”

The prestige gained by La Crítica allowed it to accompany great international soneros such as Justo Betancourt, Héctor Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, Ray de la Paz, Daniel Santos, and the legendary Celia Cruz.

This is part of La Crítica.

Also Read: Cheo Linares is a Singer, Composer, Sonero, Poet and Caraqueño

Tito Planas talked to us about his Orquesta Afinke and its members

If there is something that we have seen in recent times is that Los Angeles, New York and Miami are not the only places Latin music has had great boom due to the huge number of Latinos in those areas, as our culture has permeated many other places in the United States. A great example of that is the Orquesta Afinke, based in the state of Connecticut, and its director Herminio ‘‘Tito’’ Planas, with whom we were able to talk about his career and band.

Tito playing the trombone — Orquesta Afinke director Tito Planas playing the trombone live

How Tito fell in love with music

Tito was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the town of Ponce, the home of great luminaries of salsa such as Hector Lavoe, Pete ‘’El Conde’’ Rodriguez, Papo Luca, Jose ‘‘Cheo’’ Feliciano, Ismael Quintana, Yolanda Rivera, among many others. He even attended school with Keila Lucca, the daughter of one of the Luccas of La Sonora Ponceña, and is still in contact with her through social networks.

He studied at the Free School of Music in Ponce where he sang in a children’s choir and they traveled around the town to delight a variety of audiences with his voice. Building on the success of this program run by the school, there were many children from third through eighth grades who began taking lessons of solfeggio or any instrument they wanted.

In Tito’s case, he moved with his parents to the United States at age 13 in the eighth grade of the secondary education. His father had lost his job in Puerto Rico and the economic situation of the family was very precarious, so he made the decision to go first to find work and, in so doing, taking his children and his wife to live there.

In college, he started getting involved with salsa and had Jerry Perez as a trombone teacher, who taught him in this instrument for several years and offered him to form an orchestra together. They eventually did and toured with it in various parts of the United States.

Tito moved to the United States — Tito Planas moved to the United States at age 13, but never left his Latino heritage behind

Professional start

After being played the trombone for some time, many other musicians saw him and offered him to play with them in their orchestras. Many of these job opportunities came from New York, which was very close to him, which benefited him greatly because the clubs in that city closed much later, so they could play even till five in the morning. He combined all these activities with university and his private lessons in order to further improve his musical skills.

Orquesta Afinke

After the foundation of the orchestra, Tito and his musicians accompanied many great artists such as Hector Tricoche, El Grupo Guayacán, Viti Ruíz, Van Lester, Frankie Vázquez and many others.

Thanks to all these shows they were doing with other groups, Sammy Diaz, co-director of the orchestra, and Tito decided it was time to create a much more formal project that grouped together all the original members of the band. What brought them closer together was the fact that both Tito and Sammy had teenage children, whom they included in the group to keep them playing and in constant contact with music.

Tito and the rest of the group — From left to right: Junior Travieso, Victor Planas, Jerry Perez, Daniel Planas, Tito Planas, Samuel Diaz Jr., Samuel Diaz III, Louis Carrasquillo, and Rafael Rosado

Today, Tito’s youngest son is 18 years old and is about to enter the University of Connecticut to study music in order to follow the same path as his father, with whom he has been working in the orchestra since he was about 11 years old singing backup and playing the saxophone.

They started with about three scores with which they managed to put on a show for as long as half an hour. Today, 16 years later, they have more than 80 scores and about 12 original songs, of which one was recently released and another is being recorded at the time of writing this article.

On the other hand, the core of the orchestra has been the same since its foundation and includes pianist Rafael Rosado, bassist Victor Planas, bongo player Sammy Diaz Jr. (co-director of the orchestra Sammy Diaz’s son), timbalero Sammy Tercero (another son of Sammy Diaz), conguero Luis Carrasquillo, singer Junior Travieso, singer Raquel Ramirez, Peruvian singer Jano Arroyo, trombonist Jerry Perez (the teacher who taught Tito to play the trombone) and Daniel Planas (Tito’s son).

Tito and his son — Tito Planas with his younger son Daniel Planas

Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana, born in Ponce Puerto Rico, began his musical career in 1961 alongside Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta

Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, began his musical career in 1961 alongside Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta

Commemorating one more anniversary of the departure of the Maestro: Ismael Quintana (Ponce, June 3, 1937-Colorado, April 16, 2016) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of salsa, bolero and other genres of Caribbean music.

He began his musical career in 1961 alongside Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta, and later continued as a solo singer.

In 1970, he signed with Fania Records and joined the Fania All Stars, in addition to recording more solo albums.

By 2012, his health condition prevented him from continuing to perform and he stopped giving concerts.

In April 2016, he died of a heart attack at his residence in Colorado in the United States at 78 years of age and paid the first tributes.

Quintana was the singer who gave the name salsa to Afro-Caribbean music, after having heard it in Venezuela.

Ismael ‘Pat’ Quintana, born in Ponce, a town rich in culture on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, moved to New York when he was very young. It was in the South Bronx that he fell in love with Latin music.

During these early years, he played percussion with a variety of bands throughout New York City.

He persevered and eventually joined Angel Natel’s orchestra as a teenage bongosero.

During one memorable night in 1959, the band was asked to play a particular number for one of the club’s dancers.

Natel’s singer was not familiar with the song, but Ismael was. He stepped up to the microphone, performed the song and in the process electrified the crowd with his talented voice. That night launched a magnificent career, a career that would eventually position Quintana as one of the most prominent vocalists in Latin music.

In 1961, visionary keyboardist Eddie Palmieri decided to leave the sanctuary of Tito Rodriguez’s eminent orchestra to pursue the dream of forming his own band.

Eddie was present when Quintana auditioned for Orlando Marin’s popular orchestra.

The pianist would eventually track him down and offer him the opportunity to become the lead singer of his new orchestra, La Perfecta.

This proved to be a vital move in Eddie’s quest to become one of the top Latin music bandleaders. Their alliance would last 12 years.

Together, Quintana and Palmieri pushed the boundaries of progressive salsa, creating dissonant improvisations that fused the raw tradition of Afro-Caribbean music (exemplified by the singer’s hardcore sonics) with a relentless desire to experiment (illustrated by Palmieri’s choice of electronic keyboards, use of structures borrowed from other musical formats, as well as meandering solos that had their own idiosyncratic logic).

Quintana inició su carrera musical en 1961 al lado de Eddie Palmieri y La Perfecta

The 1965 album Azúcar Pa’Tí is probably the aesthetic pinnacle of their collaboration. It featured classic salsa anthems such as “Oyelo Que Te Conviene”, included here for your listening pleasure.

Another unforgettable moment was Eddie’s decision to record a double LP set in the Sing Sing penitentiary.

Quintana’s voice sounds appropriately impassioned on that socially significant 1972 concert recording.

By 1973, Quintana had decided to embark on a solo career. He signed a contract with UA Latino Records and recorded two albums of excellent quality.

Quintana En 1970, firma con el sello Fania Records

The second of these two releases gave him the opportunity to sing tangos and ballads, backed by a spectacular orchestra led by South American arrangers Héctor Garrido and Jorge Calandrelli.

Surprisingly, the singer has stated in interviews that he prefers to dance ballads and boleros rather than sing more fast-paced material.

Quintana’s first work for Vaya Records was recorded in 1974, It included the hit “La Blusita Colorá”, which is featured in this collection.

The singer also collaborated with keyboardist and bandleader of La Sonora Ponceña Papo Lucca, as well as Ricardo Marrero.

In 1975, Quintana was invited to join the legendary Fania All-Stars as one of their lead vocalists.

He appeared in the movie Salsa and participated in many of the combo’s historic performances, delivering a blistering version of the self-written “Mi Debilidad” at Yankee Stadium.

When not traveling the world with the All-Stars, Quintana could be found in the recording studio, working on material that appeared on his albums for Vaya Records.

Ismael Quintana’s name appears on many classic albums from the salsa explosion of the 1970s, both as a background singer and as a percussionist.

His phenomenal vocal abilities have obscured the fact that he is one of the most exciting maracas players in the genre.

He is also an innovative composer, having written many of the songs that make up Eddie Palmieri’s seminal albums of that era.

Quintana is also known as one of the nicest guys in the Latin music business.

A true professional who is never late for his concerts and a devoted family man who doesn’t smoke or drink.

Ponce in Puerto Rico has given birth to several legendary Latin singers, from Héctor Lavoé and Cheo Feliciano to Ednita Nazario and Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodríguez. Ismael Quintana is yet another luminary from that region.

This Latin Heritage compilation is a well-deserved tribute to one of salsa’s best. Fania All Stars.

By:

Marino Del Jesus

Historia Salsera

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: The Royalty of our Latin Music Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez first singer signed by Fania Records label

This is Indiana composer, arranger, music teacher, and trumpet player David Hardiman

Our interviewee today is very special because of the talent and the enormous academic background he has, so we are very pleased to have been able to talk with him. We are talking about the arranger, composer, trumpeter, pianist and music teacher David Hardiman, whom we welcome to International Salsa Magazine.

This is David Hardiman — Music teacher and musician David Hardiman holding his trumpet

A little bit of David’s story

The artist from Indianapolis, Indiana, began his tale telling us a little bit about how he started getting interested in music, which was when he was in fourth grade. That is when he started learning to play the trumpet and piano, taking advantage of the fact that he had one at home.

Unlike other children and young people who find other interests and hobbies besides music, David never stopped and kept playing the trumpet until high school, during which time he played in the marching band, the orchestra, the jazz band and the concert band of the institution.

Years later, he attended Indiana University where he also played in the marching band and concert band. He received his bachelor of music education through which he obtained a lot of classical training that he would later apply to his artistic career, but he did not stop there, as he also began to participate in ensembles with which he played R&B and jazz.

When he returned to his hometown Indianapolis, he was hired by a band with which he started playing blues, tap and jazz at parties, weddings and other events of this type.

In addition to that, he also taught instrumental music for over 11 years at the elementary level. He also taught flute at the fourth grade level and prepared children of those ages to be introduced to instruments until their formation in high school, something very similar to his case when he got started in this world.

The young musician already wanted to expand his horizons and thought about leaving the nest and moving from his home state to try his luck elsewhere, but first he obtained his master’s degree in music education in 1970. This was the final step that would make him realize that he was ready to take flight farther away from home.

David playing the trumpet — David Hardiman playing the trumpet live

Berkeley

In 1971, David went to Berkeley, California, where he began to teach at King Junior High School, which he describes as an excellent experience that taught him a lot about music at the educational and practical level. His teaching specialized in the orchestral and symphonic part of classical-oriented music. At the same time, he spent much of his time playing for clubs and private parties with various orchestras and bands.

One of his fellow teachers at King Junior High School named Grey Gomez taught at the elementary level and was a trombone player. Gomez told David that he needed a trumpet player for a group called ‘’The Aliens’’, so he proposed him to join the band and play with him at The New Yorker club. This would be the first time the musician played Latin music, more specifically salsa.

Introduction to Latin music in San Francisco

By then, David was looking for new challenges, so he decided that he could not teach at low levels at King Junior High School for life, so he began working part-time at the City College of San Francisco. Parallel to this, he played with another band for various basketball and soccer games during breaks.

Soon after, the musician began directing the big band in the aforementioned institution and teaching at the middle college level outside of San Francisco. When he became a full-time professor at the City College, he was much more exposed to Latin music and genres, which was contrasted with his hometown, as Indiana is not known for its large number of Latin orchestras and musicians.

David at 12 years old — Young David Hardiman playing the trumpet at 12 years old

In the Bay Area, he began to have much more contact with people from other nationalities and cultures, especially Latinos, which made him listen to various Latin music groups and play with others. He even opened up for great artists such as Celia Cruz and the Fania All Stars.

He also played with the group Café Canela, whose genres are a very interesting combination of salsa, chá chá chá and many more.

San Francisco All Star Big Band

About 50 years ago, parallel to what he did with other orchestras, he created his own big band named San Francisco All Star Big Band, with which he has played for all kinds of events such as festivals, university parties, religious services, weddings, birthdays, charity balls, nightclubs, among others.

With this orchestra, he has a few albums which can be found on YouTube and other similar platforms and they are ‘’It’ll be alright’’, ‘’Portrait of David Hardiman’’, and ‘’Music Around The World’’.

Cover of the album ”Portrait of David Hardiman”

Oscar Dudamel continues to achieve dreams and presents “La Rumba Me Llama”

Legendary Venezuelan trombonist Oscar Dudamel expands his musical vision with a new single that fuses the essence of classic salsa with his unmistakable style, which is why he does not hesitate to express “La Rumba Me Llama”.

This song is part of his upcoming album “Sueño Alcanzado”, a production that will be released on May 30 and represents the culmination of years of musical research, fusing the classic salsa sound with jazz influences and the romantic tradition of boleros.

El legendario trombonista venezolano Oscar Dudamel

In “La Rumba Me Llama”, Dudamel brings his trombone to the forefront of a vibrant composition that captures the essence of the rumba as an inescapable call. With a musical structure that evokes the great salsa orchestras and an impeccable instrumentation.

The piece stands out for its meticulous arrangements, powerful brass and an irresistible cadence, faithful to the spirit with which Dudamel has approached his music. The track is an invitation to the dance floor and a testament to the rhythmic power that has defined his career.

The album Sueño Alcanzado not only takes its name from a personal concept of triumph, but also from one of his most significant pieces.

The title track was born in an intimate creative encounter in Caracas, Venezuela, with Maestro Alberto Crespo, composer Eliel Rivero and Solange Ramírez, mother of his son Gustavo Dudamel.

Dedicated to her son and with her special participation on violin, this piece encapsulates the spirit of a project that transcends the musical to become a testimony of life.

More than a nostalgic production, “Sueño Alcanzado”, of which the song “La Rumba Me Llama” is part, is the reflection of an evolution. The music that accompanied him since his childhood now takes a new form under his direction, in a creative process that has brought together talented musicians with whom he shares the same vision.

His orchestra, based in Madrid, has become the vehicle to continue taking his proposal to international stages, demonstrating that salsa is still alive in every note and every drum beat.

“La Rumba Me Llama” is now available on all digital platforms and is just a preview of ‘Sueño Alcanzado’, Oscar Dudamel’s new album, consolidating his legacy with authenticity and mastery.

Oscar Dudamel Virtuoso Musician, Trombonist and Orchestra Conductor.

Oscar Dudamel, a Venezuelan trombonist, discovered his passion for salsa as a child when he first heard “La Murga” by Willie Colón. Although his formal musical training began with Maestro Pablo Canela and later continued within El Sistema as a classical musician, that early experience left a profound mark on him, inspiring his dream of playing the trombone and solidifying his love for salsa as his ultimate passion.

Dudamel was born on January 14, 1961, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He grew up in a musical family where every gathering was celebrated with music, fostering his passion for the art from a young age. His parents purchased him a trombone, and he began his studies at the Yamaha Music Academy.

At the age of 7, he was enrolled in a music academy under the guidance of Maestro Pablo Canela, a composer and prominent figure in the music of the Lara State region of Venezuela.It was there that he started his training with the Cuatro, the traditional Venezuelan instrument, and the guitar, which became his first instruments.

In addition to his Cuatro training, Dudamel began studying and playing various percussion instruments, further broadening his musical repertoire.

His academic training took place at the Lara State Conservatory in Barquisimeto, and at the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs of Venezuela, also known as El Sistema.

During his teenage years, he became a member of the Youth Orchestra of Lara State (El Sistema Lara) and the Liceo Mario Briceño Iragorry Band, where he had the opportunity to expand his musical knowledge and explore various genres.

Dudamel entered a new phase of his life when he enrolled at the Vicente Emilio Sojo Music Conservatory to study theory and solfège, continuing his trombone studies under the guidance of his maestro, Óscar Vivenes.

Over the years, he became a member of the Lara Youth Symphony Orchestra of Lara, part of the national network of Venezuela’s El Sistema orchestras, actively participating in classical music.

However, his fascination with the Caribbean rhythms of salsa never disappeared. Thus, he combined his classical training with his passion for salsa, performing with renowned artist and sharing the stage with legends of the genre, such as Héctor Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, Ismael Miranda, Celia Cruz, Justo Betancourt, Marvin Santiago, and other great artists.

In Caracas, Venezuela, he founded his own orchestra, with which he had the opportunity to share the stage with notable figures such as Rubén Blades, Gilbert Santa Rosa, Luis Enrique, Guaco, Oscar D’ León, and many others.

Dudamel’s surname is synonymous with music. He is the father of Gustavo Dudamel, one of the most acclaimed classical music conductors in the world. Gustavo’s well-known fondness for salsa stems from his father, who recently fulfilled his lifelong dream of releasing a solo album titled Sueño Alcanzado, dedicated to his son.

Dudamel currently resides in Madrid, Spain, where he leads his ensemble, Oscar Dudamel y su Orquesta, performing salsa alongside his Venezuelan musician friends and colleagues at Café Berlín Madrid.

‍Research Sources:

Contact: Katie Baloian of Radio Notas (Compartiendo Ideas)

Alberto Crespo (Pianist and Arranger)

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Café Berlin in Madrid

Also Read: Mariana “The Sonera of Venezuela and for the world”