Search Results for: Puerto+Rico

Salsa: From New York to the world!

North America – United States – New York

Last February we actively participated in different activities in New York, promoted by different instances and always supported from the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery Museum and The Johnny Cruz Show.

Johnny Cruz: We were part of the Somos Puerto Rico event, together with more than 25 artists and with the collaboration of La Boom, which allowed thousands of people to work for our island: Puerto Rico. There was a lot of music, and we were accompanied by artists such as Jova Rodríguez, Arlene, Roberto Vásquez, Anissa Gatners, Fernando Berniero, Alex Bautista, Jen Carrasco and Kevin Tapia, among others.

We also had typical food for sale and many initiatives aimed at saving so many lives in need. From this event we want to continue bringing families to the United States and they can be calm until they stop shaking in the south west of Puerto Rico. You are not alone!

In addition, we are working hard on a documentary about Frank Ferrer, always thinking of immortalizing figures that have consolidated Salsa in the world as a Latin genre of world projection.

Salsa, as you know, is a typically New York musical genre, the result of the influence of great Latin jazz musicians, and the existence of a youth of Latin origin born, or resident in New York, in slums where Salsa is the best expression, spiced up by the exile produced by the Cuban Revolution and the awareness of American racial minorities.

In 1964, Johnny Pacheco, a flutist of Dominican origin, and Jerry Masucci, a young businessman, founded the Fania label, which gave the old Latin labels, a more modern sense of Caribbean music. Musicians and singers of the previous generation were reinvented, but others were incorporated as a young Willie Colon, the Palmieri brothers, Eddy and Charlie; Papo Luca, Ray Barreto, Larry Harlow. And, there were also singers who put their voice to Salsa to tell stories of the street, daily or reflexive, that were the mirror of the life of the neighborhoods: Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto de Santiago, Andy Montáñez, the Ismaeles -Miranda and Ribera-, Justo Betancourt, Héctor Lavoe or Rubén Blades.

Johnny Cruz Salsa: From New York to the world!

The influence of the Cuban revolution had led composers and salsa musicians to become aware that it was necessary to compose songs that talked about what was happening in the streets from a critical perspective, giving way to a new salsa and foot reality for characters as Frank Ferrer started from folklore and protest to arrive at salsa mixing both concepts in an exemplary album: Yerbabuena. All this and much more can be enjoyed very soon.

For this month of March, Puerto Rico will organize the 1st World Salsa Collectors Meeting and of course we will be there representing New York with the Salsa Museum (SPAHA Salsa Gallery Museum). From March 7th, at least 15 organizations of this type of collector from seven countries will exhibit their collections of the Caribbean genre.

The collectors meeting will take place at the Sheraton Hotel, in Miramar, under the theme “La Salsa se baila así” and will be free admission. It will be attended by collectors from Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico and several cities in the United States.

That day will be the official release in LP format of the album “Mario Ortiz, 55 Aniversario”, nominated for the last edition of the Latin Grammys.

The event includes memorabilia exhibitors of legendary salsa artists such as Willie Rosario, Bobby Valentín, Roberto Roena o la Sonora Ponceña, as well as the Museo de la Salsa de Puerto Rico or the Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular.

Pieces from the Jairo Varela Museum, renowned deceased Colombian musician, whose orchestra Grupo Niche is still active and triumphing around the world will be presented. The writer Daniel Nina, will give a lecture about Salsa, and Puerto Rican dancer Tito Ortos will talk about the history of salsa dancing. We can enjoy live music with the group Cubaneo 54, and a great closing with the several times awarded Big Band of the Free School of Music of San Juan, directed by Professor Manuel García. See you there!

As always, remember that Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery is in 1708 Lexington ave New York N.Y. 10029. Open free to the public all Thursdays & Fridays from 4 to 7 pm and Saturdays from 1 to 8 pm. Check the updates in our website: spahasalsagallery.com.

Johnny Cruz - Spaha Salsa Gallery — Johnny Cruz – Spaha Salsa Gallery

Also, The Johnny Cruz Show, the #1 Salsa Show on television on all 5 Boroughs of New York on CH67. Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

Contact: Johnny Cruz. 917-747-8505. [email protected].

By Johnny Cruz Correspondent, New York City, New York

Víctor Gabriel Rosario Durán

Latin America / San Juan / Puerto Rico

Many singers have passed through time in the world of music, this time we have the privilege of making our followers known to “Víctor Gabriel Rosario Durán“

Victor Gabriel "Mi Problema" — Victor Gabriel “Mi Problema”

Victor Gabriel Rosario Duran is a great singer and percussionist who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 27, who showed from a very young age a great interest in tropical genre music since he played drums with his father, who in turn was a percussionist, even with the passing of the years Víctor Gabriel with his sister imitated the Duet “Pimpinela”, making a waste of talents at family parties and at school, so his parents, seeing their son’s talent, decide to enroll him in the Ernesto Ramos Antonini free music school, entering through the percussion department.

During his studies at the music school, he took advantage of his free time to practice “singing” in the square and one day he caught the attention of one of the members of the Latin Revolution orchestra, being at that time of the school salsa orchestra, he was called to audition and was chosen as a singer.

By joining the orchestra they managed to win first places in the “Talent Shows” that they participated in and out of school; and over the years he creates his own orchestra where he manages to win first place as “Best Talent” in the school talent contest, as well as in many other “Talent Shows”. Then he went from percussionist to the singing curriculum to perfect his technique as a singer and from 1994 he joined the group “Caribe Tropical” of Mr. Jorge

At 21, he is part of the orchestra led by maestro Elías Lopés, where he recorded as the duo Gaby and Nelson. From the mid-1990s to the present day, Víctor Gabriel has been a singer, chorus girl and percussionist for local groups in Puerto Rico that make their presentations at the main hotels on the island, such as the Marriot Hotel, the now-defunct Hotel Cerro Mar de Dorado and Hotel San Juan, among others. He also continued his collaborations as a singer, backing vocalist and minor percussionist in Plena Libre, Tres Son Salsa, Zacandela, Atabal, the Orquesta La Offer. Don Perignon, and others.

Víctor Gabriel Rosario Duran participated for nine years as one of the main singers of the VSP Orchestra (Villariny Salsa Project), who performed in 2012 on the “National Salsa Day”, where he has had a great musical exposure enriching his extensive race; which has prepared him for what has been the dream of his life, his solo career. For the month of June 2019, Víctor Gabriel launches as a soloist with his first single “Mi Problema”, Salsa Version, which has been a resounding success on different stations worldwide.

Home Media Tour in Mexico and Colombia in its Caribbean Region visiting cities such as Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta, in the first one he appeared before a large audience LIVE in an activity called “HEROES IN COLOMBIA”, organized by the Military Police in the Battalion paradise, alternating with Chelito de Castro and Poncho Zuleta and which was covered by “EMISORA TROPICANA”.

He was also invited to participate in the “RANCHO CURRAMBERO INTERNACIONAL” in an event called “LA SALSA CONTINUES”, alongside great Colombian musicians such as Ray Palacio, Charlie Gómez, Nelson Fontalvo and Su Tribu Band among others. In less than four months, Víctor Gabriel was the winner with his song “Mi Problema” at the “Paoli Awards”, in the category “Salsa Revelation Artist 2019.”

On November 16, 2019, Víctor Gabriel Rosario Duran won the “Paoli Award”, “Salsa Revelation” in Orlando Florida.

Victor Gabriel Rosario Duran photo in concert

On February 14, he released his song “ASI ES EL AMOR” authored by master John Dávila, on all digital platforms and is taking possession of the different hit parades of stations in the world. Right now he is recording what will be his complete record work alongside prominent artists and musicians from Puerto Rico, such as Jay Lugo, the most important arranger on the island at the moment and who recently won “Grammy” awards with different artists, Omar Lugo and Luis Omar salseros of the new blood of salsa, John Pito Dávila, trombonist and director of different orchestras such as Puerto Rico Power, The John Dávila Orchestra and his Koketones de la Salsa, Viti Ruiz among others.

“What we are sure of is that Víctor Gabriel Rosario Duran, singer and percussionist, is a Boricua who makes his way safely into the Salsa of the new generation.”

Néstor Galan “El Buho” – SAFERRRROOOO!!!

Latin America / Puerto Rico / San Juan

Néstor Rodríguez Búonomo better known as Néstor Galán “El Búho Loco” was born on January 6, 1958, in the state of New York.

Néstor Galan "El Buho" — Néstor Galan “El Buho”

His parents are Mrs. Eufemia Búonomo and Mr. Julio Rodríguez. He is the eldest of three (3) brothers and father of Julixa Rodríguez Ramírez, who they have heard on the radio with his father.

At the early age of five (5) years, he moved with his parents to Cayey, Puerto Rico.

He studied at Benigno Carrión Elementary School, Benigno F. García Middle School, where he studied music and was part of the School Band as a trumpeter.

Néstor Galan "El Buho Loco" — Néstor Galan “El Buho Loco”

Then he goes to the Miguel Meléndez Muñoz High School and the opportunity arises to be part of one of the most important groups of popular music; The Student Tuna of Cayey, in which she remained for five years as a singer, participating in 4 long-playing albums and in trips abroad.

He was part of the dramatic art group participating in several plays as an actor.

Upon graduating in 1976, he went on to study at the Rio Piedras Commercial Technical Institute and then at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.

In 1979 the Super 97 radio station specialized in the salsa genre began to work at Radio Musical under the name of Néstor Galán, they called him “Galán” because he always liked to dress well. This is his first experience as a broadcaster.

In 1981 he went to work at the radio station Z-93 as a technician, operator and in its promotions.

In 1982 he worked as a production assistant on the program “Viva la Salsa” (WAPA-TV) together with Marianito Artau.

In 1983 he began as a night time announcer in this important radio station and that is when the announcers decide to give themselves nicknames after animals, being in the night time they decide to call him “El Búho”.

Logo de Néstor Galan “El Buho Loco”

In 1985 he began to work during the day and since the owls do not go out during the day, the name “El Búho Loco” emerged. He has worked in all the National Salsa days.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NestorGalanZ93/

Good initiatives must be shared!

North America - United States - New York

We were taking the Salsa exhibition to Puerto Rico for the I Encuentro de Coleccionistas de Salsa, we made an exhibition of the clothing, records and instruments used by the Fania All Star orchestra, Tito Puente, Héctor Lavoe, Adalberto Santiago, the Gran Combo and others. For the first time, the last “tuxedo” that Tito Puente used in his participation with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico was exhibited.

Spanish Harlem Salsa Music Gallery, offered an exhibition and Master Class on the history of Salsa at the Escuela Especializada en Música Jesús T. Piñero in Cidra, Puerto Rico. We transported ourselves to Puerto Rico in search of an opportunity to publicize the Salsa Museum-Gallery in New York.

This is part of the efforts being made for the participation and dedication that is made to the people of Cidra in the Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño 2020 and that is locally coordinated by the Patronato Cidreño along with other civic and professional organizations.

We were able to benefit hundreds of students at this school who are precisely focused on music. The knowledge offered in the three conferences and being able to closely observe the exhibition helped to foster the enthusiasm of the students who make up the campus, unique in the mountains of Puerto Rico, dedicated to the creation of good musicians and knowledgeable in musical art.

We are dedicated to enhancing Latin music and offering spaces focused on arts education, accessible and friendly to the community as a strategic partner.

I thank valuable people such as Laura Torres, Silkia Vázquez, Wilson Nazario and Wilfrido Torres “Puruco” for all the attention and teamwork that we were able to develop during our visit. I cannot stop also thanking my assistant in Puerto Rico, Carmen Cruz; and to Joseph Cruz for his magnificent and beautiful work with me during this pleasant experience.

I also take advantage of this space in International Salsa Magazine because I want to tell you about an artist and a great friend who is doing his best for music and Salsa. Without a doubt, Yova Rodríguez is a long-standing professional who has developed countless projects and initiatives to support those who need it most. With his music, his work and his human quality, he has reached many hearts from New York.

Geovanni “Yova” Rodríguez Ruiz, born in Puerto Rico, had a musical inspiration since he was a child, his uncle Antonio “Toño” Ruiz – his mother’s uncle who played the cuatro – was his first music teacher (melody) and his uncle José Antonio “Pipo” Ruiz Crespo -mama’s younger brother- taught him how to sing aguinaldos (lyrics); and with this they formed the solid foundations that encouraged little Yova to prepare himself accordingly for his foray into the musical world.

The celebration of the Promesa de Reyes, a celebration in which he participated with his mother at his short seven years, leads him to worry about creating and recreating aguinaldos to be interpreted each year, which in some way becomes the seed of composer that we know today.

At the age of 14, he attended the Escuela Libre de Música Ernesto Ramos Antonini in Mayagüez, hand in hand with piano teacher César Toro, rising as vocal leader of the Orchestra after a year.

Years later he gave himself the task of forming his own musical concept, and thus Sakao Aká was born. This orchestra was in charge of accompanying singers such as Camilo Azuquita, Ray de la Paz, Pupy Cantor and Herman Olivera in their presentations in Puerto Rico; and the cover letter for some of these singers to integrate Yova as a chorus girl in their presentations in various countries in Central and South America.

At the end of the 90s, on a trip to Cuba, he was impacted by the music of Fernando Borrego Linares, better known as Polo Montañez, to the point that, some years later upon learning of his death, he had the idea of paying tribute to him, his musical reference, thus giving birth to the idea for her debut feature Homenaje a Polo Montañez (2005), a production of 10 songs by Montañez, and covered by Yova Rodríguez with the participation of renowned musicians from the patio such as Herman Olivera, Héctor “Pichie ”Pérez, Papo Lucca, Edwin“ Caneca ”Rosas, Edwin Colón Zayas, among others.

In 2008, like many of her compatriots, Yova prepares her luggage and heads to the southern United States, where she stays for two years and then moves to New York, a city that has become her center of operations and from where He has extended his working ties as a composer and where he records his next two productions.

The album Letras, canciones y sueños, musical work of 8 songs all written by Yova, comes to light after some years of having published his first production and of having worked silently composing and waiting for his opportunity. This possibility is materialized in 2013.

Already in 2015, the album Mi musa en las voces de mis amigos is released.

Recently, Yova Rodríguez has created more than 420 songs, and many of them have been duly registered with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Editors (ASCAP) under the registry “El Negrito De Delia Music” . “Exceso de amor” is the first composition he has interpreted and recorded; like the song “No me odies”, it is the first recording of a song by him made by a third party.

Now they are going to hear more from Yova, as some productions that will include her compositions are in the process of recording / publishing. Attentive to the upcoming releases of the young Puerto Rican percussionist José Jomar Marcano, the master trumpeter Luis González, the young trombonist, arranger musician and also singer Leo Morales; the renowned DJ Andy Rodríguez, better known as DJ ANDY and the Venezuelan sonero Marcial Isturiz .

Also, The Johnny Cruz Show, the # 1 Salsa Show on television on all 5 Boroughs of New York on CH67. Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

Contact: Johnny Cruz. 917-747-8505. [email protected]

By Johnny Cruz, ISM Correspondent, New York, New York

Great news from New York!

North America / USA / New York

In this edition (Johnny Cruz) I would like to tell you about the memorable career of my good friend Nicky Marrero, whom I esteem and consider to be one of the best timbaleros in the world and who has been an inspiration to many artists of different generations, even today. Also, Nicky is about to turn years this month.

Born in the New York Bronx, the great percussionist and timpani teacher Nicholas Marrero

Known to all as Nicky Marrero, of Puerto Rican roots, came to the world on June 17, 1950 and grew up among musical instruments such as the maracas, güiros, and the guitars through his family. His born talent led him to start studying the drums, but he was seduced by the sounds and influence of Tito Puente and Willie Bobo.

His musical debut was with Orquesta Caribe. There has been speculation about his first recording at age 15 with Willie Colón’s band, but that recording was not released. His first published recordings, in which he participated as timpani player, were the albums El Malo and The Hustler, by Willie Colón, recorded in 1968 for the Fania Records label in LP format. He was invited to participate in a single titled Descarga de Dos Pianos with Charlie Palmieri and Louie Ramírez.

In 1968, Nicky Marrero worked with Eddie Palmieri’s band; That same year, he took part in the recording of the Champagne album, released by the Tico Records label. He has participated with maestro Eduardo Palmieri in fifteen albums between 1968 and 2018, most of them very successful.

In fact, with albums The Sun of Latin Music and Unfinished Masterpiece, they won the Latin Grammy Award. Nicky Marrero is one of the best timbaleros in the history of Latin music; in 1973, he replaced Orestes Vilato in the Fania All Stars of Pacheco and Masucci, with which he made tours, presentations and concerts playing the timpani in many countries of the world.

Nicky Marrero’s gigantic musical career has allowed him to participate in the most important Fania recordings; there are around 25 musical productions in which the imprint of his timpani, his bongo and his bell with La Fania All Stars has been registered.

Not only Latin music and Latin Jazz have had the participation of the Bronx timbalero, other musical genres such as Jazz, Rock, Funk, Soul, World, Country, Stage & Screen; have also had the participation of the portentous timbalero. The most important groups of Latin music, as well as the greatest musicians and singers of Salsa, have had the participation of this prodigious musician.

With great emotion, I congratulate and greet my friend Richard Román for the 25th Anniversary of Radio Salsa Superior, I wish him and his team many successes to continue his work in the world of music. The celebration will be virtual, given the circumstances, but stay tuned because many surprises come. The marvelous Salsa Superior team transmits day by day from Miami at salsasuperior.com/radio.

I want to congratulate my great friend Rafael Ithier and all the musicians of the Gran Combo on their 58th anniversary. Keep reaping successes and being part of the salsa tradition of those who love this genre. For many more years dancing to the rhythm of the Gran Combo of Puerto Rico.

I also want to highly recommend Eddie Montalvo’s new CD: Señor Tambó. The great percussionist of the Stars of Fania and Six of the Solar delights us with a production that has ten songs in collaboration with prominent salsa exponents of the old and new school. A tribute to Rubén Blades with the participation of the Gaitanes. The musical production was in charge of Pedro Bermúdez and also has the musical arrangements of Carlos Torres and Chino Núñez. The production is available on all digital platforms and in traditional CD and Vinyl formats.

Last but not least, It is an honor for me to invite you to tune in to my new Fm / Internet radio station on Live365.com: Salsagallery. Great music, artist interviews and much more made with love for you all. There is the link: https://live365.com/station/a77973

For now, it will not be possible to open to the public the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery in 1708 Lexington ave New York N.Y. 10029, but you can see the entire exhibition with more than 200 articles through our social media. Check the updates in our website: spahasalsagallery.com.

At the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery Museum we are happy to affirm that New York City is preparing to resume its activities little by little. We hope to have more news and soon as we can return to normality.

Remember not to leave your homes unless necessary, stay safe and stay home until the authorities tell us to. Health is first.

Contact: Johnny Cruz. 917-747-8505. [email protected].

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