Search Results for: Salsa Fest

Asia / March 2025

Calibrated maracas

Directory of Asian nightclubs
HONG KONG
Graffiti LKF G/F, 17-18 Lan Kwai Fong, Central Central, Hong Kong	SOLAR LKF Central 2nd Floor, Ho Lee Commercial Building, 38-44 D’Aguilqr Street, Lang Kwai Fong Central HKI Hong Kong	Sole Mio Upper Ground Floor, 51 Elgin Street, Soho Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong
ISRAEL
	Havana Music Club Yigal Alon St 126 Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel +972 3-562-3456
JAPAN
Egoland Bar Akihabara Chiyoda City, Kanda Sakumacho, 4 7－3 2F Tokyo, Japan	Bar Mirage 5F VORT Roppongi Briller, 3-14-14 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo 106-0032, Japan +03-5860-6946	Fiesta Latin Spot Bar 3F, 1 Chome-14-6 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City Tokyo 160-0021, Japan +81 90-1086-2878
El Cafe Latino 3 Chome-15-24 Roppongi, Minato City Tokyo 106-0032, Japan +81 3-3402-8989	Latin Club Leon 5-17-6 B1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 160-0022, Japan	La Tropi Azabu 3F Roppongi Azelea Bldf. 1-3-6 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku Tokyo1060031, Japan
THAILAND
Bafros Sugar Club Complex Sukhumvit Soi 11 Bangkok 10110, Thailand +66 63 039 8700	Havana Social 1/1 Sukhumvit Rd. Soi 11 Bangkok, Thailand +66 2 821 6111
VIETNAM
La Habanera Basement 81 xuân diệu Tay Ho Hanoi 100000, Vietnam +84 35 320 7220	La Pachanga Club Saigon 3rd Floor, 39A Co Bac Street, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam +84 93 855 79 21

Karina Bernales present

MARCH 2025

FESTIVALS

Vietnam International Latin Festival

Mar 27 / 30 2025

VCCI Tower
Dao Duy Anh St.
Hanoi, Viet Nam

From $ 175

How freelance musicians are viewed today

For several decades now, the exclusivity of the musicians in orchestras was forgotten, so now it is very common to see artists playing with many groups at the same time without being seen as traitors, as well as in the past. To know a little more about this interesting and important subject, we wanted to count with the views of our friends, Uruguayan bandleader, percussionist and singer Edgardo Cambón and Venezuelan bandleader and singer Omar Ledezma Jr., who have offered us their vision of things in the following lines of this article.

Percussionist Edgardo Cambon — This is bandleader and percussionist Edgardo Cambon, with whom we talked in this opportunity

Freelance musicians according to Cambon and Ledezma

Before continuing, we believe it appropriate to define what a freelance musician is. In the words of Omar Ledezma, a freelancer in music is a concept of work in which the artist divides himself equally among many projects in which he participates and how well he organizes his time to strike the needed balance in all his professional activities.

Nowadays, there are many musicians who offer their work under this modality, so that they are not completely tied to any specific orchestra and can play with anyone who proposes them.

This is also the case for those who work this way, but at the same time, have their own project. This is the situation of Edgardo Cambón, who, having his own orchestra, has a very limited time for hiring and rehearsals, so he makes it very clear to those who invite him to play that his priority is his own group.

The musician has even played with four or five orchestras at the same time, but always putting his project on top of everything else and notifying in advance if he will be able to play with any of them.

Problems with dates and schedules

Many of these musicians constantly face conflicts with dates and schedules, so it is up to them to choose carefully which event takes precedence over another.

Edgardo has said that he is accustomed to notifying in advance, either two weeks or a month, so that the orchestra can replace him on time. There are certain events for which it is usually more complicated to find replacements, such as large festivals, so the Uruguayan also takes into account the size and importance of the performance, so that his absence does not cause a setback or damage to the group in question.

In his role as a bandleader, he offers his musicians a list of possible replacements who can cover them the day of conflict.

bandleader Omar Ledezma — Bandleader and percussionist Omar Ledezma Jr. also offers his view concerning freelance musicians

Meanwhile, Omar Ledezma, as well as a bandleader, says he always tries to provide his musicians with the greatest flexibility and possible replacements on hand to prevent those absences from causing problems.

What has caused the termination of exclusivity for musicians?

In the 70s, it was not seemly for a musician play for several orchestras, especially if he was the lead singer in a specific group, as public opinion took it as an abandonment of one orchestra for another. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge and this situation has cardinally changed for several reasons.

One of them is that a big orchestra like Ray Barretto’s had the economic capacity to demand exclusivity, since it was a time when there was much more work. As there are fewer spaces for live music, it is the musician who must decide for himself to which project he gives precedence over another.

In addition, there are also many musicians who have a regular 9-5pm job, so they just have time for one orchestra and nothing else, so they do not have the possibility to accept more offers.

According to Edgardo, what changed was the economy of music and full-time artists’ need to work in six or more orchestras in order to make ends meet. Not to mention that there is less work and many bands have reduced their size, to the point that most groups do not have more than five members.

Musician Edgardo Cambon playing live some years ago

Original music

When questioned about a possible decline in quality and lack of originality in the Latin music scene, Edgardo commented that this was not necessarily linked to freelance musicians, but to many orchestras’ fear of playing their own repertoire and their insistence on playing the hits that everyone knows. Otherwise, their owners and musicians think that nobody would want to go to their events.

In addition to that, many promoters, radio stations and media in general tend to be wary of supporting emerging bands’ original music, but the same old hits, except for some reggaeton artists or more trendier genres today.

What does a musician take into account when choosing one orchestra or another?

In addition to the economic factor, which as we said is very important, musicians also take into account how much they like the music played an orchestra and how much they have fun and enjoy being with a certain group.

On the side of bandleaders, there are two key factors to consider when keeping or firing a musician in their project and are responsibility and discipline. If a rehearsal or activity is already scheduled, it is necessary to always arrive on time and fulfill the commitment optimally. When these details are missing, things between musical directors and artists start to get tense, which can lead to an unpleasant work environment.

In the case of Omar Ledezma, as a musician, he always hopes to receive the music in advance so he can properly prepare for the performance, rehearsal or recording he attends, since one of the things he most dislikes in his project is when one of his musicians is not ready for the event. Therefore, he always does everything he can to prevent this from happening to him and to make a good impression with his performance.

The Venezuelan artist also emphasized that musicians have to be very aware of what they are capable of and be clear about what genres they are comfortable with, which will also help them make a better decision when it comes to staying or not in an orchestra.

Omar Ledezma playing — Omar Ledezma Jr. playing live some years ago

Conclusions

One of the things that Eduardo highlighted at the end of his participation is that, although the circumstances are not always ideal, the good musician always strives to give his best to the audience at every opportunity and with any orchestra. He stressed that music is what makes him most happy and that everything he has gained was thanks to it, which he dreamed since he was a teenager and he fully fulfilled it.

He also expressed that he can spend many hours in front of a computer working as a musician, but in front of an audience, his energy changes completely and he becomes a person who only enjoys what he does and wants the same for others.

For his part, Omar Ledezma Jr. said that each project has its time and opportunity. In his case, he is very clear about what he does and will do with each of his short and medium-term projects, whether it is a concert, a recording, a promotion, a music video, among other things. Being clear about what he wants in each project and organizing himself well are key for everything to go as well as it should be.

Continues in the spanish repertoire “The Colonel has no one to write to him” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

North America / USA / New York

During this month of March, the super theatrical production “The Colonel has no one to write to him” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, continues in the Spanish Repertoire, the only company to present plays entirely in Spanish since 1968, subtitled in English, in New York City.

“The Colonel has no one to write to him” is under the direction of Colombian director Jorge Alí Triana and has a leading cast of wonderful Latin American theater, film and television actors such as: the first Colombian actor, Germán Jaramillo incarnating the Colonel and the first Cuban actress on the New York scene, Zulema Clares, playing the Colonel’s selfless wife. This play is an adaptation by Jorge Alí Triana and his daughter Verónica Triana to the novel published in 1961 by the Nobel Prize for Literature (1982) and world-renowned Colombian writer, Gabriel García Márquez.

The story of this theatrical piece focuses on the life of a retired colonel, who fought in the Colombian Civil War and since then has longed for his retirement pension, delayed for 15 years due to the country’s bureaucracy.

The Colonel has no one to write to him - Gabriel Garcia Marquez — The Colonel has no one to write to him – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The thoughtful colonel lives with his unconditional wife in a situation of poverty and they only have a fighting rooster, the product of the inheritance of their deceased son, Agustín. The bird becomes, then, a possible salvation from his misery, since he questions whether or not to sell it to be able to eat, while every Friday he waits for the postman, who yells at him: “Nothing for the colonel.” Nobody writes to the colonel.”

According to statements made by director Jorge Alí Triana for the news outlet Efe, the play “The Colonel has no one to write to him”: “It is a play about dignity, about hope. Every transcendental work of art has a great metaphor and here is that of our peoples who have waited their whole lives with great hope that their situation will change”.

While for the actor Germán Jaramillo, the personification of the colonel has been quite a challenge. “Entering a character like the colonel is like entering the universe of Shakespeare… It is a very beautiful fable but it is also the story of power, old age, decrepitude and political struggle. And this character (the Colonel) in García Márquez’s perspective, which is also universal, achieves that greatness”. (Statements to an international media).

The bird and The Colonel has no one to write to him - Gabriel Garcia Marquez — The bird and The Colonel has no one to write to him – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The play concentrates the action in the dialogues, maintains the atmosphere of the time and has a dramatic language.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Writter):

Gabriel García Márquez was born in Aracataca (Colombia) on March 6, 1927. He studied law at the National University of Colombia, but abandoned it to devote himself to journalism and literature.

In 1955, he published “The Leaf Storm”, his first novel. In 1961, he settled in Mexico City. That same year he published “The colonel has no one to write to him” and the following year “Big Mama’s funerals”. In 1967, he had “One Hundred Years of Solitude” published in Buenos Aires, the work that consecrated him worldwide. In 1972, he won the Rómulo Gallegos Prize and in 1982, the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Other of his great works are: “The Autumn of the Patriarch” (1975), “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” (1981), “Love in the Time of Cholera” (1985) and “News of a Kidnapping” (1996) . His memoirs were published in 2002 under the title “Living to tell the story.” On Thursday, April 17, 2014, at the age of 87, he died in Mexico City, being one of the most recognized, admired and influential authors of Latin American literature and culture.

JORGE ALI TRIANA (DIRECTOR):

Jorge Alí Triana was born in Colombia and is considered one of the most distinguished film and theater directors in Latin America. He studied film and theater at the Higher Academy of Arts in Prague. He is the founder of the Popular Theater of Bogotá. His films have been presented at the most important film festivals in the world such as Cannes, Sundance, Berlin, London and Mar del Plata.

His theatrical credits include “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”, “The Goat Party”, “Don Quixote”, “Blind Date”, among many others, for Repertoire Español. Triana has collaborated with Gabriel García Márquez in several film and theater projects, among them: “Time to die” and “Oedipus Alcalde”, the latter selected to be presented at the Cannes Festival in 1996.

Some of the recognitions that he has in his have are: 3 ACE Awards for Best Director; a Tucán Award for best film for “Time to die”, the Ombú de Oro and Ombú de Plata awards at the Mar del Plata Festival, both for his film “Bolívar Soy Yo!”, among others. Triana directs in Repertorio since 1992 and currently presides over her own production company “Dramax”, where she makes the TV series “Comando Elite” for the RCN – Colombia network.

GERMAN JARAMILLO (ACTOR):

Germán Jaramillo was born in Manizales, Colombia. His performances as an actor earned him awards as the best actor of the year in Colombia on several occasions. He starred in the film “La virgen de los sicarios” (2000), with which he obtained international nominations and awards.

He is also known for his performances in “Paraíso Travel” (2008) and the famous series “Narcos” (2015). Jaramillo is co-founder of ID Studio Theater in New York, of which he is the Artistic Director. He is also co-founder of the Teatro Libre de Bogotá (1973) and its Actors Training School (1988), where he worked as a resident actor, producer and director for almost 30 years with more than 40 productions. His credits in Repertoire Español include: “Blind Date”, “Bad Grass Never Dies”, “Aunt Julia and the Writer” and “Burundanga”.

ZULEMA CLARES (ACTRESS):

Born in Cuba and graduated from the National School of Art in Havana in the careers of Choral Direction and Theater Direction. She has worked in theater, film and television as an actress, playwright and director. She was the founder of the Argos Teatro de Cuba group in 1996 and soon after became one of the most acclaimed actresses on the Cuban scene for her performances in classics by Strindberg, Brecht and Calderón de La Barca, among others. She worked as an acting and directing teacher at the National School of Theater in Cuba.

His film credits include the leading roles in “The Nights of Constantinople”, “Three Times Two” (Silver Zenith, debut film, Montreal 2004) and “Long Distance”. He currently resides in New York and is part of the Spanish Repertory company of actors. His credits with the company include “La fiesta del chivo”, “La casa de Bernarda Alba”, “En el nombre de Salomé”, among many others.

Functions:

▪ Friday, March 02: 8:00 pm

▪ Saturday, March 03: 8:00 pm

▪ Sunday, March 04: 3:00pm

▪ Thursday, March 08: 7:00 pm

▪ Saturday, March 10: 3:00pm

▪ Friday, March 16: 11:00am and 8:00pm

▪ Thursday, March 22: 7:00pm

General Admission

▪ $30.00

logo repertorio – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Address: Spanish Repertoire. 138 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016

“The colonel has no one to write to him.” An adaptation of the novel by Gabriel García Márquez as part of the 50th Anniversary of Spanish Repertory.

Do not miss it!!!