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How Luis González began his artistic career

Luis González is one of those artists who really make Puerto Ricans proud of being born in the Island of Enchantment. The fascinating story of this boricua begins in March 1954 when he was born in the town of Arecibo, located on the north coast of Puerto Rico, the country from which he moved to look for new opportunities on U.S. soil, starting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was in this city where he spent most of his childhood and began his artistic career in the Youth Orchestra of this place.   

A few years later, he returned to his native country and was notable for being the trumpet player of the Orquesta Concepto Latino de Arecibo, accompanying a big number of artists such as Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago and many others. After completing his studies at the Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, he moved to New York, where he was part of many famous orchestras and worked with renowned artists such as Ray Barreto (whom many consider him his mentor) and Luis Perico Ortiz. Back in Puerto Rico, he worked with La Mulenze, Bobby Valentín, Willie Rosario, Roberto Roena, among other stars. 

It was not until 2009 when he finally decided to give life to his own orchestra which he called Luis González Y Su Orquesta el Tsunami de La Salsa consisting of a total of 12 musicians with a long international career and an uncanny talent. At this time, it is seen as one of the best salsa orchestras in Puerto Rico in its history. The following year, he released what would be his first musical work with his new orchestra entitled Tributo A Un Gigante, which included the collaboration with Luis Perico Ortiz, Adalberto Santiago, Paquito Guzmán, Toñito Vázquez and others. This record production was recognized as one of the most outstanding of that year. 

Recent years

In 2015, he achieved the same feat with his second production Si te Preguntan…, which allowed him to gain great notoriety in the public and the media dedicated to promoting salsa in various parts of the world. 

Years later, González would be inducted into the Puerto Rico Music Hall of Fame thanks to his more than 45 years of musical career, but that was not all. The artist has also received other important recognition from cultural and musical institutions in his native country. Not to mention that he is a member of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Latin Grammy), getting to participate in the commissions that choose the nominees in some categories. 

In 2020, under the Carnival of Barranquilla, the trumpet player was selected as a member of the jury at the 2020 Orchestras Festival, a well-deserved honor he received on behalf of the Colombian city due to his talent and experience. 

For the moment, he is working hard on his fourth music production, which he has decided to call 50 años… mi música… mi pasión! and will be released to the public in March of this year. A special peculiarity of this new album is that it will be arranged by a top-line team, including Luis Perico Ortiz (who has worked with González on repeated occasions), Ricky González, Oscar Hernández, Javier Hernández, among other eminences. 

By: Johnny Cruz correspondent of International Salsa Magazine in New York City, New York

How Junito Albino began his career

Junito Albino is one of those artists who has been influenced by some of the greatest artists in Latin music and that has led him to become what he is today. Julio Junito Albino was born in New York in 1962 and got curious about the same music at the age of 11, after which he joined the school band of San Germán until he graduated from high school. When he was still a teenager, he began to play timbales with the first group to which he belonged, whose name was Orquesta La Crítica and belonged to director and trumpeter Fernando Vega. 

When he attained the proper age, he began to study music education at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in 1980, when he would be a part of the Orquesta Kachende de Mayaguez whose direction was by Gilberto Gili Toro. With this group of musicians, he released his first record production. By that time, he met singer-songwriter Antony Martínez, with whom he would have a great friendship. 

In 1983, he went to live in New York City and began collaborating with the Orquesta de Los Hermanos Colón, with whom he wasted no time in returning to the Island of Enchantment to do some live performances. With this same group, he recorded his second album Ámame Un Poquito Más, which was directed by Sergio George. 

Some of the orchestras with which Albino worked

Another of the most important society that Albino achieved realizing during his career was with Joe Quijano’s orchestra and his Conjunto Cachana, with whom he had the opportunity to share the stage with La Guarachera de Cuba Celia Cruz, The King of Timbales Tito Puente, Latin Grammy winner Ray Santos, talented pianist Charlie Palmieri and many others.   

In 1986, he was fortunate to accompany some of the greatest artists from Latin genres such as Paquito Guzman, Marvin Santiago, Hector Tricoche and many more. One of the greatest unions that he would give tangible shape to would be with Moncho Santana’s Orchestra, former vocalist of Grupo Niche, with whom he chalked up enormous successes and demonstrated all his talent. However, collaborations would not stop there. 

Junito also came to be part of the orchestra of Tito Nieves and that of Ramon Rodriguez. The latter was directed by pianist Gilberto Colón, Jorge González (bongo) and Willie Romero (conga). With all his accumulated experience at this point in his life, it was not difficult for him to find a place in the Orquesta Tártaro led by Franke Ruíz. 

When he moved back to Puerto Rico, he was also in other orchestras in the country such as Puerto Rican Power, Jorge Carrión, Luisito Escobar and many more. In addition to the foregoing, he has managed to work as a producer and musician in a large number of independent groups collaborating with percussion, timbales, bongo and other instruments.   

After a successful career in other groups, he decided to create his own orchestra, Secreto A Voces, in which genres such as salsa and Latin jazz stand out. His first album was called Báilalo and contained songs of his own that were big hits in some European countries such as Italy. His second album was entitled Haciendo Ruido and included the participation of artists such as Nino Segarra, Jaime Rivero, among others.  

By: Johnny Cruz correspondent of International Salsa Magazine in New York City, New York