Search Results for: Salsa Orchestra

Tito Rodríguez, Jr. “The Palladium legacy lives on”

Timbalero, Arranger, Composer, Producer and Band Director, Tito Rodriguez, Jr. is one of the most important timbaleros of Salsa and Tropical Music as well as being one of the heirs of the mambo.

I had previously listened to, analyzed and shared my impressions about Transición (2017), by Tito Rodríguez, Jr. In conversation with Tito himself, he confirmed that Transición is his fourth album and the first to carry a Spanish-language title. We are doing well, Tito. This album was preceded by:

Curious?

Un clásico de 1978, originalmente en el sello TR de su padre. Con Sal Cuevas, Cachete, Ruben Figueroa, Gilberto Colon, un joven José Alberto El Canario en la voz - y una sección de coro con Adalberto Santiago y Ruben Blades. Vaya. ¿Curioso? ha sido una de las reediciones más solicitadas de la línea TR y los arreglos y el groove demuestran claramente por qué — Curious? (1975), featuring Adalberto Santiago, José Alberto “El Canario” and Rubén Blades.

Eclipse (1994) y

A classic! In the summer of '94, the Eclipse cuts and the infectious Erotic Woman. — A classic! In the summer of ’94, the Eclipse cuts and the infectious Erotic Woman.

The Big Three Palladium Orchestra live at the Blue Note (2004).

“The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra already may rank as the most brilliant large Latin jazz ensemble this side of Havana.”

The idea of bringing together the three great orchestras of the Palladium was Machito, Jr.’s, whom I will be approaching soon.

Promise is a promise, so here I am to elaborate a bit on what I left out of the previous report.

Why the title Transition?

For much of his productive life, Tito has held a conventional job so music has been his part-time love. Well, we should clarify what this so-called “part-time” has meant for Tito because even part-time, from 1994 to 1999 his orchestra was performing once a month at the world famous Copacabana in New York City. On the other hand, The Big Three Palladium Orchestra live at the Blue Note secured him a promotional tour – through Brian Theobald of BPR Music – that lasted a whopping eleven years.

Well, now it looks like Tito is getting ready to hit the stages that have been waiting for him so long. So get ready, what is coming is not from friends. I wonder if the title track Volver had something to do with Tito’s dream of surrendering to his first love: music.

Tito has been consistent in following the musical line of his progenitor’s orchestra although he has managed to modernize the baseline, adding his own forceful stamp. That is why the musical line of Tito Rodriguez, Jr.’s big orchestra is more modern without straying from the classical foundation.

Reading several articles, I stumbled upon one by Robin Denselow published in 2010 for the international newspaper The Guardian. My chest swells with Puerto Rican pride when I review the legacy left by the “Mambo Kings”: Machito, Puente and Rodriguez, those 3 bandleaders who transformed the American music scene. The Palladium located on Broadway and West 53rd Street no longer offers mambo, chacha or rumba but the musical legacy of the mambo kings remains more alive than ever. According to Denselow, when that Palladium Orchestra took the stage with a brass section it was Tito Rodriguez, Jr. who first led that historic reunion. According to the British view Rodriguez, Jr. lovingly revived his father’s compositions while showing off his percussion skills.

This was just the hors d’oeuvre for when Larry Harlow arrived to raise the bar even higher. Of course, having the luxury of having the pianist hero of not only the mambo kings but also the Fania All-Stars was no small feat for these virtuous offspring. Perhaps they are the offspring of the most influential trio in Latin music.

Back to Borinquen: In 2009 Tito Rodriguez, Jr. was in Puerto Rico fulfilling one of his musical dreams. With that dream in his suitcase, Tito, Jr. arrived behind his timbal to lead a very large orchestra.

Once on Puerto Rican soil, they joined that dream: Luis Nazario “Güiriche” on conga, Paquito Corselles on bass, Luisito Marín on piano, Pablo “El Indio” Rosario on bongo; Emilio Reales, Darío Morales, Simón Rivera and Edwin González on trumpets; Rafy Ruiz and Al Schnitzler on alto saxophone; Nelson Vega and Wilfredo de la Torre on tenor saxophone plus Angel “Chiqui” Vidal on baritone saxophone.

On vocals, Josué Rosado was backed by José Miranda and Juan Manuel Lebrón on backing vocals.

On that occasion, the orchestra performed in the Chucho Avellanet Show, at the gala of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, at the Yagüez Theater in Mayagüez with the special participation of Chucho Avellanet.

The show that closed the tour in Puerto Rico took place at the Science Park in Bayamón. It is worth mentioning that Al Schnitzler and Emilio Reales were musicians in Tito Rodríguez’s orchestra in the 1960s.

Searching through the archives I think I fell for the performance of El Mulato Rumbero.

Although Tito, Jr. has not insisted on the label of being the son of the great vocalist Tito Rodriguez, it is not possible to escape the good shadow of being the son of a Puerto Rican glory who, almost fifty years after his death, is still a topic of conversation in musical circles.

WedSite: Tito Rodriguez, Jr.

By: Bella Martinez “La Escritora Irreverente de La Salsa”

Puerto Rico

WebSite: Bella Martinez

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Bobby Cruz’s musical career and future projects

Life and biography

Bobby Cruz is one of those names that definitely does not require much introduction. This tremendous songwriter and Christian pastor has made a dream career in which he has earned all sorts of awards and recognition that demonstrate his value as an artist, including gold records, Grammys, platinum records, among other world-class awards.

Roberto Cruz Ramos was born on 26 February 26 1937 in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a very humble family that was dedicated to farm activities for a living. His father was one of those many workers in the town who gathered sugar cane from the fields intended for growing that product and became a labour leader who was highly respected by his co-workers and locals. When the family moved to New York City, USA, he entered school, discovered his passion for music and began to be heavily influenced by performers and groups such as the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, which he considered a source of inspiration.

In 1963, he met the man who would become his great musical running mate and with whom he would get many of the most important hits of his career. This was Ricardo Maldonado Morales, artistically known as Richie Ray, who was his neighbor and with whom he gave life to the orquesta de Richie Ray y Bobby Cruz. Even today, this is still considered to be one of the most important groups in the history of salsa, so no one can talk about this genre without mentioning both stars as compulsory references for anyone who wishes to study salsa in depth.

Bobby Cruz next to Richie Ray — Bobby Cruz and Richie Ray in their best days

Together with Ray, he reaped unimagined success and won many awards, one of the most important being first place in the Orchestras Festival thanks to the song La Zafra, which conquered the public and the jury by its heartfelt lyrics which referred to the daily struggle of the workers in the sugar cane fields and their experiences. If we take into account the fact that the father of Bobby was a sugarcane worker and someone respected in his trade, this song acquires a far stronger meaning for anyone who has had the fortune of hearing it.

Within the year, more specifically in 1974, Bobby became an evangelical pastor after Ray invited him to attend the same evangelical church of which he formed part. He did not much like the idea at first, but then changed his mind and became a faithful servant of Jesus, as he defines himself.

That was how he started a very interesting facet in both his life and his artistic career. In a way, Cruz succeeded in mixing his passion for music with his new religious beliefs. This is how Bobby and Ray began to use a religious approach to their musical works, a decision that unfortunately led to the loss of a large number of their followers. However, that did not stop them and they went on to regain the confidence of their fans and members of their church, who were not very happy with the idea at first.

Bobby Cruz in his Church — Bobby Cruz during his duties as an evangelical pastor

Current projects

Currently, Bobby Cruz is involved in a host of projects that takes up a lot of his time. One of them is the launch of his new book entitled Hubo Una vez un niño, the pages of which tell the story of a group of young inmates and their experiences in prison. The artist used stories he heard during his visits to prisons in Puerto Rico and other countries as part of his work as an evangelical pastor. In those prisons, he discovered stories about boys born into good families and healthy homes, but that did not stop them from ending up in prison for many reasons.

The fact that many of these boys were sons of pastors really touched him and made him wonder what had led these boys to commit acts so reprehensible having grown up in Christian homes. Moreover, there were many criminals who wanted to join the church and redeem themselves after having broken the law at that time. All of these things inspired Bobby in such a way that he wanted to create a story where he could reflect all of these elements that bothered him. It is now available on Amazon and many other platforms through which those interested can purchase it.

As additional data, the Puerto Rican let it be known that he is already working on the television version of the book, which will consist of 10 or 12 chapters in total.

Cover of Hubo una vez un nio — Cover of the book Hubo una vez un niño

One of the projects that Cruz has in mind is the launch of a film based on the trajectory of the singer with his orchestra fellow Richie Ray. It will be titled Richie Ray y Bobby Cruz, los reyes de la salsa and is expected to be the closest thing to the reality lived by the duo in years of greatest splendor. Although people of any age can enjoy it, it is known that it will be focused on the public that enjoyed their talent in the 70s and the actors are immensely similar to the performers in the time.

Among other details, it has been revealed that the film is already made and is in the process of being edited for release this year. It is just not clear the name of the platform that will be used to broadcast it, since the artists are waiting for the most attractive proposal possible. It was rumored that there were talks with Netflix to be the streaming service charged with broadcasting the film, but nothing has been confirmed officially.

Official Facebook page: Bobby Cruz

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

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Cherry Navarro, ever present despite the time elapsed

Short but successful music career and life trajectory

Alexis Enrique Navarro Velásquez, artistically known as Cherry Navarro, was a singer and musician from Venezuela, whose talent quickly became evident in a variety of rhythms such as pop, ballads, and others. He was born on 9 July 1944 in Caripito, Monagas State, from the union of Manuel Rafael Navarro and María de Jesús Velásquez de Navarro.

Young Alexis was only 14 years old when his mother decided to move to the country’s capital, specifically to the El Valle parish, where he began his formal education. Around this time, he met another future Venezuelan music legend, José Luis Rodríguez El Puma. The boys not only became good friends, but also they formed their first musical group known as Canaima, which took its first steps at parties and small gatherings.

José Luis Rodríguez next to Cherry Navarro — José Luis Rodríguez “El Puma” next to Cherry Navarro in their youth

When the artist decided that he wanted to devote his life to the music world, he started training in a variety of instruments such as the trombone and piano. It might not be long before his efforts paid off and he managed to perform on the TV show Club del Twist, representing a great start in the public and musical life of this young promise.

After having earned considerable fame, he began to be part of the Chelique Sarabia Y Su Conjunto, with which he had intense television activities, making presentations in the most popular variety shows of that moment. One of them was that of the unforgotten presenter Renny Ottolina.

Cherry Navarro next to Renny Otto — Cherry Navarro performing on The Renny Show

In the early 60s, he met his first wife and mother of his only son, Belkis Montero, but the relationship would not last for long due to the travel and continued musical commitments of the artist. The success that he was accomplishing caused the end of his marriage, but this, far from discouraging the singer, further boosted his career and provided him with the necessary push to start out as a soloist.

After seeing one of his performances in the programme hosted by Chelique Sarabia Cada Minuto Una Estrella, businessman Renato Capriles proposed him to join Los Melódicos, with whom he recorded a few singles, but then he quit the orchestra and ventured to experience a solo career.

Cherry Navarro and Chelique Sarabia — Cherry Navarro next to Renato Capriles

Thanks to the support and contacts provided by his new partner María De Las Casas, Navarro managed to sign an important contract with the record label Polydor, with which he recorded his first solo album. That was how the artist finally established himself as a solo artist with a short, but very successful musical career. Something that characterized the musician is that he ever wanted to stand out from other artists, so he always found a way to give a unique touch to his outfits and musical arrangements.

After a very intense artistic career and life trajectory, he fell ill as a result of medullary aplasia which took away his life on 28 September 1967 at the age of 23, ending his life, but giving rise to a music legend.

The burial of Cherry Navarro in 1967 — A vast crowd took part in the burial of Cherry Navarro in 1967

The origin of the name Cherry Navarro

Many could see that Cherry Navarro was the singer’s artistic name and perhaps others are wondering where this invention that would immortalize the artist for generations came from. Well, we have recently spoken with a dear childhood friend of Cherry Navarro, who has some interesting things to mention and we quote his words verbatim:

«Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is Luis Guillermo Rangel. I am a person one of those who grew up in Coche, in the urbanization Delgado Chalbaud, since I was nine or ten. During the 1950-60s, I had the honor of growing up with the respected and beloved Navarro family. Cherry’s mother, Mrs. María Jesús, and his brothers Manuel, René, Carlitos, Cherry, Leslie, and another older sister whose name escapes me at the moment.

After we met for some time in the urbanization, we even formed a Venezuelan music group and entered a music contest that was on Channel 2, Radio Caracas Televisión. It was a program broadcast at 6:00 p.m. and was called “El Programa de José Bhor”. He was an Argentinian man who came to Venezuela to do television and spaces, including this original tv show.

Through music, we as restless young people formed a group bwith friends who lived in the same parish between El Valle, Coche, and the urbanization Delgado Chalbaud. Its director and founder was our friend Frank Acevedo, who was a renowed harpist. In the meantime, I was the cuatro player and let’s say I was an alternate member because I was not fixed there. However, I had my group with Cherry Navarro until we integrated to the CONJUNTO ALMA JUVEIL DE CHELIQUE SARABIA. At the José Bhor’s show, we participated, performed, sang, and won first place in that contest. As I said then, that was on Radio Caracas Televisión.

But ahead, Cherry, or let’s call him Enrique, moved to Los Chaguaramos and I to La Campiña. If memory serves me, he lived in the Naiguatá building. In front of the Luis Caballero Mejías Industrial Technical School (ETI fpr its initials in Spanish) and the Central University of Venezuela (UCV for its initials in Spanish). Cherry moved to that building and we stayed friends.

He did not yet use the nickname “Cherry Navarro” at that time and it was there in Los Chaguaramos where that name was born. I remember there was a candy store where all the boys at ETI AND UCV used to go.

I started to study at ETI, Cherry was very close to me and we took walks in the area with Chelique Sarabía, who studied oil at ETI back then. And we were out there most of the time.

Cherry had a things for certain sweets, was highly selective and quite a character. In those days, a new chocolate product came out to the consumer market. It was a new product made from chocolate and cookie that would compete with another brand in the market that was well-known. That brand that he liked so much was called “Cherry” and every time we went to the candy store to buy something, he wanted some sweet and us to provide him with his favorite Cherry. Of so much saying “Cherry”, he stayed with that name. that nickname is vivid in our mind, even until today that we affectionaly refer to him as CHERRY NAVARRO, who will remain engraved in the hearts of all his followers.

So much so that when he came here, we said “here comes Cherry” because he was always eating chocolates and candies. It was one of his preferred candies because he was a sweet tooth. So much so that his nickname, as I said earlier, came from that Cherry cookie and so remained.

In the family of Cherry in Coche, there were many anecdotes for him. He had a yellow strand of hair on one side and my dad thought he dyed his hair, but he did not. In those days none of that was used. He had a mole there and, of course, we, who had a baseball team there in Coche, made fun of him and someone came up with the name “tongolele”. She was a trendy Mexican actress and when someone called him “tongolele” he got angry because he did not like to be called in this way. Cherry was very friendly and pleasant, but I remember that he was always in fashion, so the nickname “tongolele” went very well. For that reason, “tongolele” stayed in Coche for quite some time.

We organized many get-togethers with friends that ended in fights because Cherry also liked to throw punches, but he did not like to be called in this way.

I remember once on Radio Caracas Televisión, when we entered the programme Club Musical with Chelique Sarabia Y Su Conjunto, someone from the audience approached Cherry and called him ‘tongolele. He just looked at him in the studio and said “Look, if you call me ‘tongolele’ again, you don’t know what’s waiting for you”. I do not forget that, either. That is the story of our great Cherry Navarro and may the good Lord rest his soul because he was a great friend and brother. We grew up from the age of 10 or 11 and spent so much time together. He died at 23 on 26 September because he was born on July 1943. I was older than him by three or four years.

Thanks a lot for the interview and we are to order.

God bless you and thank you».

Words from the friend and teammate of Cherry Navarro from the Conjunto de Chelique Sarabia, Luis Guillermo Rangel

Luis Guillermo Rangel and his guitar — Luis Guillermo Rangel holding his guitar

Luis Guillermo Rangel’s Facebook page: Luis Guillermo Rangel

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International Area – July 2021

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Que Siga la Fiesta with Carlitos Lopez “El Gordito Favorito”

Born in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico in 1969 with music in his veins.

Carlos Enrique Lopez (Carlitos Lopez el gordito favorito), he begins to show interest in music in general, boleros and trios

The bomba, plena, jibara music which he listened to in the countryside when his uncles and aunts visited his family, they liked to play stringed instruments and harmony either the tres or the Puerto Rican cuatro and the symphony.

At the age of 7 he moved to his grandparents’ house to begin studying in elementary school in his native Puerto Rico, while studying in the afternoons he spent his time listening to Fania and its stars. Singers like Hector Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, Ruben Blades, Ismael Rivera among others.

Courtesy of his cousin who was a loyal fan and collector of Willie Colon’s salsa etcetera, little by little he was learning to vocalize demonstrating the ability to learn to do vocals for the choir at that time he met a young Anthony Cruz for the first time and was impressed with his melodious voice, although they never shared in those days.

Carlos debuted at the age of 14 with an orchestra created by his cousin and some students of the vocational music school where he had the opportunity to accompany Santos Colon former singer Tito Puente, he decided to move back home to his parents where he met Anthony Cruz who lived on the same street where his parents lived, and who already belonged to the orchestra of Mario Ortiz and began to attend rehearsals, recordings and dances.

Born in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico in 1969 with music in his veins. — Carlitos López El Gordito Favorito

There he met a young Tony Vega, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Elias Lopez, Lalo Rodriguez, Dario Morales who encouraged him to take vocal lessons, but he never did for lack of time.

but he never made it due to lack of support from his parents because there were other hopes and expectations.

The teacher Mario Ortiz noticed his uneasiness and spoke casually with his parents, but the decision had already been made by his parents.

but the decision was already made by them leaving Carlos disenchanted with music and taking the decision to emigrate to the United States where he dedicated himself to the culinary arts for the rest of his life until 2004 when he met again with Anthony Cruz who already had a successful career as a soloist and was touring they spoke for a moment and that was enough to return to her first love, music.

Anthony Cruz introduces him to several of the musicians who accompanied him in that activity and the rest is history. He joins the orchestra as a chorus singer and debuts as a composer where he writes 4 songs for the production of a CD of the orchestra entitled Going solo under the musical direction of Harry Rios.

They gain the popularity and admiration of the salsa people playing in different parts of Central Florida, festivals, clubs, and discotheques.

Carlitos López El Gordito Favorito Born in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico. — Carlitos López El Gordito Favorito
Born in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico.

They return and record a single Going Back to Old School on which Carlos dedicates a song to Israel Lopez Cachao titled 80 Year’s of Cachao with arrangement and direction by Luis Jungo Ortiz which had tremendous acceptance from the dancing public and the radio listeners, from there Carlos decides to retire from music again to continue his career in the culinary arts.

Until he receives a call from an old friend asking him to help him with the choirs because he was going to accompany different artists.

Carlos began to accompany different singers with that orchestra called La Predilecta as a chorus singer among which there were names of the height of Anthony Cruz, Lalo Rodriguez, Cano Estremera, Manolo Lezcano, Chamaco Rivera, Frankie Figueroa, Ommy Cardona, Paquito Acosta, Paquito Guzman, Hector Tricoche, Papo Cocote and many more.

Carlos has written several songs including a collaboration between Anthony Cruz and Danny Sanchez titled No Vale la pena Enamorarse with arrangement by Luis Jungo Ortiz.

In addition to a song titled Today again under the tutelage of Harry Rios sung by Danny Sanchez currently Carlos Enrique Lopez known as Carlitos (the favorite fatty) made his debut as a solo singer.

And is promoting the theme of his authorship entitled Me Enamore under the direction, arrangement and production of the master Luis Jungo Ortiz which has enjoyed a good reception on digital platforms, social networks and independent radio stations on the internet.

As Radio Brisa Tropical con the master Taíno Roldán, Radio Calidad de vida del Dr Ted, Top 98 radio with Richie Sanchez and also.

Que Siga la Fiesta

Carlos has just recorded a song of his authorship entitled Que Siga la Fiesta in collaboration with 2 talented gentlemen from Orlando Central Florida and Miami are Edwin el Calvito Reyes and Luis Jibarito de Jesus under the direction and arrangement of Mike Rivera The Professor in the studio 305 Imma Studio owned by music engineer Immanuel Ramirez which came out on April 20, 2021.

Facebook: Carlos Enrique López

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