Search Results for: Salsa music

Exclusive with tres player Iván Camblor from the group Pellejo Seco

Cuban musicians have always found the way to stand out in the entertainment world thanks to their talent and commitment and one of those examples is Ivan Camblor, tres player and vocalist with whom we have had the privilege to talk about his career and what was achieved with the group led by him right now, which is Pellejo Seco.

During the conversation, the artist elaborated on a few topics we found relevant to discuss and we were pleased to hear some of the most important data of one of the most important Cuban son groups in the Bay Area today.

Ivan playing the tres — Cuban musician Iván Camblor playing the Cuban tres live

Iván Camblor’s beginnings in music

As is the case of many other artists of his kind, Ivan showed a very early interest in music, specifically since he was at school in his hometown, Havana, Cuba. He defines himself as a self-taught composer who began his musical learning on the street, while he attended classes like any child his age.

From a very young age, many veteran musicians saw in him the enormous potential he had for music, so they began teaching him all they knew, leading him to the path of Cuban son and traditional Cuban music. Today, these genres is still his north after so many decades.

The Felix Varela School of Music

When he was old enough, Iván attended the Félix Varela School of Music, where he studied music appreciation theory, but unfortunately the island’s economic situation affected that part of his learning. Over time, the conditions of the institute started to worsen, making many teachers resign and leave students without chances to continue their studies, including Ivan, who could not see the classes he wanted because of the lack of staff.

Being unable to study what he wanted, Ivan decided to continue learning on his own with the musical groups he had contact with and that is how it continued until today.

His singing, composition and ability to play the Cuban tres came with the experience he acquired on the street and with friends who knew more about music than he did. He refers to guitarist and tres player Octavio Sánchez ”Cotán” and El Niño Rivera as his greatest teachers and influences.

With the experience gained, he had the opportunity to go through all the Cuban music companies, since there were not many tres players at that time and tres teaching was very new.

Ivan with Chucho Valdez — Pellejo Seco vocalist Sulkary Valverde, Cuban pianist Chucho Valdez, and Iván Camblor

Music composed by Iván for films

Just as Iván was in several groups, he also had the opportunity to compose original music for films and such was the case of the film ”Hacerse El Sueco” directed by his great friend Edesio Alejandro, who contacted him to support him in the musical part of the production.

It is then when he proposed him to write four or five original tracks to be used for the film, but Ivan did not mind getting credit, but helping his great friend with his project, so all the material is under his label Orula Music.

However, he is grateful for the experience and the opportunity to help a good friend who needed his talent at that moment.

Ivan’s coming to the United States

Ivan remembers his coming to the United States as one of the most difficult things he had to do, since it is not easy to leave his roots and everything he knows to seek a different kind of future in other lands.

At first, Ivan was not at all convinced of this decision, but his then partner and mother of his only son made him see that it was the best for them to leave Cuba and go to the United States to try their luck, to which the artist finally agreed.

For many years, the tres player thought the worst of his host country because of the ideas the he grew up with in Cuba, but upon arrival, he found that the reality was very different from the propaganda he was bombarded with in his childhood and youth.

Once he was there, he started working on the area of music that he liked most since he was in Cuba, composition. It was then that the idea of forming his own musical group started going round his head.

Iván creó el Pellejo Seco — Iván Camblor conceived Pellejo Seco as a Cuban son and traditional Cuban music group

How the group Pellejo Seco was created

Ivan conceived Pellejo Seco as a project in which he would pay homage to the Cuban community, so he tried to find the best musicians for the task. One of them was Cuban trumpeter Marcos Diaz, Puerto Rican Hector Lugo, trumpeter Mario Silva, Liban Montoya, Mexican singer Rogelio Maya and singer German Donatien. This is the original group with which the artist started his band, but others have already joined other orchestras or have started something on their own.

That was more than 20 years ago and, today, Pellejo Seco has managed to consolidate itself as one of the main Cuban music groups in the Bay Area. Now, it is the most required traditional Cuban music sextet in the area.

As for the name of the band, Ivan chose the name ”Pellejo Seco” as a tribute to the Cuban peasants whose skin is hard and dry as leather due to the sun and the working conditions that they are exposed to.

Patrón Latin Rhythms manager talks about the band and its plans

Patrón Latin Rhythms is one of those many bands from the San Francisco Bay Area that continue to demonstrate the taste the inhabitants of the area and its surroundings have for Latin music and other rhythms stemming from it. For this reason, we decided to talk to Vanessa Ojeda, the band manager, to know more in depth her work and everything that has to do with the group.

Vanessa, manager of Patrón — This is Vanessa Ojeda, manager of Patrón Latin Latin Rhythms

Vanessa’s beginnings in music

Vanessa told us that music has always been present in her life, as she remembers, from an early age in San Leandro, California. Her father was responsible for managing musical groups, so he taught his daughter all he knew about the administrative and business part.

In fact, the young woman recalls that, since she was five years old, she already saw her father playing his trade and explaining some things about it. As she got older, she gained more responsibilities and learned more about the internal functioning of a group. She started answering e-mails, drawing up contracts, making reservations, among other things.

When her father sadly passed away about three years ago, Vanessa had to learn to do the rest of the things on her own, so she greatly appreciates the prior learning she experienced before the time came.

Today, she is in charge of all the band’s contacts, social networks, publicity, promotion, musician fees, hotel bookings, travel, among other tasks.

Beginnings of Patrón Latin Rhythms

Vanessa explained that it was her father who initially selected the musicians and talent that made up the band. He began by looking for the congueros, whom he took home to determine who was the best choice for the group. He also had some friends who were dedicated to music and he knew they would do a great role if they joined his project, so he contacted them to make the proposal.

Later, the first musicians selected to be part of the group created their own orchestra, which led Vanessa’s father to look for new musicians and a different name to the proposal that he had in mind and search for the right talent for it. This is how Patrón Latin Rhythms was born.

Vanessa comments that her father was a lover of the musical work by Poncho Sanchez, Tito Puente, Santana, among other artists of this style, so he was looking for musicians who could emulate those sounds and ways of playing. He also wanted the new members of the new 10-piece band to understand what he wanted at that time, which was the salsa of the time.

As for the name of the band, Vanessa and her father wanted something attractive and playful for the audience, so after thinking about many things, they decided that ”patrón” was a memorable term and that made them think of something or someone ”strong” and ”with character”, just as they wanted the band’s music to be.

Patrón plays Latin and American music — Patrón Latin Rhythms is capable of playing both Latin and American music without any problem

Musical background of the musicians

Another thing Vanessa’s father was very careful with was knowing very well the background of each of the musicians he selected and, of course, ensuring that they came from reputable bands. ”My father knew many of the musicians before forming the group, so he knew they would do an excellent job if he gave them the chance. In fact, some of them are still with me despite my father’s death and the time elapsed,” said Vanessa.

The permanence of most of the old team is considered by Vanessa as a sign that Patrón Latin Rhythms is much more than just a job for its members. It is also like a family that they take care of and strive to make it better every day.

This was achieved thanks to the training provided by her father, who always made sure that Vanessa knew all the details related to the band’s operation so that she would be able to take care of it and its members after his passing. One of the most important things he taught her is that she should always treat others as she would like to be treated, which she has very much in mind to this day.

Genres played by Patrón Latin Rhythms

Regarding the genres played by the group, Vanessa said that they have tried to incorporate a lot of salsa into their repertoire recently. Her father was a big fan of Latin rock, which occupied a privileged place in the band’s work, but when Vanessa took the reins of the project, she began incorporating a little more salsa and diversify the rhythms played by Patrón Latin Rhythms. To this we must add that she likes R&B a lot, so it was also taken into account to be part of the group’s repertoire.

It is precisely this blend of genres that the group always seeks to achieve is what guarantees them a mixed audience in which all nationalities and tastes converge. Something that stands out from the group’s musicians is that many of them have their own salsa repertoire due to the experience they bring from other orchestras, which helps them attract audiences of different generations.

In addition to that, Latin and American public tend to enjoy Patrón Latin Rhythms’ music depending on the genre being played at any given time.

Patrón playing live — Patrón Latin Rhythms playing live

How Patrón Latin Rhythms handles arrangements on the covers

At the time of creating a cover of a well-known song, the musicians of the group take into account the characteristics of the audience they are going to entertain that day, and one of them is the crowd size. If the audience is big, they know they should play faster songs, but if the group of attendees is smaller, then they start with something softer and calmer.

However, in all their performances, they try to vary all genres so that their shows do not become monotonous and the audience does not get bored. In fact, their repertoire has included from songs by Marc Anthony or Santana to others by Bruno Mars or the group Chicago, which shows how diverse a Patrón Latin Rhythms concert can be.

On this subject, we can say that each musician is a fundamental part of the orchestra, as each one plays a role in each song they are going to play because not everyone can play everything. In fact, Vanessa tells an anecdote in which one of the musicians quit and it was difficult for the rest of the them to play the chords and the percussion part of certain songs he played. For the same reason, each member and instrument is of vital importance in the band and it is not always easy to cover some of them.

Latin America / July 2024

DIRECTORY OF NIGHTCLUBS
ARGENTINA	ARUBA	BELIZE
BOLIVIA	BRAZIL	CHILE
COLOMBIA	COSTA RICA	CUBA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC	ECUADOR	GUATEMALA
MEXICO	PANAMA	PERU
PUERTO RICO	VENEZUELA

Rocío Hernández is the Announcer and General Producer of “La Metrópolis”, an entertainment radio program broadcast every Thursday in Caracas

Rocio Del Valle Hernandez Diaz, better known as Rocio Hernandez, Venezuelan born in the current state of La Guaira, in its capital La Guaira where all the people from Guaira or Vargas were born, at that time it was Vargas, until its current change of name of the entity.

I was born on July 20, 1986, here in my beautiful country Venezuela, I come from a working class family with strong Spanish ancestry and a little bit of Venezuelan indigenous race, which I am very proud of my roots, all Venezuelans have a mixture of European, indigenous and African, we carry it in our blood.

Rocío Hernández is the announcer and general producer of "La Metrópolis", an entertainment program broadcast every Thursday in Caracas — Rocío Hernández is the announcer and general producer of “La Metrópolis”, an entertainment program broadcast every Thursday in Caracas

I am 37 years old and I am the mother of a beautiful, intelligent and magical 10 year old girl, who came into my life in 2014.

The eldest of 3 sisters, all of whom are professionals in this country, and Aunt of 1 niece and 1 nephew.

My family is a fundamental support for the development of my entire career, which I will now tell you, thanks to them my parents and sisters always move forward with work, honesty, respect, responsibility and education, values instilled in our home always.

Current resident in the state of La Guaira, specifically in the Carayaca Parish.

Administrator in Customs and International Trade graduated from the Universidad Simon Bolivar USB and Universidad Marítima del Caribe UMC, professionally my main base as a career.

It has been almost 20 years of career in this area of administration and international trade. I am a University Teacher specifically in the area of English Language in its teaching as a foreign language for 2 universities in this country currently I have worked for other institutions teaching Arancel de Aduanas, economic integration, foreign trade , also advertising and marketing, budgeting, marketing for careers such as graphic design, interior design and advertising and marketing ,additionally I got certified in Radio Voiceover in 2018 I started those studies from 2017 to 2018 in the Latin American Institute of voiceover in the Chacao municipality in the city of Caracas.

This study I did in parallel to my work in the administrative area of finance during that time, at that time. Which I started and finished satisfactorily.

The radio broadcasting certification gave us, radio production, radio technical equipment management, diction, public speaking, brand positioning and networking for that time, a very complete course, which allowed us to develop all our skills and abilities to speak into a radio microphone and the general public, this certification required us to design a real radio program, with 1 month test airing with real production, real guests, real recording and airing in a real way, on the web platform (www.radiosinprecedentes.com. ve) of the institute once a week for 1 month, at that time with my study group we designed this format The Metropolis with the help of the teacher of the subject of production is how this group of 5 people 4 women and 1 man designed the format of the program “The Metropolis”, which helped us to pass the subject, practice and experience a radio program which remained as a sketch there, to use in the future if we wanted so, at present each one went different ways inside and outside the country, and have developed different types of programs in the area where they work or simply do not practice radio broadcasting.

In my case I always dreamed of having my own radio space after getting certified because for a natural and authentic reason, from the bottom of my heart I wanted to take the course to get certified and practice radio broadcasting, even if it was for 15 minutes something short or long.

But it was not until the year 2023 that opened the door to have my radio space, after knocking on about 2 to 3 doors, through a lifelong friend who knew I was looking for the opportunity, I was offered this opportunity by the board of IUS radio an innovative radio, and offered me the schedule accepting the proposal and these coincidences and without chronicities of life and destiny, has allowed me to develop The Metropolis every week on Thursdays from 11am to 12pm. Radio space which I am going to comment below:

La Metrópolis an entertainment program transmitted every Thursday from 11am to 12pm by the platform or website www.iusradio.com.ve, in which I am the announcer and main producer of the space, this radio space is a place where we announce and recommend the best places to enjoy and visit in Greater Caracas hence its name La Metrópolis we inform about what is there, what is happening, what is happening, what is new in the most important area of our country, La Guaira, Caracas and Miranda.

This includes all the human beings that live here and their daily activities of importance and impact, human, social, musical, productive, scientific, educational, artistic, cultural, business, commercial, among others, everything that makes life here.

That is why we started in this first year with 3 original sections that I am going to talk about:

Section 1 La Tienda: Varied national and international news. Guide of places to visit and activities in the great caraca.

Section 2 El Café: Space for interviewing our guests (people who contact us or contact me or the production of the station).

Section 3 El Coctel: Space for interaction with our public, contests, gifts, with our fans, collaborators and society.

And that contact with whatsapp networks, Facebook, Instagram, X, fixed or cell phone.

Already after this year, on our own initiative and together with the production of ius radio, an innovative radio station, La Metrópolis has released 2 new sections of our own creation, which I will name below:

Section 4. Cinema City: Space of anecdotes, historical and current curiosities of the 7th art, Cinema.

Section 5 La Pasarela: Space for current trends in national and international fashion.

These sections have these original names to associate them to the city since they are allusive to the activities that we live in a City.

The musicalization is under my selection and musical taste. The musical cut is Pop and Rock in Spanish and English, Ballads in English and Spanish, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Ryth and blues, Venezuelan music, music of national talent, classics of always, Latin music only Salsa, Merengue and finally Rap and Reggaetón, keeping a close eye on the content of messages and lyrics that are not offensive and out of order for our esteemed, valued and exclusive radio audience of my program and the station. I am and we are careful in that out of respect for our listening audience and the national communication laws.

At this time the Metropolis has an approximate or regular audience of 100 to 200 people estimated, with low and high peaks.

This is how in the section in the coffee everyone’s favorite we always have our guests here we have had the opportunity to have in the booth, interviewing from film directors, actresses, singers, dancers, musicians, educators, doctors, lawyers, artisans, music DJ, motivational Coach, holistic healers, therapists, publicists, musical groups, dance groups, music academies, journalists, writers of books and stories, who make life inside and outside the country, but have a common denominator, they have a dream and make this country a better country to live, they are useful to them, their families and society.

A space to project them, and allow them to express and show what they do and their impact, this is how La Metropolis is ready to support any activity that allows human development in its maximum expression. Trusting that we will reach more public with more frontiers promoting everything positive for people for the coming years of professional work.

Rocio Hernandez is a Broadcaster and General Producer of "La Metropolis". — Rocio Hernandez is a Broadcaster and General Producer of “La Metropolis”.

So after all written about me, which I do in parallel with my work as a mother, daughter, sister, and administrative and teaching professional at present, I want to tell you that the satisfaction is great to achieve all these activities in a professional manner within the radio broadcasting, which is a magical, recreational space within a work of continuous learning, it is more than a dream, It is a hobby, it is a passion, it is a love to do radio, and I feel very proud and happy to do this activity for me and for all the people of the medium and for the public and Venezuelan people who need it so much, thanks to my producer and the entire team of the station and its directors who support us in making quality content for our country, with the greatest and deepest love and respect for this activity. With gratitude always.

Thank you for this opportunity to show and express myself.

Rocío is a Broadcaster and General Producer of "La Metrópolis". — Rocío is a Broadcaster and General Producer of “La Metrópolis”.

Facebook: Rocio Hernandez

Also Read: If you want to listen to Tasty Salsa tune in to Ritmo Sabor y Salsa with Nesmary J. Gómez

Ismaray Chacón Tejeda

Latin America / Cuba

Ismaray Chacón Tejeda, a cuban who carries the betrayal of her land and her family throughout the world

When it comes to dances, rhythms and sounds, it is impossible not to take as a reference the island with the most impact in the world of dance in the entire world, the beautiful island of Cuba, how many countries are not nourished by all the culture that this pearl of the Caribbean It allows us to see with its cultural roots, it seems that on the day of creation they left in Cuba all the musical dance creativity that they had.

Today we will be talking with one of the distinguished artists of the Cuban cultural movement in Europe, a member of a family legacy in Cuba, the so-called aspirins, we are talking about Ismaray Chacón Tejeda, a Piscean eradicated in Switzerland.

Welcome and always grateful for opening the doors of your life to make it known to our readers and your followers, we are going to get to know you a little.

Thank you for this great opportunity sir.

Ismaray let’s start by talking about the roots of your country. Do you live for folklore or do you enjoy it?

I enjoy it and at the same time I live it, it satisfies me is transmitting it and having the greatest result that a teacher can have, seeing the progress of the students, knowing that they deepen and feel identified with my culture, with my dance.

What does folklore mean in your life?

My identity as Cuban. It is life, feeling, experience… Everything!!

How was the idea of being part of the dance world born in you?

I was born and raised in that environment for my family. My grandfather rehearsed every week at home with his group and I didn’t miss a concert. I am the result of that environment.

How long study and career?

Professionally I started at the age of 17, after I left the School of Art Instructors (EIA), which I could not finish, I auditioned in a group called Obini Bata (Bata Woman). This group and my family were my true school. Look, we rehearsed twice a week all day where we learned the different taps, songs and dances plus the rehearsal of the group for the weekly function, the other days I practiced with my family, or I attended a drum, güiro or cajon (religious festivals) . All that mix was very important to me as it gave me the foundation for my career.

How many countries have you traveled making known the culture of your Island?

Uff!… (Between laughter and emotion) I have really been very lucky to visit many and repeatedly. Singapore, Russia, Morocco, Israel, France, Italy, Spain, England, Sweden, Finland, Peru, Denmark, Poland, Serbia, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Ukraine, Switzerland, among others. I would like to go to the brother countries of Latin America and be able to exchange cultures. I went to Mexico but only on vacation.

What countries have you not visited that you would like to know?

Colombia, Argentina, USA, Africa (Nigeria, Congo), Dubai, China, Japan, India, Venezuela and other Latin countries, hopefully I can. Hey, let the promoters know (between laughs)

The Casino (Cuban Salsa), the rumba or the Afro-Cuban?

What comes to mind when you hear the name Luis Chacón Mendive?

Phew!… my map, my friend, the example to follow, my teacher, my idol, my little green old man, my adoration.

You have a traditional surname and a lot of renown in Cuba. At some point in your training was it a requirement or a motivation?

Yes, it was both. A motivation because it is a great pride for me to belong to this important family and to have that experience, which made me lean towards this side of dance, but at the same time, a challenge because I grew up with my grandfather and my father and every time I had to work, the other artists always said…

that’s Aspirin’s granddaughter… Koky’s daughter… There were those who trusted that I would do a good job, but there were also those who wanted to see if I was up to the job. that last name. Sometimes even though I don’t like to be the center of attention, I had to show it and be a fool as we say in Cuba.

congress and competition with Ismaray Chacón Tejeda

Why Aspirin?

Many say that when they see us play, dance or sing, their headaches go away hahahaha. In truth, it was from the great Aspirin who worked at that time and the boss always had pain in his teeth and sent him to the pharmacy to buy Aspirin. As it was very often, from there he got the nickname.

Do your dream and your reality go hand in hand? Did you dream of having another profession?

Today I can say yes. Being an artist was one of my dreams of the many I have. I remember when I was a child I wanted to be a flight attendant to travel the world and learn about other cultures, today I am lucky to travel carrying my culture and exchanging, I managed to be a flight attendant but in my own style. I’m very lucky.

What has the dance world given you and what has it taken from you?

It has not taken anything away from me, on the contrary, in addition to meeting so many beautiful people, it has given me life, emotions, sacrifices that today help me to value things more, it keeps me healthy and when I execute it, from that moment on all my problems they leave…it’s my therapy.

If you were born again, would you go back to dancing? Why?

Yes, a thousand times. Because art in general is a way of expressing what we feel, in the case of dance, we express it and transmit it with our body….it is life!

Photo of Ismaray Chacón Tejeda in a social

How is Cuban folklore currently spread in the world? Are lines of the original traditions maintained?

Well… this topic is very open and with different points of view, and the word Folklore says it all… In Cuba we have the Afro-Cuban and the Cuban, my point of view to summarize it in a few words, is an oral culture that was always transmitted through generations and family traditions, there is no book like in classical music where everything is written, rather what was seen that older people were doing was repeated, of course everything evolves and transforms over time of the generations even what is sung, the touches or their dances.

But in a certain way patterns are created to follow. I think that in order to spread it and teach it, it is important to know the basics and from there I totally agree with the evolutions, mixtures and others. We just have to be careful not to mistreat it.

What new projects could you share with us?

I currently live in Switzerland although I feel that I must start a new stage of my life in another European country. I also hope one day to be able to return to my country, be with my family and from there continue in the art that is what I love. For now I continue teaching and transmitting my culture throughout the world, already happily married I would like to have the blessing of one day having my family. Together with my husband Serguei Yera Madera, singer of La Reve, we want to continue developing our careers. We keep making history 😉

Grateful for letting us enter a very small corner of your life, we see that you are a true lover of your culture, we hope to continue seeing you succeed in the whole world. For our readers, you already know that this beautiful artist can be followed on her social networks.

Photo of Ismaray Chacón Tejeda and his family