Search Results for: Salsa music

‘‘La Chiqui Some’’ and ‘’El Some’’ in International Salsa Magazine

Much prominence is given to singers, musicians and the visible part of the entertainment in general, but there is not enough talk of those who make it possible for the aforementioned to record what they have created for their audience. That is why we wanted to talk to Jennifer Freedman, better known as ”La Chiqui Some” and Agustin Someillan, who is known as ”El Some”.

Singer Jennifer Freedman and trumpeter Agustin Someillan in the studio

Jennifer and Agustin ‘’El Some’’’s first contact with music

Jennifer started in music with percussion in 2005, but moved away from it for a few years to pursue other activities until other artists and groups called her to play with them. She was then invited to attend some rehearsals at Mam-Ax Studios, where by a twist of fate, there was a man named Someillan who already had a studio at that time. They still did not know each other at that time, but soon, one would be very important for the other’s professional life.

In 2018, she had to go again to the same building, which is when she finally met Agustin, who tells her that she was in the wrong place and had to go to another office. Her visit to Mam-Ax was intended to participate in the recording of a single for singer Freddy Nieves, but that chance encounter would help her to learn that both she and Agustín had a partner in common, who recommended her to work together.

After that, both accepted and began to know each other better, which led ”El Some” to advise Jennifer on her singing and other details of the business. At the same time, the girl was beginning to see music as something much more serious, since it was only a hobby for her by then. She had certain doubts because she had not jumped right into music professionally, but Agustín convinced her to try to start a career as such, to which she ended up giving in.

The owner of the studio did not have the support of anyone at that time, so he had the great idea of partnering with Jennifer and bringing together their qualities in the same project.

In the case of ”El Some”, he comes from a musical family and studied music in Cuba. He became a trumpet player just like his father. Back in his country of origin, he was fortunate to accompany many orchestras such as the Sexteto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro, with which he was nominated for Latin Grammy in 2014.

Having decided his country did not provide him with all the opportunities he needed as an artist at that time, he tried his luck in New Jersey, where he currently resides as does Jennifer, with whom he currently shares the Sonority Record Studios project.

At this moment, they are creating the album ”Los Some Son” as an idea of Jennifer herself to get people know ”El Some”’s career. Among the guests of the project, we can mention former Los Van Van singer Pedrito Calvo, former Los Van Van singer Melly Cartero, Jennifer herself, singer Frankie Vazquez, pianist Arturo Ortiz, among many others.

Chocolate and Agustín El Some — Cuban jazz trumpeter Alfredo ”Chocolate” Armenteros and Agustín Someillan

How Jennifer and ”El Some” created Sonority Music Studios

Agustin has been in the studio for almost 12 years, while Jennifer has only been there for five, but that has not stopped them from getting together perfectly, of course. He has always liked to play the trumpet, but his neighbors started to complain about the constant noise coming from his house, so he decided to look for a place to make music without disturbing anyone.

However, before that, he was already working on music at home, to the point that he produced an album for José Mangual from his own home, which he describes as ”a huge odyssey”, since he did not have the conditions to complete a job of that magnitude. That is when he decides to look for a space more conditioned to record and produce, so he acquires half of the space he currently uses and elongated it after partnering with Jennifer.

There were implements they did not possess the knowledge to use, but little by little, they were learning on their to create the brand they have today and the prestige that they acquired in the Latin music community with so much sacrifice.

”Although this is not a big studio, great things have happened here. There is a great vibe and we make very good music” said ”El Some” about what has been achieved with this space, which has become their musical home.

The studio has a vacuum-sealing cabin and everything necessary for mixing, mastering, editing, recording and much more.

Jennifer during a performance — Jennifer Freedman during a live performance with Los Some Son

Relationship between Los Some Son and Sonority Music Studios

At the moment of expanding the studio, Agustin had already named the place ”Some Son”, but once he and Jennifer became partners, they started to think about how to market it more effectively in the United States. Since everything they did there had to do with sonority, they opted for something with that word, so the studio ended up being called Sonority Music Studios.

Both are listed as company managers and ”El Some” focuses on the music, creation, engineering and production side. On the other hand, Jennifer is much more focused on the administrative part, contracts, bookings, among other details of this type.

Seeing what they were achieving with the studio, they felt they could expand a little more to other facets, so both artists also engaged in founding their own band that they called ”Los Some Son” in homage to the ”El Some”’s family of trumpeters and Cuban salsa music in general.

In conclusion, both the studio and the band are formed by the same team, so both projects go hand in hand.

Sessions from La Loma brings together salsa fans from all over the world in Puerto Rico

On October 5, 2024, we witnessed the third edition of Sessions from La Loma, which is meeting for the second time at the Dorado Agrotourism Park. The annual activity has already become a massive concert, on par with the great salsa productions worldwide. With just five years of launching the concept and two concerts before what was an unforgettable Saturday, Nor-Bert achieved a balanced production between veteran and new artists. The following were brought together on the La Loma stage: Luva, Juan Vélez, Manolito Rodríguez, Jota Ruiz, Jorge Yadiel Santos, Carlos García, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Víctor Manuelle and José Alberto “El Canario”, at the invitation of Nor-Bert, who also gave way to Michelle Brava during her performance.

To enjoy the salsa party, hosted by the charismatic Norberto Vélez, whom the music scene calls Nor-Bert, fans came from Panama, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Spain, Canada and Switzerland, to name a few. It is a source of satisfaction and encouragement to see how salsa is still current, despite the changes that the music scene has undergone.

Within the framework of the changes, it is striking that the successful event has taken off with the forcefulness with which it has called us all without the direct support or visibility of the radio stations that program salsa within Puerto Rican territory. That, from the objective perspective of the salsa fan, gives more merit to the production team that Nor-Bert has surrounded himself with.

We take advantage and congratulate him, attesting to his desire to do without delegating what he feels is his responsibility. We note the international presence, stating that in this third edition the concert was filled to capacity with the rotation of the concept through YouTube and social networks. What would have sounded like madness years ago is a success story that feeds the salsa scene in a varied way without limiting itself to what could become routine.

The public that follows the salsa sound already trusts Nor-Bert and his musical management. Regarding his power to attract people, the leader and manager of La Loma tells us: “currently we have a responsibility and we are committed to continuing with this project. What began as a hobby is now an obligation that we carry out with great pride and with much love. We do it from the heart, because we receive the support of the people. We feel the affection of the people. That can be seen here, in each video that we upload and in each post.”

Nor-Bert is a multifaceted singer-songwriter. He grew and polished his musical talent in NG2. His discipline has allowed him to continue growing, when the general consensus is that the salsa scene is too difficult for singers. Nor-Bert proves that being a soloist can be difficult although possible. His success makes salsa look good. He is living proof that salsa lives on. He says: «I decided to make music. I decided to believe in myself and in my project. I decided to believe in my career. I don’t expect anyone to do anything for me. I decided that my success is in self-management. Today that faith has given me the possibility to grow, along with my team. In other words, the one who stays at home and complains that he is not working is because he is staying at home. I go out on the street, and with the boys we go to work. We go to look for something to do and that is what has given us results. Regardless of whether the radio sounds good to you or not, we continue making music. I looked for my own platform. That is what we did, that is how sessions from La Loma was born and here we are.»

«I continue making my music, I help the boys who are close to me so that they can also expose their talent, with the hope that this will be a springboard for many people to get to know us. The idea is that those who want to continue doing their individual projects,” he says as he says goodbye to continue moving the production. Certainly, as a collaborator of his peers and colleagues, a few months ago we saw how Nor-Bert supported Karla Mari when she was presenting her show inspired by the Queen of Guaracha, Mirta Silva, at the Teatro Tapia in San Juan.

Nor-Bert not only produces, promotes, promotes and interprets. He also makes sure that others sound at the same time that he also sounds. As you can see, he is a unique artist. We wish him good health and prosperity so that he can successfully carry out all the projects that are presented to him.

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The world’s sonero returns to dance with the bass, this time from the Coca Cola Music Hall in Puerto Rico

On October 26, 2024, the Sonero of the World, Óscar D’León, arrived at the Coca Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The concert, scheduled for 6:00 p.m., began an hour late. However, attendees waited patiently until Óscar made his energetic entrance onto the colorful stage that was dressed in salsa for the occasion.

The world's greatest singer returns to dance with the bass, this time from the Coca Cola Music Hall in Puerto Rico — The world’s greatest singer returns to dance with the bass, this time from the Coca Cola Music Hall in Puerto Rico

For approximately two hours, the bassist was accompanied by his own orchestra, whose musicians traveled from Miami, Florida, USA. Between soneo and soneo, the Oscar of Salsa informed us that the inconvenience causing the delay had to do with a musician, who having stayed in Miami did not have the possibility of reaching Puerto Rican soil on time.

D´León, with more than half a century of musical career and a long list of hits, delighted the audience with the songs that have made him one of the favorite salsa singers of the Island of Enchantment. He started the evening with “Llorarás”, which ignited the passion of the audience gathered at the Coca Cola Music Hall, and who sang the hit at the top of their lungs alongside the bassist. This was followed by the songs “Bravo de verdad”, “Yo quisiera”, “Hechicera”, “Taboga” -from Dimensión Latina-, accompanied by his backing singer, Johnny Silva, “La murga”, “Detalles”, “La cadenita”, “Idilio” -also a duet with Johnny Silva- and “Mi bajo y yo”. During the interpretation of the latter he was accompanied by the instrument with which he achieved fame to recall his beginnings as a bassist, vocalist and dancer.

The world's sonero dances again with the bass — The world’s sonero dances again with the bass

The historic concert with the bass was followed by ‘Irimó’, ‘Sigue tu camino’, ‘La piragua’, ‘Que buen baila usted’, ‘En mi Viejo San Juan’, ‘La Mazucamba’, ‘El frutero’, ‘El manicero’, ‘Esa mujer’, ‘Juanita Morell’ and ‘Matasiguaraya’.

As usual, the concert was characterized by the energy of El León de la Salsa and the affection he receives every time he visits Borinquen. Rosalis Torres’ production team took care of every detail, making sure that everything flowed with the same impeccability as always. Once again, the salsa audience was pleased and waiting for the next concert.

Oscar D' Leon The Return — Oscar D’ Leon The Return

Also Read: Willie Rosario, El Rey del ritmo by journalist and music researcher Robert Téllez M.

Gabriela Anders studied classical guitar privately, and music and piano at a conservatory in Buenos Aires

Gabriela Anders was born to music amidst the grace, paradox and tradition of Argentina.

Gabriela studied classical guitar privately, and music and piano at a Conservatory in Buenos Aires.

Adding to the musical medley was her father’s influence (a noted jazz saxophonist and arranger) which became even stronger than her classical studies. After finishing high school, Gabriela decided to move to New York.

There she studied orchestration for brass and strings in a class conducted by Don Sebesky and composition at Hunter College. Gabriela started to write her own material. Her studio and club work took off leading to a record deal with major label Warner Brothers Jazz.

Gabriela Anders’ debut album on Warner Bros. Records, (1999) “Wanting” is brimming with vocal subtlety; although smooth, it is anything but simple. It features arrangements and production by Paul Brown, George Duke, Allain Mallet and Anders herself.

The album elicited much praise for Anders’ vision and impassioned vocal style.

Recording with Questlove and Christian Mc Bride

Her unique marriage of Brazilian, Latin and Jazz led to Vogue and People Magazine describing Anders and her music as “exotic and bold”, “wonderfully soulful”, and “one of the most distinctive new voices to hit the music scene in years”.

Her second record for Warner Bros Records was a European release entitled “Gabriela” which featured an array of world-class sidemen, including Christian McBride, Amir “Questlove” Thompson and Kirk Whalum. Again, she contributed ten of the album’s twelve tracks.

Her next CD “Last Tango in Rio” was released in 2005 by major label EMI. “Last Tango in Rio” is a collection of songs closely associated with Billie holiday that have been uniquely transformed by Gabriela’s interpretation and orchestration.

Hailed by critics (Los Angeles Times, Billboard magazine and People magazine)) as highly -original and creative presentation of standards, “Last Tango in Rio” represents a fresh and effervescent take on a classic song book that has previously defied reinvention.

In October of 2009, JVC Japan released her CD “Bossa Beleza“. “Bossa Beleza” blends her own immediately recognizable sound with that of her first musical love, classic Bossa Nova.

Singing with Rihanna for the NYC Bone Marrow foundation

Gabriela Anders‘ 2015 album, “Cool Again”, beautifully displays the significant gifts as singer, vocal orchestrator, songwriter and bandleader she has steadily developed through her previous releases. The mix of original and cover songs on “Cool Again” finds Gabriela at her best.

The soulful funk of the original title track is a classic example. Its message of empowerment can be considered a core theme in Gabriela’s lyrics and a source of her resonating appeal as a performer, entertainer and artist.

2020 CD ‘The Ring‘: While facing the fear and uncertainty of the virus in New York City, Gabriela recorded a piano/voices collection of songs at her home studio, creating intimate portraits of inner struggle and redemption against the bizarre backdrop of the pandemic.

The project’s three pianists – Jim Ridl, Jean-Michel Pilc and Jon Cowherd – are radically different stylists from different corners of the world, here each offering their unique sensibilities to Gabriela’s voice and music.

2021 CD release Gabriela Anders’ ‘Los Dukes’! Los Dukes is a new 9 piece band arranged and directed by Gabriela Anders, featuring songs from the Duke Ellington’s catalog done in wildly distinctive Latin American styles. A Latina’s tribute to the music of Duke Ellington.

Los Dukes, pays loving tribute to the elegant GENIUS of Duke Ellington and includes some of the best Latin Jazz players on the New York scene.

Hailed by critics (Los Angeles Times, Billboard magazine and People magazine) as ‘highly original and creative artist’, a ‘multi-talented artist who is destined to leave her mark on the jazz world’ and the ‘most promising jazz influenced artists today’.

Gabriela Anders – Último Tango En Rio (2004)

Temas:

Te Subes A Mi Cabeza
Abracadabra
El Amor Llegó Para Quedarse
Dios Bendiga Al Niño
Abrázame
Buenos Aires Mix, El
Cuerpo y Soul
All Your Love
Meant To Be
‘Til The End of Time

Músicos:

Gabriela Anders (Voz, teclados)

Romero Lubambo (Guitarra)

John Benitez (Bajo)

Wayne Krantz (Guitarra)

Portinho (Batería, percusión)

Gabriel Rivano (Bandoneón)

H. Martignon (Teclados)

Tito Castro (Bandoneón)

Donald Edwards (Batería)

Jorge Anders (Saxo)

Jorge Alfano (Flauta, flauta andina, charango)

Información realizada (22 de abril de 2009)

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Mulatu Astatke, the first African to earn a PhD from Berklee College of Music

Mulatu Astatke (or Astatqé) (Jimma, Ethiopia, December 19, 1943) is an Ethiopian musician, composer and arranger. He is considered the father of Ethio-Jazz.

His musical training took place at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, where he studied clarinet, piano and harmony, New York and Boston, where he was the first African student and also the first African to earn a PhD from Berklee College of Music; there he was trained in vibraphone and percussion.

Mulatu Astatke, the first African to earn a PhD from Berklee College of Music

Later he combined the influence of jazz and Latin music with traditional Ethiopian music.

My desire to start making Ethio-jazz began in London while I was studying there in the 1950s; then I knew I wanted to be different with my music. I looked for musicians from different African backgrounds and saw that they were successful and promoted the culture of their country.

However, there was very little from East Africa and Ethiopia, so I decided at that point that I would create something unique based on the rich heritage of our music and show how much we have contributed to the world of music in general.

That journey began to take shape at Berklee College in Bastan. I was the first African musician to study there and that period was very important for me.

I learned the technical aspects of many different musical forms and my teachers gave me the confidence to move in my own direction, teaching me that it was okay to be different in my music and try something completely new.

Ethiopian cultural music is based on four modes tezeta, bati, anchihoy and Ambassel and within my music, I knew that those modes could not be played.

They had to remain at the center of my music or the whole character of the sound would change and become distorted. I began to add beautiful colors with chords, voicings, bass lines and rhythm sections, writing progressions that fit together well. It’s very difficult to write 12-note music around the Ethiopian modes without destroying them.

In the mid-’60s I returned to Addis, but I kept going back and forth to the United States.

At that time, no one was fusing Ethiopian music with jazz.

In my country there was the First National Theater Orchestra, and both the police and the army had their own orchestras.

There were also bands like the Echoes and the Ras Band.

Musicians at that time based their melodies strictly on the four Ethiopian modes, using techniques like the “canon,” with melodic lines echoing each other.

With Ethiopian jazz, I consciously wanted to expand and explore the modes in different ways.

Mulatu Astatke (or Astatqé) (Jimma, Ethiopia, December 19, 1943) is an Ethiopian musician, composer and arranger. He is considered the father of Ethio-Jazz.

I formed a group called The Ethiopian Quintet in New York, made up of a mix of Ethiopian, Latino, and African-American musicians (there weren’t many Ethiopian musicians in the United States at that time).

The band included trumpeter and pianist Rudy Houston, who later played with Yambu, and Felix Torres, who played with Sonora Ponceña.

I have always felt a deep connection between Latin and African music; I traveled to Cuba to find out where the first American landed, I heard their musicians play and dance and although they sang in Spanish, the tempo, rhythm and feeling were very similar to aspects of African music.

So, with the Ethiopian Quintet, I wanted to show the African contribution to Latin music and it was my first opportunity to experiment and start developing my vision of Ethio-Jazz with this band.

With the American and Puerto Rican musicians in the group we created a different atmosphere and arrangements.

It was a great opportunity for me and they loved what I was writing and the direction I was trying to take.

We did quite a few concerts, some Spanish weddings, events upstate New York and in Manhattan.

We played at the Village Gate with Dave Pike, a great friend of mine at the time, one of the world’s greatest vibraphone players. He played a lot with Herbie Mann and I remember sitting in to watch one of his recording sessions.

I saw a lot of other great musicians in concert, from Coltrane to Bud Powell and Bill Evans. On the New York live circuit I met a producer called Gil Snapper.

His musical training was at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London,

Gil was a very nice and interesting guy and worked with musicians of many different styles.

He picked up on my music very quickly; we got on well and he invited me to record with The Ethiopian Quintet, so our first albums with him were ‘Afro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2, both recorded during 1966.

On the first volume, I performed an adaptation of an old Ethiopian warrior song, ‘I Faram Gami I Faram’.

I would have liked to have an Ethiopian singer for the song, but it was sung in Latin and the lyrics were translated to the singer so he could sing it in Spanish.

Nevertheless, it turned out to be a nice combination. The album included other compositions that were important steps for me: ‘Mascaram Setaba’ (Summer is Coming), ‘Shagu’ and ‘Almaz’. On the second volume, Rudy Houston suggested a piece of music that we called ‘The Panther’, in reference to the animal, but also in recognition of the Black Panthers, who were very active in the civil rights struggle in the United States at that time.

On this album, one of my favorites is my composition ‘Girl From Addis Ababa’, which worked very well as a fusion of Ethiopian modes and R&R rhythms, an indicator of the more refined Ethiopian jazz sound of my later album for Worthy, ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ (1972). It also included my new arrangement of the 1950s tune ‘Lover’s Mambo’.

Both albums include nice arrangements also by Oscar Garcia, Rudy Houston and Gil Snapper as well.

I feel proud of the recording when I listen to it again. It was an important moment in my career and it was a very interesting and progressive time to be in New York in the mid-60s.

I was there at the same time as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fela Kuti and, each in their own way, we tried to do our part to put Africa on the map of contemporary jazz.

Mulatu Astatke, April 2018

Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet – Afro-Latin Soul (1966, R-2018)

Tracks: Afro Latin Soul: 01. I Faram Gami I Faram (Mulatu Astatke)

02. Mascaram Setaba (Mulatu Astatke)

03. Shagu (Mulatu Astatke)

04. One For Buzayhew (Mulatu Astatke) ke)

05. Alone In The Crowd (Gil Snapper)

06. Almaz (Mulatu Astatke)

07. Mulatu’s Hideaway (Mulatu Astatke)

08. Askum (Rudy Houston)

09. A Kiss Before Dawn (Gil Snapper & Weiss)

10. Playboy Cha Cha (Oscar Garcia) Afro Latin Soul Vol. 2:

11. The Panther (Boogaloo) (Rudy Houston)

Konjit (Pretty) (Oscar Garcia)

Soul Power (Rudy Houston)

Lover’s Mambo (Traditional, Arr. Mulatu Astatke)

Love Mood For Two (Rudy Houston)

Jijiger (Rudy Houston)

Girl From Addis Ababa (Mulatu Astatke)

Karayu (Oscar Garcia)

Raina (Rudy Houston)

Musicians:

Mulatu Astatke (Vibraphone, Piano, Drums)

Rudy Houston (Piano, Trumpet)

Robert Cuadrado (Bass)

Felix Torres / John Perez (Congas / Bongos on Vol. 1)

Pete Iglesias (Congas on Vol. 2)

Tony Pearson (Timbales)

Information provided (October 5, 2024)

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