Search Results for: Salsa music

Kirk Douglas

North America / United Stated / New York

Kirk Douglas “My greatest achievement un my long career was to help end the blacklist at the movies”

At the age of 103, Isuur Danielovitch Demsky, on February 5th, 2020 passed away. He was better known as Kirk Douglas. At the Sarah Lawrence College in Canton, new York. He discovered acting. He was rejected from the fraternities for being Jewish. However, eventually, Douglas became the president of the Student Council, the first time a Jew help that position. In his career he made over 90 film. He brought a certain air of powerful rebellion in his characters and left a legacy. A part of that legacy is the recognition for his humanitarian sense and “commitment to justice”

Douglas said that his greatest achievement was in helping to end McCarthyism. People from the industry were persecuted for their alleged communist affiliation. Artistic creativity was being censured. Douglas had hired screenwriter Dalton Trumbo to do the screenplay for Spartacus.

Trumbo was one of the highest paid screenwriters of this time, accredited with works like Oscar winning The Brave One, Exodus, Spartacus and Roman holiday and many other famous works. In 1950 Dalton spent 11 months in prison as one out he Hollywood 10. The Junior senator from Wisconsin Joseph McCarthy wanted to make a name for himself, along with attorney Roy Cohn, senator (later president) Richard Nixon, and Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. The committee assured that Blacklisted individuals wound’s work for years to come. Hedda Hopper organized a picket line at the opening of the film, urging her 35 million reader toy boycott the movies Spartacus.

Spartacus - film

Otto Preminger was the first to fight back against Joseph McCarthy and his witch-hunt, recognizing the work of Trumbo for Exodus. In 1955 Kirk Douglas had established his own production company. If Spartacus was boycotted, it would cause financial chaos for Douglas, and after being placed in the backlist, no one would work with him and Hollywood would ostracize him.

It took a great deal of courage for Mr. Kirk Douglas to stand up for his beliefs and fight to abolish blacklist and all that it meant. He joined the ranks with Otto Preminger. One of the first persons to cross Hedda Hopper’s picket line and give his support to Kirk Douglas was president elect John F. Kennedy.

Undoubtedly, the death of Kirk Douglas server for us to reflect on our role in society, and how we can contribute for our spaces, whether from art, film or music: and in different directions, beyond religion or politic. That sense of justice in the real legacy of Kirk Douglas. Some articles mention tha his already successful son Michael Douglas, how is married to actress Catherine Zeta Jones was left out o the will. Mr kirk Douglas left a vast part of his fortune to charity, His successful son Michael Douglas already is reputed to have a fortune in excess of $ 300,000,000 dollars.

Johnny Cruz Present – May 2023

Latin America – May 2023

The Conjunto Bailatino “La Resistencia Salsera” again “Antes los ojos del Mundo” and here, “No hay quinto malo”

On April 21, 1991, in Venezuela, Bailatino “La Resistencia Salsera” was founded.

The Bailatino Ensemble, was born as a need to revalue and revitalize the Caribbean musical heritage so diverse and original; a heritage that refuses to die because it is part of our Cultural Identities, that is to say, it does not obey the dictates of fashion, nor the whims of the record companies, but our sense of belonging and our pride for the cultural contribution we have given to the world.

Bailatino represents the Salsa Resistance, Salsa without Concessions; it expresses the influences of the best musical groups that interpret the “Salsa Dura”, but, with its own identity.

Bailatino Llegó... Con Todo!!! 2003 — Bailatino Llegó… Con Todo!!! 2003

The versatility, trajectory and professionalism of each of its members are known and recognized not only in the salsa world, but also in the wide range of Venezuelan music.

The musicians that make up Bailatino are constantly invited to accompany the best national and foreign orchestras that visit Venezuela; they are also requested in important international stages;

They have recorded different musical genres and are members of various Venezuelan orchestras. José “Cheo” Navarro, Marcial Istúriz, Edgar “Dolor” Quijada, Felipe Blanco, Johan Muñoz, Eliel Rivero, Alberto Crespo, José “Mortadelo” Soto, and Alexis Escobar (R.I.P) and replaced by Leo Pérez, make up a compendium of talent, knowledge and experiences whose result cannot be other than excellence and quality expressed in each of their interpretations.

Bailatino Llegó... Con Todo!!! 2005 — Bailatino Llegó… Con Todo!!! 2005

Bailatino is the result of national and international musical influences, such as: La Dimensión Latina, Federico y su Combo Latino, El Grupo Mango, La Salsa Mayor and Tabaco y sus Metales, just to mention a few Venezuelan groups; likewise, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Grupo Libre, Grupo Experimental Newyorkino, Ricardo Ray, Sonora Ponceña, Fania All Star , Mon Rivera, among others.

In 1995, Bailatino debuted in the framework of the International Theater Festival of Caracas, coincidentally in the spaces that previously was one of the temples of salsa and dance, the now disappeared “Sabor Latino”, formerly called “La Pelota”, sacred contexts of salsa and the nightlife of Caracas.

Bailatino has become one of the most popular and requested groups by the legion of “rumberos” and “rumberas”; salsa men and women, true experts and connoisseurs in the matter.

La Resistencia 2008, Bailatino — La Resistencia 2008

Who organize throughout the year the best salsa parties in Caracas, promoted and spread by means of oral tradition or selling tickets in the famous “Tío Pepe” of Sabana Grande, in Caracas.

These CDs are dedicated to all of them, because with their encouragement we were able to make our dream come true.

Bailatino has also performed on various stages in our capital and internationally:

Museo de Bellas Artes, Corp. Group, Espacios Unión, Trasnocho Cultural del Paseo Las Mercedes; Banco Central de Venezuela, Colegio de Ingenieros, Colegio de Médicos, El Maní es Así; “El Rincón Caribeño (currently “Rumba Aché”), Hawai Kai, El Atrio, Centro de arte la Estancia, celebrated its tenth anniversary at Casa del Artista, Aula Magna, first Metropolitan Salsa Festival, Herman among others. Internationally Bailatino makes his first presentation at the Jorge Isaac theater in Cali Colombia, he was invited to the festival “Salsa al parque” in Bogota Colombia, in 2007 he travels to the city of Dax France for the festival “Toros y Salsa”, in 2008 he travels to Mexico and that same year he performed at the Salsa summer festival in Cali, in that city, he also performed at the prestigious Changó nightclub; in 2009 we were in Australia; all these presentations with resounding success and acceptance.

Bailatino is a network of alliances, solidarity and complicity between musicians, composers, arrangers and friends from different professions and trades, who have contributed their grain of sand so that the Bailatino project, once the proposal was approved by music lovers and dancers, would not remain only in multitudinous presentations and excellent comments from its heterogeneous audience that multiplies every day.

Bailatino, is musical memory transmitted from one generation to another, reinterpreted with all the care and respect that the great masters deserve, who have contributed to design the musical map of Latin America.

The Bailatino group vindicates, once again, the place of honor that Latin Music deserves, not only for the Caribbean, Andean and Afro-American countries; it is a proposal within the framework of a globalized society, but also in a historical moment in which our cultural identities have a great capital to contribute in this multicultural and multiethnic counterpoint that currently exists in the world, in diverse fields and of course in the musical plane.

Currently they are preparing their fifth production entitled “No hay quinto malo”, and at the same time they have released two excellent songs with the brand of “Bailatino”, “Lo mismo de siempre” from the pen of José “Cheo” Navarro and a masterful arrangement José Soto “Mortadelo” in the vocal part Edgar “Dolor” Quijada, the second song entitled “Salsero Soy” composition and arrangements by pianist Alberto Crespo in the voice of the talented young Francisco Rojas and as special guest in this production the Sonero del siglo XXI Herman Olivera performing the song “El que te ama” another excellent composition and arrangements by Alberto Crespo.

Bailatino y Herman Olivera el Sonero del Siglo XXI — Bailatino and Herman Olivera el Sonero del Siglo XXI

For next Friday May 5, 2023 from 8:00 PM they will be performing at the public works club of Maracay in Venezuela with the help of “Taylor Productions” celebrating their 28th anniversary, an event that promises for the public of Maracay since La Ciudad Jardín is their second home.

El Conjunto Bailatino “La Resistencia Salsera”

Great conversation with New York singer Ralphy Ray

All about Ralphy Ray

Ralphy Ray is a New York songwriter and vocalist who spent a lot of his childhood in Barranquilla until he went to Miami to seek new horizons for his personal and professional life. As well as the vast majority of Latin artists who have found their way little by little, he has a very interesting story to tell to all his audience.

Ralphy Ray was born in New York, but grew up in Barranquilla

In International Salsa Magazine, we have been very interested in his story, so we decided to contact him and both he and his manager and friend John Caicedo have been very open to all the communication we did. Here are the issues we touched on during the conversation.

How his childhood influenced his music

Ralphy Ray was born in the United States, but his parents decided to return to Barranquilla when he was six years old, so he studied his primary and secondary in Colombia.

It is there where his interest in music began due to the great diversity of rhythms heard in that country such as vallenato, salsa, merengue, champeta and much more. What most got his attention to this branch of art was a certain group of tropical artists who aparked his love for this great profession to which he would dedicate his life.

When he turned nine years old, he began to study accordion for a short time, as he began to focus his mind on other areas such as singing and ballads. Whenever events were held at school, he was always included or he himself signed up to participate in them, so this curiosity for music continued to grow as the years went by.

His move to Miami

His move to Miami was due to personal reasons at first, since his uncle lived in that city and offered him to go live with him and count on his support once he decided to move to the United States definitely.

Today he says that it was one of the best decisions he could make in the professional field, as he had the opportunity to communicate and interact with local and very important groups in the industry, that’s when he met John Caicedo, who is now his manager and one of his greatest friends since then.

Now Ralphy lives in Miami, which has been very important in his carrer — Now Ralphy Ray lives in Miami, which has been very important in his carrer

He also began to interact and sing with great artists such as Celia Cruz, Eddie Santiago, Rey Ruiz, Luis Enrique, José Alberto ”El Canario” and many more. That is what has given him the experience he has today and made him take the risk of pursuing a solo career with his own style.

Solo career

Ralphy Ray was part of Los Babies De La Salsa, Los Hijos de La Arenosa, Grupos K-Oba, Sonora Carruseles, among others. When asked how he felt about the moment to launch as a soloist, he told us that the experience acquired with the aforementioned artists gave him the confidence he needed to take such an important step.

This decision was made in 2001, which is when he began to record solo. This path began with the single ”Mírala” of his own authorship.

Learning from other artists

Something Ralphy Ray says he has learned from all the artists he has worked with is discipline and the importance of being focused on what he does. Similarly, he also pointed out that you should never stop learning or mastering the technique needed to find the best version of yourself. ‘

‘The artists with whom I shared the stage taught me to give the best of myself at all times and to always be prepared to offer our talent with love and respect to the public”.

As far as things tat he advises not to do, he says that he has seen many artists being overwhelned by stress, fights and inconveniences. He points out that you have to know how to handle all these details and situations in front of the public no matter how difficult it could seem.

”There are also other cases in which some artists end up having friendships and relationships that are not good for them, which can lead them to lose their career and even their life. Many turn to drugs and other vices, but you always have to try to stay away from all that and focus on your own career” said the artist.

He also had memorable experiences and his conversations with Celia Cruz were very meaningful to him. ”La Guarachera de Cuba” always had good advice for new talents such as professionalism, punctuality, good physical image, vocal technique, among other details. ”I had great respect for Celia and I always keep in mind all the advice she gave me” he concluded on this topic.

Es El Amor

When we wanted to know the ins and outs of his latest single ”Es El Amor”, he told us that it is part of a group of songs presented to him by a great friend and colleague.

He said to have fallen in love with the lyrics because they are very romantic and do not degrade women, in fact, they speak of a feeling that is being lost in the world: love. ”I want to let my fans and people who follow me know that we must always go with love and live in that beautiful story” said the artist.

As for the music video, he said he chose the beaches of Miami as the location to record his material because of the beauty of the place and that was what he wanted to show to the public. Besides, this city has been very important in his career and he thinks it is one of the most beautiful in the United States.