International Salsa Magazine

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Toñito Laya

Latinoamerica / Venezuela / Caracas

On this occasion we have the privilege of meeting the new Venezuelan talent Toñito Laya (singer), son of Maestro Antonio “20 DEDOS” Laya, who was one of the most significant conga players in the Venezuelan salsa movement in the 1980s, director of the “ Banbankere Orchestra” of Petare with two musical productions; giving him more than enough reason to grow in Latin music, such as “el Son”, “la Rumba“, “la Guaracha”, “el Danzón”, “Boogaloo”, “la Timba” and “la Salsa” being This is the beginning of his artistic and musical career.

Starting in the 90s, he (Toñito Laya) entered the Bigott Foundation where he had the opportunity not only to learn the various rhythms in Afro-Venezuelan percussion, but also developed as a dancer in one of the most important groups in Venezuela when it comes to popular traditions. “Vasallos del Sol”, eventually becoming “Vasallos de Venezuela” in 2016, where he had 16 concerts, productions, albums and national and international tours; Colombia, Mexico, United States, South Korea and Japan, among others.

Toñito Laya flyer
Toñito Laya flyer

In 2006, a project called “Comprehensive School of Latin Tradition Dance 100% Tumbao” began, where many dancers were trained in the Cuban Salsa Casino genre, combining this training with Venezuelan traditions, making them understand that traditions come first. Venezuelans. Then they participated in the most important events and competitions in Venezuela, they even became Latin American Champions of “CUBAMEMUCHO 2009” in the city of Caracas-Venezuela, thus managing to represent the country in the grand final to be held in the city of Munich-Germany, 2010.

He also tells us that in 2009, they were invited to participate in a new project but this time not to dance, but to “sing” in a group that by then had no name but a particular genre such as “Son Cubano” . From that moment Toñito began his musical career to develop in a somewhat unexpected way, he was a founder and assumed the commitment of being in charge of this group as one of its leading singers for more than 7 years, where the themes arose: To me that, La Ruñidera, Bilongo, El Jamaiquino, I hear a drum, among others; They were part of his first musical repertoire.

With two record productions together with the already structured band “La Séptima Bohemia” he consolidated his musical career as a singer, going through a training process with different teachers and vocal coaches such as: Ronald González, Fanny Olano, Gustavo Gerardo and Marcial Istúriz, among others. others, who would help him develop in the middle of music.

National tours, award nominations and concerts allowed him to share the stage alongside large-scale national and international groups such as: Francisco Pacheco, Canelita Medina, Alexander Abre y su Habana de Primera, Manolito y su Trabuco, El Septeto Santiaguero, José Alberto “El Canario” to mention a few. Toñito records for the year 2012, the song “She takes me”, a song that in turn would be the title of the second album becoming an icon of parties, dances and social events not only in Venezuela but in many salsa and salsa dancing countries. casino in the world.

In the year 2016 Toñito Laya arrives in Aztec land to embark on a new path, he begins by residing in the city of Cancun-Mexico to sing in some local groups and participate in various projects such as: Los Panas.com, La Formula Perfecta, Grupo Swing Latin among others.

This new stage as an artist prompts him to consider a new musical challenge but this time as a solo singer with a well-defined and focused vision, his pleasant experience as a dancer motivates him to dedicate his first promotional single “ABRE QUE VOY”, this being the complement of an orchestra, for the musicians and their singers “EL BAILADOR”.

“ABRE QUE VOY” is the result of the work of talented and renowned Venezuelan musicians who give an important plus to this Musical production of “Maurice Melo”, this first single is created, performed by Toñito Laya, in the company of the Venezuelan talent of the following musicians:

  • Piano and arrangement: Joel Uriola.
  • Bass: Jesús Torres “Mandinga”
  • Percussion: Yomar Méndez “Caballo”
  • Trombone: Jhonal Rivero.
  • Trumpet: Edward Platter.
  • Baritone sax: Michel Peña.
  • Choirs: William “Wywy” Buznego, Carlos Guzmán and Ramfis Fajardo.
  • Recorded in the studio: A Tempo Records by Heyzer Cabrera.
  • Mixing and Mastering: Heyzer Cabrera. Caracas – Venezuela 2018

If you want to meet or contact Toñito, you can follow him through:

 

Leo Mendoza and “El Sonero Natural”

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Get to know the new song “El Sonero Natural” by Leo Mendoza

Did you know that great international musical talents have emerged in Venezuela? This is due to the fact that in this Latin land, the seasoning is experienced, the joy is experienced, the desire to excel is seen, they demonstrate their talent to all those who see and listen to them. In this opportunity, we have a new talent to present; Meet the Caracas musician Leonardo Mendoza, also known as “Leo Mendoza”.

He tells us that since he was a child he felt a deep inclination for music, specifically salsa, this was because his father Héctor Mendoza, a record collector, was always putting on music, from salsa bands such as: Johnny Pacheco, Héctor Lavoe, Oscar D León, Rubén Blades, Willie Colon, among others.

Leo Mendoza and “El Sonero Natural”
Leo Mendoza and “El Sonero Natural”

This was only the first indication of his inclination and dedication to music, especially to singing in the salsa genre, practicing his favorite artists even within his family gatherings; Starting in 2008, he joined the group “Salsa Son y Fuego”, where he worked for 2 years, and thus continued his path of musical training until in 2016, participating in a festival organized by the Mayor’s Office of Caracas, he competed with a theme of his authorship entitled “Sonero al Natural” receiving the ovation and acceptance of the viewing public.

Intruments of Leo Mendoza and “El Sonero Natural”
Intruments of Leo Mendoza and “El Sonero Natural”

The qualifying jury was made up of Mariana Guevara the “Sonera de Venezuela”, Cheo Valenzuela “El Sonero de la Dulzura”, Juan José “el Indio” Hernández and the teacher Andy Durán, with their participation he managed to achieve 3 mentions, best unpublished song, 2nd place as interpreter and best arrangement of the song “Sonero al Natural” by Maestro José “Tuky” Torres, on this occasion he presents his first single “Sonero al Natural”, which is an invitation to good rumba and feeling sonero… If you want to know more about Leo Mendoza or his new musical theme, find out through:

 

Brisa Tropical con Taino

North America / USA / Oklahoma

Brisa Tropical con Taino. The Oklahoma´s Salsero program in Spanish

For almost 30 years, the state of Oklahoma has among its ranks of entertainment, “Brisa Tropical con Taino”, the first spanish radio show with Salsero sound, made especially for the Latin community in the country.

Its creator, founder, host and producer is the Puerto Rican Lino “Taino” Roldán Torres, a Disabled Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars Veteran, salsa lover, who together with his wife Carmen decided to undertake this project for the Latin market unattended for so many years.

Brisa Tropical with Taino
Brisa Tropical with Taino

This pioneering program began its transmission for the first time in 1992, through the Amplitude Modulation (AM) dial. At first, this format had three hours of broadcast of only Tropical Music in its programming, novelty that made him a creditor of a preferential site in Frequency Modulation (FM) in 1995, with a duration of one hour in addition to the one established at the beginning in the AM circuit.

This way, Brisa Tropical con Taino had a total of four hours of continuous Latin music with advertising spaces, musical information and artists´ biographies, these transmissions lasted 18 uninterrupted years in that radio space.

Nam - Brisa Tropical con Taino
Nam – Brisa Tropical con Taino

“AN ANNOUNCER SHOULD FOCUS ON THE MUSIC AND LEAVE ASIDE ANY OTHER SUBJECTS THAT ARE NOT APPROPRIATE.”

Lino started with the idea of a Latin program for Latinos at a Local Radio Station when he arrived in Oklahoma after his work in the military in the early 90’s, at the same time, this retired military man with 23 years of service also worked as a DJ in two European countries: Italy and Germany. “… When I arrived to Oklahoma, I noticed the absence of a radio station in Spanish of tropical rhythms, such as Salsa, Merengue, Etc.

Taino in the studio
Taino in the studio

I went to several radio stations, but they were not interested in having a program in Spanish. I went to the commercial establishments of the city and told them about my idea that would bring them a market that was unexplored (the Hispanic market). The merchants and other commercial institutions immediately told me that they would give me their support. I presented the idea to an AM station, and they accepted it. (My goal was FM, but this opened the doors)”, Taino told us.

Currently, Brisa Tropical con Taino is developed only by network 2.0 since 2015, going from a Radio Program to a Digital Salsera Station with 24 hours programming each day with live interruptions between 10AM and 3PM, using that is commonly known as “Voice Track” for the rest of the time.

With this change, this interactive Web Station based in the city of Jenks, south of Tulsa in Oklahoma, has managed to obtain a loyal and numerous audience in Europe, the Caribbean, all of Latin America, the United States, and especially in remote areas such as: Iraq and Afghanistan, where the station fulfills a gratifying mission, as they carry greetings from the hundreds of soldiers deployed in those war zones to their relatives in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

The also sociologist, Lino Roldan, along with his wife and great collaborating friends, are responsible for producing the varied programming for all Salseras generations all week, as well as to bring information capsules about Health, Consumer, Home Security, Maintenance of automobiles, etc., always with the firm purpose of bringing entertainment and, at the same time, education for the listening public.

Taino
Taino

“… LA SALSA LLEGÓ PARA QUEDARSE Y ES MUNDIAL”

This non-profit digital broadcaster is committed to the community, sponsoring Salsa events (without cost) such as: cruises and artist presentations, as well as helping to promote several activities of various organizations. In the same way, they are always present and united with the community in cases of emergencies such as natural disasters caused by the past hurricanes Mitch (1998) and María (2017), collaborating with the collection of food for the victims.

Lino “Taino” Roldán, as a good Salsa lover, hopes to continue praising this tropical music for many years, transmitting through his digital station different interpreters’ songs from all over the world, and to continue with this important work and pasion, Lino and Carmen need to raise $1000 in the account opened in “Go Fund Me” for maintenance expenses and music royalties that they promote. Would you like to help them?

Carmen and Lino Roldán - Brisa Tropical with Taino
Carmen and Lino Roldán – Brisa Tropical with Taino

“… AT MY AGE, PROJECTS AND GOALS ARE DONE EVERY DAY. I FEEL HAPPY WITH WHAT I DO”. Lino Roldán

For more information, please visit www.brisatropical.com or download the app for Smartphone Radio La Brisa Tropical.

The great ‘Soneros Summit’ in Barranquijazz – Courtesy of Radio Nacional de Colombia

Latin America / Colombia / Barranquilla

Courtesy of Radio Nacional de Colombia of the Barranquijazz  2018 for International Salsa Magazine.

This is how the great ‘Cumbre de Soneros’ was lived in Barranquijazz this 15th of Sep-2018.

In a special gala that included the participation for the first time of the Antonio Arnedo Quintet, a determining musician in the languages ​​of Colombian jazz, in which he magnificently managed to introduce the public on a journey through the traditional sounds of the different regions of Colombia under that concept that has come to be known as World Jazz, the atmosphere was warming up for the enjoyment of one of the most vibrant nights of Barranquijazz 2018.

Photo of The great Soneros Summit in Barranquijazz
Photo of The great Soneros Summit in Barranquijazz

The first of the protagonists of the summit to go on stage was Hermán Olivera, the so-called ‘Sonero of the 21st century’, who demonstrated that he is indeed “the bridge between yesterday and today”, as he says in one of his proclamations in ‘ The heir to flavor’, a piece included on his solo album ‘La voz del Caribe’, a nickname given to him some time ago by Eddie Palmieri, the leader of the orchestra in which Herman has been a member for more than 20 years.

Then it was Ray de la Paz’s turn, who raised the level of the public’s enthusiasm after performing the greatest hits of his career, achieved together with the late arranger and conductor Louie Ramírez. The New Yorker exhibited his powerful voice with the pieces: ‘Everything collapsed’, ‘Only you and I’, ‘Liar’, ‘Let’s go from here’ and ‘Being in love’.

Later, the ‘Pretty Boy’ Ismael Miranda was present. In his greeting to the public he mentioned: “We saw that they did some brutal Olympics and the world found out”, referring to the Central American and Caribbean Games recently held in the arena.

Photo of the artists at the great Soneros Summit in Barranquijazz
Photo of the artists at the great Soneros Summit in Barranquijazz

Miranda performed ‘Caretas’, ‘The corners are’ and ‘Don’t tell me it’s too late’. For the closing, Ismael Miranda called Ray de la Paz and Hermán Olivera to the stage, and together they inspired their best soneos, wasting their talent on the song ‘Abran Paso’.

With this show of the highest level, Barranquijazz closed its cycle of galas.

By: Robert Tellez.

More information:

https://www.radionacional.co/noticia/musica/asi-se-vivio-la-gran-cumbre-de-soneros-barranquijazz