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Takafumi Nikaido

Asia / Sapporo / Japan

Takafumi Nikaido, In his time in Cuba he studied with prominent percussionists Jose Luis Quintana “Changuito”

Takafumi Nikaido born in Sapporo Japan in the year 1993 started playing the saxophone at the age of 6 and at the age of 7, after watching a live performance by Earth Wind & Fire he was inspired to pick up the percussion and studied under the Fujio Saito.

At the age of 12 he traveled to Cuba to take classes on dancing and percussion where collaborated with the Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

Upon graduating high school he attended Berklee college of music as a scholarship student.

He studied theory and performance from people such as Eguie Castrillo, Tiger Okoshi, Mark Walker, Oscar Stagnaro and Jim Odgren.

In 2014, he traveled to Cuba again to attend the Fiesta del Tambor Percussion Competition where he received the “Best Foreign Entrant Award”.

In his time in Cuba he studied with prominent percussionists Jose Luis Quintana “Changuito”, Adel Gonzalez, Adonis Panter Calderon, Osain Del Monte.

During his time in Berklee he performed with artists such as Oscar Feldman,Terence Blanchard, Jon Secada, FANTINE, Sivamani, Ruben Rada, Totó la Momposina and Mane De La Parra.

In the summer of the same year, he became involved with the “The Untied East Jazz Quintet” and played at 9 venues all over Japan and South Korea.

Alongside musicians Zahili Gonzalez Zamora and Gerson Lazo, they formed the musical group “MIXCLA” and perform regularly mainly within the Boston.

In 2015, he performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival as a member of the Zahili Gonzalez Zamora Project.

He is currently studying in Berklee College of Music and have been participating in musical projects other than Latin music like pop, jazz.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takafumi.nikaido
Website: http://www.takafuminikaido.com/

Brad Dutz

North America / Los Angeles / California

Brad Dutz, His endorsements include Innovative Percussion, Gon Bops, Remo, Yamaha, Paiste and Roland

While recording CD’s for artists like Kiss, Willie Nelson, Michael Wolff, Tribal Tech, David Benoit, Rick Braun, Vinny Golia, Alanis Morrisette, LeAnn Rimes, Mitch Forman, Kim Richmond, Rickie Lee Jones, Hands’Onsemble and even actors Jeff Bridges and Ronny Cox, Brad Dutz tries to bring the strangest percussion instruments he has to the session to create a unique sound.

He can be heard on TV shows King of the Hill, Family Guy, American Dad, Enterprise and Firefly. Some of the movies that Brad has played on include Last Vegas, Battleship, Bourne Legacy, Cowboys And Aliens, Prince Of Egypt, Syriana, Hildago, Rugrats Of Egypt, Syriana, Hildago, Rugrats Go Wild, Star Trek 5, Ocean’s Eleven, Anchorman, Hollywood Homicide, Transformers 1 And 2, Rush Hour 3, Run Down, I Spy and Imax Films’ Mysteries Of Egypt, Mt. Kilamanjaro, The Amazon and Island Of Sharks.

As a member of BMI since 1985, Brad Dutz has produced over thirty CD s as a leader and composed the entire body of music on more than twenty of those releases. He is the owner of the publishing company Leaky Spleen music. The ensembles he has written for cover a wide range of instrumental combinations.

In 1990, Brad Dutz started his composition studies of multiple scores mainly of 20th century music and privately with composers Terry Plumeri, Ron Jones, Russell Steinberg. In addition to CD projects, he has composed for dance companies and theatre as well as television, movies including a few silent films.

The main focus of his composition over the last twenty years however, has been his numerous CD releases.

Everything from solo pieces to nonets is featured on his compact discs. Last year saw the fourth release- ‘”Peripheral Hearing” ‘of his latest quartet project.

This unit has the unique instrumental combination of mallet percussion, oboe, cello and bass clarinet.

Other recent ensembles include The Other Three (a trio with Kim Richmond and John Fumo), Obliteration 4tet (found objects for percussionists), Polarity Taskmasters (keyboards, voice, Theremin, percussion) and the duet CD with reedman Vinny Golia.

In 2002 his Obliteration quartet was the subject of a documentary lm. As an educator, Brad has taught hand percussion at Cal State Long Beach since 1997.

He has conducted hundreds of clinics at colleges and high schools on a variety of topics (including studio work, composing for percussion, producing his own CD of world percussion and freelancing in the music industry) He has also conducted master classes, lectures at many schools including University of KY Cal Arts, Saddleback College, Chapman College, NIU, WINONA State in MN.

Cal state LA, Indiana University, UNT, WEBER College, USC, UCLA, EIU, Eagle Rock Community Center, Southern Methodist University, ISU, U. of I, MILLIKIN, Pierce College, University Nebraska, Southern Utah University, Brigham Young ,Utah state, University of Alaska- Fairbanks and many others.

In 1995, Brad Dutz was featured on four videotapes (now reissued on DVD) Have Fun Playing Hand Drums that taught newcomers about playing hand percussion.

In addition, for four years Brad Dutz wrote a monthly column for Drum Magazine on hand percussion and he has written three (3) books featuring his original compositions -Manipulations in Sound and Time, Music for Hand Percussion and Percussion Pieces for Duos, Trios and Quartets. There are brand new compositions since 2012 now published by Honey rock Music. His endorsements include Innovative Percussion, Gon Bops, Remo, Yamaha, Paiste and Roland.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.dutz/abo ut?lst=833588259%3A569504777%3A15 81456694

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.

Salsa: From New York to the world!

North America – United States – New York

Last February we actively participated in different activities in New York, promoted by different instances and always supported from the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery Museum and The Johnny Cruz Show.

Johnny Cruz: We were part of the Somos Puerto Rico event, together with more than 25 artists and with the collaboration of La Boom, which allowed thousands of people to work for our island: Puerto Rico. There was a lot of music, and we were accompanied by artists such as Jova Rodríguez, Arlene, Roberto Vásquez, Anissa Gatners, Fernando Berniero, Alex Bautista, Jen Carrasco and Kevin Tapia, among others.

We also had typical food for sale and many initiatives aimed at saving so many lives in need. From this event we want to continue bringing families to the United States and they can be calm until they stop shaking in the south west of Puerto Rico. You are not alone!

In addition, we are working hard on a documentary about Frank Ferrer, always thinking of immortalizing figures that have consolidated Salsa in the world as a Latin genre of world projection.

Salsa, as you know, is a typically New York musical genre, the result of the influence of great Latin jazz musicians, and the existence of a youth of Latin origin born, or resident in New York, in slums where Salsa is the best expression, spiced up by the exile produced by the Cuban Revolution and the awareness of American racial minorities.

In 1964, Johnny Pacheco, a flutist of Dominican origin, and Jerry Masucci, a young businessman, founded the Fania label, which gave the old Latin labels, a more modern sense of Caribbean music. Musicians and singers of the previous generation were reinvented, but others were incorporated as a young Willie Colon, the Palmieri brothers, Eddy and Charlie; Papo Luca, Ray Barreto, Larry Harlow. And, there were also singers who put their voice to Salsa to tell stories of the street, daily or reflexive, that were the mirror of the life of the neighborhoods: Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto de Santiago, Andy Montáñez, the Ismaeles -Miranda and Ribera-, Justo Betancourt, Héctor Lavoe or Rubén Blades.

Johnny Cruz Salsa: From New York to the world!

The influence of the Cuban revolution had led composers and salsa musicians to become aware that it was necessary to compose songs that talked about what was happening in the streets from a critical perspective, giving way to a new salsa and foot reality for characters as Frank Ferrer started from folklore and protest to arrive at salsa mixing both concepts in an exemplary album: Yerbabuena. All this and much more can be enjoyed very soon.

For this month of March, Puerto Rico will organize the 1st World Salsa Collectors Meeting and of course we will be there representing New York with the Salsa Museum (SPAHA Salsa Gallery Museum). From March 7th, at least 15 organizations of this type of collector from seven countries will exhibit their collections of the Caribbean genre.

The collectors meeting will take place at the Sheraton Hotel, in Miramar, under the theme “La Salsa se baila así” and will be free admission. It will be attended by collectors from Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico and several cities in the United States.

That day will be the official release in LP format of the album “Mario Ortiz, 55 Aniversario”, nominated for the last edition of the Latin Grammys.

The event includes memorabilia exhibitors of legendary salsa artists such as Willie Rosario, Bobby Valentín, Roberto Roena o la Sonora Ponceña, as well as the Museo de la Salsa de Puerto Rico or the Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular.

Pieces from the Jairo Varela Museum, renowned deceased Colombian musician, whose orchestra Grupo Niche is still active and triumphing around the world will be presented. The writer Daniel Nina, will give a lecture about Salsa, and Puerto Rican dancer Tito Ortos will talk about the history of salsa dancing. We can enjoy live music with the group Cubaneo 54, and a great closing with the several times awarded Big Band of the Free School of Music of San Juan, directed by Professor Manuel García. See you there!

As always, remember that Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery is in 1708 Lexington ave New York N.Y. 10029. Open free to the public all Thursdays & Fridays from 4 to 7 pm and Saturdays from 1 to 8 pm. Check the updates in our website: spahasalsagallery.com.

Johnny Cruz - Spaha Salsa Gallery — Johnny Cruz – Spaha Salsa Gallery

Also, The Johnny Cruz Show, the #1 Salsa Show on television on all 5 Boroughs of New York on CH67. Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

Contact: Johnny Cruz. 917-747-8505. [email protected].

By Johnny Cruz Correspondent, New York City, New York

Joe Bataan’s music remains in force

Joe Bataan in the Spaha Salsa Gallery

There are many artists of international stature have been in the Salsa Museum and left some valuable object in our facilities, and this month, it was the turn of American singer and musician Joe Bataan, who was kind enough to share with producer Johnny Cruz and his show partner Boris Calderón.

Joe Bataan and Johnny Cruz in the Spaha Salsa Gallery

In one of the videos taken during the visit, the artist mentioned that the place was awesome and had expanded so much that another building would have to be made soon for so many valuable acquisitions. Let’s remember that both the artists and their families have been donating all kinds of garments, instruments and things related to their careers to be exhibited in the museum with the purpose of showing the public this valuable part of our culture.

After such an extraordinary exchange, we believe it believe to talk a little about the story of this talented man and how he has reaped all the success obtained at the time.

Story of Joe Battan

Bataan Nitollano is a New York singer of African-American and Filipino origin from his parents, but he grew up in the neighborhood of Harlem, where he got in trouble with the law and was trained in music.

Joe Bataan signing a jacket in the Spaha Salsa Gallery

While he spent a short time in prison, he studied music, and trained in playing the piano, something that would be extremely important for his artistic career. Once he was released, he formally began his career as a singer and formed his first group, which he named ”Joe Bataan and the Latin Swingers”. At that time, the young man was heavily influenced by two genres that were very fashionable at the time, which are boogaloo and Afro-American Doo-wop.

Although Bataan was not the first to enter the aforementioned genres, his very particular talent made him worthy of the attention of the newly created record label Fania Records, which signed the artist in 1966 and released his first single ”Gypsy Woman” the following year. The song ended up being a huge hit in the Latin community in New York City and laid the foundation for what would end up becoming what we know today as Latin Soul.

During the time Joe worked with Fania, he recorded about eight albums, which became a true sensation due to their mix of Doo-wop in Latin rhythms with English soul, which was quite new at the time. Everything was going well until he had some frictions with the label manager Jerry Masucci concerning the economic issue, so the singer ended up leaving the company to launch his own label Ghetto Records.

The artist's signature — The artist’s signature

In the 1980s, he spent a long time away from music to devote himself to teaching at the same center where he was held and experienced some health declines that kept him silent for quite some time until he ws back in play in 2005, when he released his album ”Call My Name” whose rhythms were based on Latin soul and got many positive reviews. This album proved that Bataan was still a talented artist even though his genres are no longer the most popular.

Today, he is a person with extensive experience in the world of music who is always willing to give his everything to any fan who wants to listen to him. The Spaha Salsa Gallery team is pleased to have had his presence in recent days, so we hope that meetings like this one can be repeated.

Contact: Johnny Cruz. 917-747-8505. [email protected].

By Johnny Cruz, ISM Correspondent, New York, New York City