Search Results for: Tito Rodríguez

Growing up and listening to music, he played with various objects around the house. Taking things seriously at the age of 16, he started with bongos, then congas and then timbales, which is the instrument he is best known for.

Andreu y Los Jovenes Del Barrio, the band was led by his ex-wife, the American born singer JILLIAN (1962-2009) able to charm you in two languages, a great loss at a young age, another victim of the scourge of our time, cancer. Blending elements of Charanga, Jazz, Typical Latin, the group dominated radio stations for a decade.

Brooklyn-born composer Johnny Andreu, who from an early age was introduced to and kept in touch with Latin rhythm through family influences, received his musical training at U.C.L.A., the “University on the Corner of Lexington Avenue. When he was 18, Mario Lebran, a musician with Ricardo Ray and author of ‘Mambo Jazz’, helped him get into the music business. He has learned a lot by listening to his records and playing his instruments.

Lebran Andreu also encouraged him to audition for his first job as a percussionist working for “Mike y Su Rítmico”. From there he moved on to the Bobby Matos orchestra whose pianist Paquito Pastor said one day he named him Andrews after Andreu. You are Latin, you are an ‘Almendra'”. That’s how Johnny Andreu became Johnny Almendra.

In the late 1960s he teamed up with Johnny Colon, they performed at the Corso and the legendary Cheetah, and after a year, Almendra and Louie Bauzo left to form their own band, Tambo.

This group lasted about four years and later worked with Almendra Charanga ’76, Orquesta Broadway, and the Típica Novel. Playing with Típica Ideal, he met Milton Cardona, who became a lifelong friend.

One day Cardona invited Almendra to see Willie Colón at Casa Borinquén, and as it turned out, they were in need of a timbalero. They invited Almendra who stayed for eight years.

During 1977 and 1978, Willie Colón Rubén Blades recorded history-making albums. A large number of the best musicians of the time were brought together, including Héctor Lavoe, percussionist José Cándido Rodríguez, bassist Víctor Venegas and many others. This material was released in 1998 for the RMM label.

For International Salsa Magazine through www.SalsaGoogle.com it is a great pleasure to review an artist of the stature of Jhonny Almendra, catalogued as one of the greatest percussionists in the city of New York for his ability and skill still in the forefront of Latin Music.

Johnny Almendra, Los Jóvenes Del Barrio  Reconfirmando “1997”

Tracks

Todo el Mundo Necesita

Pasión Sin Freno

Hechicera

Everybody Plays the Fool

Borincuba

Zapato Apartao

Cumbiaranga

Compassion

Rent

Cold and Darkness, The

Hechicera Reprise/A-Files

Musicians

Regina Carter – trombone

Ozzie Meléndez – trombone

Ronnie Bar – backing vocals

David O’Quendo – flute

Karen Joseph – flute

Kimson Plaut – accordion, piano, synthesizer

Oriente Lopez – flute, synthesizer, backing vocals

Ray Sepulveda – vocals

Tito Nieves – vocal

Robert Thomas – violin

Sam Bardfeld – violin

Al Bello – percussion

Andreu Johnny Almendra – percussion

Frank Seguinot – vocal

Miles Peña – vocal

Sources: 

https://lasalsaesmivida.com/johnny-almendra-y-los-jovenes-del-barrio-reconfirmando/https://www.pinterest.com/bobbymartell/johnny-almendra/

Article of Interest: What Ángel Meléndez has to say about his brilliant musical career

How Junito Albino began his career

Junito Albino is one of those artists who has been influenced by some of the greatest artists in Latin music and that has led him to become what he is today. Julio Junito Albino was born in New York in 1962 and got curious about the same music at the age of 11, after which he joined the school band of San Germán until he graduated from high school. When he was still a teenager, he began to play timbales with the first group to which he belonged, whose name was Orquesta La Crítica and belonged to director and trumpeter Fernando Vega. 

When he attained the proper age, he began to study music education at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in 1980, when he would be a part of the Orquesta Kachende de Mayaguez whose direction was by Gilberto Gili Toro. With this group of musicians, he released his first record production. By that time, he met singer-songwriter Antony Martínez, with whom he would have a great friendship. 

In 1983, he went to live in New York City and began collaborating with the Orquesta de Los Hermanos Colón, with whom he wasted no time in returning to the Island of Enchantment to do some live performances. With this same group, he recorded his second album Ámame Un Poquito Más, which was directed by Sergio George. 

Some of the orchestras with which Albino worked

Another of the most important society that Albino achieved realizing during his career was with Joe Quijano’s orchestra and his Conjunto Cachana, with whom he had the opportunity to share the stage with La Guarachera de Cuba Celia Cruz, The King of Timbales Tito Puente, Latin Grammy winner Ray Santos, talented pianist Charlie Palmieri and many others.   

In 1986, he was fortunate to accompany some of the greatest artists from Latin genres such as Paquito Guzman, Marvin Santiago, Hector Tricoche and many more. One of the greatest unions that he would give tangible shape to would be with Moncho Santana’s Orchestra, former vocalist of Grupo Niche, with whom he chalked up enormous successes and demonstrated all his talent. However, collaborations would not stop there. 

Junito also came to be part of the orchestra of Tito Nieves and that of Ramon Rodriguez. The latter was directed by pianist Gilberto Colón, Jorge González (bongo) and Willie Romero (conga). With all his accumulated experience at this point in his life, it was not difficult for him to find a place in the Orquesta Tártaro led by Franke Ruíz. 

When he moved back to Puerto Rico, he was also in other orchestras in the country such as Puerto Rican Power, Jorge Carrión, Luisito Escobar and many more. In addition to the foregoing, he has managed to work as a producer and musician in a large number of independent groups collaborating with percussion, timbales, bongo and other instruments.   

After a successful career in other groups, he decided to create his own orchestra, Secreto A Voces, in which genres such as salsa and Latin jazz stand out. His first album was called Báilalo and contained songs of his own that were big hits in some European countries such as Italy. His second album was entitled Haciendo Ruido and included the participation of artists such as Nino Segarra, Jaime Rivero, among others.  

 

By: Johnny Cruz correspondent of International Salsa Magazine in New York City, New York

Bella Martinez “La Escritora Irreverente de la Salsa” en Cuarta de Ponce from Puerto Rico the Island of Enchantment.

Ángel “Papote” Alvarado, who is also a composer, percussionist, vocal leader, and founder of Grupo Esencia, manages culture by fertilizing our Afro-Caribbean roots every year, making sure to bring the National Afro-Caribbean Festival to Ponce’s La Cuarta neighborhood, where he grew up.  Usually, the event takes place in June of each year.  However, this year -due to the global health emergency brought on by the pandemic that still threatens us- the iconic annual festival was held from November 19 to 21, 2021 at its usual venue.

On Friday the 19th November 2021 and coinciding with Puerto Rican Day, Angel “Papote” Alvarado kicked off the festivities to usher in the 22nd edition of the festival that each year makes the neighborhood the center of our Afro-descendant culture.

This year, the festival paid tribute to Willie Rosario, Ottoniel Vélez, Jesús Chu López and Héctor Pochy Gastón.

The musical offerings on Friday 19 included:  Los Cimarrones, Robert Burgos and Descarga Zasón in addition to the stellar Míster Afinque. Willie Rosario’s orchestra has delighted with its unique compact format and has remained active for more than six decades under the direction of maestro Rosario himself, whom the salsa dancer keeps at the top of his preference within the environment that groups only connoisseurs.

The closing of the first night of the festival was preceded by the impeccable performance of the Willie Rosario Orchestra, a well-deserved tribute to the longest-serving bandleader in the salsa sound. Afterward, the author of the authorized biography of Mister Afinque -Robert Tellez- praised Maestro Rosario with some moving words.

Afterward, “Papote” Alvarado thanked Robert for his support to Afro-Caribbean cultural activities and presented him with a commemorative poster of the 22nd edition of the festival.  The poster contains a photo by a photographer who stands out as one of the most committed cultural connoisseurs of the salsa scene: Conrado Pastrano.

It is worth mentioning that journalist Robert Tellez, who is also known as “the one who knows the most about salsa” traveled from Colombia to Ponce’s Barrio La Cuarta to be part of the festival and specifically to accompany the artist who is the subject of his work “Willie Rosario, el Rey del Ritmo” during the tribute.  Maestro Rosario made us laugh when, in his usual serious and firm tone, he affirmed, microphone in hand, that he was grateful for the tribute, and at the same time said that he deserved it.

 

On Saturday 20, the following were presented: Boricua y de Mayagüez, Tribute to Héctor “Pochy” Gastón and Jesús López, Ángel “Papote” Alvarado and El Grupo Esencia, Roberto Roena’s Apollo Sound with Carlos Santos and Tito Cruz singing. On Sunday 21, the stage was decorated with Ausuba, Bambalué, Homenaje a Ottoniel Vélez, Guayacanes de San Antón and Abran Paso, with Pichíe Pérez and Rafy Santana singing.

This 2021 would have been the 23rd edition of the festival.  However, the 2020 edition was canceled.  In a stoic manner, the team in support of the persistence of the president and founder of the Comité Pro Nuestra Cultura – “Papote”- who has the unconditional support of William Rodríguez Thillet did not give up so that this 2021 edition would be achieved. Following all the rules that the COVID-19 protocol demands, the public was able to enjoy a luxury show.

Security and parking added comfort and convenience to the event.  The festival featured, as usual, a display of artisans and kiosks, with the best of Puerto Rican fritanga.

For more than two decades, which are easy to say but are twenty-two struggles for the benefit of culture and its permanence, Angel “Papote” Alvarado has kept our Afro-Latin culture afloat, beyond the border of the southern pearl. Congratulations!

Lots of good energy, health, and success to this musician and cultural manager who carries on his shoulders an invaluable legacy.  As for the rest, we look forward to the next edition of this unmissable festival that takes place every year.  In the meantime, let’s follow the transcendental feat of his Grupo Esencia.

 

By: Bella Martínez

Photos: Conrado Pastrano

Article of Interest: Raymundo “Ray” Barretto Pagan was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 29, 1929.

Ray Barretto, Giant Force