Search Results for: Trumpet

The trumpeter and director of the orchestra known as ‘The Tsunami of Salsa’ -Luis Gonzalez- delivers his new album under the title ’50 years, my music… My passion’.

With this production, Luis González takes the opportunity to celebrate five decades of musical life; during which he has been a musician of important orchestras, such as the Ray Barretto Orchestra, the Luis “Perico” Ortiz Orchestra and the Willie Rosario Orchestra, from which González left to form his own.

It should be noted that for thirteen years the trumpeter has been known as ‘the tsunami of salsa’ while becoming the director of his musical proposal, which he has kept active on local and international stages since 2009.

The launching of ’50 años, mi música… Mi pasión’ took place on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the headquarters of the National Foundation for Popular Culture in Old San Juan.  Present were Rafy Arroyo, Ricky Ramos and Jorge “Yoyo” Ocasio representing the current enrollment of the Luis González Orchestra; in addition to the ‘King of the Bass’ -Bobby Valentín- and trumpet player, director of the Juan Morel Campos Music Institute of Ponce and director of the Del Sur al Norte Orchestra, Julito Alvarado.

In ’50 años, mi música… Mi pasión’, guest musicians include trumpet players Jan Duclerc, Jesús Alonso and Julito Alvarado; pianist, arranger and music producer Pedro Bermúdez; Efraín Hernández on bass; William “Kachiro” Thompson on tumbadoras; Richard Carrasco on bongó; Gamalier González on trombone; and the voices of Pichie Pérez, Juan Bautista and Darvel García on backing vocals. On vocals, Rafy Arroyo, Ricky Ramos and Pedro Arroyo participated as guests.

Interestingly, a trend that has been emerging lately in salsa recordings also took over the tsunami.  I am referring to the batá drums, which for this album were played by Anthony Carrillo and Juanchi Sánchez. The album was recorded at Rolo Recording Studio, under the direction of Luis González himself. The mixing and mastering was in charge of Vinny Urrutia.  

The composers responsible for the songs chosen for this, the tsunami’s third release, include Francisco “Chalina” Alvarado, Yova Rodríguez, Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Eliu de Jesús, Cucco Peña, García Guadalupe, Ricky Ramos, Pedro Arroyo and Onorio Rivera. For the musical arrangements, Tsunami counted on arrangers of the stature of Oscar Hernandez, Javier Fernandez, Luis ‘Perico’ Ortiz, Ricky Gonzalez, Roberto Perez, Isidro Infante, Julito Alvarado and Pedro Bermudez.

Currently, the orchestra better known as ‘El Tsunami de la Salsa’ counts on the musical experience of its members: Rafael “Bodo” Torres (piano), Mario Vélez (bass), Luis González (leader, fiscorno and trumpet), Ito Torres and Simón Rivera (trumpets), Jorge Echevarría (trombone), Rigo Díaz (timbal), Jorge “Yoyo” Ocasio (tumbadoras) and Wilfredo Rosario (bongo).

So, we are still in salsa.  Yes, salsa lives! The efforts of this bandleader attest to that. Congratulations and may the next one come.  

While it is true that salsa is very much alive, it is also true that it has been enriched through fusions and transformations.  Of course, this is not the first time we see that the salsa sound is transformed to give way to increasingly daring musical themes.   

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “I’m glad there are collaborations where the wallet of other sounds invests in producing music that I enjoy.  Note that the only music I enjoy with the passion I enjoy nothing else is salsa.  This salsa I’m talking about also includes fusions and other inventions, as long as I like them.”

Well, let’s get to the mambo….

During the “Tropical Music Festival” I was backstage and was able to share with the musicians before and after their performances.  That privilege gave me the opportunity to talk to them about their projects, among other things.  On a side note, Oria Rivera graciously let me know about the release that same day of Bobby Valentin’s latest single.  As soon as I got home I listened to the song via You Tube.

Once again, maestro Valentín delivers a very daring and innovative song. I know that “chinchas” are going to fall on me as usual; but without being repetitive, you know that I am one of those who believe that Valentin is never wrong. 

Let’s establish that boogaloo or bugaloo is a Latin music and dance genre that was popular in the United States in the 1960s. It originated in New York City, mainly among Hispanic and Latin American teenagers. The style was a fusion of popular African-American rhythm and blues (R&B), in turn combining soul music with mambo and son montuno.

In the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans in the United States listened to various styles of music, including jump blues, R&B and doo-wop. Latinos in New York City shared those tastes, but also listened to genres such as mambo and cha-cha-chá. There was a mix of Puerto Ricans, Cubans and African-Americans in clubs, whose groups tried to find common musical ground. In the end, boogaloo or bugaloo was the common musical ground, a fusion of many styles cooking American son montuno, guaguancó, guajira, guaracha, mambo, R&B and soul on the same stove.  That must have been the reason why the boogaloo or bugalú allowed Spanish and English on equal terms.

As you can see, fusions are not a recent fad.

Well then.  The time has come to tell you what my salsa ears have heard, since there will be those who say that this is not a salsa song.  Well, the truth of the matter is that it is not suitable for salseros without musical appreciation skills.

From the first bars of this song, Bobby Valentín’s musical arrangement highlights the bass, accompanied by trumpets and saxophones in an arrangement that sounds great.  In the first thirty seconds of the song you can appreciate the vocal part of the composer -Bobby Valentín- ultra well accompanied by his most recent acquisition for the front of his orchestra: Leró Martínez. And for the most skeptical, Bobby and Leró sing in impeccable English.

The song is perfect, since in three minutes it opens up a range of musical possibilities in “English without barriers”.  Despite the brevity of the song, it lacks nothing.  Nor does it feel or sound like musical creativity was curtailed by trying to shorten the time.  The track flows naturally from the prelude, to the mambo, to the closing. At one and a half minutes, the saxophones provide the melody and the trumpets the breaks.  At the fiftieth minute, the trumpets play challenging the rhythm section, formed by:  Victor Roque on the tumbadoras, Kevin Vega on the timbal and Javier Oquendo on the bongo. Ceferino Cabán’s piano complements the “king’s” bass in a masterful way.

Shortly after the second minute (2.19), Victor “Yuca” Maldonado’s baritone saxophone sets the stage for Julito Alvarado and Angie Machado’s trumpets to firmly establish their presence.  This second minute also highlights the dynamism of the trombone by Eliut Cintrón. Let’s not forget that the composer, arranger, producer and bassist of this song was a trumpet player in his beginnings. At exactly 2.40 the bass takes command of the orchestra with more forcefulness, melodically allying itself with the sound of the trumpets and saxophones. Well into the second minute (2.44) the electric guitar in command of Javier Perez begins a correspondence with the bass, which is maintained until the closing of the song.

As for the cover art, it features a childish Bobby Valentine dressed as a musical celebrity.  The boy wears dark pants and a white shirt with those stylish puffed sleeves that scream mambo.  The title letters, which read It’s Boogaloo time are superimposed over the child’s image.  The style of the yellow letters that inscribe the word Boogaloo over the image described above make me imagine letters in some liquid material. The composition of the artwork rests on a rather garish salmon-colored background. According to the credits, both the graphic design and art direction were created by Orialis Valentin. Brava!

If you are one of those who say you are tired of the same old same old, I challenge you to listen to this gem, just as I recommended El Twist a while back. 

Salsa lives! I hope I have dispelled your doubts, if you had any.  If you still have any doubts, I confirm that you are not ready for this salsa conversation.

Musical Director: Bobby Valentín

Audio Recording & Mixing: Play Bach Studio

Engineer Carlitos Velázquez and Ramón Martínez

Mastering: WAVEM Acoustic LLC; Eduardo Ramos

Producer: Bobby Valentín

© 2022, Bronco Records, Inc. (Artist: Bobby Valentín)

Mayagüez, is one of the 78 municipalities into which the Island of Enchantment is politically divided: Puerto Rico.

It is the eighth in size and located at the western and central end of the island. Its name comes from a Taino voice that means according to the official historian of this town – Don Federico Cedó Alzamora, “Lugar Grande De Aguas”.

It was founded by the Spaniards and history records a September 18, 1760 with the name of “Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria”, in the territory already occupied by a rural population that was called “Sitio de Mayagüez”. The city has also been known as “Ciudad de Dios”, “La Atenas de Puerto Rico”, “La Sultana del Oeste”, “La Ciudad de las Aguas Puras”, “Capital de la Hospitalidad”, among other names.

Giovanni (Yova) Rodríguez Ruiz was born in Mayagüez, being the youngest of six siblings, raised alone by his mother Doña Delia Ruiz Crespo. At the age of 7 years old, he began singing Christmas aguinaldos and was influenced by his maternal uncle José Ruiz Crespo ¨Pipo El Indio¨ and his great uncle Antonio ¨Toño Ruiz¨ who played the Puerto Rican cuatro. At the age of fifteen he began his studies at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Music School in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

It is here that he began his singing and percussion career and at the age of 16 he became the singer of the school’s band. In 2004 he began the project ¨Yova Rodríguez & his ensemble Sakao – Akà, Homenaje a Polo Montañez¨.

Since the release of his musical work Yova Rodríguez conjunto Sakao – Akà has become one of the most sought after ensembles in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela and New York, since 2010 resides in the Big Apple, La Babel de Hierro N.Y, working in musical composition for singers of the stature, Danny Rivera, Herman Olivera, Marcial Isturiz, Orquesta Boricua Legends, and the great Andy Montañez among others and to mention a few and traveling through several Latin American countries with most of the artists already mentioned.

In 2016 he starts with his promotional song ¨Me Quedaré¨ with arrangements by trumpeter Nelson Jaime Gazu, a song dedicated to the thousands of Boricuas who have left their beloved Puerto Rico. In 2017 he composed the song ¨Mi Barrio¨ dedicated to his native neighborhood and was presented in Mayagüez, at the same time the Mayor José Guillermo Rodríguez gave him the keys of the city and a recognition, in the same year he composed the song ¨Borinquén se Levanta¨ with the participation of great luminaries of Salsa in New York such as El Pulpo Colon, Jhon Benítez, Luis Mangual, José Dávila among others and by the hand of the Cuban trumpeter and arranger Agustín Someillan Garcia, in January 2018 is presented in Medellín-Colombia in the outstanding local Son-Habana, returns to New York and composes the theme Medellín, is presented last June 23 with a resounding total success in the event a day of Salsa for Medellín.

Yova Rodriguez himself informs me that he is already preparing his fourth album with pianist and arranger Arturo Ortiz. And at the same time he belongs to the board of directors of the Galería de La Salsa in Spanish Harlem in New York.

Other themes that social networks have been responsible for spreading recently will see the light in the next production of Yova Rodriguez, the same that will be titled YOVA RODRIGUEZ ENTRE LOS PUEBLOS and will be part of this production the recent theme composed to the First Peruvian Port: El Callao; highlighting here the fact that Yova has never set foot in our territory but that has not been an impediment for his pen to recreate scenarios: neighborhoods, corners and, mainly, its people. As he says in his lyric “…he who knows about salsa, knows that it is enchanting there in the Chimpún Callao…”

We come to the final part of this biographical sketch, thanking Yova Rodriguez for his kindness in sharing with this server the data and images that accompany this publication.

We wanted to honor the musician, singer and composer, but without leaving aside the tremendous human being that our guest embodies, both as a son and brother, as a fellow professional musician and, especially, as a family man.

A facet that is hidden behind the public man (singer-songwriter) but that impresses greatly in Yova’s pen: first, when sharing a message in each of his lyrics; second, his constant attempts to honor his children Ariana and Kerby on a daily basis, taking as a guideline that old adage that says: “You preach by example”; finally his constant struggle to shorten the physical distances between them, something that surely his Muse manages to do.

For the year 2022 from the pen of the composer Yova is still in force.

Where did Ismael Miranda’s artistic nickname “El Niño Bonito de la Salsa” (The Pretty Boy of Salsa), with which he became known, come from?

I liked to dress up and look nice for the presentations on one occasion I went to the hairdresser’s and bought a suit for the show when I arrived at the hotel, Johnny Pacheco said to me: ‘How nice, the pretty boy is late! As always.

And from that day on they called me “El niño bonito de la salsa” (the pretty boy of salsa). Pacheco gave the nicknames to everyone in the Fania All Stars.

Johnny Pacheco had a lot of faith when he came up with the idea of making this movie and it was a success.

People vibrated with our songs and we took advantage of 4 emblematic concerts to record it.

That’s how we have to walk through life. It is enough to know that we are doing things right to reap triumphs. Said the trumpet player and composer.

Perico also took the opportunity to tell where all that tasty Caribbean rhythm comes from, of which they are such good exponents. “The folklore of Latin American music was born in Africa”. He recalled the first time he arrived with La Fania to this continent. He still has in his mind the gesture of the Africans when he saw people from other parts of the world playing the congas like masters. We all felt proud, he said.

Miranda also recalled that on August 6, 1980, he arrived for the first time in Barranquilla to present a concert with Héctor Lavoe.

“We were used to performing on huge stages and singing with a well achieved sound; in Barranquilla there was nothing like that, but something magical happened, the affection and joy of the people infected us.

Hector and I gave a show of height, at the end we realized that we enjoyed it completely with all the people of Barranquilla.

During the conference, Perico Ortiz explained why he never recorded an album with Las Estrella de la Fania.

“I never recorded an album, but I participated in many concerts. At that moment I felt in my heart that it was time to sing and I told Jerry Masucci to give me the opportunity, but he did not see me as an artist, but as a trumpet player and arranger, so I decided to retire from La Fania and concentrated on recording my first album as a soloist in 1977 titled My Own Image”.

Ismael was born in Aguada, in western Puerto Rico, but as a child his family settled in New York. He began singing in English in school plays when he was only eight years old, and was even part of a children’s group called “Little Junior in the Class Mate”.

Soon after, he began taking singing lessons at a music school at 46th and Broadway, and then to improve his singing skills he studied with a music teacher recommended to him by Tito Rodriguez.

The environment in which he grew up helped him cultivate his love for music. First he wanted to be a percussionist and not a vocalist. That is why at the age of 10 he told his mother of his desire to buy a conga. Later he acquired a bongo, which resounded throughout the neighborhood. He got to play the conga in Andy Harlow’s sextet, and was part of the Sexteto Pipo y su Combo. But he finally turned to singing, for which he was assisted by Ismael Rivera.

He made his first recording in 1967 with José Luis Pastrana Santos, a musician, composer and timbalero from Santurce, known as Joey Pastrana, on the album Let’s Ball.

This album, recorded for the Cotique label, contains Ismael Miranda’s first big hit, the song “Rumbón melón”.

Facebook: Ismael Miranda