Search Results for: Trumpet

On March 5, 2022, the heirs to the mambo will reunite once again, this time the concert entitled Palladium in the New Millennium will grace the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the heart of New York’s Bronx.

This concert coincides with the coming of age celebration of the establishment of The Big Three Palladium Orchestra.  The initial idea of bringing together the three great Palladium orchestras in this innovative concept came to Mario Grillo, better known in the music world as Machito, Jr. approximately twenty-one years ago.

His counterpart, Tito Rodriguez, Jr. told me about it and, thanks to his complicity, I had a pleasant conversation during which Machito, Jr. shared with me a myriad of details.  Having previously collected and shared the conversations I had with Tito, Jr. and later with Machito, Jr. I must now share the point of view of the youngest of the three mambo heirs -Tito Puente, Jr.- about this trilogy, among other things.  During the beginnings of this historic reunion, Tito Puente, Jr. was barely 30 years old.

As with me, the two oldest members of the trilogy have been very supportive of Tito Puente, Jr.  During an exclusive interview granted for this special assignment, Tito Puente, Jr. expressed his deep appreciation for having been so lovingly guided by Tito Rodriguez, Jr. and Machito, Jr. to the recording of what has become the legacy of the Palladium big three: The Big Three Palladium Orchestra live at the Blue Note (2004).

The youngest of the three heirs of the mambo is doubly celebrating, as he has just released his sixth production, entitled The King and I. It contains nine tracks, as you can hear on the album.  It contains nine tracks, as detailed below:  Picadillo, featuring Humberto Ramírez on trumpet; Salsa na ma, featuring José Alberto “El Canario” on vocals; Pa los rumberos, with a masterful performance by Domingo Quiñones; Oye como va, with a performance by “Mulato Rumbero”, Michael Stuart; Para la niña y pa la señora, with none other than Miguel Angel Barcasnegras, better known as “Meñique” (EPD) on vocals; Hong Kong mambo, instrumental theme that highlights the Puente dynasty, with Ronnie Puente on xylophone; El bribón del aguacero, with Yolanda Duke on vocals; 20 años and El Rey del Timbal.  Let’s be clear that this album is not the big band arrangement to which the eternal King of the Timbal has accustomed us.  It is, however, the best tribute that the youngest of the three heirs of the Palladium pays to his father, keeping the legacy alive and kicking.

As you can see, each of the “Palladium’s Big Three” inherited a timbalero son. Coincidentally, Machito, Jr., Tito Rodríguez, Jr. and Tito Puente, Jr. grew up surrounded by music.  Their family environments, respectively, supported them. Indeed, today, all three are musicians.  These three bandleaders have made it their mission to keep the Palladium legacy alive and well.  Although the mambo heirs have transcended the label of being the sons of the mambo owners, they do not forget that the Patriarchs are still a topic of conversation in musical circles around the world.

As the past is the past and the future is uncertain, here we are already waiting in despair. For this new reunion, first-class musicians have been secured, backing up the three heirs of the mambo.  The musical constellation that will be part of this historic night is formed by: Carmen Laboy on baritone saxophone and musical direction, Jorge Castro on tenor saxophone, Mark Friedman and Al Acosta on alto saxophones; Larry Moses, Seneca Black, Mike Mossman, and John Carlson on trumpets; Gilberto Colón, Jr. on piano, Jerry Madera on bass, John “Dandy” Rodríguez on bongo and Eddie Montalvo on tumbadoras.  On the vocal front, Sammy Gonzalez, Jr. leads with Luisito Rosario and Jeremy Montalvo on backing vocals.

I for one continue to live in salsa, which to put it in more earthly terms is, simply put: magic, fantasy, and illusion.

Article of Interest: Sigo entre amigos de Luis “Perico” Ortiz

By: Bella Martinez “The Irreverent Salsa Writer”

Puerto Rico

His beginnings

As we all know, the United States has been the birthplace of a large number of Latin music stars who are dedicated to this group of musical genres in order to stay true to their roots. Such is the case of Angel Papo Vazquez, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but much of his training occurred in Puerto Rico, so he has always had a very special connection with the Island of Enchantment. 

As a 14-year-old teenager, it was his uncle who recommended him to the first band in which he participated. It was around this time that he met famed trumpet player Jimmy Purvis, who would be his biggest inspiration to focus on jazz and start to show interest in trombone. The following year, the boy had already acquired enough experience to perform with local orchestras and accompany renowned artists such as Eddie Palmieri. 

A few years later, he decided to move to New York, where he would rack up most of his musical accomplishments to date. It was there that he performed and recorded along with some of the greatest Latin musicians such as Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colón, Ray Barreto, Larry Harlow and many others. He was hardly 20 years old when he had already toured the world and showed his talent to all types of audiences he could find on the way. 

His groups and orchestras

Another reason why he is so well known is for being one of the founding members of Ford Apache and Conjunto Libre de Jerry Gonzalez, but these are just some of the groups of which he was part. He was also in Tito Puente’s Latin Jazz Ensemble. It was with the King of Timbales with whom he achieved recognition as a lead trombonist and experimented a lot with jazz, a genre for which he was already fascinated at a very young age. 

After all the experience gained so far, Vasquez was able to start merging certain Afro-Caribbean rhythms that allowed him to innovate in jazz and Latin music in general. He was based on many of the things he learned and heard in Puerto for this. 

As early as the 1980s, Papo was mixing bomba jazz, which is basically a mix of jazz and traditional Puerto Rican bomba. In the 90’s, he recorded his first album as a bandleader and collaborated with a lot of Latin jazz artists who greatly appreciated his talent, resulting in great discographic works that are still remembered to this day. One of them was the one he made with certain New York personalities, which is a live recording that included the participation of recognized figures such as American saxophonist Michael Brecker, New York bassist Andy Gonzalez and many more. 

This project was called Pirates & Trobadours – At the point Volume 1 and evolved as such that it include more musicians who had no trouble joining the trombonist in this adventure. The group that made the album did many tours and performed at music festivals all over the world. They were so successful that they continued to make new editions throughout the years. In fact, one of Vasquez’s latest albums was Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours – Chapter 10: Breaking Cover, which was released in 2020. 

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

Ortiz features Tony Vega, Milly Quezada, Johnny Rivera, Gerardo Rivas, Henry Santiago, Yturvides Vílchez, Néstor Torres, Charlie Sepúlveda and Antonio Luis Orta.

The new production of the Puerto Rican trumpeter Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Sigo entre amigos comes to us with the same energy as always.  We trust this is a foretaste of what is to come because as the genius of musical production, Julio Gunda Merced, says: “We must continue to create”.

Sigo entre amigos begins by modernizing what would otherwise keep us in the nostalgia of the unforgettable production, Entre amigos.  The also masterful 1983 production featured Rafael Ithier, Rubén Blades, and Roberto Lugo, as well as the same Conjunto Quisqueya that for years dominated the danceable musical genre known as merengue.  In this new arrival, Sigo entre amigos, “Perico” continues with his trumpet and the rumba is back to form. In this renewed Sigo entre amigos, cut that gives title to this impeccable production, we find the voices of: Tony Vega, Milly Quezada, Johnny Rivera, and Gerardo Rivas. The legendary backing vocalist Henry Santiago also stands out, with the vocal power to which we are accustomed.

Beginning in the third minute of what has become the promotional cut, the unmistakable trumpet of the usual Luis “Perico” Ortiz stars in the notes of the arrangement until he joins in calm and saucy harmony the melodic wind collective formed by Yturvides Vilchez, Antonio Luis Orta, Jesus Rafael “Rafy” Torres, Eliut Cintrón, Randy Román, Miguel Rivera and Danny Fuentes in a masterful closing.

The second cut of this production, De mi para ti, features the crystalline voice of Johnny Rivera.  The song is a composition and arrangement by “Perico”.

The chorus that says: “Mi tributo es para ti, gracias al salón de baile” (My tribute is for you, thanks to the dance hall) enters in a tune that my ear associates to the style that stands out in the Orquesta Puertorriqueña del maestro Don Perignon.  I’m not saying that’s the way it is, I just think that’s what my ear appreciates.  I love it, by the way.

Johnny’s soneos bring nostalgia to the affair without abandoning the innovative touch of the arrangement.  This dichotomy of keeping the foundation constantly evolving has been very well achieved, highlighting New York as “the supreme soul of the art”.  Somewhat later in the song, the touting style that Johnny adds to “si tú quieres que yo cante, canto; y si tú quieres que yo baile, bailo” shows the malleability and mastery with which “Perico” manages to weave the classic with avant-garde expertise. Bravo!

After Johnny’s characteristic war cry in the fourth minute of the song, I recommend listening to what follows the “¡Vayaaa!” anticipating the forcefulness of Gadwin Vargas’ tumbadora. That, for the sake of highlighting my favorite special effect.

How can I say no, if it is a song inspired by the affection and respect that this avant-garde school obviously expresses for women.  It is about a gentleman who “sees lights” for a lady who approaches him cautiously and without haste.  Finally, the gentleman succeeds in making the lady fall in love and confesses to her that the wait was worth it, even though at first he did not even dare to ask her for a kiss.  In short, this composition by “Perico” himself is far from the lyrics that some fire-eating feminists condemned as misogynistic, in that past that this team of artists led by “Perico” were never part of.  In a way, this song repairs the damage caused by others.

In the vocal part, it distinguishes the duet between Gerardo Rivas, guest of this production, and “Perico” himself, who also interprets through the trumpet.

Musically, the arrangement of this song is easy to listen to, although I imagine that the arranger processed all the complication to make it simple for our inexperienced ears. The rhythmic changes within the salsa sound of this song have interesting transitions, the kind that make the dancer get active even if his dancing shoes are not well tied.

In the vocal part of Detente, the duet between Tony Vega, guest of this production, and “Perico” shines.  Detente lightens the speed compared to the rest of the songs in the production, so the dancer must be in good shape before trying to dance to it.  This fact shows us the versatility in the interpretative ability of Tony Vega whom we are used to hearing singing romantic and slower songs.  It is, without a doubt, refreshing to see how the performer’s horizons can be expanded by way of these artistic combinations of seemingly simple variations. Of course, a pioneer of these effects is “Perico” and this invention that I attribute to “Perico” is due to him having the necessary experience to achieve exceptional results with the usual performers.  At the 2 minutes and a half mark, the correspondence between the bass played by Jorge Rivera and the piano played by Carlos García; they reach a rhythmic transition, which makes this arrangement a remarkable one within the list of songs that compile this production.  Almost entering the fourth minute, we reach the social message that the song delivers to the listener as a chorus: “Persigue lo bueno…”.  The chorus and the pregones are framed within the tastiness of a trombone full of positivism.  The fifth minute gives way to the conversation between the trumpet of “Perico” and the voice of Tony Vega, affirming a message of love and truth.

Days after listening to the track, I can still hear Henry Santiago’s voice echoing, “chase the good…”

The intro of the track Solo tuya seré features “Perico’s” trumpet playing what appears to be a fragment of the Puerto Rican national anthem.  “Perico” demonstrates masterful mastery in the harmony of the aforementioned notes conjugating them with the vocal entrance of Milly Quezada.  The song’s lyrics are sweet and romantic with lots of melody and rhyme.  However, this does not limit the arrangement to a simple one.  On the contrary, it is one of those arrangements that conquers by its complexity and fluidity.

Before reaching the 2 minute mark, the leather beats come in, anticipating Milly’s proclamation, confirming in multiple ways the chorus that says: “solo tuyo siempre yo seré” (only yours I will always be).  The mambo goes on, while Milly continues to splash the feeling summarized in the confession she makes while singing in her characteristic color: “eres mi mejor canción, eres tú mi melodía” (you are my best song, you are my melody).  By 3:33, the arrangement returns to the undisputed sound of “Perico”.  This composition, also by “Perico” pays homage to patient love, good love that swears: “te amaré toda la vida” (I will love you all my life).  As you can see, it is possible to coordinate romance with a musical arrangement that is at once melodic, danceable and heavy.  Now, the question I have to ask myself is: Did “Perico”‘s return to his homeland after living in New York for about two decades inspire his pen? Is that the reason for the intro with the overlapping resemblance to the national anthem?  That is the question that leads me to: “Eres tú lo que soñé, eras tú mi fantasía” (You are what I dreamed of, you were my fantasy).

On Señores que se sepa, Henry Santiago’s unmistakable voice stands out again in the coros, backing up “Perico’s” vocal performance.  Shortly after 2:30 minutes, the trumpet leads the melodic development of the winds.  Well into the third minute, the association of bass and piano precede Jorge David Marcano’s timbal until the trombone and tumbadora begin to dominate by the fourth minute.  In the fifth minute, a trumpet-led mozambique takes over.  When the mozambique goes down, the piano seems to embrace the trumpet.  As can be seen, the development of the theme is one with modern overtones of undeniable Afro-descendence, without departing from the classic fundamental sound.

On Tres grandes amigos, Henry Santiago sings with his usual strength.  The melody benefits from a sound that I imagine was inspired by Puente, Rodríguez and Machito, since the saxophones stand out in that typical playfulness of the three Palladium greats.  It would seem that the composition and arrangement -both by “Perico”- are in tune with the upcoming reunion of those whom I affectionately call “Los herederos del Mambo” (The heirs of the Mambo).  I associate it, since on March 5, 2022 begins the reunion tour of Tito Rodriguez, Jr., Mario Grillo (Machito, Jr.) and Tito Puente, Jr. in the concert: The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra.  The reunion will be held at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in New York, under the concept called “The Big 3”; this time titled Palladium in the New Millennium.  On the other hand, on June 19, 2022, Tito Rodríguez, Jr. will be at the Centro de Bellas Artes de Puerto Rico performing as a tribute to “El Inolvidable”: his father, Tito Rodríguez.

Without wanting to compete with the theme performed live with the three timbaleros heirs of the Mambo: Tito Rodriguez, Jr., Mario Grillo (Machito, Jr.) and Tito Puente, Jr. backing the voices of Gilberto Santa Rosa, Cheo Feliciano, Henry Santiago and Osvaldo Román, I invite us to take a closer look at the presentation I am referring to, within the 6th Jazz Festival in Carolina, Puerto Rico.  The performance of this song closed the aforementioned festival and is on YouTube for the delight of those who could not make it there.  Click on the link, https://youtu.be/4jZLEnpaRCo you won’t regret it.  It gave me a more complete perspective of the song and its interpretation.  The arrangement of the song performed that night in Carolina is by Luis “Perico” Ortiz himself.  Highlights of the August 2010 performance included: Carolina Mayor José Carlos Aponte Dalmau, Mario Grillo, Tito Rodríguez, Jr., Tito Puente, Jr. and Luis “Perico” Ortiz.  On the vocal front, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Cheo Feliciano, Henry Santiago and Osvaldo Román stood out.  Of course, I can’t leave out Sammy Velez on baritone saxophone.

It is true that: “We are fortunate to have had three great teachers, three great friends…” and it is also true that Henry Santiago ate it. What a hurricane, that voice that sweeps!  Now what we have left is the appetite to enjoy this year’s concerts.  It’s coming, we are waiting for it.

In Yturvides & Perico, the characteristic speed of the other songs contained in the production is changed and the tempo of classic Jazz with the Latin touch that characterizes the master Luis “Perico” Ortiz stands out.  At minute 3:30, the arrangement is skipped for approximately thirty seconds to return to a soft minute of the undisputed Soñando con Puerto Rico.  The slow tempo is skipped again until the end of the song.  This arrangement is for connoisseurs only.  You know, those who know, know, and those who don’t, learn.  The last minute is pure trumpet accompanied by an orchestra that does not get in the way.  The percussion is complementary and sends the children to school.

As promised on the compact disc’s laminated cover, this song is a fusion of Osvaldo Farrés’ Tres palabras and Bobby Capó’s Soñando con Puerto Rico in a masterful arrangement by “Perico” that accommodates an exceptional performance by Yturvides Vílchez.  Simply exceptional.

In the song Warming Up, which closes this production, stand out:  Charlie Sepúlveda, Néstor Torres and Antonio Luis Orta.  The instrumental segment sounds like a big band, as it is.  The piano dominates and seems to direct the saxophones from the first minute, besides conversing in constant playfulness with the bongo played by Richard Carrasco.  The trumpets have a leading role entering and leaving in orderly shifts with the coros.  Distinguished among the coros is one of my favorite voices; not only for his vocal power but also because he can subtly balance that power with his unequaled melodic command.  That’s Henry Santiago, but that’s my preference.

Anyway, I love this production.  If you don’t have it, get it.  If you do, enjoy it.

Facebook: Luis Perico Ortiz

Article of Interest: Ray Barretto Giant Force y A Conguero’s Conguero

By: Bella Martinez “The Irreverent Salsa Writer”

Puerto Rico