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Luis Perdomo one of the most avid pianists of the Jazz in New York

Luis is one of the most active jazz pianists in New York.

Originally from Venezuela, he began playing piano at the age of 10, and by the age of 12 was playing professionally on radio and television, as well as in concerts and clubs. Luis later moved to the United States.

To attend the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship, he graduated in 1997 and went on to earn a master’s degree at Queens College, where he was a student of the great pianist Sir Roland Hanna.

Shortly after moving to New York, he quickly established himself as an in-demand pianist amassing an impressive resume.

Some of the artists Luis has recorded and/or performed include Ravi Coltrane, David Sanchez, Tom Harrell, John Patitucci, Ray Barretto, Brian Lynch, Miguel Zenon, Dave Douglas, David Weiss and The Cookers, David Gilmore, Ralph Irizarry and Timbalaye, Henry Threadgill and Steve Turre, among others; a list that is as remarkable for its high level as it is for its diversity.

To attend the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship, he graduated in 1997 and went on to earn a master's degree at Queens College. — Luis Perdomo One of the most avid pianists of the Jazz in New York

Luis is also recognized as a member of several bands, especially the groups led by Ravi Coltrane, with whom he spent 10 years and Miguel Zenon, with whom he has had a collaboration that is currently in its 18th year.

Luis has also made a mark as a performer. Composer and arranger on recordings by Ray Barretto, Ignacio Berroa, John Benitez and Ralph Irizarry. He has also been commissioned as a composer by the Jazz Gallery, The Afro Bop Alliance and Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

He can be heard most recently on Ravi Coltrane’s Grammy nominated “Spirit Fiction” and Miguel Zenón’s “Típico”. In 2002 he won the 2nd Grand Prize at the “3rd Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition” in Paris, among a group of 66 international pianists.

He can be heard more recently in Ravi Coltrane’s Grammy nominated “Spirit Fiction” and Miguel Zenón’s “Tipico”. In 2002 he won the 2nd Grand Prize at the “3rd Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition” in Paris, among a group of 66 international pianists.

As a sideman, Luis has performed at most of the major music festivals and venues in over 50 countries, and as a leader, he has toured Europe, Japan, South America and the United States.

Luis has also been very active around the world in recent years as a teacher, soloist and as leader of his own trio: The Controlling Ear Unit and various other projects, and has released nine highly praised recordings as a leader: “…Focus Point “.

Luis has performed at most major music festivals and venues in more than 50 countries. — Luis Perdomo has also participated in more than 200 recordings as a sideman.

Focus Point “. (2005),” Awareness ” (2006), and the highly acclaimed ” Universal Mind ” with Drew Gress and Jack Dejohnette (2012) for Ravi Coltrane’s RKM Music label. ” Pathways ” in 2008, the ” Childhood ” project in 2012 and ” Links ” in 2013 were recorded for Criss Cross Jazz.

His ” Twenty – Two ” project, with ” Controlling Ear Unit “, was released in 2015 on the Hot Tone Music label.

This high octane CD unites Luis with bassist / vocalist Mimi Jones and drummer Rudy Royston. The two most recent CD’s:” Montage “; Luis’ first piano outing and” Spirits and Warriors “; a quintet release for the Criss Cross Jazz label featuring drumming legend Billy Hart, was released in May 2016.

Luis Perdomo has also participated in over 200 recordings as a sideman.

As an educator, Luis has taught master classes at conservatories in Amsterdam and Paris, Princeton University, Hochschule Fur Musik und Theatre (Munich, Germany), Berklee (Valencia, Spain), IUDEM (Caracas, Venezuela), Esmuva (Madrid, Spain) ; and the School of Jazz in Berkeley, California, among others.

He has taught summer jazz camps, including “Jazz in July” at the University of Massachusetts, Langnau Jazz Nights in Switzerland; The Banff International Workshop and the University of Manitoba in Canada, Badajoz Jazz Worshop in Spain; Universidad EAFIT in Medellin; Tonica Jazz Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico and Guimaraes Jazz Workshops in Portugal, among others.

In 2016, Mr. Perdomo served as artistic director of the Langnau Jazz Workshops in Switzerland. Luis has also taught at the New School for Social Research, and currently serves as an adjunct professor of piano at Queens College in New York City.

For more information, visit www.luisperdomojazz.com

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Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros: The Golden Legacy of the Cuban Trumpet

The history of Latin music cannot be written without mentioning the metallic brilliance and elegant phrasing of Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros.

Regarded by musicologists and peers as the “Latin Louis Armstrong,” Armenteros was more than just a trumpet virtuoso; he was a sonic architect who bridged the gap between traditional Cuban son, New York jazz, and the high-energy explosion of salsa.

Chocolate Armenteros🇨🇺fue una leyenda excelsa de la música cubana

Born on April 4, 1928, in Las Villas, Cuba, Armenteros carried the soul of his homeland to the world’s most prestigious stages.

His nickname, which became a hallmark of artistic quality, originated from a curious anecdote the musician shared in 2013: a young woman had mistaken him for the famous boxer “Kid Chocolate.”

What began as a case of mistaken identity ultimately became the name of a legend who would deliver his “knockouts” not with fists, but with perfect notes.

The Forging of a Master: From Arsenio Rodríguez to the “Bárbaro del Ritmo”

The career of Chocolate Armenteros serves as a detailed roadmap of the Golden Age of Cuban music. In 1950, he joined the ensemble of the “Blind Marvel,” Arsenio Rodríguez.

Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros el Legado de Oro de la Trompeta Cubana

Under Rodríguez’s tutelage, he recorded essential pieces of the Caribbean songbook such as “Deuda,” “Tengo que olvidarte,” and the iconic “La vida es un sueño.”

This period was vital in defining his style: a fusion of technical discipline and a gift for organic improvisation.

His rise was meteoric. By 1953, he was already a member of Sonora Matancera, the island’s most influential musical institution. That same year, he participated in a historic milestone: the founding of the band led by his cousin, the great Benny Moré.

Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros, Lino Frias, Carlos Patato Valdez y el Negro Vivar 1973

The sound of Chocolate’s trumpet was a key gear in the machinery of Moré’s “Tribu,” cementing his status as the most sought-after instrumentalist of his generation.

Conquering New York and the Global Stage

In November 1958, Armenteros’ destiny changed forever. He traveled to New York with the Fajardo y sus Estrellas orchestra for a private performance at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

The event carried high-level political weight: it was a gala for the presidential campaign of then-candidate John F. Kennedy. Following this encounter with the Big Apple, the trumpeter decided to settle permanently in the city, becoming an ambassador for Caribbean rhythms at the epicenter of jazz.

In New York, his talent flowed through the most influential groups of the era:

The Machito Orchestra (1963): Where he fused Cubop with Afro-Cuban jazz.
Eddie Palmieri (70s): Contributing his power to the experimental sound of salsa brava.
Tico-Alegre All Stars (1975): Sharing the stage with giants like Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ismael Rivera, and Cachao.

An Endless and Eternal Style

In the late 70s and early 80s, Armenteros not only returned to collaborate with Sonora Matancera but also took the definitive step as a bandleader.

Under his own direction, he left behind memorable productions such as Chocolate Dice (1982) and Estrellas de Chocolate (1987), proving that his creative well never ran dry.The most admirable aspect of Armenteros was his artistic longevity. He remained active in festivals and concerts well into his 80s, preserving a privileged embouchure and a sense of timing that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros y Eddie Moltalvo

Today, nearly a century after his birth, Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros remains the gold standard for trumpeters. His life was a testament to elegance, his music a bridge between nations, and his trumpet an eternal echo of Cuban identity that continues to resonate in every jazz descarga and every salsa step around the world.

Also Read: Larry Harlow and Ismael Miranda: The birth of “Arsenian Salsa,” a tribute to the music of Arsenio Rodríguez the creator of Son Montuno and the “King of Guaguancó.”

Ray Rodríguez and The Colao Band promote Latin music in San Antonio, Texas

Ray Rodríguez is a talented professional musician and ex-serviceman with whom we’ve had the great pleasure of talking to about his career and other interesting details of his life in general. This descendant of Puerto Ricans has shown us a little-known side of himself, and we’re more than happy to share it with our dear readers today, May 1, 2026.

Ray posing — Ray Rodríguez posing for the camera

How Ray got his start in Music and who inspired him

Ray came from a family full of musicians, but his father and grandfather dedicated themselves to the craft of building string instruments such as guitars, requintos, and cuatros. His grandfather, besides being a craftsman, was also a very talented musician, so he was in high demand in his town to liven up events of all kinds. Seeing so many musicians testing the quality of the instruments at home all the time, little Ray tried to be around to learn the tones he heard.

Over time, he had his own guitar and carried it with everywhere he went, something that his family always supported, and he is so grateful for that.

Enlistment into the United States Army

Music was always very present in Rey’s life, but he had not yet mastered it very well, and his interest in it had not developed much at all, so he joined the United States Army. However, once there, some of his fellow soldiers were also musicians, and taught him to play other instruments, but it did not end there. It was at this stage that his interest in singing was sparked and he dedicated to this profession after his retirement. That was 26 years ago.

He came to be there for a total of six years. In the beginning, he joined as an infantryman and later became an artilleryman. He also attended aviation school for about a year, but unfortunately had an accident that fractured his leg in six places, so he was given the option of staying or changing jobs again, and he chose the latter.

It should be noted that he spent much of his service in Germany, and being there, he devoted much of his free time to listening to music that reminded him of his roots and playing it as a hobby.

Ray and The Colao Band — Ray Rodríguez and The Colao Band at the Jazz Festival in Helotes

Why he chose Texas back to the United States

Having been born in Boston, Massachusetts, it struck us that he chose Texas as his new home. On this subject, he told us that his best friend was parked at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and invited Ray to visit him. The artist enjoyed his walk around the city so much that he decided to stay there, so he applied to work at the City of San Antonio Aviation Department and got the position. After completing his retirement procedure, that was how he went directly to San Antonio, where he continues to live to this day.

As for the musical panorama he found there, what dominated the most at the time was regional Mexican music, so salsa, merengue, and other genres of that type were just beginning to take their place on the local music scene. Fortunately, things have changed since then. During those same years, Ray was invited to a rehearsal with the merengue band Grupo Chocolate to serve as a backup singer, and he spent about six years singing with them, but also became the band’s manager and owner.

Already in the year 2007, the band unfortunately broke up and all the members went their separate ways, which is when Ray finally decided to form his own band, The Ray Colao Band.

The Colao Band

For a time, Ray was the singer of Tito Puente Jr.’s band, and both he and the timbalero were having lunch at a restaurant and talking about the band Ray wanted to start. Ray explained to him that his project was like a mix of everything and that it was all “colado” (in this context, it means everything is mixed together). In addition, he always snuck into someone else’s stage without being part of the group (”colado’’ in Spanish), so Puente gave him the idea to use that name for his band, and it was.

Ray and Tito — Ray Rodríguez and Tito Puente Jr.

As for his accompanying musicians today, we can mention guitarist and singer Jessi García, guitarist, pianist, and bassist Rogelio Romer Hidalgo, singer Gilberto Álvarez, percussionist Georgie Padilla, and the late Jesús Navarrete. These were the members who formed the core of the band, and almost all have been working alongside Ray for about 18 years continuously, except for Gilberto, who spent some time in Puerto Rico but then rejoined them. After them, The Colao Band also welcomed Hainel García and Robert García.

In addition to the band, Ray has also been able to open his own restaurant, Cuba 1918, which he has been running for about four years. He says the project is going very well and that it has become a music and arts venue where he hires various bands to entertain customers during their meal.

Rafaelito and his career between Munich and New York

We had a very personable and honest conversation with Rafael Pareja Ibañez, who via WhatsApp has given us a few minutes of his busy schedule to tell us a bit about his fascinating career to date and the group he currently leads, Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao.

The artist, born in Lima, Peru, has a huge love for music and remains intact to date, so he says it is a pleasure to share the story of how he came to pursue it professionally, no matter how many times he tells it.

Rafael’s beginnings in music

Rafael was first inspired by the artists his parents used to listen to at home, including La Sonora Matancera, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and many others. Family social gatherings always featured iconic songs by these stars, so he could not help but be interested in music at the early age of 10.

It all started when his father caught him beating some paint buckets to make it look like he was playing a drum set on the roof of their house, which led him to enroll his child in a music school to take guitar lessons. While it is true that this was the first instrument he learned to play, he also plays the baby bass in salsa and the piano together with all the percussion instruments.

At that time, what the young man played the most was rock and pop because the radio and other media left little room for Latin music. In fact, Rafael formed his first rock band at 16, as this was the genre with which young people identified the most in the 1980s.

Move to Germany

At 20 years of age, Rafael decided to move to Germany, specifically to Munich, where he lived for more than 27 years. It was there that he came into contact with people of other nationalities and had far more access to Latin music, especially Peruvian music, which surprised him greatly. He also got to listen to international stars such as Eddie Palmieri, Miguelito Cuní, and Arsenio Rodríguez.

Rafaelito and Nicky Marrero — American Latin jazz percussionist Nicky Marrero and Rafaelito at Mamajuana Cafe in the Bronx

It was also in Munich where he began to have his first professional experience together with major musical groups from there such as the Sexteto Melaza, where he played alongside musicians from different parts of the world. At a student barbecue, Rafael was hanging out with many Latinos, and they began to sing and play instruments together, leading them to form a group, which they named Melaza. During that time, he dedicated himself to play salsa, guaracha, son, bolero, and cha-cha-cha in a sextet format.

The group featured a guitarist, a bassist, a conga player, a timbalero, a bongo player, and a singer. This sums up his first musical experience in Germany, which lasted about a year and a half. It also helped him draw the attention of other musicians in the city’s music scene, who convinced him to join other projects that were being created.

Another of those projects included a trio of young musicians called Madera Limpia which was founded in 2005, when rap, reggaeton, reggae, and many other genres mixed with Latin rhythms such as changüí or kiribá were super trendy. It turns out that a Romanian couple traveled to Cuba, produced a film called “Paraíso,” and went on a concert tour through Europe and North Asia. Therefore, they needed to hire many musicians, including the members of Madera Limpia, who contacted Rafael through connections and asked him to be their bassist. The Peruvian accepted the offer and toured all those places with these musicians, an experience he talks about with great affection.

Back in Munich, he met Lou Bega, the creator of the hugely popular swing-pop cover of Pérez Prado’s “Mambo No. 5,” which stayed at number one for 36 consecutive weeks in the United States. When his producer wanted to find a band to accompany him, there were very few Latin musicians in the city and Rafael was one of them. Obviously, they called him and his colleagues to work on some demos featuring Bega’s vocals and trumpet samples. After being selected, he became the director of his live band and accompanied him on many concerts in Europe between 2007 and 2008.

El Canario and Rafaelito — José Alberto ”El Canario” and Rafaelito

Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao

Right there in Munich, Rafael finally made up his mind and formed his own musical group, Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao, which currently has branches in Munich, Lima, and New York, where the artist currently resides. Rafael arrived in this city as early as 2020, which is when he got to perform with stars such as Charlie Aponte, Andy Montañez, Jose Alberto “El Canario,” Hildemaro, and many others. When he saw how good the human material was in his new place of residence, he also founded Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao in New York with musicians from there.

What is striking about his move to New York is that it was motivated by Rafael’s reunion with his childhood sweetheart in Peru, whom he reconnected with in 2019. It turns out that his partner was living in New York, so he jumped on this new opportunity that life offered him and made the romantic decision to cross the Atlantic again and marry her. This radically changed his life both personally and professionally, but he’s glad he did.

Members of Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao in New York
Line Up :
Rafael Pareja – Baby Bass
Ray Cabrera – Piano
Andres Garces – Vocal
Karla Olivo Moreno – Vocal
Dennis Hernandez – Trumpet
Christian Gomez – Trumpet
Jimmy Bosch – Trombone
Andre Carpio – Timbal
Hector “ Jereto “ Ferreyra – Congas
Chuito Quintero – Bongo

John and Liz reveal details of the 16th annual SF Salsa Festival

As is tradition every year, we went back in touch with the organizers of the San Francisco Salsa Festival, John Narváez and Elizabeth Rojas, who treated us with the kindness and affection of always. The dancers and dance instructors once again spoke about the details of the festival’s organization and one or another incident that did not become public, so fans of salsa and such events cannot miss it.

They also talked about how they have done since the 2025 edition and what they will do from now until next year’s edition.

John and Liz dancing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

What John and Liz have done since the 2025 San Francisco Salsa Festival

After the 2025 edition, John described the rest of the year as sensational because his dance studio has maintained the expected success and his company enjoys the work of of new members who have contributed with their talent to help it grow. In addition to that, their classes are full of people eager to learn to dance, take care of their bodies, keep their minds healthy, and have a more active social life.

He also recognizes that the Bad Bunny phenomenon helped them a lot, as they’ve welcomed many people who want to learn to dance salsa after the the boom caused by a Super Bowl full of latinidad everywhere. This has also made the celebrated ones at weddings and other family events to celebrate with salsa, so guests do not want to be left behind and seek to dance it as well as possible.

When an event has been organized for 16 years in a row, those involved already have a system by which they are ruled, so there are few surprises that John and Liz could find thanks to so much experience under their belt. However, there may be things that catch them off guard and ,in this case, it was the economy. This time, they found that everything was much more expensive.

After reviewing expenses, they noticed that the flights of the artists and hotel costs were much higher than in previous years, so they were forced to take certain actions, such as hiring fewer dance artists. They were careful to bring only the best they could find to do a tremendous show, which fortunately occurred.

John and Aura dancing — John Narvaez and dancer Aura Moreno dancing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

They also noticed that many people could not attend the festival, so they offered numerous discounts, press passes, and the opportunity to volunteer for the organization.

Visa problems

The main disadvantage faced by John and Liz last year was the delay in the approval of visas for the members of La Máxima 79, so we wanted to know how it had gone this year. Well, as it turns out, it did happen again and two couples of dancers were unable to attend because their visas were denied, so they had no choice but to invite residents of the United States to prevent that headache.

Of course, it must be added that bringing people from other places implies additional costs that do not do any good to them right now. For the same reasons, other festival organizers are doing the same thing.

Principal guest artists

The main attractions at this festival were Charlie Aponte, Edgardo Cambón, and Cabanijazz, who of course, did a magnificent job. The big surprise of the festival was definitely Charlie Aponte, with whom they managed to have contact through a well-known Mexican promoter who acted as a link between the dancers and the artist.

The agreement was made as recently only in January, that is, a couple of months before the event. That is when John contacted Jeannette Santiago, Charlie’s manager and wife, told her who he was, and mentioned the mutual friend they had in common. He then managed to close the deal with her and have the Puerto Rican singer at the event, which came as a very pleasant surprise to those who had been planning to attend for months.

Edgardo Cambón playing at the San Francisco Salsa Festival

Preparations for next year

As every year, after an edition is completed, John and Liz are already thinking about what they will do for the next one. In fact, just the day before this interview, they had a work meeting to start planning everything and thinking about who they will invite for 2027.

They are thinking about inviting La Máxima 79 again. In fact, they have already talked to their lawyer responsible these matters and agreed to carry out the relevant procedures to finally have them at the festival, as they have wanted for a long time. In case the invitation is not given effect, they also have their eyes on Jimmy Bosch and Hermán Olivera. Both have performed in previous editions prior to the pandemic and were sensational, so they are held in good esteem by the organization.

They also mentioned that the venue for the next two editions will continue to be the Marriott Hotel Waterfront, as the location is beautiful and very suitable for an event of this magnitude.