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What famous trumpeter Luis Gonzalez is doing now

How Luis González began his artistic career

Luis González is one of those artists who really make Puerto Ricans proud of being born in the Island of Enchantment. The fascinating story of this boricua begins in March 1954 when he was born in the town of Arecibo, located on the north coast of Puerto Rico, the country from which he moved to look for new opportunities on U.S. soil, starting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was in this city where he spent most of his childhood and began his artistic career in the Youth Orchestra of this place.   

A few years later, he returned to his native country and was notable for being the trumpet player of the Orquesta Concepto Latino de Arecibo, accompanying a big number of artists such as Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago and many others. After completing his studies at the Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, he moved to New York, where he was part of many famous orchestras and worked with renowned artists such as Ray Barreto (whom many consider him his mentor) and Luis Perico Ortiz. Back in Puerto Rico, he worked with La Mulenze, Bobby Valentín, Willie Rosario, Roberto Roena, among other stars. 

This is Luis González
Renowed trumpeter Luis González

It was not until 2009 when he finally decided to give life to his own orchestra which he called Luis González Y Su Orquesta el Tsunami de La Salsa consisting of a total of 12 musicians with a long international career and an uncanny talent. At this time, it is seen as one of the best salsa orchestras in Puerto Rico in its history. The following year, he released what would be his first musical work with his new orchestra entitled Tributo A Un Gigante, which included the collaboration with Luis Perico Ortiz, Adalberto Santiago, Paquito Guzmán, Toñito Vázquez and others. This record production was recognized as one of the most outstanding of that year. 

Recent years

In 2015, he achieved the same feat with his second production Si te Preguntan…, which allowed him to gain great notoriety in the public and the media dedicated to promoting salsa in various parts of the world. 

Years later, González would be inducted into the Puerto Rico Music Hall of Fame thanks to his more than 45 years of musical career, but that was not all. The artist has also received other important recognition from cultural and musical institutions in his native country. Not to mention that he is a member of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Latin Grammy), getting to participate in the commissions that choose the nominees in some categories. 

Luis next to to Adalberto
Luis González and Adalberto Santiago

In 2020, under the Carnival of Barranquilla, the trumpet player was selected as a member of the jury at the 2020 Orchestras Festival, a well-deserved honor he received on behalf of the Colombian city due to his talent and experience. 

For the moment, he is working hard on his fourth music production, which he has decided to call 50 años… mi música… mi pasión! and will be released to the public in March of this year. A special peculiarity of this new album is that it will be arranged by a top-line team, including Luis Perico Ortiz (who has worked with González on repeated occasions), Ricky González, Oscar Hernández, Javier Hernández, among other eminences. 

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

Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery and its role towards salsa

Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery and Latin music

The Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery is one of those places where every salsa lover in New York should visit since there is plenty to see here. This museum has all kinds of items donated by many renowned artists or relatives of some who had passed away. This collection of valuable possessions has resulted in a set of priceless objects that will bow anyone visiting the facilities of such a special institution out of water. 

The Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery, also known as Spaha Salsa Gallery, can be defined as an institution of a cultural nature whose main purpose is to serve as a reminder of how great our culture is, especially our music. Both residents and visitors of East Harlem, New York, can learn about the salsa genre and its roots as long as they desire. All thanks to a lot of tools, information and many initiatives with which those interested will know all kinds of interesting facts about salsa first hand. 

Another of the great objectives pursued by this place is the quest for knowledge about Latin music and the artists involved to offer it to anyone who decides to visit its facilities. That is why both its president Johnny Cruz and the team that helps him have been responsible for creating an inclusive and diverse gallery in which you can appreciate how far Hispanic talent has come by the hand of its top stars. 

Johnny and Boris
Johnny Cruz and Rubio Boris presenting their show

Role of the Spaha Salsa Gallery in the dissemination of Latin culture 

The role played by the Spaha Salsa Gallery in the dissemination of Latin culture is very important, since these institutions are the ones that manage to arouse the interest of the inhabitants of Harlem and other nearby sectors towards one of the most representative musical genres of Latinity. This has made many other cultural institutions to use this gallery in order to awaken a higher interest in its own activities, which shows extensive cooperation between those who seek to promote anything Latin-related at all costs. 

Fortunately, our work is not that complicated to carry out because too many tourists visit New York every day and many of them know that this city was the birthplace of the biggest salsa movement in history, so they are always looking for cultural sports in which you can find information about this set of rhythms and how it emerges in the public arena.   

Instruments donated by La Sonora Ponceña
Some instruments donated by La Sonora Ponceña

Who Johnny Cruz is 

Johnny Cruz is the founder of the Spaha Salsa Gallery, but there are many other facets by which this talented Puerto Rican is known in the entertainment industry. Cruz is a famous musician and record producer who has worked and make friends with a wide number of artists from all genres, by providing him with the platform to create a true sanctuary for Latin music lovers. 

One interesting fact about the museum is that it is located on the plot where a hardware business owned by Johnny’s father used to function, which was made into something completely different thanks to the genius of his son long after. Today, that place contains several of the most invaluable objects in the history of salsa and whose relationship with some of the greatest figures of the genre is legendary.   

Link to the official website of the Spaha Salsa gallery: spahasalsagallery.com

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

Junito Albino and his collaborations with many orchestras

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. 

Julio Albino
Renowed timbalero Julio Junito Albino

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.  

Salsa Superior Award won by Secreto A Voces in the category of musical quality

 

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

Sidney Poitier

The Golden Gentleman Of Hollywood

Face of Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier dropped out of school at 12 to help his parents support the home

Sidney Poitier, the Golden Gentleman of Hollywood, died six days after the start of 2022 (January 6th, 2022) at his home in Beverly Hills (Los Angeles – California) as a result of a combination of heart failure, Alzheimer, and cancer prostate (according to the death certificate obtained by the TMZ website). And although he is no longer with us on this earthly plane, at ISM wanted to pay a heartfelt tribute to this famous man on the Big Screen.

We can only start with how a Gentleman is identified. A man with this distinction is characterized by the behavior of absolute courtesy with the people around him, deep nobility regardless of gender, race, or creed, and exuberant distinction in any situation. Qualities that were always present in the behavior of one of the Afro-descendant men in Hollywood with values ​​and principles unalterable over time, we are referring to our Golden Gentleman of Hollywood, Sidney Poitier.

Sidney from his childhood in the Bahamas developed high self-esteem. He was not able to differentiate between skin tones, on the contrary, he only saw people with the same rights, duties, and obligations. That is why he was always ready to give his image and resources to the defense of civil rights on the big screen, as well as stand by the African-American political activist Martin Luther King and in turn, participate in peaceful demonstrations such as the Pilgrimage of Prayer for Freedom (1957) and the March for Jobs and Freedom on Washington (1963).

This actor and director was raised within a family and society where mutual respect, great affection, integrity, and laughter were the premises. These teachings nurtured his life and helped him translate into each of the characters he played in the mecca of cinema.

His multiple characters reflected the kindness, sacrifice, dignity, and greatness of human life, thus leaving an extensive cinematographic legacy with more than 50 films since 1950.

Barack Obama, Sidney Poitier, Michelle Obama
Ex-President Barack Obama presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom (August 12th, 2009) to Sidney during a White House ceremony.

His physical departure has been the center of great posthumous recognition by the industry, such as the cases of Denzel Washington (actor), Oprah Winfrey (writer and television presenter), Lupita Nyong’o (actress), and many more representatives of the Afro-American community living in the United States.

“Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors. Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans.” Farewell words from ex-President Barack Obama through his Twitter account.

6 Emblematic Movies Of Poitier

Sidney Poitier never really wanted to be an actor. The truth is that at the age of 15 he didn’t know how to read well either. Words made up of more than three syllables were quite a challenge, and every time he had to read them, he got a feeling of defeat.

So, how did Sidney get into acting? The answer is by accident during his stay in New York City. In his search for a job as a dishwasher, he came across an advertisement that powerfully caught his attention and said “Actor Wanted” and although Sidney did not know what that job was about, he decided to attend the casting with gallantry.

Sidney Poitier in Black and White in NYC
Poitier bought a true confession magazine for ladies and memorized two paragraphs to audition at the American Negro Theater

That day two stories converged. The first was the impetus of creating a fruitful career in acting, while the second story is the narration of the moment when this actor with entrenched convictions felt deeply offended as never before in his life.

Poitier auditioned but due to his poor reading skills, acting, Caribbean accent, and skin color, Sidney was disrespectfully kicked out. He was held by his coat collar and pants belt and thrown into the street. The words of that man were “You can’t read, you can hardly speak, and you have that accent… Why don’t you go find a job as a dishwasher?”

That day was one of intense reflection for the golden gentleman of Hollywood. Walking down Lenox Avenue, he thought about what happened, and his indignation at that situation that he constantly remembered led him to make the best decision of his life, Sidney chose to be an actor! His choice was based on his love for himself. His thought was that he was worth more than the perception that that man had of him, and once he managed to prove it to him, he would leave that profession, and that’s how this magical journey began…

His induction studies in the performing arts began in the American Negro Theater located in Harlem (NYC). Here, he offered his job as a janitor in exchange for his acting training. After not-so-pleasant experiences, he could be the substitute for the main role of the plot of the work. And on the day of the premiere Sidney had to play the leading role because the main actor (Harry Belafonte) could not attend. In that unique moment, the son of tomato farmers from the Bahamas was able to demonstrate the meaning of perseverance, determination, effort, and with his brilliant talent, he was able to captivate all attendees. Since then, job offers in acting for Sidney began to arrive.

Sidney Poitier sitting in a Red Armchair during the filming of a scene
“I can’t represent a scene that I don’t find the texture of humanity in the material.” Sidney Poitier

His first professional job was on Broadway in the classic play Lysistrata (a Greek comedy) in 1946. This was followed by the play Anna Lucasta and later his film debut in No Way Out in 1950.

A narrative that is based on the medical assistance to an intolerant Caucasian criminal by a doctor of color (Dr. Luther Brooks) played by Sidney. Poitier’s first film role broke Hollywood’s established stereotypes for African-American actors, while this film was the first to directly address racism.

“My Values ​​are not disconnected from the values ​​of the black community, so I go in front of the camera with a responsibility to be respectful…” Sidney Poitier

Blackboard Jungle (1955). This film struck the social chord of an educational system and helped revolutionize Rock and Roll music in a soundtrack for a big-budget movie. With this performance, Poitier was full of praise for his participation in the secondary role as Gregory Miller, a troubled student who decides to stay in school.

Three years later comes The Defiant Ones (1958) and with it his first nomination for the Academy Awards. This dramatic film had its center in racial harmony. Two shackled fugitives, John “Joker” Jackson (Tony Curtis) and Noah Cullen (Sidney Poitier), escape from the prison truck. As they try to evade the police, they overcome their racial prejudices.

In 1963 the film would come that changed the life of this actor born at seven months in Miami and raised in Nassau (Bahamas), Lilies of the Field. This cinematic drama dives into Faith and is about an ex-soldier (Homer Smith) played by Sidney, who is persuaded by an order of nuns to do farm work and build a chapel. During the process, Smith earns the respect and admiration of all. This leading role brought Poitier his first Oscar, and he thus became the first black man to receive this award for Best Actor in 1964.

“What the character was doing was exhibiting a vast sense of self and the wonders of being alive. The wonders of being a Human and the responsibilities…” Sidney stated in an interview conducted by the Academy of Achievement in 2014.

Sidney Poitier dressed in a suit with the Oscar in his hand
Oprah Winfrey will make a film about the life of Hollywood’s Golden Gentleman, Sidney Poitier

It was followed in 1967 by In the Heat of the Night. This film also starred the winner of the Honorary Oscar in 2002. The plot deals with the resolution of a crime in a small town in Mississippi. Here, the police chief of the southern place decides to interrogate the only African-American man who was traveling as a foreigner through the city. Sidney played this character, but this outsider was a detective from Philadelphia. This film won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1968.

“When I read the script I told the producer (Walter Mirisch – very close friend) I can’t play this. In the scene, this guy comes up to me and slaps me and I glare at him and walk away… I can’t do that because the human responses that would be natural in those circumstances we’re suppressing serve the values ​​of greed on the part of the acquiescence of Hollywood. You certainly won’t do it with me. Not only will I not, but I will respond as a human being would naturally respond. It blows me up and I’ll blow it back up and you have to put it in writing.” Sydney anecdote. So, it was!

The last milestone that Poitier marks that same year is in the story of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? This film is a family drama that involves racial tolerance. The story is based on an African-American doctor who travels to meet his in-laws, unleashing a series of intra-family conflicts associated with racial stigma. The actors who performed the main characters are Katharine Hepburn (Christina Drayton), Spencer Tracy (Matt Drayton), Sidney Poitier (John Prentice), and Katharine Houghton (Joey Drayton). This film breaks the discriminatory social barrier towards people of color, as Sidney becomes the first African-American man to kiss a white woman on the big screen.

Sidney Poitier was also a producer and director from the late 1970s. He was born unusually while his parents were on a business trip from the Bahamas to Miami (FL). His parents were dedicated to the cultivation of tomatoes and later sold them. In one of those trips to sell the agricultural product, Sidney’s mother (Evelyn) broke her waters at seven months of gestation and gave birth to Sidney (her last-child) in the African-American section through a midwife from the North American city, for there were no hospitals for colored people.

Sydney Tamiia (Daughter), Sidney Poitier, Joanna Shimkus (Wife), and Anika (Daughter)
Sydney Tamiia (Daughter), Sidney Poitier, Joanna Shimkus (Wife), and Anika (Daughter)

The life of this Golden Gentleman of Hollywood is an example of integrity, values, ​​and effort. He learned to read while working as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Queens (NYC) with lessons from a Jewish waiter every night after work. He opened the doors for new African-American movie stars. He broke down social stigmas that fit with the color barrier where African-Americans could only personify criminals or servitude.

At 94, the movie icon left behind six daughters from two marriages, the last to Canadian actress and model Joanna Shimkus in 1976.

ISM mourns the departure of this stronghold man from the big screen. Rest In Peace, Sidney Poitier (1927–2022).

Some of our information was taken from the American Academy of Achievement interview with Sidney Poitier.

Luis Medina as a master of ceremonies, broadcaster, DJ and much more

Incredible conversation with Luis Medina

Luis Medina on the radio
This is Luis Medina on the radio

Good afternoon, everyone. We are here with broadcaster, DJ and event producer Luis Medina. Mr. Medina, how are you today?  

I am well and ready to talk to you right now.

Mr. Medina, you have a very long career as a radio presenter. You got started in this business in 1974. What led you to spend so much time in your career on the radio? 

In 1971 I was studying architecture at San Francisco State University, but in 1974 I changed my major to broadcasting and communications in the Department of Radio and Television. When I was a kid, I was always fascinated by broadcasters on TV with their microphones. My parents gave me a toy microphone, and I always imagined I was broadcasting. At the time I was accepted in the broadcasting program, I already loved salsa because my cousin  Stella played popular music for me since I was about 8 years old. I loved all kinds of music. At home, we always had the radio on, and my parents always listened to tropical music, which was very common at that time.

In 1974 my cousin Eduardo invited me to go to a radio station called KBRG to visit some friends who had a program called Venezuela Suya. In another studio in the station, there was a radio producer named Arturito Santiago, who was the master of ceremonies for the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico when they did dances in San Francisco hotels. When I saw him doing his job, I was intrigued. Two months later, my cousin called to tell me that he’d gotten involved in a community radio station called KPOO San Francisco and asked me if I wanted to help him with the show. I brought a stack of LPs, and we did the show from midnight until 6 am. I went a few times to help, but I could not maintain that pace because I was still in college.

A few months later, he called me to tell me that he had a show from 3pm to 6pm on Sundays. He told me he was talking to other people I knew in order to do the show together. I got a segment of 45 minutes to an hour to do whatever I wanted, so I decided to start programming salsa. I helped produce several programs until I had my own show. In 1979, while I had a four-hour show on Saturdays on KPOO, KBRG’s program director, Al Carlos Hernandez, called me. KBRG was a powerful FM station at that time. That gave me the opportunity to do a commercial show.

DJ Luis Medina
Broadcaster Luis Medina with two maracas

I am part Venezuelan and part Mexican, but I grew up in the United States. I spoke Spanish perfectly until I was five years old, but when I started school, I just wanted to speak English in school and at home. When I turned 18, I decided to get my culture back and relearn to speak Spanish again. However, I’m wasn’t completely fluent in Spanish because I have to translate mentally from English. I explained the situation to Al Carlos, and he told me that he did not care. That’s how I became the first radio announcer to do salsa programming in English on a Spanish-speaking station. The program was called Sabor Caliente and it lasted about a year and a half, until they let me go due to philosophical differences. After that, I did specials in KPFA, until Víctor Castro, who produced the program Ahora, invited me to alternate weeks with him. I produced salsa shows on KPFA from 1983 to 1995.

What Medina has to say about all his combined activities

How do you balance your radio activities and event production and your job as a DJ?  

When I was a student at San Francisco State University, I became co-director of the university’s productions to present musical acts. From 1974 to 1976 I presented acts from various genres such as rock, R&B, and jazz, among others. I also presented some salsa and Latin jazz shows, including Pete and Sheila Escovedo, who were part of Roger Glenn’s band, Benny Velarde and others. I became friends with Pete and Sheila before Sheila became Sheila E and I also worked with Pete’s brother, Coke Escovedo in the 70s.

Then I met Roberto Hernandez, who had an organization that helped produced the first major street fairs in the San Francisco Mission district together with a coalition of community agencies. I got involved with the fairs, which presented the famous singer Joe Bataan among others. It was the era of Latin rock, but salsa was also booming. I was part of the renaissance of salsa music that occurred on the radio, but I also had the opportunity to play an influential role in the community in the Mission. In 1977, the Mission Cultural Center opened in a furniture store ran by artists that were organizing it. I became part of the music committee and we presented performances and salsa groups that were growing in fame at that time. I was involved on the activities of the center until the 1980s, when some of us created a production group called CMP (Cultural Music Productions). During the 80s we did a series of dances, in which I worked as master of ceremonies. I already had experience as master of ceremonies because when I was at KBRG, they gave me the opportunity to introduce some great shows with Celia Cruz, La Sonora Matancera, Oscar D’ León, Cal Tjader and La Orquesta Broadway. I was also master of ceremonies for Brazilian carnivals for about five years. With CMP I was involved in dances with Willie Colón, Bobby Valentín, Oscar D’ León, and boxing champion Roberto Durán (who at the time wanted to be a salsa singer).

Eventually I left CMP, and I was contacted by Roberto Hernandez, who offered me the position of entertainment director of his new organization, MECA. I accepted and started to help him program the schedule for events such as the San Francisco Carnival, and the 24 Street Fair. I worked with Roberto until 1994 and we presented Santana, Los Lobos, Eddie Palmieri, Luis Henrique, Willie Colón, Yomo Toro, Mighty Sparrow, The Neville Brothers, Shaggy, and many more. When Roberto Hernandez left the organization, I stayed for four more years and worked with Manny Oquendo and Libre, John Santos, Pete Escovedo and Pancho Quinto. In 1998, the president of the organization Patricia Aguayo and I had some problems, so we stopped working together.

A radio DJ and a party DJ are two completely different things. It took me a little while to adjust to being a live DJ. In the early 1990’s, the producers at the Alta Vista club hired me from time to time. Then, they moved to a ship called Alta Vista del Mar in Pier 3, and occasionally hired me as their DJ.

Event producir Luis Medina
Event producer Luis Medina posing for or the camera

In 1994 I met a very ambitious young Venezuelan by the name of Adrian Goddard and started working with him at his club, 330 Ritch. It was a winning combination of Adrian’s talent as an event producer and my talent as a DJ and MC. I worked there for about nine very successful months, but then I had an opportunity with KPFA and I was forced to leave the club because the schedule conflicted. My priority was to produce my own salsa show (ironically, this program didn’t last long, but in 1997 they offered me the same slot, which would become the program Con Sabor, which I still produced today, 25 years later, at KPFA, on Saturdays from 9-11pm.)

A little later, Kimballs Carnaval hired me as a Latin House DJ, as this rhythm was very popular at that time. I wanted to please them, but it wasn’t a good fit. Eventually I was hired as a salsa DJ by the club Kimballs West. This opened other opportunities and I became the DJ in residence at the most prominent salsa clubs in San Francisco at the time, the legendary Jelly’s Cafe, where I DJ’d until it closed in 2010 and the popular Café Cócomo, which closed in 2014. I now DJ and MC primarily for special events and private parties.

Something very important in my story is that in 1997 I worked with Bill Martinez and Arturo Riera  and they both gave me the opportunity to be master of ceremonies for a very important series of concerts featuring Cuban musicians who were allowed into the States for the first time. I was the first master of ceremonies for a Los Van Van concert in San Francisco and I also represented my show and KPFA for their concert at Stern Grove in 2019. That was one of many times that I worked with that group.  I also was the MC   for Orquesta Aragon, Cubanismo, NG La Banda and other Cuban acts.

During the pandemic, I was offered a show with an online radio station called World Salsa Radio. I started the show Sabiduría con Tumbao on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm. What makes this show different from Con Sabor is that Sabiduría Con Tumbao is a conceptual program that focuses on certain musicians, musical themes and movements within salsa and Afro-Latin music. On the other hand, Con Sabor offers a broader perspective of salsa, Latin Jazz and música cubana from the classics to the latest.

Since the pandemic started, I produce all my radio shows at home. I managed to master the technology and built my own home studio. I am not afraid of technology or modern things. I go with the flow because I’ve learned that I should be at the forefront of technology and music. If I do not know something, I am going to research it right away. I keep an open mind and ears and I appreciate and listen to all kinds of music, something that was key when I was music director at KPFA from 2001 through 2014. In terms of my own programs, I really love salsa from the 70s, but I’m not stuck in any time period.

Eduardo and Luis
Our editor Eduardo Guilarte and Luis Medina