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Search Results for: music
Salsa Pal Bailador
Europa /
Salsa Pal Bailador. The success of a passionate venture that goes against commercial trends
By Roberto “Vene Barral”
Last Saturday, May 6, the Garufa concert hall in A Coruña, a beautiful city in Galicia, central Spain, hosted the 5th Anniversary of Salsa pal Bailador. This event, created with the humble goal of offering a space to enjoy only quality salsa, has now become one of the most successful social events in Spain.
On the surface, the idea seems simple: organize a monthly event that brings together and gives free rein to all those who are passionate and nostalgic for pure, unadulterated salsa. But we must remember that we live in a consumer society that constantly tells us what we “have” to listen to, what fashions and styles are in and out. This is where SpB took a bold stand, going against what DJs and events were promoting at the time.
SpB emerged when kizomba, an African rhythm from Cape Verde, was spreading from neighboring Portugal into Spain. Along with the already established bachata, these were the trendy styles played at every social event that wanted to be a hit with audiences. But SpB’s proposal was even more daring. Not only did it focus exclusively on the most classic, least commercial, and least-known salsa, but it also had the audacity to schedule the event on a difficult day—Sunday—and at an even more challenging time: in the evening, starting at 8 p.m.
Perhaps in other parts of the world, organizing such an event would guarantee success with the public. But here, for the reasons already explained, it was a real challenge that was only expected to work because of the sheer tenacity that comes from having a passion for what you do.
So who are the impulsive salsa enthusiasts behind the success of Salsa pal Bailador?
For one, there’s one of the organizers of these sessions, Martín Fernández, an Argentine who has lived in Galicia for decades. He turned salsa and this event into his dream and his challenge, striving not only to make each edition better than the last but also to bring in dancers, DJs, and collaborators from other parts of Spain and abroad (Portugal, Italy, etc.). More importantly, he has tried to support all the local schools, dancers, and DJs in Galicia, as well as the salsa orchestra created by Galicians, the Orquesta Sonoridad. This is something to keep in mind, as the exposure for all these artists is possible thanks to the celebration and promotion of events like this one.
For its 5th anniversary edition, we enjoyed workshops and shows by Erik and Monika Eym Salsa from the Basque Country and Nuno and Rita from Portugal. There were also local shows like SSN Dancers, a group from a school in Betanzos, and Soulswing, a magnificent group of dancers from A Coruña, led by Javi Azúcar, who is a choreographer and guest DJ at several SpB sessions.
Over the years, many artists have participated in SpB sessions: figures such as Juan Matos, Yemambo, Carla Vocconi, Carlos Flow, Zergyo and Eva Mambo, Rui and Leonor, Nuno and Nágyla, or the local groups Mambo Sins and Son Candela, choreographed by the talented dancer Nuria Rodríguez Dieste, just to name a few.
Second, we have the two hosts who not only help organize all SpB events but also work hand-in-hand to ensure that each SpB session ends later, with more people asking for just one more song to dance to. I assure you that if the rules didn’t require a closing time, we would have the first after-hours venue where people consumed music, not substances, to stay awake. They are Manu Rumberito and El Nene del Bronx.
They are as unique as they are complementary, two tireless treasure hunters, searching for gems that haven’t yet been played on our dance floors, are unknown to our ears, or are classics we haven’t enjoyed in a long time or don’t get to hear very often. This is a luxury that, in these times of commercial music suffocation, very few of us can enjoy.
In addition, their passion for always seeking a more authentic, raw, and—why not say it?—more imperfect sound, but also one that is more acoustic and real, led them to start using vinyl records in their sessions. This trend has become SpB’s hallmark and has spread throughout Europe over time. Fortunately, we can now enjoy it at more and more events.
And, since passion is a state of mind that takes root everywhere, they found their alter egos in Madrid. Of course, they couldn’t celebrate SpB’s anniversary without them. These two turntable phenomena, Chema Sr. Importante and Marcin Martinelli, were the two guest DJs for such a special occasion. Other famous DJs have been featured at SpB sessions, including Hugo Leite, Nuno Melo, Dj Mito, Alexis Rodríguez, and Chris Beat, along with other local DJs such as Melao, Montuno, Sergio Elbembee, and the aforementioned Javi Azúcar. These DJs, like the guest dancers, aren’t unapproachable people; they come down to the dance floor to dance, chat, and enjoy themselves with the audience like everyone else.
At this point, many of you may be wondering: How is it possible that in a medium-sized city without a large Latin American population, an event featuring such a particular style of music can be so successful?
Well, it’s true that, fortunately for Galicians, in addition to having been welcomed with great hospitality in all the Latin countries to which we have emigrated, we have many returnees and natives from across the Atlantic living with us. This gives us the opportunity to enjoy many Cuban, Venezuelan, Colombian, and other styles of music and orchestras, which are very successful among both Galician and Latin American audiences.
But the truth is, we can say that they are different phenomena. People go to listen to the traditional music of these groups or orchestras for the pleasure of hearing those familiar tunes; it is more of a sensory delight.
However, when we talk about a social event, we associate it more with fun, leisure, and enjoyment in the sense of recreation. That’s what dancing at a social event means to us, where people of any age or condition simply let the music guide their bodies for pure joy, without any other pretensions.
It might be easy to conclude that this is the reason for the success of this type of event, and why they are so popular in this corner of the country. But we must remember that we are talking about A Coruña, a place that does not have the size or population of other large cities like Madrid, Barcelona, or Valencia. It’s a place where public attendance at these social events is high, where several social events are organized every week and on several days a week, and yet the public has been responding for decades. So what’s the secret?
Without wanting to diminish the great effort made in many other places, which despite this does not always have the deserved result, I believe that part of the success of this event is due to the courage to commit to formats or ideas that may not have an immediate and massive response or support but which, in return, offer sufficient quality to end up convincing even the most skeptical.
Therefore, in these times of commercial bombardment and mass-produced products, committing to creativity, innovation, and quality is a risky move. But we all know that if you don’t take risks, you don’t win, and SpB has taken that risk. As a result, every year it attracts more people from more places, including Portugal, Madrid, Valladolid, Asturias, Valencia, the Basque Country, Barcelona, etc. That is why, on its fifth anniversary, it has reaped its well-deserved rewards.
Congratulations to SpB and to its loyal audience, which is growing every day. Keep betting on quality!
Next event:
Salsa Pal Bailador
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Sala Garufa Club C / Riazor 5, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain
After the success of its fifth anniversary celebration, the Salsa Pal Bailador event returns on Sunday, June 4, to the Salsa Garufa Club in A Coruña, Spain. It will be a night of PURA SALSA, featuring 100% vinyl with DJs Manu Rumberito and El Nene del Bronx. There will also be two shows featuring the talents of Baila Conmigo Lugo and Euphoria Ladies Project from Vigo.
More information:
Unity, The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson
North America / USA /
Unity, The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson is a testament to the power of music and one man’s indomitable spirit. The passion project of Peruvian-born, Miami-raised producer / multi-instrumentalist / arranger Tony Succar, Unity features more than 100 musicians, such Latin superstars as Tito Nieves, Jon Secada and Obie Bermudez and the mixing magic of Jackson’s legendary engineer Bruce Swedien in the first ever Latin album salute to The King of Pop.
Fueled by his relentless commitment, quiet determination and passionate faith in the loving message behind much of Jackson’s music, Succar has spent the last four years carefully creating Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson. He overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles, turning each roadblock into a stepping stone to take the project to new heights. In the process, he married Jackson’s timeless pop and R&B tunes, such as “Thriller”, “Bilie Jean”, and “I Want You Back” to his glorious salsa and tropical rhythms, creating innovative, vibrant arrangements that snap to life with exhilarating energy.
“American funk, soul, jazz – all those styles that were influencing Michael – were inspired from African music”, Succar says. “Same with Afro – Peruvian music, Cuban music. These songs were meant to be. Their original flavor lends itself to these Latin rhythms”.
Succar, 28 grew up listening to his parents play Jackson’s music, and by 13 had begun his own music career. He started on piano and segued to percussion, graduating with a degree in jazz performance at Florida International University in 2008. But it wasn’t until after the superstar’s untimely passing in 2009 that Succar, who earned his Master’s in Jazz performance from FIU in 2010, took a deep dive into the music and the man.
“That’s when I became a fanatic, memorizing all his lyrics” he says. “He was an amazing singer. I started analyzing every single detail”.
As Succar pored through Jackson’s material, revisiting songs like “Man In the Mirror”, “Earth Song” and “They Don’t Care About Us” – all of which are reimagined on Unity – he came to a realization: “Michael wasn’t only a musician, he was a spiritual person. He was speaking to people’s hearts through his music. He was a true role model and leader, not only in the music industry, but life in general”, he says.
Concurrent with his discovery, Succar arranged a salsa-infused version of “Thriller” for a Halloween party at Miami’s legendary, now closed Van Dyke Café. The reaction was so immediate and overwhelmingly positive to the performance of this new arrangement, that Succar recorded a version in his bedroom with his band, posted in online and gave away copies. Djs started playing the track and Succar began getting requests from around the world for a full album of Latin – flavored Jackson songs. “That sparked it”, Succar says. “I was such a fan. I felt like I had to do something”.
He launched a Kickstarter campaign and raided more than $10,000, which allowed him to record basic tracks and the idea and harmonious ideal of Unity was born. “The one thing that stood out in Michael’s usic was love. The reality was unity,” He says. “I also wanted the title to stand for something: a real marriage between Latin roots and American pop culture and to help keep Michael’s legacy alive”.
Part of keeping Jackson’s legacy alive meant incorporating elements of the original production in each of his fresh renditions for Unity. “Even the horn lines, I would transcribe them from Quincy Jones’ produtions and then apply them to the arrangement in a different way,” Succar says. “The essence of every song was respected. I gave it my best to create this very thin line between what Michael did with his production and what I brought to the project”.
As Succar proceeded, an astounding number of coincidences buoyed the project. Succar’s initial plan was to record the album with one vocalist, soulful Broadway veteran Kevin Ceballo, but as Succar finalized the arrangements, the idea of a compilation album cae to him. The first artist he reached out to was legendary salsa singer Nieves. He heard nothing back for months . Then, one day in the studio someone suggested Nieves fo “I Want You Back”. Succar explained he’d had no success contacting Nieves.
It’s turned out a studio visitor knew Nieves, called his manager, sent Nieves an MP3, and within 10 minutes, Nieves was on the phone asking when he should come in to record his vocals.
Nieves became the project’s godfather, bringing in other Latin stars, such as India and Jean Rodriguez. “If it weren’t for Tito, I would never have been able to develop this into what it is, “Succar say. “He really opened the doors for me”. Nieves even brought in his son, Tito Nieves Jr. to duet on the album closer, an emotional take on “You are Not Alone”.
As the project progressed, Succar sought out Secada, but once again, was running into walls. He had switched to a different studio and the recording engineer just happened to have worked wih Secada and upon hearing Succar’s story, gave Succar the singer’s direct email. Secada immediately replied that he wanted to record “Human Nature,” his favorite Jackson track.
But there was more to come. Succar contacted Swedien about mixing some tracks, but failed to get a yes after more than a year’s effort. He met his engineer Nick Valentin through a mutual friend, who piped up that he’d been Swedien some music and next thing Succar knew, he’s sitting beside his hero at Swedien’s ranch as Swedien mixed “Earth Song” and “Smooth Criminal. “He was the cherry on top,” Succar says. “When we were mixing, he would put up the original Michael songs and put on our remixes to compare and contrast. He mixed the tracks on the same Harrison 32C model console he mixed ‘Thriller’ on”.
The groundbreaking album, a joint project between Universal Music Classics, Universal Music Latin Entertainment and Universal Music Mexico, embodies Jackson’s spirit of harmony and bringing diverse cultures together through music.
Where there once was nothing but a dream, Succar now sees unlimited possibilities. Not only will there be a tour to support Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson, but he is considering future Unity projects that could salute the music of other timeless artist, such as the Beatles or the Bee Gees, filtered through a Latin musical lens. “Unity is going to become a movement,” he says. And given how far Succar’s come already, who could possibly doubt him?
Chick Corea
North America / USA /
Chick Corea. The worldwide Jazz sensation
Armando Anthony “Chick” Corea is an American jazz and fusion pianist, keyboardist and composer. Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis’s band in the late 1960’s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970’s he formed Return to forever. Along with Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and Keith Jarrett, he has been described as one of the major jazz piano voices to emerge in the post-John Coltrane era.
A DownBeat Hall of Famer and EA Jazz Master, 22 – time Grammy winner and keyboard virtuoso, Chick Corea has attained living legend status after five decades of unparalleled creativity and an artistic output that is simply staggering.
Chick is the fourth – most – nominated artist in the history of the Grammys with 63 nominations. He’s also earned 3 Latin Grammy Awards, the most of any artist in the Best Instrumental Album category.
“Chicl Corea: Documentary of Legendary Jazz Great, Pianist and Component http://vimeo.com/10933550”
From straight ahead to avant-garde, bebop to fusion, children’s songs to chamber music, along with some far-reaching forays into symphonic works, Chick has touched an astonishing number of musical bases in his illustrious career while maintaining a standard of excellence that is awe-inspiring. A tirelessly creative spirit, Chick continues to forge ahead, continually reinventing himself in the process.
Chick Corea: European Tour 2017
- Wroclaw, Poland – 06/22/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band – Hala Orbita – 8:00 pm
- London, United Kingdom – 06/24/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band – Barbican – 7:30 pm
- Lviv Ukraine – 06/27/17 : Chick Corea Elektric Band – Alfa Jazz Festival – 9:00 pm
- Timisoara, Romania – 06: Chick Corea Elektric Band – Timisoara Jazz Festival – 9:00 pm
- Belgrade, Serbia – 07/02/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band – Kombank Arena – 10:00 pm
- Skopje, Macedonia – 07/02/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band – Metropolis Arena – 10:00 pm
- Kongsberg, Norway – 07/07/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band – Kongsberg festival – 5:00 pm
- Rotterdam, Netherlands – 07/07/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band – North Sea Jazz Festival – 11:00 pm
- Rotterdam, Netherlands – 07/08/17 Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – North Sea Jazz Festival – 09:00 pm
- Rotterdam, Netherlands – 07/09/17: Chick Corea & Trondheim Jazz Orchestra – North Sea Jazz Festival – 4:30 pm
- Dublin, Ireland – 07/10/17: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – National Concert Hall – 8:00 pm
- Trentino, Italy – 07/12/17: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – Sounds of the Dolomites Festival – 1:00 pm
- Grugliasco, Italy – 07/13/17: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – Gru Village Festival – 10:00 pm
- Sant Feliu de Guixols, Girona, Spain – 07/16/17: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – Festival de Porta Ferrada – 9:30 pm
- Valencia, Spain – 07/17/17: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – Jardines de Viveros – 8:00 pm
- Moritz, Switzerland – 07/21/17: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – Festival Da Jazzz – 9:00 pm
- Albany, NY – 08/05/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – The Palace Theater – 7:30 pm
- Vienna, VA – 08/06/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – The Filene Center – 8:00 pm
- Red Bank, NJ – 08/09/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – Count Basie Theatre – 7:30 pm
- Kennett Square, PA o 08/09/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – Longwood Gardens – 8:00 pm
- Chautauqua, NY – 08/11/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – Chautauqua Institute – 8:15 pm
- Sterling Heights, MI – 08/12/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre- 7:30 pm
- Cincinnati, OH – 08/13/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – PNC Pavillion – 7:00 pm
- Denver, CO – 08/15/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – Denver Botanic Gardens – 6:30 pm
- Salt Lake City, Utah – 08/16/17: Chick Corea Elektric Band & Bela Fleck and The Flecktones – Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre 6:00 pm
For further information and tickets:
411 Cleveland St. #215 Clearwater, FL 33755
(888)712-4425
The Kurland Agency
(617)254-0007
htpps://www.facebook.com/chickcorea
htpps://www.youtube.com/user/ChickCoreaTV
Salsa Brava
Europa /
Salsa Brava. ¡La sensación latina en Dinamarca!
Salsa Brava es una de las compañías con más experiencia y prestigio del norte de Europa en la enseñanza de salsa, la realización de espectáculos de baile y la organización de eventos para empresas o reuniones privadas.
Son los ganadores del campeonato danés de salsa en 2004 y del campeonato de salsa de Copenhague en 2002.
Están deseando presentarte nuestro universo de salsa sensual, enérgica y elegante. Tras más de 20 años enseñando salsa, Salsa Brava es una de las escuelas de baile con más experiencia de Dinamarca en salsa y otros bailes latinos como bachata, merengue y chachachá.
Han desarrollado un método que hace que nuestros alumnos bailen con elegancia y confianza en sí mismos después de un corto período de tiempo.
Dos elementos importantes de nuestra forma de enseñar son el énfasis en la técnica de baile y la comprensión del ritmo y la música. También nos centramos en desarrollar tu estilo personal desde el primer momento.
No importa si eres principiante o bailarín avanzado. Bailarines de todas las edades son bienvenidos a nuestras clases, y si nunca has bailado salsa, no te preocupes… ¡Con ellos bailarás con confianza muy pronto!
Todos los estilos de salsa
Enseñamos todos los estilos de salsa: “Nueva York”, “L.A.-style” (cross body) y “Cuba”. Al finalizar todos nuestros niveles de clase, podrás realizar combinaciones sensuales, fondos y pasos avanzados.
Desarrollarás tu estilo personal y tendrás un amplio conocimiento de la técnica de baile necesaria para ser un buen bailarín de salsa. Además, podrás improvisar con todo tipo de música de salsa.
¡Salsa Brava es Fernando Hernández!
Ima Mustafic
Ima empezó a entrenar gimnasia de niña. A los 12 años, la sustituyó por jazz, ballet, bailes de salón competitivos, bailes latinos y salsa. Desde entonces, ha entrenado con algunos de los mejores bailarines de salsa del mundo, viviendo en Barcelona, Madrid y Nueva York. Tras muchos años de formación en ballet, jazz, bailes de salón latinos y salsa, Ima ha entrenado, actuado y competido en diversos estilos de baile en todo el mundo, lo que le ha proporcionado un amplio conocimiento de la danza, la interpretación y la técnica de la danza, que puede transmitir a sus alumnos.
Salsa Brava
Salsa LA & Estilo Cubano + Clases de Bachata
La próxima temporada comienza el 25/06 – 2017 con un profesor de latín real http://www.salsabrava.dk/new-classes
Dirección : Estudio de danza Salsabrava: Helgesvej 29, 2000 Frederiksberg. (Piscina Frederiksberg, arriba a la derecha, segundo piso). Estación de metro Frederiksberg. Autobús 2 A (parada Aksel Moellers Have).
Saludos, Fernando Salsabrava Hernández.
- Correo electrónico: [email protected] – Tel: 2249 5834
