Search Results for: orchestra

The Club de los Soneros Dorados The Orchestra of the Stars

The Club de los Soneros Dorados The Orchestra of the Stars, where great stars and legends of Cuban music meet

Two years ago, an orchestra made history. For the first time in Cuban music, the greatest legends, singers, and instrumentalists were united in a single project, their songs quickly transcended the world and occupied places in the charts.

The Golden was born from the hand of the young composer Carlos Sanabia from Santiago de Cuba. The Golden Soneros club (La Orquesta de las Estrellas) was one of the most awaited realities for all of Cuba.

The news of its 3rd record production is one of the best news in the musical world, its title will be MAESTROS DEL SABOR and it will count with the presence of several international guests, among them the living legend of Salsa Bobby Cruz, will consist of 21 themes in total divided into 3 volumes of 7 Songs Individually.

With a more modern and youthful style, the songs were specifically designed by Sanabia to capture the attention of the dancing public by inserting them in the popular taste.

With elements of Rumba, Salsa, and Timba and Occurring and Sticky Phrases from the day to day life of the Cuban people.

With the presentation of new talents, singers, and musicians in the Orquesta de las Leyendas, Sanabia insists on the purpose of bringing the secrets of its music to the new generations and thus guarantee the new formation of future stars in the new talents that abound on the island.

They have not yet entered the studio to record and this third album by EL GOLDEN has already made the news. Thanks to Carlos Sanabia and his Soneros Dorados, “Salsa is in fashion again.

Several established musicians played at the club during the 1930s and 1940s, including bassist Cachao López and bandleader Arsenio Rodríguez.

According to Ry Cooder, “Cuban and Caribbean society and even New Orleans society, as far as I know, was organized around these social clubs.

There were cigarette wrappers clubs, baseball players clubs, and they played cards and sports and had their pets, like dogs.

In the case of the Buena Vista Social Club, there were musicians there, like in the clubs in the United States.

Rodriguez’s pianist, Ruben Gonzalez, who played the piano on recordings in the 1990s, described the 1940s as “an age of true musical life in Cuba, where there wasn’t much money to be made, but they played because they really wanted to.

That era saw the birth of jazz-influenced mambo, charanga, and dance forms such as pachanga and cha-cha-cha, as well as the development of traditional Afro-Cuban musical styles such as rumba and son, which was later modified by Arsenio Rodríguez’s use of additional instruments to become son montuno.2 Son, described as “the foundation of Cuban music,” has transformed much of Latin American music in the 20th century.

Home

Tony Vega Celebrates Half a Century of Romantic Salsa in Puerto Rico

On Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Coca-Cola Music Hall was swept up in the sounds of salsa as Tony Vega took the stage for his concert “49+1: Half a Century of Romantic Salsa.” Thanks to the production of Alexandra Fuentes and a promotional partnership with the radio station Salsoul, the legendary vocalist returned to Puerto Rico for a night filled with music, nostalgia, and profound emotion.

Tony Vega con su director musical, Jota Ruiz Imagenes Jorge Mas

Throughout the celebration, Vega was backed by the musical direction of the virtuous instrumentalist, composer, singer, and independent producer known in the salsa world as Jota Ruiz, of the prestigious Ruiz de Ponce musical dynasty. Jota led an elite ensemble featuring:

Savier Díaz (congas), Edwin Clemente (timbales), Jorge Mercado (bongo), Juan Rivera (piano), and Alexis Pérez (bass).
José “Pucho” Ruiz (the Ruiz family patriarch) and Víctor Ambert on trumpets.
César Ayala and Julio Hernández on trombones.
Fernando Muscolo on keyboards.
Hugo Maysonet and Alejandro Villegas on backing vocals.
A string section composed of Jonelys Ruiz, Sairilis Meléndez, Sinaí González, Sofía Acosta, Orlando Rivera, and César Jacomino, with Luis Rodríguez providing general assistance.
Tony Vega recordando su etapa con Eddie Palmieri Tony Vega con su director musical, Jota Ruiz Imagenes Jorge Mas

Tony Vega’s performance made it clear that his storied career has been a cornerstone of salsa history, particularly within the salsa romántica movement. The audience made the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan vibrate, singing at the top of their lungs to the many hits Vega has placed at the top of the charts over the decades.

Tony Vega y la orquesta acompañante Tony Vega con su director musical, Jota Ruiz Imagenes Jorge Mas

The artist of Puerto Rican descent structured his set to detail the various stages of his brilliant career. He opened the night with “Cosquillita,” representing his professional debut alongside Raphy Leavitt. He then playfully performed “Feo pero sabroso,” a nod to his time in the recording studio with Louie Ramírez, followed by “El cuarto” and “Vámonos pa’l monte” as a tribute to his artistic growth under the mentorship of Eddie Palmieri.

Tony Vega y su sección de percusión Tony Vega con su director musical, Jota Ruiz Imagenes Jorge Mas

A deeply significant and nostalgic moment arrived with a medley chronicling his years with Willie Rosario, prompting the crowd to sing even louder to “Busca el ritmo” and “Mi amigo el payaso.”

From there, the vocalist reminisced about the transition to his ongoing solo career. He shared the story of his historic contract with Ralphie Mercado of RMM, which, as Tony recalls, was famously signed on a napkin “without any formalities.” From this era, he highlighted staples such as “Yo me quedo,” “Tu prenda tendida,” “Lo mío es amor,” “Dile,” “Tengo curiosidad,” “Uno mismo,” and “Mi iglesia,” which he performed as a duet with the stellar guest Alex D’ Castro. He continued the marathon of hits with “¿Dónde estás?,” “Deja,” “Esposa,” “Si me miras a los ojos,” “Si yo vuelvo a encontrarla,” “Fui la carnada,” “Ella es,” “Olvídalo ya,” “Carita de sol,” “Haremos el amor,” “Esa mujer,” and “Aparentemente.”

Tony Vega, concierto CCMH Tony Vega con su director musical, Jota Ruiz Imagenes Jorge Mas

The closing theme, “Déjame soñar,” stirred the singer’s patriotic pride and featured a powerful timbal solo by Edwin Clemente, followed by guest appearances from Gerardo Rivas and his son, Gerardo Gabriel Rivas.

Tony Vega, Trombonista César Ayala al fondo Tony Vega con su director musical, Jota Ruiz Imagenes Jorge Mas

Throughout the evening, Tony Vega expressed his gratitude to those instrumental in his success. He showed profound respect for Humberto Ramírez, who is widely credited with laying the foundation for Tony Vega’s signature sound and establishing the musical concept for his orchestra at its inception. Another noteworthy moment occurred during an improvisation in “Déjame soñar,” where he affectionately declared José Alberto “El Canario” an honorary “Boricua.”

As he had anticipated, Tony Vega experienced the concert as a true celebration of all he has achieved in his 50-year career. He emphasized how much it meant to be surrounded by his people, “sharing music with those who have been with me from the start, right where it all began.”

Photography: Jorge Más

Read Also: Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer

Let’s talk about Una noche en Old Town “en vivo,” while staying true to the musical journey of “El Calvito” Reyes

“Yes, Una noche en Old Town was an event held for about 100 people at a restaurant in the area known as Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida. Old Town is a park that feels like a year-round festival, 365 days a year,” the artist explains. This marks the third musical production from the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter known in the salsa world as “El Calvito,” one of the most fervent champions of the Salsa Nueva movement.

With this release, Edwin puts his salsa and his talent at the service of his followers. His repertoire spans classic salsa, romantic salsa, and what he calls “conscious salsa.”

Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes acknowledges that while everything has already been invented, the key is to stay focused and execute the ideas swirling in his mind. The press release for the new live album, titled Una noche en Old Town, notes: “Remember in the ’90s when many artists (…) recorded live productions? That was a trend that (…) went down in salsa history.”

The Production

The final product is a “live” recording of his orchestra. The production turned what was originally planned as a birthday party at Old Town Park in Kissimmee into a full album. Sound engineer Joseph Díaz captured the session, which was later mixed and mastered by pianist and engineer Víctor Romero. The content was further polished at Harmony Recording Studios in Orlando, Florida.

The album features the collective performance of the musicians who have accompanied the singer for years, including their appearance at the 2025 Día Nacional de la Zalsa in Orlando. The lineup includes:

John López: Congas
Daniel Ortiz: Timbales
Manny Urbina: Bongo
Víctor Romero: Piano and Musical Direction
Yasmani Roque & Marcos Rivera: Trumpets
Bert Laboy: Trombone
José Castro Marchán: Baritone Sax
Una Noche en Old Town Edwin El Calvito Reyes
The night at Old Town also featured guest appearances by heavyweights such as Kriptony Texeira, Harold Montañez, and José Novoa. Additionally, Richie Nieves, the well-known voice of KQ FM Radio in Orlando, handled the album’s intro.

The Origin

The stage was set specifically at El Cilantrillo restaurant within Old Town. The event celebrated the birthday of Javier Colón, owner of La Feria Salsera and Edwin’s partner for the veteran-focused dance events that Edwin has successfully led in recent years. Javier hired “El Calvito’s” orchestra, the performance was recorded, and from that session, this authentic album was born.

By chance, the date of the party coincided with one of the most important days on the Puerto Rican salsa calendar: the traditional Holy Saturday Dance (Sábado de Gloria). “Many Latinos don’t understand and ask, ‘Are you guys seriously holding a dance on Holy Saturday?’ So, unintentionally, we tapped into that tradition—and it is a tradition in every sense of the word. By trying to keep it alive, we (Puerto Ricans) have shared it with the rest of the Hispanic public.”

According to Edwin, the performance was originally recorded for promotional purposes. However, the artist felt it was such a great capture of the evening’s energy that he consulted his musical director, Víctor Romero, to see what he thought of the idea.

The Release

Coincidence dictated that the album be published and available on digital platforms exactly one year after the recording. The producer admits it was a high-risk project because it was recorded live during an organic event outside of a controlled studio environment. The classic covers Edwin included as tributes to “those who have passed” (arranged as medleys) were his biggest concern, yet they ultimately earned widespread approval.

“El Calvito” Reyes says he doesn’t fear the critics. Driven by passion, he decided to release this 10-track production—eight of which he wrote himself, plus two salsa hit medleys—aiming to win over dancers, listeners, and collectors alike.

Tracklist:

‘Medley salsa nueva’
‘Así llamaban al Conde’
‘Homenaje a los que se nos fueron I y II’
‘Dime mi Buen Señor’
‘Tú del sur, yo del norte’
‘El karma’
‘Tócame la moña’
‘Baila cha cha chá’
‘Solo tiempo pa’ rumba’
‘Orgulloso de ser latino’

Stream & Connect: The album is available digitally on YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music. Each track has a corresponding video at: https://www.youtube.com/@ElCalvitoReyesOficial/. The orchestra is available for bookings. You can reach the office via phone or WhatsApp at +1-912-980-8476 or by email at [email protected].

For more on the music of Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes, visit: https://solo.to/elcalvitoreyes

The Piano That Schooled the World the Eternal Legacy of “Professor” Joe Torres

The history of salsa is not only written by the voices of its idols or the thunder of its brass; it is written, fundamentally, on the black and white keys of those who knew how to sustain the pulse of an era.

On April 13, 2020, in the quiet of a Bronx hospital, the “backbone” of Salsa Dura passed away at the age of 76: José Manuel Torres, known universally as “Professor Joe.”

Jose Manuel Torres Professor Joe Torres passed away on this day, April 13, 2020, in the Bronx, New York City, at the age of 76

Born in Manhattan on November 29, 1943, a son of the Puerto Rican diaspora from Guayama and Ponce, Torres embodied the pure essence of the Nuyorican.

Raised on Fox Street, his destiny was sealed in the hallways of P.S. 52 an elementary school that would eventually become the academic sanctuary of Latin music in the South Bronx.

Excellence as the Standard: From Neighborhood Sound to Musical Glory

His nickname, “The Professor,” was no mere poetic license. In a musical ecosystem where many relied on intuition, Joe possessed an almost mathematical skill: sight-reading.

Un pianista maravilloso, que no se parece a nadie

His technical precision allowed him to navigate elegantly between formal discipline and “street” flavor (sabor).

After debuting in the 1960s with the “King of the Bass,” Bobby Valentín, on seminal albums like Bad Breath, his career took a definitive turn when he joined the orchestra of a young, rebellious Willie Colón.

Replacing the virtuoso Mark Dimond, Torres didn’t just fill a void; he defined an aesthetic. For a quarter-century, he was the harmonic architect behind the two greatest giants of the genre: Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe.

“As the pianist for the band, Professor Joe Torres was excellent,” Colón would recall years later.

It is his piano that resonates in the urban chronicles of Cosa Nuestra; the piano that provides the festive nostalgia in both volumes of Asalto Navideño a cornerstone of Puerto Rican identity and the piano that sustains the rhythmic tension in classics like The Big Break (La Gran Fuga) and Lo Mato.

There was no Fania milestone where Joe did not leave his mark, from the social lyricism of Siembra and Maestra Vida with Rubén Blades, to the raw power of Lavoe’s solo career.

Joe acompañó a Willie Colón y Héctor Lavoe en gran parte de sus grabaciones

Humility in the Shadows: The Man and the Legend

Despite participating in more than thirty productions that are now considered world cultural heritage, Joe Torres never felt the urge to claim the spotlight of a frontman.

As his colleague José Mangual Jr. noted, his humility was as vast as his talent. He preferred the rigor of the studio and the camaraderie of the stage, balancing his musical genius with his work as a computer technician a duality that spoke to his sharp intelligence and adaptability.

El Piano que Dictó Cátedra el Legado Eterno del “Profesor Joe” Torres

His legacy was celebrated in the year 2000 during the historic reunion concert of the “P.S. 52 Alums,” immortalized in the documentary From Mambo to Hip Hop. There, surrounded by titans like Ray Barretto and Manny Oquendo, Joe remained the same: a man with a kind smile and a sharp mind who, according to Blades, represented the true “gentlemanliness” of salsa.

Today, years after his passing, the void at the piano bench remains felt. The “Professor” didn’t just teach people how to read music; he taught that true greatness does not require noise.

His music lives on in every descarga, reminding us that as long as there is a piano playing in the Bronx, the echo of José Manuel Torres will never stop schooling the world.

Also Read: International Salsa Magazine presents essential trivia and facts about Héctor Lavoe.

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.”