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Dominican bandleader and singer Papo Ross is triumphing in Montreal

Canada continues to give us something to talk about when it comes to Latin music, and our daring guest is firm proof of this. Dominican bandleader and singer Jorge “Papo” Ross has given us the great honor of talking about his interesting career both in his native country and Montreal, where he currently resides and moves forward with his musical projects.

Papo Ross with his saxophone — Dominican bandleader, singer, and musician Papo Ross posing with his saxophone

Papo’s beginnings in the Dominican Republic

Papo’s musical beginnings were in his hometown of San Pedro de Macorís by playing instruments made of tin or wicker that he and his friends themselves created so they could play, which led him to learn to play percussion, albeit in a very crude manner. Among the first instruments he played were the guiro, the tambora, and the conga.

Seeing his interest in music, his late brother, who was a saxophonist and led a band at the time, took him along to play with him so he could learn the trade through practice. However, the young man did not want to stop there and also began creating his own bands, such as Grupo Enriquillo, in which he and the rest of the members used homemade instruments and a marimba, which doubled as the bass.

He also played with La Moderna de San Pedro, with which he served as the musical director during rehearsals and earned two percent of the orchestra’s contracts. In addition, he founded the group Sui Generis, played with the late merengue musician July Mateo “Rasputín,” and, before leaving the country, played with the recently deceased Rubby Pérez in the 1990s.

Academic training prior to his trip to Canada

After having played with several orchestras, Papo realized that, while it is true that he had gained some experience and knowledge, it was not enough and he needed to train more. That is why he was admitted to study at the Escuela de Música Patria Logroño at the elementary level and the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Santo Domingo.

Papo Ross & Pambiche — Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche as a whole

At the academy, he learned spoken and sung solfeggio and took some saxophone lessons there in the same place. As for the conservatory, he studied percussion, but did not finish his training in this area, as he was also studying law at the Universidad Central del Este in San Pedro de Macorís. Then when the time came for him to choose one or the other, he obviously opted against university, although he did not get to exercise this career either because he missed a few semesters to complete it.

Moving to Canada

Before arriving in Canada, Papo had already traveled to other places such as Puerto Rico and New York as part of his work and had the opportunity to live there for a few seasons, but the Orquesta Tambora invited him to go to Canada to lead the group, which the artist accepted.

Although it was the best decision, it certainly was not easy, as he had to deal with language barriers and the process of adapting to a music scene completely different from that of his native country.

The latter and the fact that he belonged to a minority like the Latino community, limited him a lot at first, but he says he keeps no regrets about his decisions and does not complaint about what he has already accomplished.

Rafael Ithier and Papo Ross — Rafael Ithier from El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Papo Ross

Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche

In 1992, he finally decided to break through his own and create his own orchestra, Papo Ross & Orquesta Pambiche, thanks to all the skills he had developed so far. After having learned to lead an orchestra, compose, arrange, and sing, he felt more than ready to carry out his own project consisting of 13 members, including two trumpeters, a trombonist, two saxophonists, a percussionist, and three singers, among others. None of the original group remain, and Papo practically does not use the big band, but a slightly smaller format called Papo Ross Meren Latin Jazz Approach.

This band offers its services for private parties and drinks receptions, where Papo sometimes sings with a minus-one and even includes dancers in his shows.

Together with his orchestra, he has played at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on a few occasions, but they have also played in several other cities like Toronto, Regina, Saskatchewan, Victoria, Saint Pierre, Saint John, and many more. He has also collaborated with several other groups and musicians such as Pablo Ramos and the group Calipso.

Outside of Canada, they have played in various places in the United States such as Detroit, Wellington, and Vermont.

Eduardo, Papo, and Dave — Trumpeter Eduardo Sanchez, Papo Ross, and Trombonist Dave Grott

Spain is reborn in new Cuban music by Yalil Guerra

The immense Hispanic legacy is usually relegated to the background, while being a key part of our sound identity.

Reference Image about Spain — Reference Image

Yalil talking about Spain — Composer, bandleader, and Latin GRAMMY winner Yalil Guerra.
Image courtesy of RYCY Productions

By YALIL GUERRA

The birth of the Cuban nation, after gaining its independence from its former colonizer, Spain, marked a break that transcended political concerns and entered strongly in the cultural aspect. Cubans were “denaturalized” after the Treaty of Paris in 1898, leading to a profound metamorphosis of identity that was inevitably reflected in our music. Out of that process a fresh and powerful sound expression emerged: a vibrant fusion between European, African, and North American influences, something that had already begun in the 19th century but was driven by a growth music industry and the cultural magnet of its northern neighbor, the United States.

For years I have listened to, studied, and enjoyed Cuban popular music — both the old and contemporary— and what I notice is that most productions tend to highlight the folklore—especially the Afro-descendant roots and the imprint of jazz — while the immense Hispanic legacy is usually relegated to the background, while being a key part of our musical identity.

In Cuban music today, both on and off the island, the record business is committed to a modern and bold sound. Compositions explore contemporary harmonies, bitonality, and extended chords — resources that come from both classical music and jazz — entwined with surprising and refreshing harmonic cycles. In wind instruments, melodic lines and musical motifs reveal the virtuosity and creativity of a new generation of musicians and arrangers, who are raised in solid academic traditions but open to global influences. The percussion stands out for its polyrhythm and the number of sophisticated tutti that require a unique expertise, but the Spanish influence is quite absent or just present in the language.

In contrast, What caught my attention was the newest music of singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Alain Pérez on his new album Bingo, where Spain resonates powerfully and recognizably. I find this gesture very special, as it vindicates a Spanish legacy in Cuban music that is often forgotten or minimized. I also highlight the case of pianist and composer José (Pepe) Rivero and his new album Estampas y Raíces where he pays tribute to classical Spanish composers, mixing their works with his unique interpretive style, bringing it closer to the language of Cuban jazz that is so familiar to him.

What about the large mass of Cuban artists and musicians who do not pay homage to the mother country? It is that we lost our historical memory or has it been erased? Is the omission of certain elements of our Spanish traditions a symptom of what some call the “Spanish Black Legend,” a myth that has seeped into our musical history and present?

I remember when Juan Perón said:

“And through the figure and work of Cervantes, Argentina pays tribute to the mother country, fruitful, civilizing, eternal, and to all peoples who have emerged from its maternal womb.” “And through the figure and work of Cervantes, Argentina pays tribute to the mother country, fruitful, civilizing, eternal, and to all peoples who have emerged from her maternal womb.”

Cuba is no exception.

Over the years, in response to the previously exposed, I have tried to make Spain present in my work: incorporating harmonious colors, Andalusian cadences, and the Phrygian mode—so tied to the Iberian sound—creating compositions devoted specifically to Spanish culture, especially my new string quartet entitled “Noches de España”, following the line of our great composer Ernesto Lecuona, who knew how to bring to life both African and Spanish things. As for me, I seek to keep alive that heritage and project it onto 21st-century Cuban music, without forgetting our important African legacy.

Today, rescuing the Spanish heritage in Cuban music is not just an act of memory: it is also an opportunity to rediscover the richness of crossbreeding that continues to define who we are and how our history sounds. Contemporary Cuban music not only looks to the future: it sings to its African roots, but it also needs to reconnect with that other essential part of our identity. After all, we think, love, and communicate in Spanish. Every note, every guitar or lute that sounds, will evoke that heritage and bring us near to the fullness of what we are.

It does not matter the color our skin is, or whether our grandfather was from Asturias or the Congo: cultural fusion is what forged our identity and will remain the essence of Hispanic America. Mexican writer, philosopher, and politician José Vasconcelos said: “I am Hispanic, and nothing about Hispanic is alien to me.”

At this crucial time, Cuban music has the challenge—and the opportunity—to sing its entirety. And in doing so, it shows us that, beyond styles or labels, what unites us is the sound of a common history.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival 2017 in San Francisco

North America / USA / San Francisco

2017 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (YBG Festival) proudly announces the lineup for its:

2017 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival - Free out doors fresh — 2017 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Free out doors fresh

17th Season, which continues its tradition of bringing entertainment to downtown in San Francisco. May 7 – Oct 29, 2017, 760 Howard St. San Francisco, CA 94103

To kick off the new season, the Grammy-winning Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra + VNote Ensemble will open the Festival on Sunday, May 7, the first of this year’s 100 admission-free events. The very popular series Let’s Go Salsa@Jessie also will be present with the best artists. YGB Festival offers you free music, theater, circus, dance, poetry, and children’s programs with artists from the Bay Area and around the world.

Named one of the Best Urban Green Spaces in North America by USA Today, Yerba Buena Gardens is a world-renowned cultural destination for Bay Area residents, families, workers, and tourists alike. Yerba Buena Gardens is located between Mission Street and Howard Street and 3rd and 4th Streets in downtown San Francisco. Visit www.ybgfestival.org or call (415) 543-1718 for more information and complete 17th Season schedule.

Yerba Buena Festival’s exciting 17th Season promises an exceptional array of talent to please all audiences.

YBG Festival Executive/Artistic Director Linda Lucero says, “Everyone needs the spiritual sustenance, inspiration, and communal experience that only live performance offers. This summer, you’ll find your joy at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival!”

The Grammy-award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), led by pianist, composer, and director Arturo O’Farrill, kicks off the Festival on Sunday, May 7 at 1:00pm. The ALJO brings together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world’s most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O’Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music’s most talented composers and arrangers.

Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra + VNote Ensemble

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival includes the very popular Let’s Go Salsa@Jessie dance series, the family-friendly Children’s Series, Poetic Tuesdays with Litquake, and Thursday Lunchtime Concerts. Each and every week and weekend, the Festival has curated a lineup of musicians, dancers, poets, and actors from around the world including the Bay Area’s Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble on May 13, Brass Convergence II: Protest Brass on May 20, Richard Howell & Sudden Changes on May 27, NEA Heritage Fellows Michael Doucet and Tom Rigney with Flambeau on June 3, Festival-commissioned YBG ChoreoFest, a three-day site-

specific dance festival featuring 9 contemporary dance companies on June 9–11, NYC’s own M.A.K.U. Soundsystem on June 17, Circus Bella on June 23–24, AXIS Dance Company’s The Garden Project on July 1–2, Festival-commissioned Theatre Rhinoceros’ Lear! on July 7–9, Ensemble Mik Nawooj‘s premiere of Death Become Love on July 15, San Francisco Mime Troupe on July 23, SF Uke Jam Summer Uke-splosion! with Ukulenny and Cynthia Lin on July 29, Daymé Arocena + Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble on August 19, Paula West on August 26, Kugelplex with special guest Linda Tillery on September 2, Alsarah & the Nubatones on September 9, and Brooklyn Raga Massive with Classical Revolution performing Terry Riley’s In C on September 16.

The Festival closes with the 17th Annual Halloween Hoopla Sunday, October 29.

The popular series Let’s Go Salsa@Jessie, the open-air salsa dance party in Jessie Square (near the Contemporary Jewish Museum), takes place on the third Thursday of each month from May to September from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm. Performers are Changuí Majadero on May 18, La Mixta Criolla on June 15, Somos el Son on July 20, Bobi Céspedes on August 17, and the Festival return of Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca on September 21.

The Festival offers the delightful Children’s Series, interactive performances specially designed for kids and families every Friday from June to August in Yerba Buena Gardens. The series presents performances by kid favorites: Caterpillar Puppets, Ka-Hon, Red Panda Acrobats, Pi Clowns, Venezuelan Music Project, Crosspulse, Unique Derique, and Non Stop Bhangra. The series ends with the wildly popular 17th Annual Halloween Hoopla on Sunday, October 29.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Commissions and Special Projects have commissioned the following projects to celebrate in June: Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest, a brand new 3-day dance festival, June 9-11. Playwright/director/actor John Fisher writes and directs Lear!, a site-specific satirical musical based on Shakespeare’s King Lear for Theatre Rhinoceros, the nation’s, and likely the world’s, first queer theater on July 7-9 and Circus Bella on June 23 and 24. Conceived and directed by Abigail Munn and Joel Baker for Circus Bella, the show will feature high level, local and guest circus artists and includes static trapeze, rope walking, juggling, contortion, unicycle, original clowning, acrobatics, and more.

2017 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival - Photo — 2017 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Photo

The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival also co-presents a series of admission-free outdoor programs with Union Square Live to be announced in April.

Charlie Sierra was a prominent Puerto Rican timbalero, recognized for his long musical career and virtuosity on the instrument

Carlos Manuel Sierra Sánchez, better known in the music world as “Charlie Sierra,” was born on October 10, 1956, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

Charlie Sierra fue un destacado timbalero puertorriqueño

An excellent percussion musician from Barrio Sabana, Charlie Sierra recorded with important figures in music such as Don Mario Ortiz, Andy Montañez, Raphy Leavitt, Marc Anthony, Oscar D’León, Julito Alvarado, and many others. He even recorded the album Bravo by the Fania All-Stars in 1997.

To the worldwide community of salsa fans (salsómanos), he was a member, along with Chago Martínez, Tito De Gracia, Edgardo Morales, and Edwin Clemente, of the Gran Cumbre de Timbaleros (Great Summit of Timbaleros) that emerged in Puerto Rico’s rumbero (Afro-Cuban rhythm/rumba) scene during the penultimate decade of the 20th Century.

Charlie Sierra fue un destacado timbalero puertorriqueño reconocido por su larga trayectoria musical y su virtuosismo en el instrumento

Among these five virtuosos, the majority of the recording sessions in the Puerto Rican market were divided. The others were, practically, second choices for producers.

This fortunate circumstance allowed him to develop an impressive discography as a session musician, which includes the most stellar names in salsa. Likewise, he traveled across a large part of the globe as a member of the backing bands for many of those stars.

Our biographical subject was a child when he began, without a teacher, to learn the bongos and drums which he also played on recordings and on stage and the timbales, leading him to be identified as a fundamentally intuitive musician.

At the age of thirteen, he moved with his family to Bayamón, and it was during his time as a student at the Nuestra Señora del Rosario School that he began to show signs of his talent.

At fourteen, he enrolled in the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free School of Music (Escuela Libre de Música), where he was a disciple of the Argentine master Samuel Lipchik.

During that time, he also advanced his knowledge of the flute, guitar, and piano, instruments he would never cultivate professionally, as percussion was always his great passion.

Papo Lucca, Charlie Sierra y Cheo Feliciano

However, his time at the Free School of Music was relatively brief (1972-1974). He soon began his professional career, gaining his first experiences with the Orquesta Rica and the Orquesta Tabú.

During this period, he received private lessons from the renowned professor Raúl Berríos Sánchez.

Fully immersed in the music scene, his name began to gain relevance in the salsa world following his tenure with the original Orquesta Mulenze, led by bassist Edwin Morales, during the 1976-1978 period.

At that time, this organization focused its work on providing accompaniment to solo singers affiliated with the genre, both national and foreign, who visited the island. He had the opportunity to travel with several of them: Santos Colón, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Chivirico Dávila, Pellín Rodríguez, Yayo El Indio, etc.

From the Orquesta Mulenze, he moved to the lineup of Raphy Leavitt & La Selecta (1978-1979), with whom he had the opportunity to record hits like “La cosquillita,” vocalized by Tony Vega. He later worked with the orchestra led by pianist Tito Valentín, which featured Marvin Santiago as the vocalist.

He then joined trumpeter Mario Ortiz’s orchestra (1982-1984); he collaborated in the founding of the backing bands for the great sonero (Cuban son singer) Carlos «Cano» Estremera (1984) and the equally admired Tony Vega (1988).

In the interim, he worked independently and constantly recorded with other groups and a large number of soloists. He maintained this intense work routine until the present.

In 2009, Charlie Sierra organized his own orchestra, Paso Nivel, with which he recorded the album Ganas de bailar (Paso Nivel, CD-10692).

The album prominently features singer Efraín «Pichi» Gaetán, and included special guests such as Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, Andy Montañez, and Gilberto Santa Rosa, as well as Primi Cruz, Darvel García, and Héctor Luis «Pichie» Pérez.

Charlie Sierra was a distinguished Puerto Rican salsa timbalero, recognized for his long musical career and his virtuosity on the instrument.

He passed away on October 23, 2024, at the age of 67. Throughout his career, he collaborated with artists of the stature of Andy Montañez, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, and Bobby Cruz.

Musical Career: He began his career with the Orquesta Mulenze in 1970 and later joined Raphy Leavitt & La Selecta’s band.

Notable Collaborations:

He worked with Andy Montañez for over 25 years, being a key piece in his orchestra. He also collaborated with artists like Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Bobby Cruz (on the hit “Sonido Bestial”), Tito Valentín, among others.

Own Orchestra: In 2009, he founded his own orchestra called Paso Nivel, with which he recorded the album “Ganas de bailar” (Desire to Dance).

Collaborators:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Also Read: Orestes Vilato. Cuban multi-percussionist.

Anthony Carrillo The Legendary and Virtuoso Bongocero for Batacumbele and

Anthony Carrillo was born in New York City on 117th Street and Lexington Avenue, a neighborhood marked by significant complexities in terms of violence and drugs. This is why his father decided to move the family back to Puerto Rico in 1972.

“I remember that when I opened my eyes the second day, I heard the music of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe”.

Me opening my eyes, and the smell of the earth. It’s a scene I’ll never forget in my life.”

Once in Puerto Rico, his father continued to play music and was connected with musicians such as David “La Mole” Ortiz, who would later become a great mentor and collaborator for Anthony.

In the mid-1970s, Anthony and his brother began collaborating with the Areito Folkloric Ballet.

Anthony Carrillo: Master Percussionist

Master percussionist Anthony Carrillo comes from a proud Puerto Rican musical heritage. Although perhaps best known for his performances alongside his childhood friend and famous LP artist, Giovanni Hidalgo, Carrillo has performed with numerous renowned musicians throughout his career, including Eddie Palmieri, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Paul Simon, and Harry Belafonte.

He was also an integral member of the outstanding percussion ensemble, Batacumbele, and, in contrast, the Puerto Rican metal band, PUYA. Piano legend Eddie Palmieri has referred to Carrillo as “the best bongocero in the universe.”

Under his own name, Anthony Carrillo has released three CDs, which include the historic first rumba recordings from Puerto Rico. His most recent performances include the off-Broadway musical “I Like it Like That” in 2017, and recording bongos with Puerto Rican artist Residente on his recent track “Hijos del Cañaveral.”

In April 2018, his Latin jazz group, AA team, released two original singles featuring Carrillo on bongos, drums, and vocals.

In August 2018, his dance orchestra, YÁMBAWA, released a four-track EP with originals and English-language pop standards infused with Spanish rap. He has stated that these two productions form his most prolific and inspired body of work in his career so far.

Musical Origins

Anthony Carrillo was born in New York City of Puerto Rican ancestry. From childhood, he expressed a special interest in music. His father, Mr. Roman “Don Nan” Carrillo, was his first teacher.

Through his father, Anthony Carrillo was exposed to the music of “Ramito” (one of the greatest exponents of folkloric music in Puerto Rico) and Rafael Cortijo.

Anthony’s earliest influences were “Papi Andino” (Ramito’s bongocero) and Roberto Roena (Cortijo’s bongocero).

When he was only nine years old, Anthony Carrillo’s family returned to Puerto Rico.

It was then that his father asked David Ortiz “La Mole” who was considered one of the best Rumberos in Puerto Rico to teach his son the techniques and patterns of Rumba. By age 13, Anthony was already part of the touring National folkloric group Areito, directed by Mrs. Irene Mcleane.

In the early 1980s, Anthony Carrillo became a member of the famous folkloric group, La Familia Cepeda, the foremost exponents and keepers of the traditional “Bomba” and “Plena” styles.

Collaborators:

Yova Rodriguez

Planet Drum

Also Read: Papo Vázquez the Pirate & Troubadour of Our Latin Music