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Search Results for: orchestra

Jimmy Bosch. The Creole Trombone of New York.

Norteamerica / USA / Nueva York

Jimmy Bosch was born on October 18, 1959 to a Puerto Rican family in the city of Hoboken in the state of New Jersey.

At the elementary school of his hometown, at the age of eleven Jimmy Bosch was offered a trombone which would give the starting point in his career. According to him, that metallic, valveless, long instrument (which was taller than him) was not necessarily what a child dreamed of; Perhaps, at that time, children dreamed of traveling to the moon, or with an electric guitar that would make them look like The Beatles or, failing that, the Rolling Stones. It didn’t take long for that 11-year-old boy to transform this instrument into an expression of his already visible creativity.

Jimmy Bosch
Jimmy Bosch

At the age of 13, the talented Jimmy was rehearsing with local bands and making his first foray onto the public stage a year or two later. His determination, the Latin blood that ran through his veins and the taste for the genre that had captivated him on so many occasions, led him to play with the most recognized band in the city: Manny Oquendo & Conjunto Libre. His dexterity and ingenuity in playing “moñas” (a section of trombone solos that enrich the melody) helped him to work with them since 1978, which is why it was alongside the Mythical Free Ensemble that Jimmy experienced the freedom to express himself musically with the trombone

On March 11, 1996, Jimmy Bosch debuted with his band at the internationally known S.O.B.’s nightclub. The result was immediate: Publications in the most prestigious newspapers in the Big Apple such as the “New York Times”, praising his excellence and a house full of loyal fans began to crown the dream of this tropical music worker. In this way he becomes a remarkably respected musician and an icon of Latin culture in New York.

His compositions reflect the creativity and depth of who Jimmy Bosch is. He takes his audience on a journey from Bronx-style “funk” to “hot” guajiras, melodious cha-cha-chás, and clearly poetic lyrics awash with feeling. Thus, Jimmy pays tribute to the other teachers who share their presentations generating remembrance and posterity in each one of them.

Jimmy Bosch playing trumpet
Jimmy Bosch playing trumpet

In 1998, under the Ryko Latino label, his first solo album, “Soneando trombone”, was released. Jimmy included a “Big Band” with renowned Latin virtuoso artists, such as trumpeter Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, bassist Andy González, and singers like Jimmy Sabater and Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez. They played a mix of Latin styles, including “hard sauce,” of which Bosch is one of its greatest exponents. Bosch not only played a virtuoso trombone, but was also the musical director on that recording.

With his recording debut as a solo artist, Bosch scored a definite success on the international scene. In Europe critics welcomed his musical creations. And in the United States, newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times were full of praise for their brilliant performances.

Jimmy Bosch in concert
Jimmy Bosch in concert

At the beginning of 1999, the popular musician returns to the charts with a new production: “Salsa dura“. In this production, including musicians like Steve Turre and Chucho Valdés, it was as diverse, strong, and tough as his first production. The recording also included songs like I’m Still Changing. For the release of “Salsa dura” the Creole trombonist traveled to Europe and performed on countless stages of the Old Continent.

Persevering in his creativity, in 2004 Bosch received new applause in Puerto Rico, presenting his musical proposal at jazz festivals. His bows have accompanied such important figures in the salsa industry around the planet as the aforementioned Free Ensemble of Manny Oquendo and Andy González, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto, Rubén Blades, India, the Lebron Brothers, La Combinación Perfecta, Cachao, Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Celia Cruz among others. He was the musical director of the outstanding Puerto Rican performer Marc Anthony.

The late creator of the Mambo, Israel “Cachao” López, composed for him the song “Lluvia, viento y caña”. The legendary trombone solo can be heard on the Grammy-winning recording, “Master Sessions Vol. 1” produced by Emilio Estefan and Andy García.

This talented musician stamps his signature with his particular way of playing the trombone, becoming his personal stamp in the music industry. Today, Jimmy Bosch is famous for his explosive solos, full of melody, vibration and funk.

Jimmy Bosch live
Jimmy Bosch live

Known by many as “El Trombón Criollo” for the strength of his improvisations, Jimmy radiates his energy to any musical challenge. Jimmy brings us El airplane de la salsa, his latest production, surrounded by high-voltage musicians and soneros.

Mariantocook: In this kitchen “La Salsa” puts in the flavor!

Europe

Maiantocook:

Mixing two passions to a perfect match, is possible. Going into the kitchen of this beautiful woman means tasting a universe of flavors with your tastebuds, soul and hearing, yes your hearing comes included, when we talk about Marianto.

Mariantocook Team
Mariantocook Team
Teaching how to make fresh pasta in your kitchen in Panama
Teaching how to make fresh pasta in your kitchen in Panama

By Carmen Aular

María Antonieta Pérez Mendoza is Mariantocook, a culinary reference for those looking for options to learn professional cooking techniques and run to apply them at home and delight everyone with exquisite flavors, and preparations of an executive chef. She delights her followers constantly with recipes made with love, sense of humor and a lot of stories that she shares with a special happiness in her social media. She opens the doors of her home and shows us how to prepare, in the simplest way, amazing dishes that seem more elaborate. She is, also, very open to helping her followers, when they contact her in private asking for tips and a word of advice.

All this is wonderful and exciting to share, but why did Mariantocook really catch our attention? ¡La Salsa! This Venezuelan chef living in Europe not only makes everything look easy and exquisite in a few minutes, but, as if that were not enough, she enjoys cooking, listening to music and being inspired by it. Her Salsa Brava repertoire has inspired too many interesting and delicious dishes. Music is a ‘must’ in her kitchen.

This’ how it all started

Marianto Cook
Mariantocook

Marianto is a Professional Chef at CEGA (Gastronomic Studies Center) in Caracas, Venezuela, and although her love for cooking began at a young age, her professionalization in the area did not come until many years later. She can cook for private dinners for 25 people or in the kitchen of “my little piece of heaven in Tuscany” as she calls it.. The kitchen is the same, what changes is the context.

In the middle of process to discover something in what could be good no matter the age, Marianto decided to cook; because she could take the kitchen and go anywhere in the world and at any time. And so, she took her kitchen to Italy, where she settled with her family and where she continued to learn from the original source of the recipes.

 

This entire project that has made a very good impression in social media and that she decided to call Mariantocook, began when her son going off to college in the United States and she needed to do something to not be sad and at the same time learn something new. Many videos, recipes and bloopers later, the result has been fantastic.

 

Cooking is passion, and that extra flavor in Mariantocook’s kitchen, is the music. There is a careful selection of a theme for cooking, from which derive colors, ingredients and even smells. Creating a menu inspired by music, depends of the chef’s mood. There is nothing tastier than cooking, singing and dancing.

 

For this passionate cook, the most dynamic and wise menus are inspired by the notes of Salsa, while the most passionate ones come straight from Jazz. After this affirmation we wanted to make a creative exercise and we decided to ask Mariantocook how she imagines a menu to the rhythm of Salsa Brava, a menu, especially designed  for International SALSA Magazine. This was the extraordinary result:

 

International Salsa Magazine menu to the rhythm of Salsa Brava and masterfully designed by Mariantocook.

 

Appetizers

“First the tasty percussion” to begin with: Andean sweet ‘Arepitas’ (cornflour tortillas) with banana, ‘Telita’ (type of cheese produced in Venezuela) cheese and colorful sweet pepper jam. Mini dogfish ‘empanaditas’. Arepita Reina Pepiada (specialty of Caracas with chicken and avocado). “Here we have represented a few regions of Venezuela: Los Andes, Margarita and Caracas.” (Different regions of Venezuela with their own and very characteristic flavors). The “arepitas / arepas” are round tortitas made with cornflour, water and salt and are usually enjoyed fried, roasted and even baked.

Arepa with grilled chorizo, arugula and tomatoes
Arepa with grilled chorizo, arugula and tomatoes
Crab, tomato and lettuce arepa
Crab, tomato and lettuce arepa
Chicharrón arepa
Chicharrón arepa
Auyama stuffed tortelli
Auyama stuffed tortelli

Entry

“The introduction begins with the instruments of the whole orchestra”: Minced grilled octopus, seasoned with tomato, escalonias, olive oil, coarse salt, pepper and fresh thyme.

Main dish

“Then comes the discharge”: Matricciana and fried pancetta, tomatoes, pepper and pasta with some grated pecorino romano cheese.

Dessert

“It ends with a bolerito”: Pears candied with syrup.

Bon appetit!

Baked rabbit with potatoes
Baked rabbit with potatoes
Auyama and mandarin cream with bread croutons
Auyama and mandarin cream with bread croutons
Spaghetti Pommarola, tomato sauce
Spaghetti Pommarola, tomato sauce
Stuffed potatoes
Stuffed potatoes

First the music

Before starting to cook, Mariantocook first puts the music, Thinks of a theme, and even improvises her culinary compositions when she has an opportunity. She also selects the wine, and cooks for it. She is a faithful believer of the argued kitchen, and to transmit to the diners what she feels while cooking. Marianto’s kitchen is a deep kitchen that comes from the soul and the heart and looking for memories, not only to be in a kitchen worthy of remembering, but that it also brings back memories to whoever sits at the table.

 

We want to close this editorial note with three of the questions we asked Mariantocook during a pleasant interview and a lot of learning. Marianto, as a good Venezuelan, flees from the Italian winter and takes refuge in her little house in Panama, where she was able to talk with ISM about her project, her passions (cooking and music), her plans for the future and her motivations.

 

ISM: What would you advise, from your life experience, both in the kitchen, as in the initiative to undertake the Mariantocook ’s project, to those entrepreneurs who want to start in the world of cooking or who want to venture into culinary art?

Mariantocook: Study, read, learn. Understand the reason for each process in each recipe. Be curious; do not be dogmatic, because dogmas close your head. Be humble, although with self-esteem, but without falling into the fatuous. Keep an open mind to new knowledge. Love everything. Cook with love and passion, no halves, give it your all.

Marianto Cook making delicious fresh pasta
Marianto Cook making delicious fresh pasta
Fresh Pasta
Fresh Pasta
Rigatoni with Portobello mushrooms
Rigatoni with Portobello mushrooms
Auyama risotto
Auyama risotto
Variation of La Carbonara with smoked salmon
Variation of La Carbonara with smoked salmon

ISM: What are your salsa recommendations?

 

Mariantocook: ‘El libro de la salsa’ de César Miguel Rondón is the tastiest thing you can give away. Rubén Blades, Adalberto Santiago, Ray Barretto, Bobby Valentín. ¡Salsa Brava!

 

ISM: What comes with Mariantocook?

 

Mariantocook: Cooking, editing, music. Learn many things to improve the videos and all the material I’m doing. I want to buy 2 or 3 cameras so that everything looks more professional.

Mariantocook in the kitchen
Mariantocook in the kitchen
Marianto Cook making hallacas
Marianto Cook making hallacas

You can follow Marianto on Instagram: Mariantocook, and by the same name subscribe to her YouTube channel. From wherever, she will always share her human warmth and that magic to cook and teach everything she has learned since she was 10 years old.

 

Photos: Mariantocook’s courtesy

 

Israel Tanenbaum from The Latinbaum Jazz Ensemble in ISM

The Island of Enchantment never ceases to amaze us and we continue to marvel at the fact that this small territory has been able to give the world so much talent, especially in music. Today, it is up to talk about Puerto Rican producer, arranger, composer and pianist Israel Tanenbaum and the enormous contribution that this great artist has made to Latin music over the last few decades.   

Israel Tanenbaum is also a bandleader who has produced more than 50 albums and participated in over a hundred recordings throughout his career, so his experience in this field is more than proven. We were fortunate to talk to him in just over half an hour and we will proceed to cover the most important issues in the following lines.   

Producer Israel Tanenbaum
This is Puerto Rican producer, arranger, composer and pianist Israel Tanenbaum

Israel and his passion for the piano 

Although Israel is widely known for his piano skills, this was not the first instrument he started playing, but the organ. As a child, he was given a toy organ and that was how he made up his mind and train his ear for music.   

In addition to that, he told us an anecdote about how one day he went to a music store with his parents and they left him alone for a while, time that little Israel used to play a huge object that caught his attention: an organ much bigger than the one he used to play at home. It was by watching the organist that he decided to position himself in front of the instrument and started imitating what the musician was doing with his little hands. 

He waited until the organist moved away from the instrument to sell it to a customer and Israel took the opportunity to get into the seat and start playing the instrument’s keys and foot pedal. After playing the five or six songs he knew, he noticed that he had a silent multitude watching what he was doing and once he finished playing, people started clapping their hands furiously at such a waste of talent in a child this small.  

That was when his parents decided to buy him an organ and a piano. A few years later, namely when he was 12 years old, Israel was already playing on the streets in a more professional way.  

Israel’s self-taught formation in music 

Israel’s initial training as a musician was entirely self-taught for the first few years. In fact, he says that when he started studying the craft for real when he had already been earning a living as a musician for more than 10 years.   

With regard to sound engineering, Israel says he had to become professional in this area ”in self-defense”, as he had problems with several sound engineers who did not have a good musical ear, so they ended up damaging some of his recordings unintentionally. This led him to learn to work on the engineering himself so that this kind of thing would not happen again.   

On the other hand, the arrangements and production process had to do with some experiences he had had. One of them happened when, at the age of 16, a friend’s father, an important person in the industry, on one occasion, introduced him to Machito, who very kindly invited Israel to go on stage and sit next to him to learn from what he saw that night. This experience marked the pianist so much that he said to himself: ”this is what I definitely want to do for the rest of my life”. 

Israel playing the piano
Israel Tanenbaum playing the piano during a performance

Colombia’s role in Israel’s career 

Colombia has been key to Israel’s career for several reasons and one of them is that his most productive time of life was spent in the coffee-growing country. The artist had already traveled to that country to accompany artists such as Pete ”El Conde”, Marvin Santiago and Arabella, but the situation was different when he had to tour with the group Batacumbele. This tour was scheduled to last about 10 days, but it was prolonged for 10 years. 

In those days, it turns out that he met by chance with Alexis Lozano, director of Orquesta Guayacán, who proposed him to stay in Colombia a longer time to produce the orchestra’s second album and he accepted. After this, he continued to receive proposals of this style and, almost without realizing it, he already had 10 years living in Colombia and more than 80 albums produced. In addition to Orquesta Guayacán, he worked with Grupo Niche, Cheo Acosta, Alfredito de La Fé and many more.    

”My real professional growth took place in Colombia, but my love for production began in Puerto Rico from the hand of percussionist Roberto Roena, whose orchestra was led by me for about two years. When we were recrding the album ‘El Regreso’, I spent many hours with Roberto in the studio and, seeing how dedicated, detail-oriented and precise he was with every chord and note, I was inspired to do the same at some point. That’s how I accepted all the opportunities to produce that arose in Colombia some time later. I owe all of that to Roberto” Israel said about his time as a producer in the South American country.    

In addition to his work side, Israel also says that Colombia means a lot to him on a personal level, since this country makes him feel at home and he has many friends there. Not to mention that his own wife is Colombian and one of his children was born there, so he is more than attached to that land for life. 

Israel during an interview
Israel Tanenbaum during an interview on the radio

Life in Puerto Rico and Hawaii    

In addition to Colombia, Israel also lived in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. He assures that from each of the places he has been, he has extracted something from their folklore and roots to add to his musical work. He says it is the best way to understand that country and the taste of its people.    

”If you want to understand the people of a country, you have to go back to their folklore and assimilate it. I lived in Venezuela for about six months and, being there, I became familiar with the quitiplás (a typical percussion instrument of Venezuela), the sangueo, the llanera music and many other elements of the musical culture of that country” Israel said on this issue.   

”I lived in Hawaii for almost three years, during which time I founded my first salsa orchestra. I served in the army with Quique Peña, a nephew of maestro Lito Peña, an eminence in Puerto Rico. The young man, whose classical training was extremely intense, taught me to transcribe what each instrument plays in detail. This was an invaluable lesson that served me well for what came later in my career. I also had the opportunity to study with maestro Eddie Palmieri, Papo Luca, José Milé, Jorge Milé, José Febles, among others. I transcribed music for all of them” Israel added on the issue.   

Israel Tanenbaum & The Latinbaum Jazz Ensemble   

”Impressions”, Latinbaum’s most recent album, was the result of an extensive musical stry that tells a wide experience with genres, styles and musicians of all kinds. Israel started this recording nine years ago, but he was always very busy with the rest of the recordings he was producing, so he always ended up abandoning this project.   

Once he had the album ready, but one day Israel had a catastrophic loss of equipment and recordings that led him to practically start the album from scratch, from which he could only save a single song. In the end, he opted to tear up and throw away the arrangements he had in order to start all over again. It took about eight more months to have the album ready again, and today, the musician is grateful that things went down like this, since this material represents the artist he is today for being more current.   

It is then when he sought out the artists and musicians who would accompany him in this new production, which would be his first solo album after having produced more than 100 other people’s albums.    

From now on, he wants to release a Latin Jazz production with his own orchestra every year and all of them under his new label, Latinbaum Records.    

Read also: Grupo Batachá, Houston’s Premier Latin band 

Eric Maldonado from La Paris All-Stars’ work behind the scenes

Latin music, more specifically salsa, has had several initiatives over time that have managed to keep it alive and relevant in the popular taste and one of them is undoubtedly La Paris All-Stars Orchestra, which is a musical group based on old school salsa, but with current technological advances. 

The orchestra was created by the producer and sound engineer of Puerto Rican descent Eric Maldonado, with whom we have been able to talk about the group and his own career, so our dear readers can not miss this reading, as it will be very interesting.   

Eric from La Paris in his studio
Producer and sound engineer Eric Maldonado in his studio Paris Recording Studios

How Eric enters the world of music 

Eric begins his story by saying that he was the youngest of the family and both his father and brothers were always playing instruments, so his first contact with music occurred when he was practically a baby. He says that there were always relatives at home every weekend who came together to play jibaro music, salsa, merengue, cha cha cha or whatever they could think of that day.   

These family roots have encouraged to have a deeper interest in music, to the extent that he began to see it as a serious profession and not just a hobby.   

Eric and sound engineering 

By the time he turned 20 in the 1990s, Eric started playing bass in a band for a while, until he tried his hand as a soundman in the local band in New Jersey and realized that this was what he was truly passionate about. It did not take long for him to realize that being a musician was not his thing, but being behind the console and running the machinery behind the stage was. That is when he started purchasing the equipment he knew he would need and learning more about this part of sound engineering. 

Eric defines himself as someone who does not really like to stand out too much or feel really observed by those attending a show, so he prefers to help all he can on the organizational part and at the level of engineering in the events that he is involved. He affirms that his thing is choosing the talent and creating all the music that the musicians or singers are going to use, while he stays behind the stage taking take that everything forges ahead.    

He described feeling satisfied working in this way and has no problem with the artists taking most of the credit in front of the audience.    

The Paris All-Stars Orchestra   

It is important to note that, before founding the orchestra, Eric already had a recording studio called Paris Recording Studios. What inspired him to create a band was an event he did at a club in Florida shortly after moving to that city. The producer already knew some musicians thanks to his work and proposed them to form an orchestra that would take its name from the studio and be called La Paris All-Stars. ”That night, there were so many people who came to see us play that the place was packed and many of them were unable to get in. That’s when I knew this was going to be a success and the creation of the group was a good idea” said Eric about this first test concert.    

Upon seeing how successful this first concert with the group was, Eric decided to record a complete album which he named ”Los Escogidos” since it would only include the best singers that he would choose for this record production.   

He also wanted to clarify that he is the owner of both the studio and the orchestra and both go hand in hand in everything he does.    

Eric from La Paris with Erben
Marc Anthony’s bassist Erben Pérez with Eric Maldonado

The Paris All-Stars Orchestra: old-school salsa with today’s tools   

When we asked Eric if he agreed with those digital media that defined La Paris All-Stars Orchestra as an initiative linking old school with today’s tools, he answered absolutely.   

Noticing that reggaeton and bachata no longer dominate the international market like they once did, Eric took advantage of the fact that there are many new artists wanting to experiment with salsa to make them his clients and work with them from any country such as Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, among others.   

Although he added that he does not limit himself to any genre and works with a bit of everything, he assures that the music he loves the most is and always will be salsa. He regrets that broadcasters do not give a lot of exposure to salsa as before, but also highlights the support the exponents of the genre have received from media and digital stations that have been given a space to new salseros in different parts of the world.    

Eric’s references for the Paris All-Stars Orchestra   

When listening to any of the orchestra’s songs, there is no denying that its work is inspired by several of the biggest referents of salsa and one of them is Ismael Miranda, who was one of the members of the album ”Los Escogidos”, sharing the credits with Kevin Ceballos, Anthony Colón, Frankie Ruíz Jr., among others.   

Eric called the previous artists, who already had an important name in the industry, in order to attract new singers to join his projects and, in this way, make them known to the public. The producer assures that he likes to help new talents and considers them a fundamental part in the promotion and the new rise of salsa today.   

”I am very happy several of these new singers who worked with me have already been blazing their own trail and some of them are even doing big concerts, which makes me very pleased”, he said.   

Eric from La Paris with Jesus
Eric Maldonado with New York salsa singer Jesus Pagan, with whom has worked recently

Latest works of La Paris All-Stars Orchestra   

The first single from La Paris All-Stars in the year 2024 was ”Son Mentiras”, which, according to Eric, was to be part of ”Los Escogidos” at the beginning, but after recording so many good songs and finding so many talented vocalists, he decided to rethink his initial plan and only released it as a single. The final version of ”Los Elegidos” is scheduled to be released in June this year on all digital platforms after finishing a track still missing from the record production.  

We also could not put aside the group’s new release ”Yo soy La Rumba”, which is part of ”Los Escogidos Volumen 4” and features one of the more promising salsa singer currently, Kevin Gabriel, a young talent who was born in Puerto Rico and has managed to participate in several renowned ensembles and orchestras thanks to his great voice.   

One day, Eric heard Kevin Gabriel singing by sheer chance and became fascinated with the young man, but he knew that the label with which he had signed was not exploiting his full potential, so he proposed him to join his project and he accepted. Together with him, Eric released ”Yo Soy La Rumba” and soon there will be an entire solo album of the young singer. This boy is a clear example of what Eric seeks to promote with his work and has no doubt that there will be many more like him, whom the sound engineer will be more than happy to support. 

Read also: Medusa Pop Band delights its fans with a pretty interesting mix of rhythms 

Unstoppable Hollywood Salsa Fest focuses on the importance of Salsa

In the midst of the release of the single in which she collaborated with Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes ‘Dos pa’ lante’, on April 13, 2024; Melina Almodovar performed at the most important salsa festival in South Florida in the U.S. Melina also serves as an entrepreneur, along with her partner Cristina Moinelo, for the past nine years.

“La muñeca de la salsa”, Melina Almodóvar
“La muñeca de la salsa”, Melina Almodóvar

Each year, the Hollywood Salsa Fest focuses on the importance of salsa music, recognizing that Afro-Latin music fuses us into a culture that draws from diverse roots. This year’s festival – sponsored by the city in a public-private partnership with various businesses – was held at the Artspark at Young Circle.

As masters of ceremony, the festival featured the winning team of “Meca” from Salseo Radio and “El Cacique” from Zeta 93 FM, Puerto Rico’s leading salsa radio station.  On the decks was DJ “Boricua loco” with a tremendous selection of salsa, in addition to coordinating from his musical corner the dance exhibitions by the salsa dancers of YC Dance Studios.

The first orchestra in charge of starting the concert, Latin All Stars, counted with the vocal and scenic mastery of Marlon Mendioroz, Yorman Clay, Adrián Marchant, Yomil Rivas and Frank Cróquer, backed by a musical team that did not fall short of the expectations of those who waited patiently for the stage to light up with good salsa. Latin All Stars was followed by “Juano, tu cantante” from Cali, Colombia. The team of musicians of the orchestra with the second shift shined accompanying who for 16 years was part of Orquesta Guayacán.

The trumpet player also performed in the mid-afternoon block, preceding the arrival of the Hollywood Salsa Fest Orchestra in a segment in which they accompanied Hilda Naranjo from Cuba, Fabián Rosales from Chile and Joey Hernández from Puerto Rico.

“La muñeca de la salsa”, Melina Almodóvar
“La muñeca de la salsa”, Melina Almodóvar

At around 6:00 p.m., it was the turn of the Cuban sound known as timba, with the Julio Montalvo Orchestra and Miami’s Huracán. Once the hurricane winds that accompanied Julio Montalvo ceased, tribute was paid to the late Venezuelan percussionist Robert Vilera thanks to the staging of Vilera Son. The tribute to Vilera’s legacy featured the talents of Los Gaitanes from Panama, Avelino Romero from Venezuela, El Mola and Braidsman from Cuba, as well as Robert Vilera’s first singer, Felix Argenis.

“La muñeca de la salsa”, Melina Almodovar, was backed by Luigi Flores from Costa Rica on piano and musical direction, Johnny Fortunato from Dominican Republic on bass, Pablo Molina from Venezuela on timbales, Juan Pablo Camacho from Venezuela on tumbadoras, Carlos Molina from Venezuela on bongo, Carlos Perez from Cuba on first trombone, Ramon Benitez from Colombia on second trombone, Carlos Frank from Cuba on first trumpet and Julian Cifuentes from Colombia on second trumpet.

On backing vocals, Melina was backed by: Joe Arroyo from Puerto Rico and Freddy Lugo from Cuba. Melina gave us a first class show. As part of Melina’s performance, “El Calvito Reyes” joined her for the first time to perform the recently released single ‘Dos pa`lante’ as a live duet.

During the afternoon, the festival took place under a beautiful blue sky that kept the crowd’s enthusiasm positive. During the night, the clear Floridian skies kept the attendees dancing at full steam. Of course, to that end, the aforementioned talents kept the stage in salsa.

The festival closed with the always remembered for the classic ‘De barrio obrero a la 15’, Chamaco Rivera, who with a stellar salsa career to his credit, not only kept the audience engrossed in his impeccable staging, but also introduced us to his guest artist, his son: Christian Ray.

Melina contó con el respaldo vocal de Joe Arroyo de Puerto Rico y Freddy Lugo de Cuba
Melina contó con el respaldo vocal de Joe Arroyo de Puerto Rico y Freddy Lugo de Cuba

Christian delighted us with his repertoire shortly before inviting us to listen to his recently released CD entitled El legado continúa. To bid farewell to the musical day, which lasted nearly ten hours, the grand finale invited the group of singers who had paraded on stage during the day and part of the night to come in and jam with the “papa de los pollitos” (father of the chicks).

We are waiting to enjoy the next ‘Hollywood Salsa Fest’, for which the businesswomen in charge promise to throw the house out of the window. Melina and Cristina have delivered nine festivals in a row. So see you in April 2025 to dance in the tenth edition of the same.

Bella y Melina
Bella y Melina

Bella Martinez Puerto Rico

Also Read: A party of dancers at the concert to celebrate Willie Rosario’s 100th birthday

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International Salsa Magazine (ISM) is a monthly publication about Salsa activities around the world, that has been publishing since 2007. It is a world network of volunteers coordinated by ISM Magazine. We are working to strengthen all the events by working together.