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Musical director of VibraSÓN Jake Jacobs is here

VibraSÓN is a musical group that makes life in the state of California, specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area, which has become one of the best options for festivals and nightclubs seeking fresh sounds in terms of salsa, swing and Latin music in general.

I was pleased to know about this great orchestra, its members and sound thanks to its work at Charley’s LG, Bar and Nightclub where Eduardo Guilarte, our editor, was working and directing everything related to the lineups and musical programming for Latin music nights, more specifically on Tuesdays.

When I made contact, the person who was kind enough to reply was musical director of VibraSÓN. Jake Jacobs, who at the same time works as a producer, percussionist and backing vocalist.

Jake Jacobs from VibraSÓN — Jake Jacobs, musical director of VibraSON

Talk with Jake Jacobs from the group VibraSÓN

Jake Jacobs comes from a very interesting background. His first contact with music took place with his father and uncle, both of whom were professional musicians, but Jake says he has always been interested in this world.

He studied classical piano and music theory at the University of Illinois and took some jazz piano lessons in his passage through the University of California. During these years, the musical director spent roughly 13 hours a day practicing with this instrument to master it as well as possible.

With time, he became interested in Latin music and dance, which also led him to take dance classes at university. With that knowledge acquired up to that moment, he went to visit New York and his trip coincided with the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (an event held annually in New York and other states to celebrate Puerto Rico and its traditions in the United States).

This event inspired Jake so much that he returned to the Bay Area with the intention to switch his dance classes to salsa classes. He became so good that he began to teach salsa dance classes himself to numerous students interested in learning these rhythms, something he has been done for over 20 years in widely recognized clubs and dance studios.

He used to provide these classes twice a week at the Cocomo Club, which was very important at the time and attracted more than 600 people every day. When bands performed live, the future leader of VibraSÓN began to know musicians, who, in turn, gave him music lessons and his first opportunities to play in bands.

Jake Jacobs with VibraSÓN — Jake Jacobs and the other members of VibraSÓN

Apprenticeships and classes with great musicians

One of the most impressive credentials that Jake can have is to have studied with some of the best musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area such as Edgardo Cambón, Karl Perazzo, Michael Spiro, Louie Romero, among others.

Evidently, all these luminaries have taught the producer much of what he knows and applies today, but he ensures that it was not easy to learn from so many ”teachers” at the same time, in both dancing and music performance.

Ensures that some of the most important things he learned have to do with technique and tips to be applied such as how to play the drums, the notes at the right times, silences and much more.

He points out that they all taught him valuable and important things, which are still very useful to this day. One of those great lessons was to practice and practice until he achieved the sounds he wanted, especially in Latin music.

VibraSÓN

Finally, in 2014, Jake decided it was time to put into practice everything he learned and create his own musical group with his own original details. This is how VibraSÓN came about.

The origin of his band’s name came from Luis Morales, one of its members. It is based on vibraphone, which is not widely used by the orchestras from the San Francisco Bay Area, but by the dancers and by this new group in their performances. As for the end of the name, it comes from ”son cubano”, a typical genre of the island Jake likes very much.

Although Club Cocomo unfortunately closed the following year, that didn’t stop VibraSÓN from making its way and becoming one of the most demanded groups in the Bay Area in recent years.

One of the things that Jake thinks makes his group unique is that there are very few people who use the vibraphone and, due to his training as a dancer, he is always looking to make the most appropriate music for that part of the audience for whom dancing is very important.

Jake Jacobs in San Francisco — Jake Jacobs performing on stage in San Francisco

How Jake and VibraSÓN read the crowd

For Jake and the rest of the band, it is very important to read the crowd and see how people react to the music they play at any time. They pay a lot of attention to the dance floor to see what works and what doesn’t with the people they play for that night.

Having played at clubs such as Charley’s, Bar Fluxus, La Peña Cultural, The Cigar Bar and Space 500, they have prepared a very generous repertoire for each performance. Just as they have written original music, they have also dedicated themselves to perform covers of the most buzzed-about artists in recent times in certain contexts, something that worked out for several orchestras when they need to draw on these resources to entertain the audience.

This wide repertoire that they now enjoy is what has allowed them to make diverse shows with lots of variety so that those present never get bored, even if they usually go to the same place.

Another thing they tend to do is add new arrangements and change genres to the covers they do so that they do not sound exactly like the originals and they can inject some of their essence, even if they are not songs written or sung by them originally. ”Even if they are covers, we always try to add our original arrangements so that the dancers enjoy them that much more” said Jake.

They have also learned to connect with the audience and know what the dancers and the general public want in order to give them exactly what they want. And they did not learn this overnight, but have observed in detail what other orchestras do to imitate what is good and useful.

Jake and VibraSÓN on stage — VibraSÓN performing on stage

Tours and future plans of VibraSÓN

At the end of the interesting talk, Jake told us that, for now, they only plan to record new music and other activities that are comfortable for all the members, since many of the musicians are in other orchestras and record for other people, so it is too complicated for them to tour with VibraSÓN. In addition to that, several of them have small children to care for, so it is impossible for them to travel for a long time.

He is so considerate because he always tries to keep the same members and preserve the unity of the group above all else. It has worked for them, as they have managed to made a name, which will continue to become popular over time.

Carlos Medrano from Sabor De Mi Cuba tells us abut his long musical history

There is a tremendous amount of Cuban artists who have had to fight against economic adversity there is in their country, but this has not prevented them from getting ahead and fulfilling their dream of making a living from their art. One of them is the bandleader of Sabor De Mi Cuba Band, Carlos Medrano, with whom we had the pleasure to talk for this report.

Carlos Medrano was born in the city of Havana, Cuba, and became interested in music when he was very young. The first instruments with which he began experimenting were the bongo and the conga, which had a huge importance in the training the artist would follow until he became the professional musician he is today. Here are some of the topics we cover in a long but pleasant conversation via Zoom.

Bandleader Carlos Medrano — Carlos Medrano, bandleader of Sabor De Mi Cuba

Topics covered with Carlos Medrano

When talking about his first experiences with music, Carlos told us he has always been surrounded by musical sounds since his childhood, which was spent in the neighborhoods of El Vedado and Old Havana.

When he lived in El Vedado, his grandfather used to make poetry and do recitations, while he accompanied him with the drum, but he was in more direct contact with the musical world in Old Havana, a place where there were many rumberos and renowned musicians who were always playing in those parts.

A very young Carlos always saw comparsas and street concerts from her home window and people always joined them making sounds with bells, pans or anything they had.

During the decade of the 90’s, Cuba saw a big boom in tourism, resulting in the appearance of numerous traditional Cuban music groups and the cafes and clubs in the area were filled with sextets with professional musicians. They were looking to play in these places to get tips from tourists and have travel and employment opportunities,” said Carlos.

I always looked at the work these artists were doing, especially tres players and bongos players. That’s how I learned to play the bongo: by watching and listening to what others were doing. I tried to imitate the sounds they made with a metal bucket or whatever I had at home to learn”, he continued.

Carlos Medrano on stage — Carlos Medrano performing on stage with his band

Professional training of Carlos Md¡edrano and and limitations found

After junior high school, he met a friend of his father who would be key in his training as an artist and his name is José Antonio Oviedo. Although his father saw no problem in this fascination of Carlos with music, he always told him not to drop out of school and to pursue a university career.

When he began taking lessons with José Antonio, the level of demand was such that he felt he was in a formal school. He taught him to read music in a way that had nothing to envy to an art institute, which Medrano will always be very grateful for.

In addition to that, near his home, there is a sector called ”Cueva De Humo” where there are excellent musicians and rumberos. It was there that Carlos got to meet Juan Ernesto Santana, Ernesto Gatel Coto from Rumberos de Cuba and many more. ”I was lucky that most people liked me and they always explained to me everything I needed to play as it should be” he added.

With all these insights, there came a point when he decided to devote himself to the world of music and put aside other ambitions he had such as studying law, which was a shock to his family at the time.

That is when his mentor José Antonio did the necessary procedure for him to present the Escuela de Superación Profesional de Arte “Felix Varela y Morales” admission exam, which he passed without major setbacks thanks to his training up to that point.

Although his admission to the institution was relatively simple, it was not long before Carlos faced another equally difficult challenge: getting the necessary resources and instruments to receive a good training.

”I didn’t have my own instruments until I started playing professionally with maestro Orlando Sánchez. I had my first bongo thanks to my father’s friends, who helped me to have my own things, but that never limited me” said the percussionist on this topic.

In a time of so many shortages, it was clearly not easy to study, but Carlos was always looking for ways to fulfill his activities, whether it was raising money, borrowing instruments, practicing with other similar implements, sharing school instruments with his classmates, among other things.

Carlos Medrano paying the drums — Carlos Medrano playing the drums on stage

Great inspirations and mentors

One of his biggest inspirations was his cousin Stanley, who was a professional percussionist. He always advised Carlos to never classify himself in one instrument, but to always learn to play a little bit of everything to become a needed man, so that bands would always consider him for their tours and projects.

Another of the great mentors he had has been Ignacio Jarabe, who has taught him many of the best ”tricks” a percussionist may need when playing one of these instruments. ”I still have solo sheet music that he wrote and some of his book manuscripts, which I don’t know if they were ever published, but they are still important reference sources for me”, said Carlos about Jarabe.

We cannot forget to mention percussionist Eliel Lazo, with whom Carlos had amazing chemistry from the beginning. Lazo had contact with the best AfroCuban jazz musicians of the time and came to travel to many places thanks to his training in percussion instruments, which inspired Medrano to follow in his footsteps. After about one year of studying with this great musician, he was able to perform at La Fiesta Del Tambor and went on to be a finalist in several categories.

Once he started plating professionally, the first person to call him was the maestro Orlando Sanchez, who in addition to offering him his first formal opportunity in this field, taught Carlos many other things which he had not learned so far. He has him up on a pedestal and thanks him for everything he has learned.

Another person to whom the artist is very grateful is José Luis Quintana, better known as Changuito, who told him that ”the good conga player has to listen to the orchestra. You have to be able to hear the piano, the bass and the other instruments. You have to look for your space between the rest of the musicians”.

Another important figure who cannot be left out is Yaroldy Abreu, a mmusician who spent hours rehearsing with Carlos at his house. They focused a lot on technical and creative resources during these classes. Medrano considers him one of the best percussionists and musicians in the world due to his extensive knowledge in every field of music.

Carlos recording at home — Carlos Medrano recording music at home

Sabor De Mi Cuba

It all started with a contest called ”Joyas” which specializes in promoting young Cuban talents who present their art to a qualifying jury and seek to carve a name for themselves in the industry.

Carlos was fortunate that one of the judges told him and drummer Pablo Calzado ”you two shall go along with me”. The artist spent some time working with this person, who took him to play in other orchestras so that he could learn from the best until developing his own style.

This happened after he moved to the United States and was still acquiring experience with other musical groups. That is when he realized he wanted to do things in a different way and get involved in other genres and rhythms that he had not tried before.

There came a day when a bass player friend of his told him that if he wanted to come up with his original ideas, he had to embody them himself and not wait for others to do it. Carlos never saw himself creating his own band, but he decided to began composing his own music and he succeeded.

Then, he started writing usic, contacting great arranger friends of his who helped him reassemble the idea of what he wanted to do. Once he had a repertoire, they advised him to record an album and give life to everything he had done, which gave birth to his first album ”Sabor De Mi Cuba”.

The first song he wrote in his life was called ”La Habana” and was basically inspired by everything Carlos lived in his country and the longing he feels for not being able to be in his country, walk its streets, party with his friends, visit its special places, among other things. What he relates there is his life in the city where he was born and his desire to be able to go back there.

His main motivation to make the album was the possibility of doing something different from anything he saw in the music scene around him at the time.

Carlos does not think of himself as a professional composer, far from it, as he feels he still has a lot to learn in that field, but he hopes to reach the level of the artists who inspired him in his youth.

When it comes to compositions, Luis “Tata” Guerra is widely known internationally

On June 9, 1934, in Guanabacoa, Cuba, Luis “Tata” Guerra was born. Excellent Percussion Master with a Guinness World Record for having accompanied more orchestras live and in recordings.

A virtuoso musician, Luis Tata Guerra, member of a humble and hard-working family, is the last of 4 brothers, born of a musical tradition, his father played guitar, and his older brother Emerio Guerra is a guitarist in Havana.

He studied music and saxophone at the Salesian School of Guanabacoa. He learned to play the tumbadora, and the rhythms of Rumba and Guaguancó in his neighborhood in the 50s.

He joined the Almendra Orchestra in 1954, performing in the best nightclubs of the island. He rehearsed with Conjunto Casino and Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez.

In 1956 he arrived in Colombia with the Cuban Swing Orchestra, he stayed for 4 years working with the groups Sonera del Caribe and the Pepe Reyes Orchestra (Cuban singer). From there he went to Venezuela where he has lived since 1960.

Maestro Guerra has an extensive career as a musician for his activity in different groups such as: Los Melódicos, Víctor Piñero y sus Casiques, Aldemaro Romero, Chucho Sanoja, El Pavo Frank, and accompanying on percussion in Caracas Tito Rodríguez, Miguelito Valdez, Rolando Laserie, Daniel Santos, Olga Guillot, Rubén Blades, Paco de Lucia, including the Timbal King Tito Puente and many Others.

Recognition for Luis "Tata" Guerra — Recognition for Luis “Tata” Guerra

His compositions have been played in the media in Santo Domingo, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela.

The composition “Son Matamoros” dedicated to this famous Cuban trio, was included in the movie “Salsa” with the participation of Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Grupo Niche and other values. He was a member of the VTV Orchestra (channel 8) for 23 years (1965-1991).

Member and Director of the trio Hermanos Rodriguez, in 1994 they traveled to the Canary Islands invited by President Hermoso, and are well known there for the hit “Son Canario” (composition by Guerra himself).

Again in 1999, they returned to the Canary Islands for more than 2 months, in addition to performing at the fabulous The Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

He presented his program “RAICES CARIBEÑAS” on ANTV.

When it comes to compositions, Luis "Tata" Guerra is widely known internationally. — When it comes to compositions, Luis “Tata” Guerra is widely known internationally.

His fondness for acetate collection was recognized throughout Venezuela. A work with his conjunto became very popular and the voice of “Kiko” Mendive reminded us of the grilles and discómanos of Cali in the 80’s. “Barara Bururu”.

We also remember the time he shared with his compatriot Rafael “Felo” Bacallao Hernandez, who had retired from the Aragon orchestra.

With great regret we recorded on February 24, 2015, the unfortunate news of the death of Tata Guerra, four months shy of his 81st birthday, he had been suffering from an accelerated affection in his respiratory system, remaining hospitalized at the Florida Clinic in the city of Caracas, where in the early morning of that day he left us.

“When I listen to reggetón/ my heart stops/ because my thing is rumba and son”.

Maria Luisa Guerra

Source:

Por: Carlos Molano Gómez

Bogotá – Colombia
Derechos Reservados de Autor -primera publicación – 2016
Actualizado 2021.

“Djane Shina” a passion turned into reality

Since I can remember my passion is music expressed in all its forms, I was always surrounded by family and friends musicians, who contributed to increase my love for it, said Djane Shina.

My surnames Rojas Salazar, both symbolize flavor; rumba; happiness; love; humility and dedication, with my families I learned everything I know about the rhythms especially Salsa, my parents Jaime and Ligia, my 5 brothers, my uncles and cousins are a part of what I am today …. “Djane Shina, the queen of Salsa.

Djane Shina a Passion Turned into Reality

Shinaury Thais, the queen, because that’s what my mother called me (R.I.P), the queen of the house, the little monkey among her monkeys.

I was born on October 28th, caraqueña and caraquista, I am from the most beautiful parish “23 de Enero” in the Mirador sector, and even though I only lived there for 2 years I always kept its essence, in February of 73 we moved to my beloved town ‘La Victoria’ in Aragua State, to the urbanization Las Mercedes, in the most salsa area that exists “Madera 15”, named after the Madera Group of San Agustin.

I grew up surrounded by neighbors all music lovers and parties, almost all organized by my brothers at home, Vinyl parties, which scratched so much to put them and to leave them out of their cover, a girl surrounded by people with different orchestral tastes but all of Salsa, there I learned to dance, sing and play instruments, were unique moments, to see those gatherings and end up picking up and cleaning everything so my parents would not be upset.

As soon as I grew up and became a teenager I took charge of the parties as Djane Shina inviting my people and their friends, who became my brothers in life and now my fans.The sound systems were several, one better than the other as the years passed, and manipulated by me, I began to share my tastes and my ability to put people to enjoy a whole night, the “Pioneer” equipment was everyone’s, I took it to every house I could, along with my LPs and cassettes, and at the time the CD case.

A very nice experience as a Djane because people knew that when I was one of the guests at their meetings I took control of the music, always as a contribution to the celebration, there was never any charge, as I said at the beginning this is my passion and I do it from my heart.

When I was a child I practiced the cuatro, I was in the show band of my school “Unidad Educativa Colegio Brito” directed by the teacher Carlos Gonzalez, I started with the cymbal, followed by the grenadier, then the redoblante to finish with the trombone.I

Received lessons with my teacher Williams Puchi (R.I.P), it should be noted that my greatest inspiration to play this instrument was my brother Oscar Bauter Salazar, military musician, and for me, the best trombonist in Venezuela.

Djane Shina de La Victoria para el Mundo

When I was 18 years old, apart from sports (athletics, cycling, aerobics and power), I practiced percussion with my friends and teachers Humberto Rodriguez and Boris Pedra, playing the congas, bongo, timbal, and minor percussion clave, maracas, güiro, among others, here my inspiration was my beautiful uncle Oscarcito Rojas, for me the best conguero in the country.

Throughout my life I saw the formation of different orchestras and salsa groups by my brothers and neighboring friends, in them I participated in rehearsals and learned a lot to sing, over the years I could participate and organize groups of Christmas music and bagpipe as a soloist and with the minor percussion in the companies where I worked.

My life has always revolved around music and art and in the midst of that, wanting to be a professional musician I became a graduate in Business Administration, I had two beautiful daughters Yaima and Victoria, which are my greatest pride and motivation to move forward bringing happiness to the world with my talent.

Currently Shinaury Thais Rojas Salaza Lcda. in Business Administration works as a Publicist in the digital newspaper “Salsa Escrita”.

Shinaury Rojas

Contact: +058 4244009655

Shinaury Rojas (shina

Alex Sánchez “Salsa has always had a special place. It is a genre that will never go out of style ”.

Latin America / Venezuela / Miranda

Mulato en Rumba his greatest bet Alexis José Sánchez:

He is a versatile artist, who like many other musicians begins his training from home, with his brothers he learned to play the cuatro and the guitar, this motivated him to continue his formal studies at the School of Music “José Lorenzo Llamozas”, where he also studied trumpet alongside maestro José “Cheo” Rodríguez; He jointly studies Afro-Latin percussion with maestro Orlando Poleo, Barloventeña percussion with Alfredo “Pandilla” Bolívar and Arturo Piñango, African percussion with José Shalons and Yonder Rodríguez.

At the “Nicomedes Marrero” Cultural Training Center in Tacarigua, he took piano lessons with professor Manuel Sepúlveda, Afro-Venezuelan percussion with maestro Alexander Livinalli and Choral Direction in the free art workshop of “Río Chico”.

Photo- Alex Sánchez — Photo by Alex Sánchez

Although he was born in the city of Caracas, all his life he has lived in the Barlovento region, an area with a great cultural and musical richness, there he also performs the role of teacher, being a facilitator of the Afro-Barloventeña, Afro-Venezuelan and Afro-Venezuelan percussion chairs. Afro-Latin, in School District No. 4.

From a very young age he has been linked with the traditions of his town; Tacarigua. This young man is an active part of the cultural development of the area and together with his wife Yermy Martínez and his mother-in-law Zenaida Gamboa, founders of the group “Danzas Tacarigua”, they are in charge of training the youth of relief, in order to keep the demonstrations alive. traditional barloventeñas for many generations.

Sánchez, assures us that he has a great responsibility, to preserve the legacy that the Africans left in their path through our land, that despite the obstacles he gets along the way to carry out his work, he is overcoming them one by one with perseverance and dedication. that love he feels for music, his family, his traditions and his other passion for teaching.

Salsa and Venezuelan Folklore, two different worlds, each rich and varied in rhythms and styles, however, it takes them by the hand, something that is not strange in a country where the mixture abounds, that we Venezuelans are the product of an ethnic and cultural mix.

How were your beginnings in music?

“I started in music at home with my brothers. I learned with them to play cuatro and guitar. That was the fundamental basis of what has been my musical career up to now and it also inspired me to continue with formal studies in music ”.

Your musical training has been very broad. Why did you decide precisely to specialize with the trumpet?

“I decided on the trumpet, since it has been the traditional instrument in my family, first my great-grandfather Gregorio Machado, then my great-uncle“ Perucho ”Machado and my brother Wilman”.

A man from Caracas who decides to emigrate to Barlovento Why not Barquisimeto or another region?

“My whole family is from Barlovento, since I was born I have lived here in Tacarigua, Brión municipality. After studying music I realize the musical wealth that exists in this region. That is why I decide to bet on the musical production of my homeland and also be part of that artistic movement that represents Barlovento and that has given so much to our country ”.

Composing and arranging music, the work that leads its creators and orchestras to position themselves in the first places. Which of your works as a composer and arranger have been positioned in that place?

“That is the dream of every arranger, to achieve that an orchestra reaches the first places of popularity and in sales. I haven’t had that luck yet, but it’s my dream as a songwriter. I have arranged for many orchestras that have been quite popular and are playing in various countries ”.

Alex Sánchez — Mulato in Rumba your biggest bet

There are many orchestras for which you have done this work, could you name them?

“I have arranged for orchestras and singers such as: Bailatino, Cheo Linares and his Orchestra, Víctor Cardona and the Salsa Machine, Cheo Navarro and his Tribute, Francisco Pacheco and his People, Hildemaro Jr., Orquesta Sarayé (Colombia), Orquesta La Suprema (Panama), Orlando Watussi and my musical project “Mulato en Rumba”, among other national artists “.

Percussion is another of its virtues, of the different rhythms. Which of them is more difficult to teach or learn?

“Percussion is a world that allows you to express yourself and make contributions based on its rhythmic quality. All rhythms have difficulties, but their great musical richness and the magic of the ancestral charge make it possible for us to digest them naturally ”.

“I invite the musicians and the community in general to come to Barlovento to learn about the regional culture, so that they learn to play Mina, Culo e puya, Quitiplás, Fulía and Parranda.”

In the vineyard of the Lord there is everything and for everyone. What has been the most difficult thing about this profession?

“Music gives you a lot of satisfaction, but around it there are circumstances that create disappointments – they can scam you, you have friction with colleagues, etc. – you will find obstacles, but I think that all this is overcome with perseverance and dedication to work. That is what it takes to stay in the musical world ”.

The Music Producer is the architect of a record. What do you feel at the end of each record? What do you feel at the end of each work done?

“Music production is hard work, bringing together musicians, writing and selecting songs, directing, molding and creating a pleasing product for the public, where feelings are reflected on paper, which in turn become sounds that will mark the life of anyone who is a music lover. That is the greatest satisfaction ”.

Each era has its ups and downs, do you think you can make a living from music?

“Of course, if we think of music as an industry we can find that starting from being a composer, arranger, through instrumentalist, singer, among other things, always keeping in mind the quality of the work to be able to sell it, it can be said that we are prepared to live from what we love to do ”.

How does it feel to be part of the cultural development of Barlovento?

“It is a great responsibility to know and feel that you are the bearer of such an important heritage for the development of the culture of an area where the legacy of the Africans who populated our lands will always prevail. Maintaining, disseminating and promoting the culture of my people through workshops, talks and exhibitions will guarantee that tradition is not lost and that these children and young people, just like I started, will be the future protagonists of the traditional Barlovento demonstrations. ”

Tell us about the Black Theater of Barlovento and Danzas Tacarigua. How do you undertake the preparation of the new generations so that the traditions last over time?

“The Black Barlovento Theater, a group that has 43 years of artistic experience, also proudly carries the cultural heritage of the Miranda State. It is and has been a great school for me for 27 years when I made my first presentation with this great family. I say that it is a great school because it is characterized by being an avant-garde group and that it has given me the green light and total confidence to develop and put into practice all the knowledge acquired musically throughout my career through the different productions of the theatrical works brought to the scene ”.

“Following this example and great experience with the Black Theater of Barlovento, we have been working with the Danzas Tacarigua group, directed and founded by my wife Yermy Martínez and my mother-in-law Zenaida Gamboa for 20 years, training children and adolescents in terms of traditional Venezuelan culture, emphasizing the Barloventeña. They are currently part of the main actors in the traditions of my Tacarigua people. It is an arduous work in favor of the diffusion of the same ”.

His wife is an active part of the Cultural development of the young people of Barlovento, here we could say that “Next to a great man goes a great woman”?

“When one is passionate and responsible with what he does, with his profession, his home, that is accompanied by a great companion, I thank my wife very much, a large part of who I am and what I have achieved is accompanied by her great support, she is passionate about what she does, and that gives me a lot of strength ”.

Salsa and Venezuelan Folklor take you by the hand, how does it unfold between these two worlds?

“Despite the fact that they are two different worlds and from different markets, I have tried to take them by the hand, since from a very young age I was linked with the tradition of my town and the Barloventeño region in general, participating in the demonstrations held throughout of the holiday calendar. The salsa world has helped me understand and handle our culture in a more respectful way through arrangements, compositions, and also when interpreting it”.

Flyer Alex Sánchez — Alex Sánchez & Mulato in Rumba

How do you see the sauce right now?

“Salsa has always had a special place. It is a genre that will never go out of style. We must thank the DJs very much, who, whether they like it or not, have been a fundamental part of the salsa being maintained over time, since the media have lost that interest in promoting and promoting new salsa talents for their music. respective development.

In Venezuela the salsa movement has suffered a lot, since orchestras and producers have had little support at the level of the music industry, since it has diverted its attention to urban genres, which according to them is the most commercial. Despite all this panorama, many musicians, singers, producers have made efforts to continue working in favor of Venezuelan salsa with what we call “record pocket” -hahaha-. All this so that his musical work does not remain only in a dream ”.

Barlovento and its sauce, what can you tell us about “Trabuco Barlovento”? “Trabuco Barlovento is an initiative of my cousin Richard Frías. He told me one day at a salsa concert held in Mamporal, seeing that the great stars were accompanied by musicians from Barlovento, -with all those musicians who are there you can make a blunderbuss that represents Barlovento- and that is how the group was born ” Trabuco Barlovento ”, with more than 10 years of artistic life and 1 recording production to be finished.

I remember that among those musicians who accompanied the artists were Rodolfo Rada (trumpet), Ángel González (saxophone), Darlin Palacios (trombone), among others who are today the fundamental pillar of this group. It has 14 members, where I work as the musical director and main arranger of this prestigious group”.

Orlando Poleo, a national and international percussion reference. What anecdotes do you have of his training with him?

“Orlando Poleo arrived in Tacarigua in 1986 as a percussion teacher at the” Nicomedes Marrero “Cultural Training Center, which was a great experience for me, since he was venturing into the world of Afro-Caribbean music”.

“I remember that once he came with his orchestra“ Casino ”and as he was quite advanced in his classes, he rewarded me by playing a song. It was the glory for me to play with the maestro. It was a great experience for the musicians of Tacarigua and other nearby towns because it helped improve playing techniques and understanding of the use of the clave. Much of that learning I apply to create arrangements. ”

He is a teacher and a student, what is more difficult for you to teach or learn?

“Both are difficult, because to teach well you must learn well.”

You are working with a new musical proposal. What do you have in store for us with the Mulato en Rumba project?

“Mulato en Rumba is my biggest bet. This movement has more than 15 years, began as “Alex Sánchez and his Orchestra” to accompany artists and participate in ¬estas and salsa events in the area. One day recording for another orchestra, we met my brother Edward Plater, my compadre Yoryi Pacheco and I fine-tuning details of what we had already recorded. We saw each other’s faces and said -Why don’t we make an orchestra that is ours? -; we always record and produce for others ”.

“It is then that we decided to set up and start this musical project with our own songs composed by Yoryi Pacheco and myself and arrangements made by me as well. The main members are: Yoryi Pacheco (singer), Edward Plater (trumpet), José Madera Niño (tumbadora), Jonal Rivero (trombone), Rodolfo Frías (bassist) and Alex Sánchez (trumpet, piano and musical direction). Soon our first record production will be ready, which has been done uphill because it is financed by “Pocket record”

–”jajajajajajaja”-.

That name sounds like ¬esta, joy and sauce. How was the name Mulato born in Rumba?

“This name was given to him by my friend and brother Cheo Linares. I told him that we had a new project and he told me

-The mulattoes are going to start partying in Barlovento- and from that moment we call ourselves “Mulato en Rumba”.

Creativity is in decline in Venezuela, you are a composer and arranger and many of the Salsa orchestras are betting on versions or tributes, they do not risk innovating, creating or inventing. What do you think about this matter?

“I think that covering is very fashionable, I think that for many people it is easier to live attached to the shadow of another than to risk producing their own.

Perhaps it is fear of failure due to the lack of support for the artist that exists in our country. There are those who do take risks and bet on other markets (other countries), where the appetite for good music is always thanks to the fact that in those countries there are people eager for new things. In our country that culture of wanting to hear something new and as the saying goes: “-No one is a prophet in his land-” has been lost.

If you bet on innovating and creating, what are the themes of your production?

“We have 10 songs, 2 versions and the other 8 songs are unpublished, we bet on ourselves, not to be in the shadow of others, here the lyrics and music are by José Madera Niño, and my person, Yoryi Pacheco also writes some of the topics. In the version of “Tú mi Delirio” I sing ”.

“The song, get ready, Dancer, the lyrics and the music are by Freddy Junior Solórzano.”

The support of the media is important to show the work done by national talent. Do you feel that there is little dissemination by the media to show the work done by the different groups?

“-Well-, in previous questions I have said that there is no support from the mass media. Hopefully that will end one day and they give importance to Venezuelan music and talent as much as they give it abroad.

La Payola, many criticize it and want it to disappear, however, there are musicians who contribute to this scourge that hurts everyone. Would you ever pay to play?

“I don’t agree with the Payola. Colleagues have told me that if they have done it that it is a rather shameful situation, since many times they have to play without any remuneration in exchange for playing on the radios several times a month. Personally, I would never pay for what he calls Payola ”.

What would be the good and not so good things about this beautiful but tough profession?

“I think there are more good things than bad things, and more when we take music as a profession. The musical world is very satisfying, since it makes you live unique experiences that fill your soul and spirit with joy ”.

Teacher, musician, arranger, music producer What do you feel you need to do?

“Learn, learn and keep learning to make good music and also be able to make” Mulato en Rumba “recognized nationally and internationally.”

His daughters have grown up in an environment full of music, tradition, folklore, they have the musical vein Sánchez, would you like them to be musicians, what legacy would you leave them?

“Hopefully they decide to be musicians, I would never force them to do something they don’t want to, because I think that everyone should do what they really like and are passionate about. The legacy that I will leave you will be all I can do in my musical life, since a large part of what I do is for my family. My daughters at their young ages have already been immersed in the artistic world, they sing, dance and participate in the cultural manifestations of our people. ”

In a word, who is Alex Sánchez?

“A fighter”.

Barlovento and Venezuela in one sentence

“My homeland, My Dear Homeland”.

Eiling Blanco Latin America Corresponded