Search Results for: salsa
North America – June 2022
José Mosquera from Barquisimeto for the World “The bodybuilder and elegant”
Barquisimeto, is well known as the musical capital of Venezuela and in this opportunity we will make special mention to the musician José Jesús Mosquera Cañizales, born in our city in the Antonio María Pineda Hospital, on May 23, 1969, son of Rafael Mosquera and Juana Cañizales, married to Yolanda García and from this union were born their children Yolanda José and Luis José.
Mosquera was always inclined to music since he was a child, participating in the musical activities of his school “Ciudad Bolivar”, located on Carrera 13 and 48th Street, in Barquisimeto, singing and playing the cuatro in a self-taught way and with the help of his father who taught him to improve his playing.
At the age of 8 he studied at Pablo Canela’s academy, at the age of 10 he learned to play guitar, also with the support of his father and his cousin Carlos Romero.
At the age of 11 he participates in the musical groups of the Christian church, standing out as a guitarist, drummer and timbalero. When he turned 15, he became interested in playing the bass guitar and during his high school studies at the Ezequiel Bujanda Combined Cycle, he met Jesús Rincón, also a musician, and joined the ranks of the “Obeligaitas” bagpipe group, where he began his career as a bass player.
When he turned 18 years old, he was part of the staff of the group “Tecnogaitas” of the Tecnológico Antonio José de Sucre and simultaneously he was bassist of the band “La Salle”. Afterwards, he is recommended to Alí Rojas and auditions to be the bassist of the “Sonora de Alí”, where he remains for 3 years.
Alí Rojas gave him the responsibility of being the bassist of the dance orchestra “Sensación”, where he remained for 15 years. In 1992, he began working as a music instructor for the Fundación del Niño until 1996.
Mosquera, besides being an excellent bass player, plays string instruments such as the cuatro, guitar and requinto.
In 1993, Mosquera turned to romantic music and created the duet “Génesis” with his friend and compadre Carlos Enrique Prince, performing in nightclubs and private parties. In 1997, he joined the Poliboys Orchestra of the General Command of the Lara State Police as a bass player, where he currently works. In 2004 he began his musical studies at the Vicente Emilio Sojo Conservatory and graduated as an academic musician in 2009 with excellent grades. José has performed on regional television stations demonstrating his qualities in various prestigious programs and in 2016, he won 3rd place in the Police Voice Festival.
Mosquera, at what date do you become interested in salsa as a musical genre?, Professor Carlos in 2007 I start playing the baby bass and in 2011 I join the K’dencia Latina Orchestra of Carlos Sanchez and also had the privilege of accompanying Benjamin Rausseo “El Conde del Guácharo”, performing with his band and with K’dencia Latina, accompanied the late Willy Rodriguez, and vocalists of national and international renown: Hildemaro, Pibo Márquez, Charlie Guzmán, Alejandro Mayora, Mariana “La Sonera de Venezuela” and the official doubles in Venezuela of Rubén Blades (Jhony Heredia) and Celia Cruz (Ibrahíma Rondón).
Mosquera finally told us that musical excellence is achieved through perseverance and dedication.
Finally we wish the best of success on behalf of International Salsa Magazine, to the excellent musician José Mosquera “The bodybuilder and elegant bass”.
See you next time and let’s keep on salsaing!
José Mosquera “The bodybuilder and elegant”.
On March 19, 1928, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Rafael Viera Figueroa was born.
Excellent Music Promoter. Remembered for promoting the LP Siembra by W Colón and R Blades. He founded Viera Discos, “Cathedral of Latin Music”.
He was considered one of the main disseminators of salsa in Puerto Rico, Rafael Viera, also creator of Viera Discos, one of the most important points of the movement until 2016, year in which it was closed.
Viera Figueroa was, from the late sixties to the eighties, Fania’s representative on the island. Why? He was the one who brought the music of the label founded by Pacheco and Masucci to the land of Ismael Rivera, when it was mainly distributed in the United States.
He was the promoter of the first Fania All Stars concert in Puerto Rico in 1973 and was in charge of bringing to Puerto Rico the films ‘Our Latin Thing’ and ‘Salsa’, which packed the local theaters in the seventies. According to Primera Hora, he was the one who inaugurated the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan.
In 2014 Viera suffered a stroke that kept him in intensive care. On that occasion his son, Richie Viera, gave these words to the aforementioned media: “I am a man of faith, and in God I trust that Dad will recover and will be able to continue with us for many more years, offering us his wisdom, his anecdotes and promoting and collaborating so that new talents will have a place in Latin music”.
Viera was known for the famous Casa del Coleccionista store, which he ran for more than 60 years in Santurce, for Viera Discos and for the Catedral de la Música.
He was also one of the driving forces behind the salsa boom at the time of Fania Records, where he worked as producer and promotion manager of the conglomerate of record labels; Fania Records, Vaya Records, Tico Records, Alegre Records, Cotique Records, Éxito Records, International Records and Música Latina, among others.
He was also involved in the success of the careers of artists such as Willie Colón, Larry Harlow, Cheo Feliciano, Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz, Celia Cruz, Ismael Miranda, Sandro, Sabú, Willie Rosario, Miki Vimari, Sonora Ponceña, Tommy Olivencia, La Lupe, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Ismael Quintana, Justo Betancourt, Héctor Lavoe, Tito Rojas, Frankie Ruiz, Corporación Latina, Junior Toledo, Viti Ruiz, Guillo Rivera, Ray Barreto, Willie Rosario, Orquesta La Terrífica, Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound, Johnny Pacheco, Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez, Impacto Crea, Ismael Rivera, Raphael, Wilkins, Trio Los Condes, Joan Manuel Serrat and the most important conglomerate of musicians in the history of Latin music known as Fania All Stars, among others. In 1973, he was the promoter of the first Fania All Stars concert in Puerto Rico, which inaugurated the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan.
In the field of cinema, Viera brought to Puerto Rico the film “Our Latin Thing” and Salsa, films that crowded the local movie theaters.
He passed away on January 13, 2019 in Puerto Rico, may he rest in peace and eternal glory to Rafael Viera!
Once again, maestro Bobby Valentín delivers a very daring and innovative musical theme
While it is true that salsa is very much alive, it is also true that it has been enriched through fusions and transformations. Of course, this is not the first time we see that the salsa sound is transformed to give way to increasingly daring musical themes.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “I’m glad there are collaborations where the wallet of other sounds invests in producing music that I enjoy. Note that the only music I enjoy with the passion I enjoy nothing else is salsa. This salsa I’m talking about also includes fusions and other inventions, as long as I like them.”
Well, let’s get to the mambo….
During the “Tropical Music Festival” I was backstage and was able to share with the musicians before and after their performances. That privilege gave me the opportunity to talk to them about their projects, among other things. On a side note, Oria Rivera graciously let me know about the release that same day of Bobby Valentin’s latest single. As soon as I got home I listened to the song via You Tube.
Once again, maestro Valentín delivers a very daring and innovative song. I know that “chinchas” are going to fall on me as usual; but without being repetitive, you know that I am one of those who believe that Valentin is never wrong.
Let’s establish that boogaloo or bugaloo is a Latin music and dance genre that was popular in the United States in the 1960s. It originated in New York City, mainly among Hispanic and Latin American teenagers. The style was a fusion of popular African-American rhythm and blues (R&B), in turn combining soul music with mambo and son montuno.
In the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans in the United States listened to various styles of music, including jump blues, R&B and doo-wop. Latinos in New York City shared those tastes, but also listened to genres such as mambo and cha-cha-chá. There was a mix of Puerto Ricans, Cubans and African-Americans in clubs, whose groups tried to find common musical ground. In the end, boogaloo or bugaloo was the common musical ground, a fusion of many styles cooking American son montuno, guaguancó, guajira, guaracha, mambo, R&B and soul on the same stove. That must have been the reason why the boogaloo or bugalú allowed Spanish and English on equal terms.
As you can see, fusions are not a recent fad.
Well then. The time has come to tell you what my salsa ears have heard, since there will be those who say that this is not a salsa song. Well, the truth of the matter is that it is not suitable for salseros without musical appreciation skills.
From the first bars of this song, Bobby Valentín’s musical arrangement highlights the bass, accompanied by trumpets and saxophones in an arrangement that sounds great. In the first thirty seconds of the song you can appreciate the vocal part of the composer -Bobby Valentín- ultra well accompanied by his most recent acquisition for the front of his orchestra: Leró Martínez. And for the most skeptical, Bobby and Leró sing in impeccable English.
The song is perfect, since in three minutes it opens up a range of musical possibilities in “English without barriers”. Despite the brevity of the song, it lacks nothing. Nor does it feel or sound like musical creativity was curtailed by trying to shorten the time. The track flows naturally from the prelude, to the mambo, to the closing. At one and a half minutes, the saxophones provide the melody and the trumpets the breaks. At the fiftieth minute, the trumpets play challenging the rhythm section, formed by: Victor Roque on the tumbadoras, Kevin Vega on the timbal and Javier Oquendo on the bongo. Ceferino Cabán’s piano complements the “king’s” bass in a masterful way.
Shortly after the second minute (2.19), Victor “Yuca” Maldonado’s baritone saxophone sets the stage for Julito Alvarado and Angie Machado’s trumpets to firmly establish their presence. This second minute also highlights the dynamism of the trombone by Eliut Cintrón. Let’s not forget that the composer, arranger, producer and bassist of this song was a trumpet player in his beginnings. At exactly 2.40 the bass takes command of the orchestra with more forcefulness, melodically allying itself with the sound of the trumpets and saxophones. Well into the second minute (2.44) the electric guitar in command of Javier Perez begins a correspondence with the bass, which is maintained until the closing of the song.
As for the cover art, it features a childish Bobby Valentine dressed as a musical celebrity. The boy wears dark pants and a white shirt with those stylish puffed sleeves that scream mambo. The title letters, which read It’s Boogaloo time are superimposed over the child’s image. The style of the yellow letters that inscribe the word Boogaloo over the image described above make me imagine letters in some liquid material. The composition of the artwork rests on a rather garish salmon-colored background. According to the credits, both the graphic design and art direction were created by Orialis Valentin. Brava!
If you are one of those who say you are tired of the same old same old, I challenge you to listen to this gem, just as I recommended El Twist a while back.
Salsa lives! I hope I have dispelled your doubts, if you had any. If you still have any doubts, I confirm that you are not ready for this salsa conversation.
Musical Director: Bobby Valentín
Audio Recording & Mixing: Play Bach Studio
Engineer Carlitos Velázquez and Ramón Martínez
Mastering: WAVEM Acoustic LLC; Eduardo Ramos
Producer: Bobby Valentín
© 2022, Bronco Records, Inc. (Artist: Bobby Valentín)