Search Results for: salsa
North America Directory – September 2023
Tempo Latino: Creating Connections Through Music
An Interview with Eric, Founder of Europe’s Premier Latin Music Festival
On the last week-end of July, a festival celebrates Latin and Afro-Cuban music and brings thousands of music lovers to a small town in France. Eric, the festival’s creator, shares its origins, inspirations, and evolution.


Since its inception in 1994, the Tempo Latino festival has welcomed incredible artists to this small town in the Southwest of France.
Creating a Musical Oasis in Vic-Fezensac
Having lived across France, Eric settled in Vic-Fezensac, where he felt the need to create something beyond work. His passion for Latin and Afro-Cuban music led him to start Tempo Latino, aiming to provide what he missed – concerts of these genres.
A Journey of Music and Discovery
Eric’s radio inspiration and his love for vibrant rhythms ignited the idea for a music festival. He yearned to introduce others to the music he cherished, giving birth to Tempo Latino in 1994. The inaugural edition featured Fatal Mambo and Mambomania, attracting 2,800 attendees. Now the festival attracts over 10,000 people.
Eric’s selection process for artists is fueled by genuine connections, resulting in a diverse lineup that weaves different styles into a harmonious experience. His curation creates unique narratives each night. Pairing artists with contrasting energies, like Lila Downs and Cimafunk, creates a captivating tapestry that reflects the festival’s essence. Eric’s journey involves tireless pursuit and strong artist relationships. From Bernard Lavilliers to Excelencia, his commitment to music’s magic and meaningful collaborations remains steadfast.
A Melodic Journey Unfolds
The festival’s theme guides its trajectory, from Africa’s heart to New York’s energy. Lavilliers’ Paris and the Caribbean’s vibrancy unite through music, creating a diverse yet cohesive experience.
In a digital era, Tempo Latino reminds us of music’s power to unite. Eric’s dedication and knack for blending genres into harmonious narratives continue to resonate.
Tempo Latino: 28 Years of Latin Rhythms, Community, and Artistry
The charm of Vic-Fezensac, a small town in France, transforms every year as over fifty thousand people gather for the renowned Tempo Latino Festival. In an exclusive interview, Eric, the festival’s creator, discusses the intricacies of managing such an event in a local community and the relationship it shares with the town.


Local Community and Involvement
Eric sheds light on the local engagement, emphasizing that while not everyone participates, the festival is supported by some local partners. What brings him contentment is the transformation he witnesses each year as the town welcomes an eclectic crowd of festival-goers. The festival’s vibrant audience, composed of diverse backgrounds, gives life to the town’s streets and squares in ways that were once unimaginable.
Eric reminisces about the support he received from the former mayor, Jean Arnaud, whose open-mindedness and appreciation for the festival’s diverse attendees left a mark. Jean Arnaud’s encouragement and acknowledgment of the festival’s contribution to cultural diversity added an emotional connection between the festival and the town.
Fostering Relationships with Artists
Eric’s dedication to music and fostering connections with artists has been at the heart of the festival’s growth. He shares anecdotes about musicians like Oscar D’Léon and Celia Cruz, who have left an indelible mark on the festival’s history. These relationships, he emphasizes, are more than business; they’re rooted in mutual respect and genuine affection.


Overcoming Challenges
Throughout its 28 editions, the festival has faced numerous challenges, both financial and logistical. Eric reflects on early deficits, weather-related disruptions, and organizational intricacies. Each year’s success has hinged on meeting these challenges head-on, often pushing the festival to its limits.
The Ever-Evolving Vision
Eric’s vision for the festival’s future remains unwavering – bringing together people from diverse backgrounds through music. He acknowledges the changing landscape of music and dance styles, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between cultural integrity and evolving tastes.
Looking Ahead
With the 30th edition approaching, Eric envisions continued growth while staying true to the festival’s roots. He expresses his desire to bring acclaimed artists like La India and Carlos Santana to the stage, continuing the legacy of diverse and passionate musical experiences.
In the grand tapestry of the Tempo Latino Festival, Eric’s passion, dedication, and genuine relationships have woven together a cultural masterpiece. The festival remains a beacon of unity, showcasing the power of music to transcend boundaries and create shared experiences. As the festival moves towards its next milestone, it stands as a testament to Eric’s unwavering commitment and the enduring magic of Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
Mark your calendar and plan your trip for the 2024 Tempo Latino on the last weekend of July 25 to 28, 2024.
[Read more…] about Tempo Latino: Creating Connections Through Music
Humberto Ramírez
Latin America/ Puerto Rico / San Juan
Humberto Ramírez one of the most innovative musicians on the Island of Enchantment Puerto Rico
Recognized as one of the most innovative musicians of his generation, Humberto Ramírez grew up in a home where the music of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez, Cal Tjader and Machito was heard.
His father, who is a saxophonist and conductor, was the one who inspired him to play the flugelhorn at age 11.
By the age of 14, Humberto was performing professionally with his father’s orchestra and at the same time taking orchestration courses with bassist Inocencio “Chencho” Rivera.

At the age of 18, after graduating from the Escuela Libre de Música de San Juan, his interest in composing and arranging music motivated him to enroll at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in music, then studied composition and orchestration for film and television at the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, California.
In 1985, and for a period of four years, Humberto worked with the Willie Rosario orchestra, one of the most popular bands in Puerto Rico.
In 1989 he became the musical director of Tony Vega.
His admirable ability as a producer and arranger led him to make important collaborations with great figures in music.
In 1999 he took over the musical direction of merengue and tropical music star Olga Tañón.
His work as a producer, arranger, composer and director for tropical music artists such as Willie Colón, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Marc Anthony, India, Domingo Quiñones, Lourdes Robles, Rubén Blades, Brenda K. Starr, Tito Nieves, Víctor Manuelle and others , has established him as one of the busiest arrangers and producers in the industry.
He has also had the responsibility of directing the concerts of important exponents of reggaeton such as Daddy Yankee, Tito El Bambino and Zion, which undeniably demonstrates his broad musical mastery in various genres.
His great dream was always to develop a career in Jazz. In 1992, Humberto Ramírez debuted as group leader in his first production for the Tropijazz label entitled “Jazz Project”.
Since then he has shared the stage with important jazz musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Justo Almario, Alex Acuña, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tito Puente, Hilton Ruiz, Michel Camilo, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Gómez, Michael Brecker, Paquito D ‘Rivera, Chucho Valdés, Ray Santos, Gato Barbieri, Terence Blanchard and Herb Alpert, with whom he recorded the album “Passion Dance”.
His music has received rave reviews from prestigious publications such as Down Beat, Jazz Times, Jazziz, Latin Beat, CD Review, Hispanic Magazine, New York Daily News, The Plain Dealer, Miami Herald, The Boston Globe, and Austin Chronicle.
From the launch of his first record proposal, Humberto Ramírez has established himself as the most important exponent and promoter of Jazz in Puerto Rico.
He has recorded 26 albums in which he has experimented with all kinds of formats: duets, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, octets and “Big Bands”.
His collaborations with the group Rumbantela and with the queen of filin, Lucy Fabery have received great praise from specialized critics. In 2005 he founded his own record label, Nilpo Music and last year he began to present his own Jazz festival: Puerto Rico Jazz Jam, marking a new stage in his musical career.

This year 2011 celebrates its 20 years cultivating the difficult expression of Jazz, a career that began with its debut as a leader in the first edition of the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest in June 1991. This year 2016 celebrates its 25 years.
Humberto Ramírez has received 4 Grammy Award nominations as a producer. His first nomination was for the album “Nueva Cosecha” by Willie Rosario in 1985, then for “Hecho en Puerto Rico” by Willie Colón in 1993, “Tony Vega” in 1996 and “Olga Viva, Viva Olga” by Olga Tañón, which earned him the Grammy Award in 2000.
In 2013 he was nominated for a Latin Grammy for his album Sentimentales with Lucy Fabery.
Among the awards he has received are 6 Platinum records, 12 Gold records, 4 “Visionary Awards” and six “Tu Música” awards. He has received tributes from Ohio State Representative Dennis J. Kucinich and from the Senate of Puerto Rico.
In 1997 he had the honor of entertaining the inauguration of the President of the United States, Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C. In October 2009 he was invited to play at the White House for President Barack Obama.
After having received several awards and nominations, as well as having recorded his own record successes, Humberto Ramírez shows that his creative explosion is still in its infancy.
https://www.humbertoramirez.com/#home-section
https://www.facebook.com/Humberto-Ram%C3%ADrez-Jazz-Project-110525453672/
José Madera Niño & his 3rd his World
Latin América / Venezuela / Caracas
José Madera Niño “The records and the radio were my first teachers”
Soon he will premiere his second production entitled Matices, with the promotional song Canta Sonero.

A creator, a great human being, this is José Madera Niño, this Colombian-Venezuelan musician, self-taught, percussionist, composer and plastic artist; who after participating in different groups decides to form his own Orchestra, José Madera Niño & 3er Mundo, assures that his passion for music began when he was very young, following the example of his father, uncle and his older brothers, defines his songs as “simple and diaphanous”. He confesses that our salsa genre, “needs to feed on new things, unpublished songs, in short, proposals, and that the music lover is the one who decides if it is good or not”; As the chorus of one of their songs says, let them be the ones to speak and express their emotions.
His first record production De amor, desamor y rumba, contains 8 songs, of which 6 are his own, with the participation of leading Venezuelan musicians; in this work he presents us with an innovative style, where he sings to love, to spite and invites us to dance to the rhythm of the conga that is in fashion. In each composition, everyday life is reflected, the adventures and misadventures that music lovers make their own, a work made of guava trees and poetic joys.
Soon he will launch his second record production with a very striking name; Nuances, something that in his words “makes him very happy”, where there is no doubt, his gift as an artist will be present and a motley of musicians with a great career who will put the final touch on his new production.
How did you start in music?
“I remember that at the age of seven, I was drawing a lot, on paper, on the walls and on whatever came my way. My older brothers already showed an interest in music, so instruments began to arrive at the house. While I drew they practiced and when they went to school I took possession of a drum and a radio, I tried to accompany all the rhythms I heard on the stations”.
Was your training professional or are you a self-taught musician?
“Autodidact. I entered the school of plastic arts, to study drawing and painting, at the age of fourteen. There I saw nine subjects, also I started at the high school where I saw nine more subjects, so there was no space to study music. I listened to a lot, yes. Records and the radio were my first teachers”.

Tell us about your experience with Orlando Poleo?
“In a self-taught way, almost without realizing it, I began to play with different groups and orchestras, I was already in trouble, so on the fly, I decided to take theory and solfeggio classes at the headquarters of the Musical Association. On a Caracas night I was playing with La Orquesta Ideal and there I met Williams Hernández -Percussionist and manufacturer of Latin percussion instruments-. It was he who recommended that I attend the workshop in Sarria where the teacher Orlando Poleo taught. The experience there at the beginning was a bit traumatic because although I already had time playing congas, I didn’t have the ideal technique. I had to get rid of what I learned on my own and put new ways into practice. It was not easy but I am very grateful to have passed through the school of Grand Master Poleo”.
Where does your musical vein and passion for painting come from?
“My father was a bolero singer back in his native Colombia, my uncle was a guitarist. That’s where the taste for music comes from.”
What motivated you to make your first production, in a market so Competitive and often poorly supported by the media?
“I was motivated by a passion for music and by that need to contribute at least one point of view, a way of doing things. For example, I think that this genre that we love, called Salsa, needs to feed on new things, unpublished songs, in short, proposals and that it is the music lover who decides if it is good or not”.
What is the reason for the name of the group; 3rd world?
“That’s where we are, that’s where we come from. This is how they classified the countries of our region and we assumed them without complexes or pride. I think it’s just a title that doesn’t detract from our ability to do great things. Baptizing the band with that name was an act of rebellion, it shows a little that despite many limitations we are capable of making quality music”.
Why the name De Amor, Desamor y Rumba?
“There were many hours of recording, then editing, then came the art of the album and when we were already finalizing details, a doubt assailed me, I thought: Isn’t the selection going to be very rockolera? I started to review the production and I realized that it was balanced. We sing to spiteful love and I think it’s very danceable. From there the title was born: “Of love, lack of love and rumba”.
What inspired you to write 6 songs of your first production?
“The need to do unpublished things, on the other hand I didn’t know so many composers who wanted to risk their songs in a novel production. The language of my songs is simple and diaphanous”.

Which of the themes do you identify with, and why?
I like them all.
How would you define the 3rd world style and how do you get there?
“It’s just Salsa, without a “surname”, as it was before. It’s not erotic Salsa or hard Salsa or Nothing Salsa… Just dance music”.
Any relationship with the percussionist José Madera -the one from Tito Puente-?
“Only immense admiration for his work and the fact that like him I play percussion and have the same first and last name.”
Have you ever been interested in another musical style?
“I listen to almost everything and in my career I have had the opportunity to play other popular music rhythms such as merengue, cumbia, vallenato.”
An artist you admire?
“There are many whom I admire, it would be unfair to name just one.”
What inspires you to write a song about love or heartbreak?
“Both, in addition to the simple, everyday things.”
Define yourself in one sentence?
Creator
How does the soul see through painting or music?
The soul sees and manifests itself in the purest and most honest way through art. Call it painting, music or another related manifestation.

Tell us about your 2nd production, who participates in it?
This is something that makes me very happy because we are giving the last brushstrokes, soon, very soon my dear friends will know about this work. There are many guests.
Why nuances?
Precisely because of the variety of its guests.














































CANADA
