Search Results for: salsa
Hicham Billouch, Nour Morocco Arabic music in Mexico
Latin America / Mexico / Ciudad de Mexico
Hicham Billouch, a Moroccan musician, seeks to explore new musical avenues and possibilities.
Billouch studied music at the Royal Conservatory of Marrakech and graduated as a pianist. He also plays violin, lute, guitar and feel.
As a teenager he began working in cabarets in Marrakech such as Hotel Sahara Inn, Rotana and VIP Club and Hotel Semiramis in Casa Blanca.
In Morocco he played for singers such as Ahmed Adawiyya from Egypt, Fares Karam from Lebanon and Mohamed Reda, Pinhas and Badr Sultan from Morocco.
He also participated in the Mawazin Festival organized by the Government of Morocco and worked in the organization of musical events such as the Green March Festival.
In France he played with Maqam al Ushaq, a Moorish music group, at the Corsican Mediterranean Music Festival and the International University Music Festival in Ville de Belfort, France.
In Mexico, he created Nour Morocco, an Arabic music ensemble, with local musicians. Nour Morocco has participated in international festivals such as Lerdantino (Durango), Festiva Toluca and Calimaya (State of Mexico) and the International Book Fair of Córdoba (Veracruz). He also played at the Lebanese restaurant Adonis de Polanco.
In Mexico City, he organized a belly dance contest and also published a book with the Spanish translation of 40 Arabic songs.
His record production includes 3 CDS: Salam, Qamar and Kalimat, with covers of Arabic songs and his own compositions.
“Music for me is like oxygen and I will never give up my passion”
https://www.hichambillouch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NourMarruecosOrquesta/
Jay Ruiz, singer-songwriter, From the Sultana del Oeste, Mayagüez – Puerto Rico
North American / Puerto Rico / Puerto Rico
Jay Ruiz is the stage name of Jonathan Camacho Ruiz, a singer-songwriter born in La Sultana del Oeste, Mayagüez, but raised in the Pueblo de Rincón neighborhood, the westernmost municipality of La Isla Del Encanto.
Among his ancestors, Jay Ruiz, highlights his paternal grandfather Antonio Camacho who was a musician and troubadour, in his native Rincón.
Jay Ruiz’s musical beginnings date back to his short 5 years, when he sang in the choir of the Presbyterian church he attended. However, he would later become involved in sports, which would keep him away from music until he was 11 years old, when at the middle school where he was studying, the teacher promoted him as a soloist in a 24-member choir group.
He also stands out as a percussionist, performing skillfully on the bongo, the congas and the drums; instruments that he would learn to play by ear when he was 8 years old.
When he turned 12, the guitar and the bass would be the instruments that would captivate him and to which he would dedicate his time.
When he turned 15, he decided to form his own Christian music group: this is how the New Creation group was born, in which he developed as a drummer and singer.
A year later, while he was a member of the baseball team that represented Puerto Rico, he was about to be signed by the University of Cleveland, but in the process he was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer.
He traveled to Maryland to undergo exhaustive examinations at the John Hopkins Hospital, the same ones that would determine that he would undergo six months of chemotherapy and subsequent radiotherapy, treatments that he would receive at the San Jorge Children’s Hospital (Santurce, Puerto Rico).
Before the radiation treatment he was warned that he would lose 85% of his vocal abilities, however, the story was different: August 12, 2001, he would finish the treatment for his illness and five days later, for his birthday, he meets in his town -Rincón- to the entire community in a musical activity in which he would play, sing and give testimony of his case.
Thinking about his future, he studies at the Interamerican University, San Germán Campus, where he obtains a bachelor’s degree as a Physical Education teacher for children with disabilities.
The illness of his father, who lived in New York, forces him to cross the pond to take care of him, until his death, five years later.
In 2011 he returned to Puerto Rico, and enrolled in the Ponce Paramedical College at the Mayagüez Medical Center, to continue studying Physiotherapy, however, he became involved again in music participating in the famous franchise IDOL PUERTO RICO, ranking among the 32 last finalists. He continues his academic life and at the same time, works as a chef in a restaurant, a situation that would lead him to serve a musical entrepreneur based in New Jersey (United States) who was visiting the island, and with whom he would start a friendly relationship first, that would turn into work a few months later, when the businessman invited him for an audition in the neighboring municipality of Cabo Rojo.
After that meeting, in 2014, Jay Ruiz would pack his bags again to settle in Newark (New Jersey, USA) from where he would launch his career as a performer of the bachata genre, and that he would have on the songs “Ven A Mí , Girl” and “Culpables” two singles of wide diffusion and consideration in the international radio circuits, to the point of having disputed with the last mentioned cut, the category of Favorite Tropical Song of the Latin American Music Awards between great personalities of the music like Víctor Manuelle, Prince Royce and Gente de Zona (feat. Marc Anthony).
In 2017 he becomes independent, returns to Puerto Rico and decides to promote his career, but this time as a salsero, recording the single “Lo Sé”, of his own, under the production of maestro Nino Segarra.
Two years later, he brings us this new single, of which he is also the author, both of the lyrics and the melody.
The following staff participate in this single:
Lyrics, Melody & Interpretation: Jay Ruiz
Arrangement: Ceferino Caban
Complete Percussion: Rafael “Tito” de Gracia
Bass: Alexis Perez
Trumpets: Luis Aquino
Trombones: Jorge Dobal
Choirs: Norberto Vélez Curbelo, David Carrero & Ceferino Caban
Piano & Keyboards: Ceferino Caban
Mastering: Esteban Piñero
Domi Dance, A New Brand for Dance Comes to New York
North America / United States / New York
Domi Dance a brand of dance products, designed by ex-dancers for dancers.
Domi Dance; the city of New York saw the birth in 2019 of a new brand of products for the dance world, a brand that seeks to reach all corners where music, rhythm and dance can be presented.
From the hand of Dorelys Rodriguez, a former dancer who Since she was 7 years old, she has evidenced the world of dance, going from ballet, flamenco, salsa among other genres, I always dream of achieving many things in the world of dance, hence it will never be possible to separate from this beautiful discipline.
In her professional studies and work experience in the world of Marketing, she was able to devise a proposal that would marry her great passions, her line of work in the world of sales and her passion for dance, from which DomiDance emerged.
In the United States, Dorelys saw the opportunity to exploit her abilities to create a brand, a product, an object that would give her a new entrepreneurial and business life, without forgetting the main point of her idea, to be what the dancer needs, to reach your punctual needs with a range of high quality products at affordable prices for everyone, from the professional to the beginner who ventures into any discipline of this art.
Domi Dance since 2019 managed to position itself in many of the corners of the dance, starting with its first product presented the openwork stockings, little by little it developed innovative strategies to enter the commercial game, facing large established brands in the American market, it was able to enter through of online sales, a channel that allowed it to reach many people due to the boom in purchases through the web.
The brand claims to present its products under a line of first-class raw materials, quality is the main object in its line, they seek to offer quality above any point, customers can be sure of acquiring an object that will not be easy to beat.
When it comes to bringing it to life on the stage and in the dance halls, Dorelys tells us ¨we do not want a dancer to be under pressure not to sit on the floor for fear of breaking the stocking or shoes on difficult floors, we do not sell products Unbreakable but difficult to beat¨.
Domi dance is not a sales space for other products, they are manufacturers, they are exclusive when designing products for their brand, they generate new ideas based on the direct experience of the dancer, they are concerned with investigating the experiences lived with the use of clothing and footwear in the scene, an element that drives them as a brand concerned with giving the artist what he needs.
To date, it has a top-level range of textiles, ballet shoes, urban clothing and much more, all aimed at meeting needs in many disciplines. They continue betting on their sales framework through digital platforms such as Amazon, Ebay, social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, among others.
They have already developed a point of sale for Latin America, established trade in Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela and heading to other latitudes.
For this 2020, the projects are focused on designing footwear for flamenco, tap, expanding its textile line in leotards and garments of greater demand, working with masculine elements and continuing to advance in its expansion project throughout America and Europe. Follow them on their social networks through @domi.dance.
By Jose Perez, ISM Correspondent, Caracas, Venezuela
Miles Bould, Percussionist / Drummer
Europe / England / London
Miles Bould is currently MD and drummer for Shaun Escoffery
Miles Bould was born in London took up Saxophone and Clarinet at a young age and was strongly musically influenced by his father, a producer who had worked with such Jazz luminaries as Gil Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Tracey and Tubby Hayes – many of these great musicians went on to be family friends.
In particular Dizzy noticed Miles’ musical passion turn specifically to percussion at around 10 years old and set him on his path as a percussionist by giving him three of his touring congas.
At age 15 Miles was jamming and working in clubs playing various styles of music; predominantly Latin, Jazz, Funk and Reggae.
He then joined his first serious Funk band ‘Sava Jazz’. Through that followed a meeting with guitarist Dominic Miller (Sting).
Dominic took Miles under his wing and they toured and have done many sessions together over the years. He was also spotted by Robert Palmer who he then began recording and gigging with.
He then met Julia Fordham who was very instrumental in helping Miles get more connected in the session scene. She hired him to tour and eventually record with her.
He went on to record and tour extensively with a broad spectrum of artists, including Sting, Daryl Hall, Joe Cocker, Level 42, Cher, Eternal, The Lighthouse Family, Julia Fordham, Incognito, The Pasadenas, The Beloved, Suggs, Shara Nelson, Simply Red etc. as both a percussionist and drummer.
He also recorded a sample CD with fellow percussionist Danny Cummings called ‘The Rhythm of Life’ which has been used by artists including Pat Metheny, George Michael, Brownstone, NYPD Blue.
It has also been used by many film composers. This was followed by another 2 sample CDs, Audiovirus a loop break beat collaboration with Miles and Mike Westergaard called ‘Intravenous’ and another specific drum and percussion CD by Miles called ‘The Progression’.
He also gigged with his own bands ‘Goosebump’, a Funk Rock band signed to Warner Chappell, and ‘Peoplespeak’ A Fusion project – Steps Ahead used one of their compositions ‘Agitate the Gravel’ for their 1992 album Ying Yang. He toured extensively with Billy Ocean and went on to co-write the title song on his 2010 album “Because I Love You”
The next few years saw Miles recording albums and gigging with more artists including quite a broad spectrum of artists including Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Joan Armatrading, Jermaine Jackson, Valerie Etienne (Galliano) Desert Eagle Discs, Gerard Presencer, Shaun Escoffery, Brand New Heavies, Russell Watson, Morcheeba, Daniel Beddingfield, Dominic Miller, Nigel Kennedy etc.
His current band ‘USONiC’ were nominated for a MOBO award in 2011 for best jazz act with their album ‘EVOLUTION’, which features Scott Henderson and Scott Kinsey of Tribal Tech.
Miles has his own professional recording studio where he currently carries out drum and percussion sessions remotely (full equipment spec on request).
Miles is touring and has just recorded a duet album with Dominic Miller for ECM records called “Silent Light”.
Miles is currently MD and drummer for Shaun Escoffery.