From the 23 de Enero neighborhood of Caracas to Cologne – Germany

October 4, 1952: Javier Ernesto Plaza Castillo was born in the Tiro al Blanco area of the Sarría neighborhood in Caracas, Venezuela. He is a musician, percussionist, singer, and composer.

Javier Plaza is a great and veteran Venezuelan sonero that was trained in the 23 de Enero parish.

He started his professional career as a member of groups such as Rumbón 10, Sexteto Juventud, and Enrique “Culebra” Iriarte y Su Orquesta. It was “Culebra” who allowed him to be one of the singers of the orchestra.

He participated in records from different groups such as José Rosario y Sus Soneros, Federico y Su Combo, and El Clan de Victor.

Javier visited Cali to promote his album “Con Sabor a Coco” and had the opportunity to listen to his live music accompanied by the Coimbre Orchestra formed by young musicians from Cali at the Baile Swing Latino Academy in March 2011. Without a doubt, it was a unique experience, Javier demonstrated that he is a true sonero.

In the early ’80s, Plaza created his band called Orquesta Café in the company of Joe Ruiz and Carlos Espósito, making possible the recording of one of his most important songs.

Sometime later, he participated in the group called Combo Ventú established in Paris.

In Europe, he participated in different groups and collaborated in recordings and performances of other artists.

Thanks to the performances with the Combo Ventú group, the Conexión Latina Orquesta’s director, contacted him, he has continued to remain in this orchestra for 18 years, being now the most ancient musician of the group.

He has also participated in groups such as: Kimbiza, La Charanga Nueva de Alfredo Cutuflá, pianist Francisco Zumaqué, Salsamanía, César “Chino” Pérez and Gerardo Rosales. All this without dropping his responsibilities to the Conexión Latina orchestra.

Thanks to the orchestra, he has had the opportunity to accompany international figures in Latin music such as Luis Perico Ortiz, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago, and Camilo Azuquita, among others.

Since 1992, Javier Plaza has been managing his personal project, which is the Son-Risa Orchestra. Additional to that, he has performed two productions titled “Libre Soy” and “Mi Música” and most of the songs of his authorship.

Javier Plaza is one of the most recognized Venezuelan percussionists in Europe, with a career spanning more than 20 years in the salsa and Latin music industry. Do you want to know more about him? Here are the details.

While growing up, music was one of the most important things, and practiced different instruments with friends and family. Among those friends were future stars such as Bitervo Plaza, José “Cheo” Navarro, and Alfredo “Cutuflá” Franchesqui.

In the mid-’70s, his career took off when he joined different Latin bands such as Rumbón 10, Sexteto Juventud, and Enrique “Culebra” Iriarte, and his orchestra; this allows him to open the doors to a new recording market from the hand of producer Víctor Mendoza.

After many years, Alfredo Cutuflá invited him to join the Combo Ventú group in Paris with other Venezuelan musicians.

This is when Plaza started a career in Europe playing with different bands and in projects by other artists.

Thanks to the Combo Ventu group’s connections, the Conexion Latina orchestra’s manager offered him to join the group in Munich, Germany, and from that moment he has been in this band for 18 years.

Currently, he is still in Germany, working on his project that is the salsa band Son-Risa and his mission is to spread the Venezuelan flavor throughout Europe.

 

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Mercadonegro Orchestra was created in Europe.

Mercadonegro Created at the end of 2000 with influences of Salsa Dura thanks to their experiences working with artists such as Celia Cruz, Alfredo de la Fe, Cheo Feliciano, Tito Nieves, many more.

Mercadonegro has managed to create a new style in the salsa music genre. Its musicians come from different parts of Latin America and each bring their own tendencies, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, Italy and Brazil are musically mixed and give rise to the unique style and sonority of the Mercadonegro Orchestra.

Thanks to their meeting with violinist Alfredo de la Fe, they participated in prestigious concerts, such as Ronnie Scott in London, New Morning in Paris, Istanbul Jazz Festival, Pavarotti and Friends (Modena, Italy), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Fiesta (Rome, Italy), Bal de la Rose (Monte Carlo), Monaco, Athens (Greece), sharing the stage with Carlos Santana, Metálica, Buenavista Social Club, etc.

They had the opportunity to work for three consecutive years with the queen of salsa Celia Cruz, and have accompanied artists such as Cheo Feliciano, La India, José Alberto ”el canario”, Albita Rodríguez, Willie Chirino, Ray Sepúlveda, Willie González, Andy Montañez, Adalberto Santiago, Richie Ray, and others.

Mercadonegro is part of the New York Salsa all Stars project with Giovanni Hidalgo, Jimmy Bosch, José Alberto “El Canario”, Dave Valentin, Frankie Morales.

They participated in the recording of the album “Latitudes” by Alfredo de la Fé and then they made their own productions. The group stands out for the energy they exude in their compositions and performances, and it is also worth mentioning their good taste and adoration for their idol: Eddie Palmieri.

Conducting this dozen of professional musicians requires the character that César Correa fortunately has, as well as a rigidity well applied to the service of the music.

Surely, we are before a group of talents that already contributes significantly with its quality, to the internationalization of Latin music.

Mercadonegro is undoubtedly one of the best salsa groups that can be found in Europe.

The Mercadonegro project was born when three Latin-American musicians, emigrants in Europe for love, met with Bibomusic’s producer.

The four friends, strongly feeling the emotions, the problems of the emigrants, the legacy of their Latin culture, have kept their musical heart in Latin America.

They therefore decided to spread throughout the world the sounds of these countries, together with new beats and vibes, expressive of their own style and of the new musical and life experiences they were making abroad. On this basis they created Mercadonegro.

The group was named Mercadonegro not to forget the roots and the legacy of Afro-American music, and also to describe the difficult pattern, for a group of young and almost unknown musicians, to become popular and appreciated worldwide, starting from an unexpected location for Latin-American music, and with a young and independent label, Bibomusic.

The musical founders of Mercadonegro are: José Armando Miranda, born in La Habana, Cuba, the lead singer and the author of many of the songs of Mercadonegro. Cesar Correa, the son of two well-known Peruvian musicians, was born  in Trujillo, Peru.

Cesar play piano and keyboards as only few masters in the world can do.

Rodrigo Rodríguez was born in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia’s most Caribbean town. Rodrigo, who sings, plays timbales and much other percussion, writes, like Armando, some of the most successful songs of the group, and is a very versatile artist and showman.

MERCADONEGRO, thanks to its great live performances, has rapidly become the most interesting new act in high quality Latin music, starring at the most important jazz, Latin and world music festivals, like “Umbria Jazz” in Perugia, “Fiesta” in Rome, “Latinoamericando Expo” in Milano, Afro-Pfingsten Winterthur, Montreux Jazz, “Lugano Estival Jazz” in Switzerland, “Vic Fenzensac”, “Paris Jazz Festival”, “Marseilles Féte de la Ville” in France, “Red Sea Jazz Festival” in Israel, “Rotskild” in Denmark, Rotterdam Carnival in Holland, North Sea Jazz Festival etc. often with TV live coverage.

On this basis they created MERCADONEGRO, a band who therein has become the orchestra of choice for the main Salsa Festivals and Congresses worldwide, a band who was called in 2009 to make the opening concert of the most important Latin Festival of the world, the Latinoamericando Expo in Milano.

The group was named MERCADONEGRO not to forget the roots and the legacy of Afro-American music, and also to describe the difficult pattern, for a group of young and almost unknown musicians, to become popular and appreciated worldwide, starting from Switzerland, an unexpected location for Latin-American music.

MERCADONEGRO, thanks to its great live performances, has rapidly become the most interesting new act in high quality Latin music, starring at the most important jazz, Latin and world music festivals, like “Umbria Jazz” in Perugia, “Fiesta” in Rome, “Latinoamericando Expo” in Milano, Afro-Pfingsten Winterthur, Montreux Jazz, “Lugano Estival Jazz” in Switzerland, “Vic Fenzensac”, “Paris Jazz Festival”, “Marseilles Féte de la Ville” in France, “Red Sea Jazz Festival” in Israel, “Rotskild” in Denmark, Rotterdam Carnival in Holland, North Sea Jazz Festival etc. often with TV live coverage.

Members

Aismar Simón – Piano

Armando Miranda – lead vocal

Rodrigo Rodríguez – timbales & voc

Eduardo ” Dudu” Penz- Bajo

lisbel acosta – trombón

Humberto Amesquita – trombón – director

Giancarlo Ciminelli – trompeta

Oscar Cordero – trompeta

Amik Guerra – trompeta

Edwin Sanz – congas

Walter Rebatta – bongo & campana

Josbel Rodriguez – voc

José Mendoza – Ingeniero de sonido

Eddie Villanueva – Tour Manager

Mercadonegro Salsa

BOOKING:
[email protected]
www.mercadonegro.ch
Tel : +41 78 883 31 96
Tel : +41 78 973 21 83

 

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“Music has made me a more complete person, it’s part of who I am, I think I would be a miserable person without music, it’s a tremendous art, a language I feel very comfortable with”.

A well known percussionist, he is considered one of the most Swinging timbaleros in the world, possessing a particular style that has allowed him to leave a distinctive touch in the groups where he has participated, as far as the interpretation of the timbal is concerned.

Born to Puerto Rican parents in New York’s Harlem Latino, Ralph is a self-taught musician who learned the trade by listening to his brother’s records and the music of his idols in nightclubs, where he used to sneak in when he was 16.

His first experiences with professional Latin music took place in Puerto Rico, where he had the opportunity to share the stage with renowned bands such as La Terrífica, El Gran Combo, and La Sonora Ponceña, among others, for three years.

He then returns to New York where he begins to play with local groups. In 1978 he met the maestro Ray Barretto, with whom he began a fruitful and productive working relationship that would result in five extraordinary record productions.

This particular percussionist considers that music is an important part of his life, so much so that he has stated that “Music has made me a more complete person, it is part of who I am, I think I would be a miserable person without music, it is a tremendous art, a language with which I feel very comfortable”.

Ralph has recorded with important figures of the show, such as: David Byrne, Paul Simon, Harry Belafonte, Earl Klugh, Juan Luis Guerra, Cachao, Celia Cruz and Yomo Toro, although he is mostly recognized for his musical relationship with Ruben Blades and Seis del Solar, a group of which he was part for 13 years, recording and performing internationally.

His musical contributions have also been fundamental. Although he does not consider himself a composer, he has composed for some salsa singers.

He also wrote a rap that he sang on a record by Seis del Solar; the song is entitled “Entrégate”. In addition, in Timbalaye’s first recording, he wrote the lyrics for “Raza Cósmica”. He has also contributed to the group’s arrangements. He even participated in the recording of two Latin jazz albums made by Seis del Solar.

He is currently one of the most sought-after musicians and has continued to work on commercials and soundtracks for film and television.

His charisma allowed him to develop an unexpected career as an actor: he performed in The Mambo Kings playing the role of Pito Fernández.

He has also participated in films and documentaries, Cachao, Como Mi Ritmo No Hay Dos, with Andy García, The Roots of Rhythm with Harry Belafonte and The Life and Times of Rubén Blades.

In 1996 he participated with Tito Puente in the show Master Timbaleros, presented in New York. This historic concert was the culmination of 26 years of dedication, practice and love for music. Puente noted on that occasion:

“Ralph is a star of the future who has never forgotten his Latin roots. His group is a marvel.

This valuable percussionist began to feel the need to record something in his own style, taking care of what is his premise in his musical work: “I have always said that one should play with the same quality in front of 10 or 5,000 people.

When the sound is perfect, there is a lot of rapport and you kind of rise six inches off the floor when that happens. I think that’s called swinging with intensity.

Hence his next step was the founding of the group “Timbalaye”, a septet with a strong big band sound.

The group combines contemporary Latin jazz with various tropical rhythms: timba, songo and traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms, bomba, cha cha chá and son montuno.

Their innovative sound has allowed the group to perform weekly in New York. In October 1997, Ralph and company performed with >Batacumbele> in a historic concert at Hostos College.

Among their most recent projects is a recording at the Birdland for a compilation to be released by RCA Records.

Among its members are Oriente López from the Afro-Cuba group, Arturo Ortiz from Rubén Blades and Juan Carlos Salas from the famous Venezuelan group Guaco. Timbalaye is considered the most select band in Latin Jazz.

This talented percussionist considers that his priority is to know that the public will be satisfied with what they have heard: That is my mission, to bring joy to the people.

 

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Luis is one of the most active jazz pianists in New York.

Originally from Venezuela, he began playing piano at the age of 10, and by the age of 12 was playing professionally on radio and television, as well as in concerts and clubs. Luis later moved to the United States.

To attend the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship, he graduated in 1997 and went on to earn a master’s degree at Queens College, where he was a student of the great pianist Sir Roland Hanna.

Shortly after moving to New York, he quickly established himself as an in-demand pianist amassing an impressive resume.

Some of the artists Luis has recorded and/or performed include Ravi Coltrane, David Sanchez, Tom Harrell, John Patitucci, Ray Barretto, Brian Lynch, Miguel Zenon, Dave Douglas, David Weiss and The Cookers, David Gilmore, Ralph Irizarry and Timbalaye, Henry Threadgill and Steve Turre, among others; a list that is as remarkable for its high level as it is for its diversity.

Luis is also recognized as a member of several bands, especially the groups led by Ravi Coltrane, with whom he spent 10 years and Miguel Zenon, with whom he has had a collaboration that is currently in its 18th year.

Luis has also made a mark as a performer. Composer and arranger on recordings by Ray Barretto, Ignacio Berroa, John Benitez and Ralph Irizarry. He has also been commissioned as a composer by the Jazz Gallery, The Afro Bop Alliance and Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

He can be heard most recently on Ravi Coltrane’s Grammy nominated “Spirit Fiction” and Miguel Zenón’s “Típico”. In 2002 he won the 2nd Grand Prize at the “3rd Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition” in Paris, among a group of 66 international pianists.

He can be heard more recently in Ravi Coltrane’s Grammy nominated “Spirit Fiction” and Miguel Zenón’s “Tipico”. In 2002 he won the 2nd Grand Prize at the “3rd Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition” in Paris, among a group of 66 international pianists.

As a sideman, Luis has performed at most of the major music festivals and venues in over 50 countries, and as a leader, he has toured Europe, Japan, South America and the United States.

Luis has also been very active around the world in recent years as a teacher, soloist and as leader of his own trio: The Controlling Ear Unit and various other projects, and has released nine highly praised recordings as a leader: “…Focus Point “.

Focus Point “. (2005),” Awareness ” (2006), and the highly acclaimed ” Universal Mind ” with Drew Gress and Jack Dejohnette (2012) for Ravi Coltrane’s RKM Music label. ” Pathways ” in 2008, the ” Childhood ” project in 2012 and ” Links ” in 2013 were recorded for Criss Cross Jazz.

His ” Twenty – Two ” project, with ” Controlling Ear Unit “, was released in 2015 on the Hot Tone Music label.

This high octane CD unites Luis with bassist / vocalist Mimi Jones and drummer Rudy Royston. The two most recent CD’s:” Montage “; Luis’ first piano outing and” Spirits and Warriors “; a quintet release for the Criss Cross Jazz label featuring drumming legend Billy Hart, was released in May 2016.

Luis Perdomo has also participated in over 200 recordings as a sideman.

As an educator, Luis has taught master classes at conservatories in Amsterdam and Paris, Princeton University, Hochschule Fur Musik und Theatre (Munich, Germany), Berklee (Valencia, Spain), IUDEM (Caracas, Venezuela), Esmuva (Madrid, Spain) ; and the School of Jazz in Berkeley, California, among others.

He has taught summer jazz camps, including “Jazz in July” at the University of Massachusetts, Langnau Jazz Nights in Switzerland; The Banff International Workshop and the University of Manitoba in Canada, Badajoz Jazz Worshop in Spain; Universidad EAFIT in Medellin; Tonica Jazz Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico and Guimaraes Jazz Workshops in Portugal, among others.

In 2016, Mr. Perdomo served as artistic director of the Langnau Jazz Workshops in Switzerland. Luis has also taught at the New School for Social Research, and currently serves as an adjunct professor of piano at Queens College in New York City.

For more information, visit www.luisperdomojazz.com

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