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Learn all about salsa at the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery

What the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery is

Latino culture has found a large number of icons and places that have shown how wonderful it is and how proud we must be of being born in this land full of colors and talent for export. One of those incredible places is the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery, which is a cultural institution in which the inhabitants of East Harlem, New York, have the opportunity to learn all about salsa and its unusual roots. To that end, visitors can enjoy a great deal of material, information, resources, and many learning initiatives that will blow everyone’s mind.

The purpose of this wonderful space is to gather as much knowledge as possible about salsa and all the artists who have been responsible for bringing this musical genre to every corner of the planet. That is why its owners have been in charge of offering the most inclusive and diverse gallery to prove everything Hispanic talent has to offer. The institution provides a wide range of possibilities for those who want to learn more about the most well-known Latin music genre in history, and art is the tool used for this purpose.

Here we hacve some of the objects in the gallery — Some of the valuable objects at the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery

What the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery is looking for

One of the major aims of the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery is awakening the interest of the inhabitants of Harlem and the surrounding neighborhoods towards the musical styles that have inspired the five continents to dance. This is how this space became a valuable resource for many other public and private institutions, which have used the museum to foster greater interest in their own activities. This is because many of the tourists visiting New York know that it was in that city in which the biggest salsa movement in history took place, so they are particularly interested in going to places where they can learn about how salsa came about and what its roots are. That is when institutions such as the Spanish Harlem Salsa Gallery make an appearance and offer to answer any question on the matter.

Johnny Cruz, a noted musician and record producer, has made this place a true sanctuary for Latin music lovers and all what emerges from it. The museum, which was once a hardware store owned by his father, contains some of the most valuable objects in the history of salsa and that have a very special relationship with some of the greatest figures of the genre, such as Héctor Lavoe’s favorite guitar or José Mangual Jr’s bongos. This collection of objects has been made in order to preserve the legacy of the greatest exponents of the salsa genre in New York for people to remember who they were and what they contributed to Latino culture in spite of the years. Something very interesting to relate is that many of these instruments have been donated by artists, family members, or institutions that want the names of their owners to continue to sound as loud as possible.

Undoubtedly, Cruz and his greatest contributors in this noble work have ensured that locals and foreigners see the gallery as a space for recreation and learning in which they can learn about the origins of salsa and go back to the glory days with many of the greatest musicians in history.

Some instruments donated by artists — Some of the instruments donated by artists and institutions

Link to its official website spahasalsagallery.com.

By: Johnny Cruz correspondent of International Salsa magazine in New York city, New York

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Let’s remember the movie Dance with Me , a memorable example of the Salsa Casino

A particular taste that people have for more than three (3) centuries is that we like to unwind from the daily routine and see new things, and one of the activities that until today we use as a distraction is the movies.

Since the eighteenth century, the story began with the beginning of cinema, being the first (1st) in Paris, France in 1895 where people could enjoy viewing the projected images in motion, evolving from the projection of black and white to color and the silent cinema to the application of cinema with sound, becoming more and more attractive and popular for its viewers since it has become a form of escape for either an educational, informative or recreational purpose.

Dance with me movie — Dance With Me – movie cover

Currently in the 21st century, a great variety of films of different styles have been reproduced; This time we want to talk about the romantic film ” Dance with Me ” which was released in 1998, which we found attractive and unique for being a romance and dance film which was directed by Randa Haines, and starring Vanessa Williams and Chayanne.

It all starts with a Houston dance instructor named Ruby (played by Vanessa Williams), who throughout history believes she has found a competitive dance partner who matches her height and style and is a handsome Cuban immigrant who works as a manager who is called Rafael (played by Chayanne), a young and attractive Cuban dancer, who went through very hard times in his life due to the loss of his father, making the decision and intention to change of scene and forget a little about the sorrows , traveling to Houston.

In the dance studio, everyone is preparing for the Open World Dance Championship in Las Vegas, in this dynamic and competitive opportunity Rafael has the best hope of participating with Ruby, who will be his best hope to be able to participate in this great championship. From that moment on, an important lesson will be given to all the actors of the film as well as the viewers, and that is that the most important lesson for dancing is to follow the heart.

Salsa Casino Dance — Capture the scene the Dance with Me Movie

So if you want to see an example of how it is danced and how it is seen in a competition of “Salsa Casino” or another tropical rhythm, you can see this movie ” Dance with me ” which also has a touch of romantic drama, making it more interesting and showing that it can one need when dancing as a couple or on a wheel (a form of dance of the Salsa Casino usually or they are montuno, guaracha and also chachachá, among others, where it is formed by pairs of dancers in an indeterminate number who perform figures of dance combined between them), and as they show us that it is not only the dance steps and learning the figures (turns) but it is the communication they have (corporal and visual), which is very different from verbal communication, since that anything goes in that; communicate and let yourself be carried away by the rhythm that beats in the body, mind and heart of the dancers.

ISM presents the Dominican salsa singer Quique Mota

International Salsa Magazine presents Quique Mota as a new Dominican talent of Latin music, a salsa singer born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 1974, during his youth his parents Luis Mota and Balbina Castillo observed his emotion, passion, taste every time he listened those tropical rhythms of the time, which were the Merengue, Son, Timba, Salsa, the latter most notorious motive inclining his taste towards this contagious rhythm.

And his interest was further developed when he was influenced by his paternal uncle Ramón Mota “mon trumpeta” making the decision to soon become a vocalist, starting with the parties in the neighborhood, singing whenever he had the opportunity and on Fridays at his school, where he was forced to sing since his companions always liked to hear him sing.

Motivated by great singers such as Ismael Miranda, Ismael Rivera, José Alberto “El Canario” Oscar D’León, Paquito Guzmán, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tonny Vega, Wilmer Lozano, among other artists, he decided at the age of fifteen that that was what I wanted to do on a professional level; So he began to work on vocalization for a few years and singing in different popular events, he gained experience both as a singer and as a composer.

He mentions that Salsa is more than a musical genre that was born from the neighborhoods and that became popular through the corners and / or streets of New York between 1960 and 1970 … it is the history and experiences of the people, the town (person generally lower class), where the musicians express their musical themes in their lyrics, especially the romantic part and the rumba, managing to reach their listeners and / or dancers in their being; For Quique personally it is his relief, a poem as well as the song, an essence in his life with which he was born and at the age of 15 he wanted to find the meaning of his dreams of being a great salsa musician.

The salsa genre emerged many years ago where it acquired its fame, but today the young population believe that Salsa is old music, outdated with a very good reputation, unfortunately the majority of the young population chooses what is fashionable, listening more reggaetón, hip-hop, electronics, rap, among others, losing in the process the opportunity to listen and enjoy good music, acquiring in the majority (rap and reggaetón) vulgar language as well as the degradation of the person (woman and ¬ / o men).

He tells us that if we want to make Salsa notice and popularize, we need to support both new talents and great artists and make ourselves noticed, without thinking that it is old music, that it can evolve and update us with a modern language without reaching vulgarity so much in the letter as in the clothing, so that it adapts to the taste of the new and current generation; And another very important point is that the songs that you create are adapted to the country where the singer and if not explain the meaning, for example in the Dominican Republic there are many terms that we do not know, and in his next musical theme that is a romantic sauce I call it ¨ Ella es mi Golpe¨ what does it mean ¨She is the love of his life¨, which tells us that it will be released in about 2 and a half months with its video clip.

All his songs are his own, they are his experiences, experiences, things he sees, phrases that his life offers him … many things can give the emergence of phrases for the creation of his musical themes; Quique Mota, presents his first single. “Dice”, a song of his authorship, which already sounds on the Dominican Republic stations and internationally, such as Canada, USA, among others, with which he intends to gain the popularity of the public.

For Quique, the pandemic that we live to date due to COVID-19 was not an obstacle as it happened to many, I take advantage of the time of course with all possible precautions to avoid contagion to continue with his musical career, he mentions that The human being is a being that adapts to his environment and this was a clear example, only that one has to know how to take advantage of the tools that one has at hand, musical talent is not only about concerts, parties … depending on what We can do to benefit ourselves without putting ourselves at risk is to overcome difficulties and many of them took advantage of one of the most extensive and complex tools that is the Internet.Although almost all of us use it, we do not use it correctly but in the most basic thing. … Such a wide work tool and knowing how to use it is a success for you… for example events, classes, concerts, live interviews through social networks.

Quique Mota Photo — Quique Mota at the recording studio

Quique had his ups and downs in his musical career and he tells us that his friend Montuno Salsa advised him and it was his apprenticeship and motto in his beginning as a new talent … “time job … do not faint easily and lose the opportunity to continue since you have to take advantage of the opportunities “…” dreams are pursued and fought, they are not achieved overnight, they are processes that must be fought as warriors … a Well made sauce, even if it doesn’t have the support that you think or need, it will like it wherever it is as long as it is well made and it doesn’t get tired of working … and the most important thing is I put my work in the hands of papa Dios, the great one … “

Quique mentions that everything is crossing and emerging is thanks to: his Venezuelan producer Franklin Zamora, who upon meeting him in the Dominican Republic knew what Quique really wanted and how to express it and / or express it, he also has Mary Yemaya, a Venezuelan promoter and producer of salaeeos events, it is she who guides him in Salsa and encourages him to contact us to promote it and get to know it better; He also thanks Juan Carlos Trinidad, José Bello, Montuno Salsa, Dj Salsero 2020, Etnia Salsera,, Joseph Fonceca, Edward Serrano and mainly his family, especially his beloved wife. He wants to extend a special thanks to the people of Venezuela for contributing a group of talented and valuable people who have helped him to pursue his dreams and to join great talents of Latin music worldwide, becoming one of the best exponents of the salsa genre in his country.

He mentions that he wants to give a special thanks to the people of Venezuela, for bringing many valuable and talented people into their lives, who will pursue their dreams and get hooked on the great talents of salsa music worldwide, becoming one of the best exponents of the salsa genre of your country.

Let’s meet the Pharaoh of Salsa, who is he? Oscar D ‘Leon .

Biography of Oscar D ‘Leon

Óscar Emilio León Simosa, was born in the populous Antimano parish in Caracas -Venezuela, on July 11, 1943, known in the artistic world Óscar d ‘León, son of Carmen Dionisia Simoza and Florentino Padrón. However, he did not recognize him at the time of birth, so the marriage of Carmen Simoza and Justo León decided to take care of the child.

From an early age, little Oscar enjoyed the popular parties that were held in Antímano and listened to the music of great orchestras such as La Sonora Matancera, the Billo’s Caracas Boys Orchestra, the Matamoros Trio, and two of his greatest musical inspirations, Celia Cruz. and Benny Moré.

He began his musical career relatively late, at 28 years of age, after having carried out two jobs totally unrelated to music, such as taxi driver and mechanic; He was educated academically as a surveyor, but never practiced that profession.

Oscar learned to play bass empirically, his innate talent for music was so extraordinary that it allowed him to earn a position in one of the orchestras that played in a renowned nightclub in the city of Caracas. There Oscar also did the choirs, but he did not interpret any song as a soloist.

His life changed when the lead singer of the orchestra was absent from one of the presentations and Oscar proposed to fill that vacancy and he did it in a great way, so much so that he received the approval of all those present.

In 1972, the owner of “La Distinción” told him that he would dispense with his services, since he would require an orchestra of higher quality and experience. Oscar offered his group to the owner of the premises, although he did not have it. It was here that D ’León went, together with the trombonist César Monges, from door to door looking for some musicians with whom he considered he could put together a group with which the venue could get out of trouble. It is there where they meet the percussionists Elio Pacheco and José Rodríguez, the trombonist José Antonio Rojas (Rojita) and the pianist Enrique “Culebra” Iriarte (who would later be replaced by Jesús Narváez). At this moment the project to create the Latin Dimension is accelerating.

They premiered on March 15, 1972, in a rehearsal at the home of “Culebra” Iriarte in La Guaira and debuted in “La Distinción”. In that same 1972 the orchestra recorded their first full-length album and obtained their first hit, the song “Pensando en ti”. This first success led them to be hired to participate in the Maracaibo carnival festivities. We must emphasize that Víctor Mendoza was the one who suggested using his stage name as “Oscar D´León”. There were many songs that Oscar hit with the Latin Dimension, “Llorarás”, “Taboga”, “El Frutero”, “Mi Tierra”, among many more.

In 1976, at the highest point of popularity, Oscar D’León confronted differences with the rest of the members of the group, for which he separated from the Latin Dimension and formed his own orchestra; “La Salsa Mayor” recording his first LP titled “Con Bajo y Todo”.

After some legal problems that momentarily led him to remain briefly detained and deprived of liberty and to be questioned in the media, he decided to change his image and presence, dispensing with the qualifier “El Diablo de la salsa” that had been given to him in Panama.

In 1986 he relapsed into acting, this time in the Venezuelan film “Hell is sure.” Later, he began his international leap, taking his music to countries such as Japan and to stages such as Madison Square Garden in New York, the Poliedro de Caracas and the Teresa Carreño Theater. At this stage, he alternates and records with those who had been his youth idols: Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri and Tito Puente.

He also presented himself as the companion for singers of the new salsa generation who was part, like him, of the label belonging to Ralph Mercado “RMM”: La India with whom he would record the song “Hazme el amor” or José Alberto “El Canario” with who would record “The flavor arrived.”

Oscar D' Leon Photo — Oscar D ‘Leon smiling for the photo

Oscar D´León has received numerous awards and honors. In 1996, with the album “Sonero del Mundo” in collaboration with the Cuban musician Willy Chirino makes him obtain the nomination for the Grammy.

On March 15, 1998, the city of New York honored him by naming that date as Oscar D’León Day.

On December 20, 2009, he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a Caracas clinic after suffering a heart attack in Martinique, from which he recovered after undergoing catheterization.

On November 21, 2013 he received the Latin Grammy Award for Excellence for his musical career, thus recognizing the impact of his performance in the world, also that same year he would receive the Grammy Award.

Today, Oscar continues to delight us with his wonderful musical talent …

Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer

Life is fun. Dare to live it

Bella Martínez was born in Puerto Rico. She is a graduate of Natural Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She lived in the state of North Dakota as a member of the United States Air Force. She completed her master’s in Health Services Administration and Quantitative Methods at Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

In 2016 she published Schizophrenic: Imaginary Episodes from a Different Life. In 2020 she wrote Insurrecta: Schizophrenic Chronicles of an Indomitable Life from Ediciones Scriba NYC. She maintains contact with her followers through the blog Life is beautiful, dare to live it. Her mission is to inspire Spanish-speaking people around the world to live life to the fullest.

Her writings have been published in several international literary anthologies, including: Divina, la mujer en twenty voices by Ediciones Scriba NYC -awarded at the International Latino Book Awards 2019, in Los Angeles, California- and in various editions of the poetry book Siglema 575, of minimalist poetry, Ediciones Scriba NYC. If you want to know more about Bella, you can do so by visiting Bellamartinezescribe.com or through her pages on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

Bella Martinez led a pretty fun life — Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer

Bella Martinez I lead a pretty funny, sometimes complicated life; although I try every day to simplify it. I’ve even thought that one day I could be a minimalist…. Sure, in my own way; like everything else. I almost forgot to mention that I’m a vegan and a salsa dancer who dances until she collapses.

I should add that I love music that allows me to dance and express what is otherwise impossible to write or draw. In short; I dance salsa, I cook, I write and I dare to face whatever life brings me.

My mission is to inspire Spanish-speaking people around the world to dare to live a unique life because as I titled my blog: “La vida es bella…. Dare to live it”; I believe that life is to be lived the way you want it to be lived, doing good without looking out for others. I invite you to take a look at my blog .

I post about dance, music, beauty, fashion, vegan cooking, literature and everything else I can think of. Well, at least that’s the intention.

As for my narrative; and according to my great friend of always, Dr. Lopez Feliciano: “Through humor, and the narrative of the transgenerational transmission of the tribe, core values such as freedom, truth, integrity and fidelity are exposed.

The schizophrenic chronicles unveil an imaginary world in which cats, heifers, lice, mice are personified; and shoes, brooms, cars, keys and paper dolls are animated. The approach to reality is fantastic spun with ideas of references that are only experienced by an untamed life.”

And I say, “I expose in my memoirs through wacky stories and mocking the harsh daily reality of an ordinary routine; visiting stamps of my memories and nostalgically longing for the peasant activities of my ancestors whom I remember daily. You can’t help but fall in love with my picturesque narrative…”

The memories of Jimmie Morales comes to us from the pen of Puerto Rican writer Bella Martínez. In this new proposal by Martinez, she herself reported that: “it details the memoirs of the conga player who made his way into the world of salsa to become one of the most influential percussionists in the genre he has dedicated his life.”

From the pen of Puerto Rican writer Bella Martínez comes: A Conguero for History, The Memoirs of Jimmie Morales. — Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer
Life is fun. Dare to live it

The official launch of this daring text in which the author stresses the importance of our music and the influence that Puerto Rican performers have had throughout the history of salsa beyond our shores was on Thursday 19 November 19 2020.

This launch coincided with Puerto Rican’s Day. The list of contributors Bella counted on during drafting included the maestro Willie Rosario, who wrote the prologue, and the most prolific soloist of commercial salsa: Gilberto Santa Rosa, who wrote the introduction and the back-cover text. The virtual presentation of Un conguero para la historia was sponsored and streamed through the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña.

The text is available in paper form through the following links:

Amazon.com – Global:

Un conguero para la historia: Las memorias de Jimmie Morales (Paperback).

Walmart.com:

Un conguero para la historia, Las memorias de Jimmie Morales (Hardcover).

The book is also available at: – Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular, Old San Juan – Puerto Rico.

– El Candil Library, Ponce – Puerto Rico

– Laberinto Library, Old San Juan – Puerto Rico

– Pure Sound, Bayamón – Puerto Rico

– RZayas Music, Juana Días – Puerto Rico

– The Bookmark, San Patricio Plaza – Puerto Rico

In the following text, fro-Antillean music researcher and Colombian journalist Robert Téllez Moreno, who is a biographer of Ray Barretto and Willie Rosario, summarizes what the reader will find in the memoirs that the conga player Jimmie Morales shares with his followers through the voice of Bella Martínez:

Percussionist Jimmie Morales was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The son of Puerto Rican parents and owner of a natural talent, he developed an interest in music when as a child he listened to groups such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

As from 1967, Jimmie and his family settled in Puerto Rico, from where his connection with Afro-Caribbean music emerged, after having listened to various Cuban, Puerto Rican and New York conga players such as Ray Barretto, Patato Valdez, Candido Camero, Mongo Santamaria, Johnny ‘Dandy’ Rodriguez, Milton Cardona and Eddie Montalvo, among others.

His first approach to the instrument occurred when his neighbor, Rubén Beltrán allowed him to play congas at his home. Later, he joined the youth group ‘La Justicia’ , with which he began to work permanently, while having his own instrument given away by his father.

After three years of work with ‘La Justicia’, Jimmie Morales joined Beto Tirado’s ‘La Predilecta’, in which he remained until he joined Tito Allen’s orchestra to work as a conga player until 1978, when he received an invitation from the maestro Willie Rosario, ‘Míster Afinque’, to join his orchestra in place of Papo Pepín.

According to Jimmie Morales, during those eight consecutive years, he lived his most formative stage, and what he considers his “formal training in the music industry”. This happened when he was a member of Willie Rosario’s orchestra, which was one of the greatest institutions of the salsa movement.

With Willie Rosario’s orchestra Jimmie Morales participated in the productions: ‘El Rey del ritmo’, ‘El de a 20 de Willie’, ‘The Portrait of a Salsa Man’, ‘Atízame el fogón’, ‘The Salsa Machine’, ‘Nuevos Horizontes’, ‘Afincando’ and ‘Nueva Cosecha’.

In 1986, Jimmie Morales joined Gilberto Santa Rosa’s nascent orchestra ‘El Caballero de la Salsa’, participating in multiple recordings and traveling the world.

At the same time, Morales began an impressive career as a top-level studio musician. He received credit for hundreds of recordings of such artists as: Lalo Rodríguez, Oscar León, Paquito Guzmán, Eddie Santiago, David Pabón, Héctor Tricoche, Edgard Joel, Marvin Santiago, Tito Rojas, Rey Ruiz, Ismael Miranda and Frankie Ruiz, the latter, with this latter he participated in all his solo albums.

As an accompanying musician, Jimmie Morales has appeared as an accompanying musician on hundred of recordings of great figures such as: Willie Colón, Ismael Miranda, Juan Luis Guerra, Tito Nieves and Jerry Rivera, among many others.

In 2010, as a leader of his own proyect, Jimmie Morales released ‘El Tumbao’ with the songs “Píntate Los Labios María” popularized by Cuban guitarist of the Buena Vista Social Club Elíades Ochoa and arranged Louis Cruz, who was Ray Barretto’s pianist in the 70s. The recording also includs “The Continental”, a jazz standard, arranged by seasoned José Madera, who was percussionist and arranger for Tito Puente’s orchestra for more than 30 years.

Recently, Jimmie Morales has contributed with his talent to the recordings: ’40… y contando en vivo desde Puerto Rico’ by Gilberto Santa Rosa, an album that captures one of the most emotional nights of the recent tour of the ‘Caballero de la Salsa’ and ‘Opus’, the eighth album by singer Marc Anthony, and recorded at Art House Society and Criteria Studios in Miami under the direction of multi-Grammy Award winning pianist and producer Sergio George.

Jimmie Morales, continues his commitment to music, from the area of pedagogy, sharing his experience and knowledge through workshops and clinics provided to young people from different countries, who have a genuine interest in music.

Bella Martínez: Amazon

Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer

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