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North America – October 2016
Enjoy the Tempo Latino 31st edition with the best of Latin music in Europe
That has been a very long year waiting a new edition of the biggest Latin music event in Europe! This July, fans of our music will finally be able to enjoy the 31st edition of Tempo Latino, which is one of the largest international festivals of Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, and Latin music. During the four days of the festival, the audience can enjoy the best of salsa, Latin jazz, mambo, timba, and fused rhythms every year.
This festival is usually held in the small village of Vic-Fezensac in southwestern France, since 1994, which is when its first edition took place. Nowadays, the event is typically held during the last days of July and the first days of August.
A little of the history of Tempo Latino
As mentioned previously, the festival began, and is still held, in Vic-Fezensac, a small village of around 3,700 inhabitants located in the Gers, which is well known for its bullfighting tradition. This association was founded in 1993 by music lover and Latin music DJ Eric Duffau, an artist who sought a different alternative to traditional commercial communities and aimed to bring traditional musical roots to the heart of Europe.
The first edition, which took place in the summer of 1994, aimed to transform the small French village into the mecca of salsa, Cuban son, and Afro-Latin jazz for four days a year.
An initiative that began as a small project has grown into one of the biggest salsa festivals of the world, which already enjoys the support of 500 local volunteers who organize into neighborhoods and homes. To this day, Tempo Latino has achieved a perfect balance between an ambitious production and a local and friendly atmosphere. It should also be stressed that it has been held on a regular basis since 1994, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evolution and golden age
The festival expanded so much thanks to its authenticity and freshness that it has come to be known as “The One” and has established itself as a mandatory stop for the greatest Latin music glories, including Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Rubén Blades, Willie Colón, Tito Puente, Los Van Van, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, La Sonora Ponceña, Oscar D’León, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, Johnny Pacheco, and many others.
Similarly, since its foundation, the festival has also served as a springboard for new musical talent, including solo artists and groups performing salsa brava, Latin hip-hop, Afro-Cuban funk, and other genres from places such as Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and New York.
Activities beyond the concerts
Tempo Latino has come to a point where it is no limited only to stage performances, which are still the main attractions for attendees. They also offer dance workshops, which are designed for both amateurs and professional dancers interested in learning more about the roots and evolution of Latin rhythms.
Similarly, the festival also offers music and percussion workshops, introducing both amateur and professional musicians to important topics such as the clave, rhythm, and a bit of the history of Latin and Afro-Cuban music. In the case of percussion workshops, instructors teach students how to play the congas, timbales, bongos, and campana. As for wind instruments and musical combos, classes are given in trombone, trumpet, and saxophone.
We also cannot fail to mention the international market, where attendees can buy all sorts of things from our countries, such as instruments, clothing, traditional cuisine, handicrafts, souvenirs, and more.
Stages and structuring of the festival
Another of the great attractions of Tempo Latino is its “geo-rhythmic” network of locations, where you can find both concerts and peripheral activities that can be enjoyed simultaneously. Below are some of those that will be available for the 2026 edition:
- Tempo Arena: This stage is located in the Vic-Fezensac bullring, known for its open acoustics and intense energy every night of the festival. Among the top artists that will perform there are Maïté Hontelé Y La Novia, Orquesta Akokán (Friday, July 31), Matt Bianco, Rogê (Saturday, August 1), Alfredo Rodríguez, and Tony Succar (Sunday, August 2).
- La Conga (Tempo Social Club): This other stage is also very popular because it has a beachy vibe with real sand and operates from early morning until late into the night. As for the artists who will be performing, we can mention the queen of Argentine electronic cumbia, La Yegros, DJ Çarava, and DJ Lafuriosa.
- Camp Tempo: This open-air format is packed every year with new musical proposals, alternative fusions, brass bands, and street groups that give life to the village during the day. In the 2026 edition, some of the alternative bands will include Chicos y Méndez, Chicharrón, Pixvae, and Aguanomas.
- Saint-Pierre Church: This venue is solely and exclusively reserved to small, intimate acoustic concerts where, as a general rule, only pianists and Latin jazz artists perform in the festival’s most solemn format.
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The Art of Immortalizing Lavoe: The Cultural Bridge of a Young Designer
Through the digital book “Lavoe entre colores,” Victoria Rivas fuses editorial illustration and a passion for salsa to connect new generations with the legacy of “El Cantante de los Cantantes.”
Victoria Analig Rivas Rojas, an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer, was born in Valencia, Carabobo State, Venezuela. At just 20 years old, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in Graphic Design from the Arturo Michelena University.
Since she was a young girl, her passion for art and music grew, deeply influenced by her salsa-loving, dancing, and music-aficionado (melómana) family.
Her childhood was surrounded by people who loved the arts. She began painting mandalas as a hobby, and since then, she has created numerous paintings and murals both inside and outside her native country, all of which are showcased on her Instagram account, @victoriarivasart.
Her love for music, especially salsa, motivated Victoria to develop her Undergraduate Thesis based on the history of the genre and the biography of her idol. In doing so, she created an illustrated digital book about the life and work of the singer and musician Héctor Lavoe, one of the most prominent artists in the genre.
Concerned by the widespread lack of knowledge among youth her age regarding salsa and the figure of Héctor Lavoe, Victoria utilized the knowledge acquired throughout her degree to preserve and convey this information through illustration.
To achieve this, she employed a qualitative methodology, working with a population and sample of academic experts in the field a musicologist, a graphic designer, and a seasoned salsa connoisseurconducting in-depth interviews with them.
As a result, she successfully demonstrated that illustration is a key tool, functioning as a cultural bridge between words and emotion.
She accomplished this through a digital format that provides easy access for newer generations, people unfamiliar with the subject, and fans of both art and salsa.
This is how “Lavoe entre colores” (LEC) [Lavoe Among Colors] was born an illustrated digital book that immortalizes the life and work of “El Cantante de los Cantantes” and the history of salsa.
“Lavoe entre colores” (@lavoeentrecolores) is structured into 64 pages, which unfold across 11 sections divided into Side A and Side B, emulating the classic cassette tape format.
The book summarizes the singer’s life in chronological episodes, using the titles of his songs as chapter names. It was designed over the course of more than 250 work hours, featuring vibrant, colorful undertones that invite the reader to linger and return.
“Every stroke represents my pride in uplifting Héctor’s name.”
Victoria Rivas
(An Illustrated Digital Book on the Life and Work of Singer and Musician Héctor Lavoe)
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The Senior Mulato Jerry Rivas and His Half-Century Legend with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
From the chords of the Puerto Rican cuatro to the eternal voice of “Los Mulatos del Sabor”
Few names resonate with as much power, respect, and relevance in the salsa firmament as that of Jerry Rivas.
Born in Tampa, Florida, but with his soul deeply rooted in the heart of Orocovis through his parents’ heritage, Jerry Louis Rivas Díaz has carved his name in letters of gold into the history of Caribbean music.
Nearing 50 years as the lead vocalist for El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Rivas is more than just a singer; he is a living institution of salsa, a definitive sonero of his era, and the guardian of a legacy that continues to keep the entire world dancing.
Roots, Strings, and the Making of a Self-Taught Musician
Jerry’s history with Puerto Rico formally began in 1960, when his family moved back to the “Isla del Encanto” to settle in Bayamón.
There, the young Jerry began to breathe in the folklore and rhythms that defined the Boricua identity. What many do not know is that long before commanding microphones and international stages, Jerry was deeply passionate about string instruments.
As a fundamentally self-taught musician and singer, his first great love was the guitar. Over time, his musical curiosity led him to master the Puerto Rican cuatro, the island’s national instrument par excellence.
Not content with just that, he decided to delve deeper into the roots of Afro-Caribbean music, learning the secrets of the Cuban tres under the tutelage of the renowned professor Carlos Seguí.
This solid foundation as an instrumentalist not only shaped his ear but also gave him an impeccable sense of rhythm and timing that would later define his unique style for soneo (improvisational singing).
The Path to the Top: From Local Bands to a Historic Recruitment
Before the spotlight of El Gran Combo fell upon him, Jerry Rivas honed his craft throughout the island’s musical circuit, leaving his mark on every project:
- Grupo Complicación: His teenage musical battleground, where he served as a guitarist for three years.
- Conjunto Cojoba: A group he joined in 1972, sharpening his stage presence.
- Conjunto Chaney (1974): Jerry was part of the select group of founding musicians of this project, which years later would become a powerhouse of romantic salsa.
- Latin Brass (1976): The definitive showcase where his voice truly began to shine on its own.
It was precisely in 1976 when destiny knocked on his door. Following the shocking departure of the iconic “Niño de Trastalleres,” Andy Montañez who left the orchestra after 14 golden years to join Venezuela’s Dimensión Latina El Gran Combo found itself facing one of the most difficult transitions in its history. Replacing a legend seemed like an impossible task.
However, the keen eye of Don Quique Lucca (founder of La Sonora Ponceña) did not fail. Don Quique recommended the young Jerry to Don Rafael Ithier. After hearing him perform, Ithier didn’t hesitate: in 1977, Jerry Rivas officially joined the “University of Salsa.”
Nearly 50 Years of History at “The University of Salsa”
Joining such a demanding institution in the midst of an era-defining shift was a monumental challenge. Audiences initially viewed the new member with skepticism, but Jerry, armed with unwavering humility and immense talent, never tried to imitate his predecessor; instead, he forged his own legend.
Across nearly five decades, his voice has immortalized anthems of the global salsa songbook. Essentials on any dance floor like “Azuquita pa’ el café,” “Ojos chinos,” “Y no hago más na’,” “El menú,” “Cupido,” and “La clave” carry his unmistakable stamp.
His elegant performance style, combined with his sharp wit and deep respect for the dancer, solidified the orchestra’s golden age and ensured the transition was a resounding success.
“Joining El Gran Combo was a tremendous school and responsibility. Replacing Andy was no easy feat, but Don Rafael Ithier gave me the confidence to just be myself on stage.” Jerry Rivas, looking back on his beginnings.
The Present and Vibrant Legacy of an Eternal Sonero
Now in 2026, the tropical music landscape has changed drastically, but El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico remains unshakeable at the top.
Jerry Rivas stays incredibly active, leading the vocal front of “Los Mulatos del Sabor” alongside the orchestra’s newer generations, Anthony García and Joselito Hernández. This blend of Jerry’s veteran wisdom and the energy of the new vocalists has injected a refreshing vitality into the group.
Jerry Rivas is not just a survivor of salsa’s golden age; he is the living bridge connecting the rich traditions of the 20th century with contemporary audiences.
From his days tuning strings in Bayamón to packed stadiums across Europe, Latin America, and the United States, his journey stands as a testament to discipline, passion, and love for his culture.
We wish lifelong health, inspiration, and continued success to this eternal maestro who, besides being one of salsa’s most beloved voices, has never ceased to be, in every sense of the word, a complete musician. Long live the music of Jerry Rivas, and let the drums keep rolling!
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