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Search Results for: tropical

Rumberos del Callejón

North America / USA

Rumberos del Callejón “Celebrando” The Salsera Culture

After 11 years of trajectory, Rumberos del Callejón return with their third record label “Celebrando” for Salseros lovers from all continents. An album that since its inception has gained great acceptance by the public knowledgeable of this Tropical genre.

Logo - Rumberos del Callejón
Logo – Rumberos del Callejón
Rumberos del Callejón with the saxohone artist
Rumberos del Callejón with the saxohone artist

“Celebrando” will feature several unpublished tracks that highlight the evolution of this orchestra created in Caracas – Venezuela in 2007. These singles will be interpreted mostly by guest artists of the current movement, internationally recognized for their extensive and successful musical career.

Rumberos del Callejón
Rumberos del Callejón

Celebrando will have a modern and emblematic sound effect, since it has the outstanding voices of: Tito Nieves, Maelo Ruiz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Domingo Quiñonez, Sixto Yorente “El Indio”, Luis Fernando Borjas, Wilmer Lozano and with the already prestigious vocal harmonies, members of this musical group: Rodrigo Mendoza, Gonzalo Díaz, Angelito Vallenilla, Memo Arroyave and their new musical bet, the young singer, Veruzka Verdú.

Wilmer - Rumberos del Callejón
Wilmer – Rumberos del Callejón

This group that owes its name to the San Pedro alley located in the popular Catia area, west of the Venezuelan Capital managed to obtain the collaboration of these international guest artists on their album not only thanks to the current avant-garde technology, but also to the printed constancy and always present in the director Carlitos Padrón, who took up the challenge with his father Carlos Padrón (founder of the orchestra) to produce “Celebrando”, which also had the privileged pens in the composition of the songs by Rodrigo Mendoza and Angelito Vallenilla.

Veruzca Verdu - Rumberos del Callejón
Veruzca Verdu – Rumberos del Callejón

“ For me Salsa is a way of life. It’s passion and culture. Carlitos Padrón “

This album with almost 4 years of production was recorded in the main cities of the American continent: Caracas, Santo Domingo, Cuba, Miami, Orlando and mainly in the recording studio “Chongo Records” belonging to the director, founder, composer and percussionist of the band, Carlitos Padrón, in New York.

Gilberto Santa Rosa - Rumberos del Callejón
Gilberto Santa Rosa – Rumberos del Callejón

“Celebrando” has the participation of important Venezuelan arrangers of the tropical genre, such as: Alberto Crespo and Willie Melo, who along with Carlitos Padrón took care of all the sound material of the production to get to the music market with a lot of “modernism and melao”, commented Carlitos Padrón. Currently, Celebrando is in the final phase of remastering and mixing so that dancers from the 5 continents are able to enjoy this new record proposal that Rumberos del Callejón will offer them soon.

“… We have international guests of great trajectory, which are a bit difficult to get but with the Grace of God, today, I think we have an Artwork”. Carlitos Padrón

Check List - Rumberos del Callejón
Check List – Rumberos del Callejón

Recently, “Celebrando” whose name also titles the album, was the first single released by the group in November 2017 on all digital platforms and radio stations worldwide, and which last February managed to reach # 1 on the DJs chart.

The theme “Celebrando” has the participation of the Salsero Puerto Rican singer, Tito Nieves and the composition of the Venezuelan Angelito Vallenilla. The musical performance was in charge of the excellent Latin American musicians:

José Tabares (bass), Carlitos Padrón (Timbal), Alberto Crespo (piano), Marc Quiñones (conga), Bobby Allende (bongó), Manuel Maneco Ruiz (trumpets), Pablo Santaella (trombone), José Antonio Fariñas Gutiérrez (baritone), and in the choir: Rodrigo Mendoza, Leo Gruber, Wilmer Lozano and Angelito Vallenilla.

With this third record production product of the celebration of their 10th Anniversary, Rumberos del Callejón, hope to take their music to every corner on the planet and continue betting on the support and integration of new generations in salsa music.

Angelito Vallenilla - Rumberos del Callejón
Angelito Vallenilla – Rumberos del Callejón

“For me, the biggest success is to be able to say that I have in my production the biggest salsa singers of today, nationally and internationally.” Carlitos Padrón

Rumberos del Callejón’s Discography:

In order to rescue the golden age of Salsa in the 70s, 80s and 90s, the Orchestra Rumberos del Callejón was created with a total of 13 members at the beginning, currently, they are 12 members. Their great musical proposal was captured in their first record production titled “De la Nada” (2008) under the label Callejón Música. This album is composed of 11 songs, including: Aquí Se Puede, Pa ‘Lante Otra Vez, Chechere Guma by Justi Barreto, among many others.

Rumberos del Callejón - Se Acabo el Silencio
Rumberos del Callejón – Se Acabo el Silencio

After 4 years, they release their second album “Construyendo” (2012) with such emblematic songs as “Cuando te toque llorar” by Puerto Rican balladeer José Feliciano, likewise, the production of “Constuyendo” was in charge of the director, timbalero and composer, Carlitos Padrón with arrangements made by the renowned Puerto Rican producer, Ramón Sánchez.

Rumberos del Callejón - de la nada
Rumberos del Callejón – de la nada

And Finally, for the musical performance Padrón decided to gather the best musicians from the NY area: Isidro Infante (Piano), José Tabares (Bass), Pablo Santaella (Trombone), Ray Colón (Bongó), Nelsón Jaime “Gazú” (Trumpet) , Manuel Ruiz (Trumpet), Iván Renta (Saxo Baritone) and Robert Quintero (Congas).

Trumpet Artist - Rumberos del Callejón
Trumpet Artist – Rumberos del Callejón

For more information, follow them at:

  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/rumberosdelcallejon1
  • Instagram: @rumberos_del_callejon
  • The Official Accounts on YouTube and Soundcloud: Rumberos del Callejón.
Rumberos del Callejón
Rumberos del Callejón

Virgilio Martí was an excellent rumbero and composer of the classic “Cuba Linda” where he was vocalist and percussionist in Grupo Folklorico Experimental Newyorkino

Virgilio Martí, born in 1919 in Havana, Cuba.

Virgilio Marti
Virgilio Marti

Fine Rumbero, Singer, Composer, Arranger, Percussionist, Actor and Orchestra Director well known since the late 40’s, especially as a guaguancó singer.

He began touring the world in 1949 and met his later wife in 1960 in Peru.

That same year, he settled in New York, participating in the local scene. He participated in the LP “Patato y Totico” in 1967, he also participated with his brother Eloy Martí in a Quintet accompanied by Gene Golden for the year 1979.

Israel López (Cachao), Arsenio Rodríguez, Héctor Cadavieco, Francisco Valdés, Papaíto, Tony Mayari and Mario Cadavieco also worked on that album.

He participated in the “Grupo Folklórico Experimental Newyorkino” where he was their vocalist and percussionist in 1975. During his stay with them, he composed the song “Cuba Linda”.

Another work of Martí of great remembrance is the album titled: “Saludando A Los Rumberos” published by the Caimán label in the early 80’s and in which the Cuban acts as vocalist and main star.

Grupo Folklórico Experimental Newyorkino
Grupo Folklórico Experimental Newyorkino

In it Martí is involved with talents such as: Tony Cofresí, Andy and Jerry González, Yomo Toro, Paquito Pastor, Ray Romero, Claudio Roditti and Ignacio Berroa, among others.

“Iya Modapue” is in itself a guaguancó with open rumba, being at the same time the favorite number of the ‘Grupo Folklórico’, and even the first groove to be recorded.

The levels of experimentation and the freedom to unload several rhythms in a single musical performance are the factors producing the attraction of the musicians for “Iya Modupue” (which means Thank You Mother).

The vocal part is in the hands of Virgilio Martí. The trumpet of “Chocolate” Armenteros, the trombones of José Rodríguez and Reinaldo Jorge, the flute of Gonzalo Fernández and the percussion of Frankie Rodríguez stand out.

“Se Me Olvidó” a bolero by Lolita de la Colina but adapted in guaguancó to the style of the Grupo Folklórico, which, by the way, turned out to be the piece of greatest radio diffusion in the tropical environment and therefore, the one that would open the doors to the group.

The song was interpreted by Virgilio Martí, who also plays the congas. In “Se Me Olvidó”, the violin of Cuban Alfredo de la Fe, the quinto of Julito Collazo, the street redoblante of Jerry González and a Mexican marimba played by Andy González in counterpoint to the notes of the double bass, also played by Andy, stand out. Here it is worth mentioning that Alfredo de la Fe is a virtuoso violinist and among his many performances, I remember his work with Eddie Palmieri, Larry Harlow (the wonderful Jew), the Fania All-Stars and the avant-garde Típica 73.

In the early 80’s he formed a band with brothers Andy and Jerry González, and percussionist Ignacio Berroa.

It is worth mentioning Virgilio Martí’s 1985 performance in the film by Cuban filmmaker León Ichaso entitled “Crossover Dreams” (Sueños truncados).

In it, the Havana native plays the role of “Cheo Babalú” and vocalizes the song “Llora Timbero”.

In that film production made in New York City, he also participates with actor Rubén Blades, who plays the role of “Rudy Veloz”, where they sing the song “Todos Vuelven”.

In 1990, he contributed to the “Soundtrack” of the movie Azucar Amarga.

He maintained a great skill in converting songs from other genres into rumba arrangements.

We can mention the adaptation of the theme of the Brazilian composer Jorge Ben, “Más Que Nada” in which he appears on the LP with Patato and Totico.

Martí died on October 17, 1995.

Virgilio Marti – Guaguanco (1979)

Tracks:

  1. Amanecer (Armando Manzanero)
  2. Todos vuelven (Rafael Otero)
  3. A tus pies (D.R.) (Agustin Lara)
  4. My childhood (Laureano Martinez)
  5. Saluting the rumberos (Manolo Albo)
  6. I’m going to divide it (R. Livi)
  7. Acanapon (D.R.)
  8. The little handkerchief (D.R.)
  9. Que susto (Virgilio Marti)
  10. Odiame (Rafael Otero)
Virgilio Marti - Guaguanco (1979)
Virgilio Marti – Guaguanco (1979)

Information realized (June 1, 2024)

Also Read: Carlos “Nene” Quintero comes from a family of musical prodigies

Contributor: Dj. Augusto Felibertt (International Salsa Magazine)

North America / December 2024

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Martinez attorney

Canada December 2024

CANADA

DIRECTORY OF NIGHTCLUBS

Dirty Martini
Dirty Martini Oakville
2075 Winston Park Dr
Oakville, OntarioN, Canada L6H 6P5
+1 905 829-8400

El Rancho
El Rancho
430 College St
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1T3
+1 416 921-2752

LULA LOUNGE
Lula
1585 Dundas West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K1T9
+1 416 588-0307

Marlowe Restaurant & Bar
Marlowe Restaurant & Bar
55 York Blvd
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada L4B 3B4
+1 905-771-8645

Sahara
Sahara
1855 Dundas St E
Mississauga Ontario L4X 1M1
+1 905 282-0316

Smokeshow BBQ & Brew
Smokeshow BBQ & Brew
744 Mt Pleasant Rd
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4S 2N6
+1 416 901-7469

Mangos Kitchen Bar
Mangos Kitchen Bar
1180 Howe Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1R2
+1 604 559-5533

Baza
Baza Dance Studios
1304 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1R2
+1 778-379-2292

Studio Nightclub
Studio Nightclub
919 Granville street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1L3
+1 604 620-6604
US December 2024

UNITED STATES

DIRECTORY OF NIGHTCLUBS

CALIFORNIA FLORIDA  ILLINOIS
MICHIGAN NEW JERSEY NEW YORK
OHIO PENNSYLVANIA TEXAS
VIRGINIA WASHINGTON

The best marimba band found in Los Angeles

Every day there are more Latin bands that leave the music of our countries in the highest and one of them is Marimba Tropical and the great talents who make up this group. To know a bit of this project, we have made contact with its current director and one of its founders, Lucas Critchfield, with whom we have been able to talk via email about his life and the group he leads.

bandleader Lucas
This is bandleader and musician Lucas Critchfield during a wedding where he played

Lucas’ beginnings in music and marimba

Like many other artists, he had an interest in music at a young age. In his particular case, he used to imitate animal sounds such as roosters, crows and other typical animals from the rural area of New Mexico, where he spent practically his entire childhood. In addition to that, he was always very curious about the Native American drums because of their particular sound, although this was not the first instrument he would play, but the bells.

When he joined the school band, Lucas wanted to play the drums, but first he had to play the bells for a while. He was in that band from sixth through twelfth grade and was also in his college marching band, which was his springboard to a more professional path in music.

Some time later, he managed to play in international bands Troopers and Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps in the state of California, where he played quad drums for about five years and toured all over the United States.

His first contact with what would become his main instrument, the marimba, was in the University of New Mexico band, something that did not convince Lucas completely since he did not think he had the ability to take on a challenge like that. Fortunately, he dared to do so and did so well that, two years later, he became the leader of the band, which played the Mexican style and whose mentor, Steve Chavez, owned a multitude of Mexican marimbas.

By 1993, his father took him to Chiapas, Mexico, where he met numerous marimba makers and was encouraged to buy his first marimba to start playing marimba professionally.

Lucas playing
Lucas playing ”Marimbas Para Mamá” for a church and reception

Lucas’ first band

Lucas’ first band was Marimba Dulce in Albuquerque in around 1997. The group lasted 10 years and he shared the project with Mike Anaya on bass and Anthony Bacca on drums. At the same time, he studied music education and earned a master’s degree in percussion.

In addition to all that, he was also fortunate enough to play with steel drum bands, reggae groups, symphonic orchestras, among many others.

Back in 2008, he also taught music classes in high school and middle school and did the same in the state of California, where he would return to teach percussion in elementary schools.

Marimba Tropical’s founding

The group Lucas created and currently leads receives is called Marimba Tropical, which was founded in 2009 and short-lived because of the difficulties of a nascent group without many resources to stay in the market for a long time. It all started with Lucas meeting a couple of musicians in the Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps, with whom he got to play at some dive clubs and at blues festivals.

In those years, they did not have a large repertoire, so they did repetitive shows and even repeated several songs in the same concert, so sometimes they did not get a chance to eat. Group’s conditions were not the best, so Lucas and the young musicians who accompanied him did not have a very good time and it was very difficult for them to take the project forward.

Years later, specifically in 2015, the band became a duo only composed of Lucas and his partner Jasenia Ruvalcaba Morningstar, who is a Southern California native, plays the bootom of the marimba and also the maracas, the güiro and the flute. She is also a music teacher.

Lucas and Jasenia
Lucas and his partner in the group Jasenia Ruvalcaba Morningstar

While both Lucas and Jasenia are the key players in the group, they also have Aaron Leutwiler in San Diego, while talented musicians Nancy Guzman and Horacio Peralta support them in Los Angeles when they are busy with other commitments. 

What Lucas aspires to achieve from Marimba Tropical in the future is to spread love to the marimba as much as he can and to make it as common in the United States as it is now in Chiapas, Oaxaca and Central America. Similarly, the artist wants to keep offering memories to the natives of these places, whose smiles when he plays ”Las Mañanitas” make him feel very honored to be able to represent so many places at the same time.

Read also: ‘‘La Chiqui Some’’ and ‘’El Some’’ in International Salsa Magazine

Meet the venezuelan Oeste 11 orchestra

Latin America /  Venezuela / Caracas
Members of the Oeste 11 Orchestra
Members of the Oeste 11 Orchestra

Did you know that tropical music arises from the region surrounding the Caribbean Sea and the Antillean region of the American continent, where there is a mixture of rhythms from the African continent, fused with folklore and rhythms from the different American countries?

In this edition we can say that many music and dance lovers tend to choose Salsa and/or Tropical music, since they are musical genres that people enjoy as a couple or in a group, whether at an event, party or festival. giving it essence, life and sharing among all the members, for this reason there are many singers and members of orchestras that specialize in these genres, today we have as a special guest the Oeste 11 Orchestra from Caracas, Venezuela.

Oeste 11 Orchestra
Oeste 11 Orchestra

It was made up of young musicians belonging to the Venezuelan Orchestral Movement, among them the Venezuelan percussionist Alejandro Alfonzo who baptized it in 2007 with the name “Oeste 11” for all the musical experiences they shared since childhood, because most of their members were formed together in said parish.

It is currently made up of 13 musicians, who specialize in the musical genre “Salsa”, giving life to 2 discographies, the first entitled “AL NATURAL” that came out in 2015, consists of 8 unreleased songs and a cover. “With his songs I lie, Al natural, I forgot about you, Forget you, Medicine, You made fun of me, I have decided to forget you, My sweet friend and Dancing”

Oeste 11 Orchestra Photo
Oeste 11 Orchestra Photo
Oeste 11 Orchestra Photo
Oeste 11 Orchestra Photo

And for this month of May their second discography “Amor y gusto” will be available, which will be composed of 11 unreleased songs, and to give a preview of the new album they already presented us this March 31 their first single (theme), titled “ I want you to feel Mine”, which is accompanied by a music video that you can enjoy on her YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpleKvxCg9Y.

And over the years they had the opportunity to share on stage with several well-known artists and/or groups, such as the Latin Dimension, Rafael el Pollo Brito, Proyecto A, Los Satélites, Magia Caribeña, Grupo Mango, and other national artists. of different musical genres.

Photo of the Oeste 11 Orchestra
Photo of the Oeste 11 Orchestra

Among their achievements, they mention that in the National Festival of Salsa Orchestras Dile no a la Payola de PDVSA la Estancia were the winners in 2014, they were also selected to honor the Sonora Ponceña for her 60 years of artistic career and were in the Festival Sounds Caracas.

If you want to listen to their discographies “Al Natural” and “I want you to feel mine”, they are available worldwide on the platforms Amazon, Itunes, Spotify, Tidal, Google Music, among others.

For more information:

  • E-mail: [email protected]
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oeste11/
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/oeste11?lang=es
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oeste11/?hl=es-la
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR-wi3ybnoTbLH9C3-8keMA
  • Phones: +584242251360 / +584265161630 del manager Alejandro Alfonzo
Oeste 11
Oeste 11
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International Salsa Magazine (ISM) is a monthly publication about Salsa activities around the world, that has been publishing since 2007. It is a world network of volunteers coordinated by ISM Magazine. We are working to strengthen all the events by working together.