Search Results for: trumpeter

Maite Hontele in CONCERT!

Europe / France / Utrecht

A great musician is someone who can enlighten the stage only with his/her presence, this is the case when Maite Hontele is on stage. Full-house, the stage full of colors and all the audience is ready to dance and enjoy the best rhythm: SALSA!

International Salsa Magazine had the honor to be part of the last concert of Maite Hontele, the incredible dutch trumpeter, in Caracas, Venezuela.

The silence is interrupted with the beautiful sound of a characteristic trumpet playing a melody, the stage gets full of musicians and Maite comes out with the biggest smile that characterize her.

She starts with a speech where she explains how thankful she is for being there, talks a little bit about Colombia, and then the party starts! Two hours full of hits of herself, Oscar d’ Leon, and many other artists, with the performance of her Colombian band by her side.

But let’s get deeper in who is her. Maite Hontelé is a trumpeter who was born in Utrecht, Holland, and was raised with music. Her parents owned a huge collection of salsa and son Cubano, and every day she would listen to Latin music, quite unusual for a Dutch girl. After playing a few years with the local brass band, she decided to become a musician, and studied latin and jazz trumpet at the Conservatory of Rotterdam.

Her first big tour was life-changing. She went to Colombia, the country where she now lives. In 2004, Maite Hontelé toured with the world-famous Buena Vista Social Club. In 2009 Maite launched her first album, Llegó la Mona, a salsa-tribute to Colombian music. This album was made with the purpose to tour more in Colombia. Among the gigs she played was the Medellin Jazz Festival.

That year has been very important for her. Not only did Maite record her first album, she also found the place where she wanted to continue to live and make music. That’s when she decided to move to Medellin, Colombia.

In 2010, she released her second production, Mujer Sonora. The album is focused on oldschool styles such as son and charanga, but also contains some spicy salsa-tracks. This album was presented at the 2010 North Sea Jazz Festival, and on various international tours. In 2011 and 2012 Maite toured many countries with her band, and was a guest with Ruben Blades, Yuri Buenaventura, Issac Delgado, Diego Galé (DVD-recording), Juan Carlos Coronel, Oscar D’León, and many others.

Her 3rd album, Déjame Asi, was released in April 2013. She is currently touring Europe and Latin America.

“My Outlaw Loredo is the most elegant gig-bag in the universe. A perfect match for me!” Maite Hontelé

Maite Hontele in concer - Photo — Maite Hontele in concert – Photo

The show ends with the best energy. Maite Hontele is not only an amazing trumpeter, but also a great singer and composer. We are glad to be part of his musical journey.

Letty Sandoval The Golden Diva of Salsa in New York.

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Letty Sandoval, a Venezuelan singer who has lived in New Jersey for more than 20 years, currently performs at private events in The Big Apple performing her repertoire, and her two recent promotional singles ¨Only You¨ a Musical Production and Arrangement by the Trumpeter. Cuban Agustín Someillan García and as a special guest the Venezuelan Pianist Juan Pulía Liendo Hernández and with them the outstanding Percussionist Luis Mangual from New York in the Bongo, his second single ¨Pesar¨ a Composition of the Arranger, Pianist and Guitarist the Dominican Rafael ¨Bullumba¨ Landestoy Duluc, and again Juan Pulia Liendo Hernández in Production, Direction and Arrangement.

¨Sandovaleando¨

Letty Sandoval - Photo — Letty Sandoval – Photo

Papo Vázquez the Pirate & Troubadour of Our Latin Music

Papo Vázquez Enjoying the Bell.

Angel Vásquez, “Papo Vásquez”, was born on February 24, 1958 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

By age 15, Papo Vázquez was playing with local American bands in Philadelphia and accompanying guest artists such as Eddie Palmieri.

At just 17, he moved to New York and was hired to play for trumpet player Chocolate Armenteros’ band, and soon began playing and recording with other top artists on the salsa scene such as The Fania All-Stars, Ray Barreto, Willie Colón, Grupo Folklórico Neoyorquino, Eddie Palmieri, Larry Harlow, and Hector Lavoe.

Vazquez also became a key player in the burgeoning New York Latin jazz scene of the late 1970s, performing with Jerry Gonzalez, Hilton Ruiz, and more.

He began his studies with Slide Hampton, eventually recording and performing Slide Hampton’s World Trombones.

Papo Vázquez Photo by Ernie Gregory (Gone but not forgotten) Thank you Ernie!PV

A Grammy-nominated trombonist, composer, arranger, NEA Master Artist, he has a 50-plus year career in jazz, Latin and Afro-Caribbean music.

Musical Director of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Orchestra, (NYC/WABC) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Commissioned by Wynton Marsalis to compose music for Jazz and Art series, conducted and performed with the J@LC orchestra, CD release August 2019 New York Pops Education, Board of Education certified, 2018 and 2019

New music commissioned for Afro Latin Jazz Alliance for the “Nueva Música” concert series.

Nominated for Grammy for Papo Vázquez’s Mighty Pirates, Marooned/Isolated, 2008

Born in 1958 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, although his early formative years were in Puerto Rico.

He went on to play and/or record with jazz luminaries Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra, Chico O’Farrill, Ray Charles, Slide Hampton’s World of Trombones, Jerry Gonzalez Fort Apache, among many others. By the age of 22, Vazquez had traveled the world.

Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours 2023

Vázquez was deeply moved by jazz from a young age. His appreciation and knowledge of indigenous Caribbean music provides him with a unique ability to fuse Afro-Caribbean rhythms with the freer melodic and harmonic elements of progressive jazz.

Beginnings

After spending his early years in Puerto Rico, he grew up in the heart of North Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community. He purchased his first trombone from a friend for $5 and joined the elementary school band.

At the age of 14, an uncle recommended him to a local salsa band, where he met trumpeter Jimmy Purvis. Purvis inspired Papo’s lifelong passion for jazz by giving him two records: J.J. Johnson’s Blue Trombone and John Coltrane Live at the Village Vanguard. By 15, Vazquez was performing with local Latin bands in Philadelphia and accompanying visiting New York artists such as Eddie Palmieri.

He was a founding member of Jerry Gonzalez’s Fort Apache and Conjunto Libre, as well as the popular Puerto Rican Latin fusion band Batacumbele.

With Batacumbele he performed, composed, arranged and recorded several albums from 1981 to 1985. Upon his return to New York, he joined Tito Puente’s Latin Jazz Ensemble, traveling with them as principal trombonist and touring Europe with Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra.

Leader, Composer and Innovator.

Vázquez has always been deeply moved by jazz, and specifically cites the music of John Coltrane and J.J. Johnson as having influenced him most. In addition, his appreciation and knowledge of the indigenous music of Caribbean peoples gives him a unique ability to fuse Afro-Caribbean rhythms, specifically those of Puerto Rico, with the freer melodic and harmonic elements of progressive jazz.

During his time in Puerto Rico with Batacumbele in the 1980s, he began experimenting with “bomba jazz,” a fusion of jazz and traditional Puerto Rican bomba. In 1993 he recorded his first album as a leader, Breakout. He continued to collaborate with a variety of Latin Jazz artists, contributing Overtime Mambo to Hilton Ruiz’s Manhattan Mambo and Contra Viento y Mareo to Descarga Boricua, Vol. 1.

In 1999, he released a live recording with a number of leading New York Latin and jazz artists, including bassist Andy Gonzalez, saxophonist Michael Brecker, among others. The release of Pirates & Troubadours At the Point, Vol. 1 was followed the next year by At The Point, Vol. 2.

Mighty Pirates Troubadours Songs del Yucayekepor Papo Vazquez — Mighty Pirates Troubadours Songs del Yucayeke
por Papo Vazquez

This project evolved into the Pirates Troubadours, an “Afro-Puerto Rican jazz band” that includes musicians such as Roberto Cepeda of Puerto Rico’s Familia Cepeda folklore group, Milton Cardona and Anthony Carrillo on percussion, and John Benitez, among others. The group performed at festivals around the world and released Carnival in San Juan in 2003, followed by From The Badlands in 2007.

Interest grew as a composer.

He was the first artist to receive a composer commission (Iron Jungle) for the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, then a resident orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

His first classical composition, Palomita Suite Afro-Caribeña which to date was the first time Bomba y Plena had been performed with a Chamber Orchestra, was commissioned by the Bronx Arts Ensemble and premiered at the Hostos Center for Arts and Culture in the Bronx in 2004.

In 2007, on a commission from the Bronx River Arts Center, he wrote Sube el Río (River Rising) for its Mighty Pirate Orchestra for its 20th anniversary concert “Bronx River Sounds.”

Discography

Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours – Capítulo 10: Breaking Cover, Picaro Records 2020
Cuarteto Papo Vázquez – GV J.S. Bach, Picaro Records 2017
Papo Vazquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours – Spirit Warrior, Picaro Records, 2015
Papo Vazquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours – Oasis, Picaro Records, 2012
Papo Vázquez The Mighty Pirates – Marooned / Aislado, Picaro Records, Nominación al Grammy 2008
Papo Vázquez Pirates Troubadours – From The Badlands, Picaro Records, 2007
El Niño Josele – 2011
Tego Calderon – The Underdog / El Subestimado, Jiggiri Records, 2006
Shakira & Wyclef Jean – Tema de la final mundial de fútbol (“Bamboo”), 2006
Ray Barretto – Normas rican-ditioned, Zoho Music, 2006
Los Pleneros de la 21 Para Todos Ustedes, Smithsonian Folkways, 2005 – Nominación al Grammy,
Bebo Valdes – Bebo de Cuba, Calle 54, 2005 – Grammy, Mejor Álbum de Jazz Latino
Papo Vázquez Pirates Trovadores – Carnaval en San Juan, Cu-Bop Records, 2003
Wayne Shorter – Alegria, Verve, 2003 – Grammy, Mejor álbum instrumental de jazz
Jack Bruce – Sombras en el aire, Sanctuary Records Group, 2001
Freddie Cole Rio de Janeiro Blues, Telarc
Chico O’Farrill “Carambola” Fantasía
Banda sonora de la película Mo ’Better Blues de Spike Lee
Papo Vázquez “Piratas y trovadores – En el punto Vol. I” Cubop
Papo Vázquez “Piratas y trovadores – At the Point Vol. 2” Cubop
Milton Cardona “Cambucha” Clave americana
Arturo O’Farrill “Bloodlines” Fantasy
Chucho Valdés “All Stars Bronx Lebanon New Directions Project” RMM
“Jammin ‘in the Bronx” Papo Vázquez Band, Chucho Valdes & The Machito Orq RMM
Chart Busters con el Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lenny White, Hiram Bullock, Craig Handy, Papo Vázquez, et.al. Chico O’Farrill Fantasía “Pure Emotion”
Steve Berrios Fantasía del “primer mundo”
Descarga Boricua “Descarga Boricua” Tierrazo
Dave Valentin “Tropic Heat” GRP
Juan Luis Guerra 440 “Fogarate” 440
Papo Vázquez “Breakout” Timeless
Ruben Blades “Amor y Control” “Antecedente” & “Caminando” Sony
Hilton Ruiz “Manhattan Mambo” Telarc y “Hands on Percussion”
RMM Tito Puente “Fuera de este mundo” Tito Puente “100” RMM
Jerry Gonzalez Fort Apache Band “Obatala” “Live in Berlin” Enja & “Ya Yo Me Cure” American Clave
New York Latin Jazz All Stars “Feliz Navidad”
Bobby Valentin “Presenta al Cano Estremera” – Bronco Records
Batacumbele “Con Un Poco de Songo” & “En Aquellos Tiempos” Tierrazo
Ray Barretto “Ricanstruction” Fania
Slide Hampton “Mundo de trombones” WEST54
Chico O’Farrill “Calle 54”
Fania All Stars “Habana Jam” Fania
Willie Colon & Ruben Blades “Siembra” Fania
Willie Colon y Celia Cruz Fania
Héctor La Voe “De Ti Depende” – Feliz Navidad, Fania
Mon Rivera “Vuelvo a Vivir” Fania

Sources:

Textos www.jazzismomedellin.com

Also Read: Eddie Palmieri brought salsa for the first time and live from Sing Sing Penitentiary in New York

The legacy of El Palladium lives on, as demonstrated by ‘Mambo Fantasy’

The legacy On Saturday, January 18, 2025, the Tropicoro Club at the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel in Puerto Rico was decked out to celebrate the music of Tito Rodríguez; led by his heir, Tito Rodriguez Jr., and El Caballero de la Salsa: Gilbertito Santa Rosa on vocals and the characteristic marquee of “El Inolvidable”. The show was part of ‘Mambo Fantasy’, a duel between the legacy of Tito Puente and that of Tito Rodríguez, two of the Kings of mambo during the golden age of big bands.

Humberto Ramirez, Herman Olivera, Tito Rodriguez jr. y Gilberto SantaRosa en Mambo Fantasy

The dance concert featured the musical power of the big orchestras, responsible for placing Latin music among the favorites of the dancing public. It was a must remember that the history of what was the era of mambo was strengthened in the emblematic New York halls, among which “El Palladium” stood out. To do so, the dance corps of Tito Ortos and Tamara Livolsi was accompanied by the nonagenarian Mambo Mike, engaging in an energetic choreography that the trio executed to perfection.

The legacy of Tito Puente resonated under the musical direction of the trumpeter, arranger, composer and producer Humberto Ramírez, with Hermán Olivera and Michelle Brava as the singers in charge of interpreting Puente’s repertoire.

Michelle La Brava 'Mambo Fantasy' en Puerto Rico — Michelle La Brava ‘Mambo Fantasy’ en Puerto Rico

Rodríguez’s legacy was carried out by the union between the timbalero, arranger, composer, producer and orchestra director, heir to the musicality and the name of one of our greatest musical glories -Tito Rodríguez, Jr.- and one of the greatest stars of contemporary music -Gilberto Santa Rosa. The group was composed of: Gerardo Rivas on the tumbadoras, Pete Perignon on the bongos, Mako Pérez and Genaro “Ginno” Ramírez on the chorus, Luis Marín on the piano, Johnny Torres on the bass; Freddie Miranda, Josué Urbina, Saviel Cartagena and Francisco “Pacman” Cruz on the saxophones; Georgie Torres and Anthony “Nony” Rosado on the trombones; with Rolando Alejandro, Pedro Marcano, Kevin Ibáñez and Becky Zambrana on the trumpets. And since legacies are significant, it should not be overlooked that the three percussionists of this group are children of musicians.

Orquesta 'Mambo Fantasy' en Puerto Rico — Orquesta ‘Mambo Fantasy’ en Puerto Rico

The repertoire, which included “Mama Güela,” “A los Muchachos de Belén,” “Vuela la paloma,” the bolero “Me faltabas tú,” “Baranga,” “Bon sueno,” “Yambú,” “Avísale a mi contrario,” “El agua de Belén,” “Óyeme Antonia,” “Estoy como nunca,” and the surprising intervention of the tumbador singer Johnny Rivero, the bolero “Tómame ya,” “El que se fue,” and “Abarriba cumbiaremos,” made it clear that the musical complexity of the golden age of mambo remains alive. The Gentleman of Salsa gave a lecture on his expertise in the most Tito Rodríguez-like dance that has ever been seen and heard, imprinting his interpretive style on the songs of “El Inolvidable,” while demonstrating his mastery of the dance, sliding across the stage using Rodríguez’s best steps.

Herman Olivera 'Mambo Fantasy' en Puerto Rico — Herman Olivera ‘Mambo Fantasy’ en Puerto Rico

Evidently, the participation of El Caballero de la Salsa was inspired by the musical perfection of “El Inolvidable”, achieving an impeccable performance. Through the magic that Santa Rosa brought to the concert, Tito Rodríguez, Jr. managed to connect with the Puerto Rican public that follows his father’s music. For our part, we are grateful for the invitation of the work team responsible for the success of ‘Mambo Fantasy’, while we remain awaiting the next show that manages to bring together these greats of mambo.

Also Read: Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer

De Tierra Caliente founder Bronson Tennis talks about his career and band

There have been many American musicians who have fallen to the charms of Latin music, which is a practically inexhaustible source of genres allowing them to experiment with in many ways. One of them is Bronson Tennis, with whom we have been fortunate to talk about his interesting career and current musical group, De Tierra Caliente.

Bronson playing — De Tierra Caliente founder Bronson Tennis playing the guitar

Bronson’s beginnings in music

Bronson Tennis began to put his eyes on music when he was just a child, when he was very attracted to the 1990s alternative rock movement in the United States. When he was only 11 years old, his parents bought him his first bass guitar and later he also wanted to learn to play the guitar and sing.

In family matters, Bronson and his three brothers are musicians and several of his cousins and uncles have also been musicians. In addition, his mother was a fine artist and his grandmother was an art teacher.

Both in school and church, the boy always chased opportunities to sing and show his vocal skills to anyone who wanted to hear. He also took advantage of all these spaces to learn as much as he could about music until he was old enough to exercise it professionally.

Today, his main instrument is the guitar, although he also plays the cavaquinho (an instrument of Portuguese origin which is widely used in samba) and the roncoco, which is an adaptation of the Andean charango that he uses to play salsa and Cuban son.

Bronson posing for the camera — Bronson Tennis playing the guitar while posing for the camera

Professional debut in music

Bronson also told us that he began his career path as a bassist and chorister in several musical groups in the city of San Diego between 2006 and 2009. He then spent some time in Philadelphia, where he also played with other bands from a variety of genres.

It is interesting that he lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he also worked as a bassist and singer in some bands. In fact, in that same country, he helped form a Caribbean funk band in which he learned a lot about these genres so foreign to what he played in his childhood and youth. He stayed about four years in Argentina, specifically between 2009 and 2012, until he moved to Brazil for about six months to continue learning more and more about Latin music, but it was not his last stop in South America, as he was also in Colombia for a while more.

Following this, he returned to Philadelphia and decided to form his own orchestra which he named De Tierra Caliente.

Prior to De Tierra Caliente

When Bronson returned to Philadelphia, he had the chance to meet some musicians from the Puerto Rican music scene in that city and saw that they had similar outlooks on music, so they got back in the saddle to prepare a formal project amongst themselves.

The artist assures that it was in Argentina where he learned what it takes to move forward with his band. ”Argentines are people who do everything with strength and confidence, whether in music or in soccer. No matter who or what they have to face, as they take on all the challenges with confidence and that is something we could all learn from Argentina.” Bronson said of his stay in that country.

Bronson and his band — (L to R) Papo Buda, Bronson Tennis, Eubie Nieves, Andy Meyer and Steve Cochran

In Brazil, he studied percussion and learned Portuguese, while Colombia taught him to play salsa, champeta, vallenato and many other genres. In short, each country he has visited gave him tools to facilitate his learning in everything about Latin music in various areas.

Precisely thanks to all this acquired knowledge is that Bronson finally felt able to form his own band in 2014 in union with fellow musicians who understood what he wanted to carry out.

How De Tierra Caliente started

Upon his return to the United States, Bronson was very clear that he wanted to incorporate all those elements learned in South America and the Caribbean, but giving them his own touch. It was then that he met conguero Papo Buda, with whom he agreed on much and began the recruiting process for the rest of the musicians.

After that, Bronson and Papo could add more artists to the group, resulting in a fairly consistent group over time. Since its founding, very few musicians have left the band and Bronson and those who remain have an excellent relationship with all of them despite no longer being band mates.

Among his greatest inspirations, Bronson mentioned many artists and groups of various nationalities and genres such as El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, the Brazilian composer and singer Paulinho da Viola, the group Caribe Funk and many others.