october 2011 issue - lbmo.com - latin beat magazine · genres of music, working with grover...

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Home | Features | Columns | Hit Parades | Reviews | Calendar | News | LB Style | Contacts | Shopping | E-Back Issues Cintron Band Live Human Nature Windows Media Quicktime Vanelis Como Lo Extraño Windows Media Quicktime Nayibe Borinquen OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to Volume 21, Number 8, October 2011 issue of Latin Beat Magazine Online, home to some of the best Latin music, entertainment, arts, and lifestyle news. This month we feature the New York City-based salsa band 8 y Mas, led by percussionists Bobby Allende and Marc Quiñones, interviewed by Nelson Rodríguez. Luis Tamargo focuses on Cuban pianist/bandleader Harold Lopez Nussa, while Elmer Gonzalez covers the annual Colombian BarranquiJazz Festival. Also, check out a pictorial of this year's New York City Salsa Congress through the camera lens of Allen Spatz. And as always, enjoy our popular columns from coast to coast and Puerto Rico, plus national and international hit parades, CD reviews, calendar of events, video corner, streaming music, and much more. Latin Beat Magazine is number one in the world of authentic Latin music. For advertising opportunities in lbmo.com , call (310) 516-6767 or request advertising information at [email protected] . Back issues are still in print and available! Enjoy 19 years of documented Latin music history and evolution in the pages of Latin Beat Magazine. Please order through the shopping section or by telephone at (310) 516-6767. An Open Letter To Our Readers With twenty years of Latin Beat under our belt, we are extremely excited about the Magazine's future prospects as a digital platform, truly worthy of the world's best music. In order to accomplish that end - at no cost to our readers and fans - we need the support of those of you who have supported our mission in the past. Our request is simply that you click on the Facebook icon on our home page and "like" Latin Beat Magazine on Facebook just one time. Our longtime extended family of artists, on-air personalities and industry personnel are encouraged to do the same. We thank you for your efforts. LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html 1 of 32 10/31/2011 9:14 PM

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Page 1: OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE - LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine · genres of music, working with Grover Washington Jr, David Byrne, Rodney Jones, Spyro Gyra, Paul Simon’s “The Capeman”

Home | Features | Columns | Hit Parades | Reviews | Calendar | News | LB Style | Contacts | Shopping | E-Back Issues

Cintron Band LiveHuman NatureWindows MediaQuicktime

VanelisComo Lo ExtrañoWindows MediaQuicktime

NayibeBorinquen

OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE

FROM THE EDITORWelcome to Volume 21, Number 8, October 2011 issue of Latin Beat Magazine Online, home tosome of the best Latin music, entertainment, arts, and lifestyle news. This month we feature theNew York City-based salsa band 8 y Mas, led by percussionists Bobby Allende and MarcQuiñones, interviewed by Nelson Rodríguez. Luis Tamargo focuses on Cuban pianist/bandleaderHarold Lopez Nussa, while Elmer Gonzalez covers the annual Colombian BarranquiJazz Festival.Also, check out a pictorial of this year's New York City Salsa Congress through the camera lens ofAllen Spatz. And as always, enjoy our popular columns from coast to coast and Puerto Rico, plusnational and international hit parades, CD reviews, calendar of events, video corner, streamingmusic, and much more.

Latin Beat Magazine is number one in the world of authentic Latin music. For advertisingopportunities in lbmo.com, call (310) 516-6767 or request advertising information [email protected].

Back issues are still in print and available! Enjoy 19 years of documented Latin music history andevolution in the pages of Latin Beat Magazine. Please order through the shopping section or bytelephone at (310) 516-6767.

An Open Letter To Our ReadersWith twenty years of Latin Beat under our belt, we are extremely excited about the Magazine'sfuture prospects as a digital platform, truly worthy of the world's best music. In order to accomplishthat end - at no cost to our readers and fans - we need the support of those of you who havesupported our mission in the past. Our request is simply that you click on the Facebook icon onour home page and "like" Latin Beat Magazine on Facebook just one time. Our longtime extendedfamily of artists, on-air personalities and industry personnel are encouraged to do the same. Wethank you for your efforts.

LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html

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Windows MediaQuicktime

Luis GonzálezSpainWindows MediaQuicktime

Rolando SanchezVamonos De FiestaWindows MediaQuicktime

Steve PouchieWatch Ur WalletWindows MediaQuicktime

Somos SonBilongoWindows MediaQuicktime

The Estrada BrothersMr. RayWindows MediaQuicktime

Manny SilveraBassed in AmericaWindows MediaQuicktime

Bobby MatosCuchy Frito ManWindows MediaQuicktime

Rudy & Yvette

The Fiery Sounds of 8 y Mas (Where EveryoneHas a Voice)Text by Nelson RodríguezPhotos by Johnny RodríguezFor many years we have seen the chemistry that percussionists Bobby Allende & MarcQuiñones have had since they met as children as part of Los Rumberitos All Stars, a conceptconceived by six year-old José "Juicy" Jusino’s father in the mid-1970s, when he noticed thetalents of Marc Quiñones, Bobby Allende, and Marc’s brother Tito. This talent has evolvedthroughout the decades to make them the best tandem on drums today. The incredible schoolingthat was to follow since that time has now led this duo to belong to one of the hottest bands in theland…8 y Mas.

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Chembo CornielBuena GenteWindows MediaQuicktime

MañaTranquilitoWindows MediaQuicktime

Johnny Polanco y SuConjunto AmistadEl Gusto de Mi SalsaWindows MediaQuicktime

Bronx native Marc Quiñones’ resume started when he began playing drums at the age of three.When he was nine he performed in his first professional gig as part of a Latin opera at CarnegieHall in New York City. Soon after, Quiñones began to perform with Tito Puente, who wasimpressed with the young man and introduced him to Bobby and Tito Allende, and José Jusino inwhat eventually developed into a band that opened up for Puente for four years.

Marc Quiñones recalls: "We were kids playing in such amazing venues as Madison SquareGarden and Lincoln Center as the opening act for Tito Puente. We would work Wednesday nights

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at the Corso Nightclub, where at times we were performing at 1 a.m. in the morning on a schoolnight." But Marc quickly adds, "It was all worth it to play as the opening act for my idol in apercussion showcase doing numbers like Para Los Rumberos". Quiñones was asked by the kinghimself to play timbal on Puente's 100th recording, which was an honor and a milestone.

This association to Puente helped Quiñones get into other local New York bands and at age 17joined up with the well known salsa band of Rafael de Jesús, and was part of De Jesús' debut soloproject Lo Que Fue No Será (1981-New Generation).

"I was able to work with composer and musical director José Febles and Papo Pepín, who I grewup trying to emulate on conga, my first instrument."

After a year and a half of playing with De Jesús and with many other bands, upon his high schoolgraduation, Quiñones received the call that changed his life from bassist Sal Cuevas, who wasthen with Willie Colón's band.

"Milton Cardona could not attend a rehearsal and Sal asked me to come down and fill in,"Quiñones tells us. "Willie was impressed that I was able to sight read as a percussionist(knowledge gained from three years of high school trumpet lessons, where he learned to readmusic), and kept me in the band." Willie's appreciation of Marc's ethics led to his becoming musicaldirector and co-producer of the Legal Aliens production Top Secret in 1989.

Stints with Rubén Blades' Son del Solar, a year touring with David Byrne's "Rei Momo" (aneducation for Quiñones on how to manage a tour), playing jazz with Spyro Gyra in 1989 (one yearwith the band and performing on 5 to 6 recordings) and his tenure with Carabali have all seasonedMarc Quiñones for what 8 y Mas is today. Since 1991, he has been on tour with the legendaryAllman Brothers band, where his knowledge of salsa rhythms has added a spicy taste to theAllman Brothers' southern rock sound.

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Brooklyn native Bobby Allende’s music foundation began at three years of age under theguidance of his uncles Angel and Papiro Allende. His performances with Buddy Rich on the MikeDouglas Show at age 7 and with Julio Iglesias in Madison Square Garden at age 10 helped opendoors for the youngster. It was at a Madison Square Garden Tito Puente performance that Allendejoined the king on stage and from there became part of Los Rumberitos.

Allende worked with Héctor Lavoe, José Alberto “El Canario,” the RMM All-Stars, Rubén Bladesand many other bands. He recorded on endless projects and became musical director for WillieColón for his 1990 Legal Alien American Color, in which he had a conga solo on the track Me Voy.He was also musical director for Marc Anthony, India, and, more recently, he served as TitoNieves’ musical director. Just like Marc Quiñones, Allende’s skills allowed him to venture into othergenres of music, working with Grover Washington Jr, David Byrne, Rodney Jones, Spyro Gyra,Paul Simon’s “The Capeman” Broadway musical, and Steve Kahn.

I met Bobby Allende when he was recording on many of the RMM recordings by Miles Peña,Michael Stuart, Tito Nieves, Jesús Enriquez, José Alberto, India, Ray Sepúlveda and MarcAnthony. Although Marc Quiñones and Bobby Allende were happy with their individualaccomplishments, they wanted something they could call their own.

That dream came true in 2006 with the release of Juega Billar, the title Allende derived from an old

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time happy phrase that many have forgotten. That first CD involved the collaboration of Quiñones,Allende, pianist Ricky González and trumpter Angel Fernández, but due to commitments to MarcAnthony’s band, González and Fernández could not be part of the group. That first 8 y Masensemble had problems from the beginning, when lead vocalist Frankie Vázquez showed upseveral hours late to the first performance.

Five years later, Allende and Quiñones have released Que Mas, their latest production featuringoutstanding pianist Arturo Ortiz, José Tabares (one of the best and underrated bassists in salsa),trumpeters Samuel Barretto and Maneco Ruiz, trombonist Víctor Baro, and lead vocalist EddieRosado.

Arturo Ortiz is a seasoned veteran who has spent most of his career traveling the world with manyartists, including a ten and a half year stint as Ricky Martin’s musical director that ended aboutfour years ago when he joined 8 y Mas.

In a conversation with Arturo Ortiz, he pointed out some very interesting facts about the band,starting with the fact that for the first time in 25 years he played piano on the recording instead ofkeyboard, for which he is known.

“The idea for the band to practice the arrangements over and over in live settings before entering

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the studios was very important for us as a unit”, Arturo recounts. “We work as four teams, startingwith Marc and Bobby on percussion, the horn section of Víctor, Maneco and Samuel, the rhythmsection of José and myself, and Eddie Rosado on vocals.”

More importantly, Ortiz wanted everyone to know that while the new production Que Mas (that canalso be interpreted as ’Quemas’ (Burns) contains mostly cover tracks, the intention of the band isto record original material a la "salsa dura" style in the near future.

Interestingly enough, Ortiz only met bassist José Tabares when he joined 8 y Mas but came torealize, as a former bassist, that Tabares is one of the top bassists today. "For my taste, José isone of the best in New York with his own voice as a bassist right there with Rubén Rodriguez".Tabares is a veteran who has performed and recorded with many bands and has a unique soundthat is very recognizable.

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As far as Arturo Ortiz’s involvement with vocalist Eddie Rosado is concerned, he explains, “I puthim in ‘boot camp’ and was gratified with his growth and the potential he brings as someone whojust began the other day.” Arturo’s ‘boot camp’ instruction included asking Rosado to forgeteverything he heard after 1980 and to instead study the voices of Cheo Feliciano, NéstorSanchez, Chamaco Ramírez, Tito Allen, Guillo Rivera, Junior Toledo, and the soneros of the1970s.

Vocalist Eddie Rosado, who came from Ernie Acevedo'sConjunto Imagen, feels grateful and fortunate to have thisopportunity to be around these seasoned veterans. AsRosado tells it, "Bobby called me sometime last year todo a 'coro' session for him. I have been doing 'coros' for15 years but this studio experience as a lead singer hasled me to grow up very fast while learning from the trueold school ’soneros’."

Allende was very impressed with Eddie’s voice and how

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the CD came out, and stated: "The fact was that he’s likea sponge who absorbed everything we threw at him…hewas hungry for the lessons."

Maneco Ruiz and Samuel Barretto have also beenchildhood friends from Puerto Rico. Ruiz’s journeyincluded an education in Illinois, a year practicing thetrumpet day and night, and a move to New Jersey. Duringa "Dia Nacional De La Salsa in Puerto Rico," timbaleroRalph Irizarry offered him an opportunity to record withhis band Son Café, where Ruiz met Bobby Allende.Maneco Ruiz has been with 8 y Mas since the band'sfirst gig.

While this new recording that is garnering rave reviews worldwide contains many covers, anoriginal track opens the production. Corriendo Los Caminos, written by the hottest new composerof this era, Cuban born Juan José Hernández (who resides in Puerto Rico) has provided the bandits first true hit.

8 y Mas is comprised of eight musicians who sound like a powerhouse salsa orchestra alwaysimpressing and exciting audiences every time they perform. The success of this band in its newjourney with Que Mas is obvious by the cohesiveness this talented group exhibits and more thananything else, the fun they bring to Latin music. As Bobby Allende would say: “Esto es 8 y Mascon un tubo y siete llaves” (his original proposed title for Que Mas).

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HAROLD LÓPEZ NUSSA: THE UNIFYING POWEROF MUSICBy Luis Tamargo

After gaining significant international exposure through his participation in the acclaimed CD/DVDproject 90 Miles (please refer to Rudy Mangual’s August/2011 Latin Beat review), the subject ofthe following interview, 29 year-old Cuban jazz pianist Harold López Nussa, displays his vigoroustechnique and elegant compositional skills on his most recent trio recording (El País de lasMaravillas, Harmonia Mundi/World Village), featuring the Puerto Rican saxophonist David Sánchezas guest artist on four of the eleven tracks. “I always like the manner in which music can unitepeople, musicians of different latitudes, who don’t speak the same language,” declared HaroldLópez Nussa during a previous interview for Downbeat. “The music does that for us, brings uscloser, to understand one another, share, and feel like we’ve known each other forever.”

Luis Tamargo (LT): The López Nussa dynasty has been linked not only to music, but also to the

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plastic arts and journalism. Why did you decide to become a musician, instead of a painter or awriter?Harold López Nussa (HLN): It is true that I grew up in the midst of a family significantlyconnected to various cultural endeavors. My mom is a piano professor, my dad (Ruy LópezNussa) is a percussionist, and my uncle (Ernán López Nussa) is a pianist. Such cultural affairs,however, can be traced back to my grandparents: My grandfather was a painter and art critic, andmy grandmother was a literature professor. Nevertheless, music was always played at home, andits predominance was even revealed through my grandfather’s paintings, as well as through theclassical recordings that my grandmother enjoyed listening to… My parents were the ones whotook me to be enrolled as a child at the conservatory, where my romance with the piano emerged.This love affair has remained in full force and effect to the present.

LT: When were you enrolled at the Manuel Saumell Conservatory?HLN: At the age of 8. I studied for five years with my first piano professor, Silvia Echeverría. ThenI went to take lessons with Teresita Junco, one of Cuba’s greatest piano professors, until Icompleted my studies, first at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory, and then at I.S.A. (InstitutoSuperior del Arte).

LT: Back in your early years, your most powerful formative influences must have been inspired byyour dad and uncle…HLN: Of course. They were inspired by them and by the dual musical environment in which theywere developing: The most progressive Cuban jazz of those times, as well as the nueva trova. Myuncle played with Silvio Rodríguez, and my dad worked for a long time with Santiago Feliú, twogreat Cuban trovadores. Naturally, I was also influenced by classical music, which I studied withmuch vigor, and by the more traditional Cuban music found throughout the island.

LT: What can you tell us about your bandleading debut?HLN: It was titled Sobre el Atalier and issued in 2006 by Cristal Records (distributed by HarmoniaMundi), as a result of winning the award of the solo piano competition at the Montreaux JazzFestival.

LT: Your most recent CD (El País de las Maravillas) consists mostly of originals, but it alsoincludes adaptations to the jazz trio format of certain Cuban standards, such as Sindo Garay’strova classic Perla Marina or Tata Güines’ iconic descarga Pa’ Gozar. Why did you decide toconduct the abovementioned explorations?HLN: We always enjoy taking up our roots again; this is why we accommodated thesecompositions to our own way of making music, but always setting out on our journey from theperspective of such great Cuban authors.

LT: Throughout the CD El País de las Maravillas, youare consistently backed by your younger brother, theprodigious trap drummer Ruy Adrián López Nussa. Howwould you define your sibling's contributions to thisparticular recording?HLN: My relationship with my brother is very, very

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close. We have grown together, musically andpersonally, for better or for worse, but always veryunited. He is one of my favorite musicians; I don'tregard him as a drummer but as a pianist who playsdrums. He is also capable of playing piano very well,and this is what explains his originality as a drummer.

LT: I was impressed by Felipe Cabrera's brilliant basssolo on the track titled A Camilín.HLN: Endowed with a very strong training andenormous experience, Felipe is one of the mostimpressive Cuban musicians of our times. He played forabout 10 years with one of the greatest Cuban pianists(Gonzalo Rubalcaba). Said tenure with Rubalcaba, inaddition to the other experiences, has turned Felipe intoa very solid musician.

10th Annual "Festival de la IslaPuerto Rican Cultural and Unity EventAug. 27, 2011 Peña Adobe ParkVacaville, CaliforniaText and photos by Jorge Rivera

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On Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, Vacaville's Peña Adobe Park came alive with the sounds and smellsof Puerto Rican culture.

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Attended by a diverse crowd, Festival de la Isla’s 10th anniversary production was filled withfamily fun, cultural pride, food and sounds of the Caribbean. Musical performances were providedby various S.F. Bay Area bands: Orquesta América, La Fuerza Gigante, and DJ Bosco, in additionto surprise guest Doug Beavers and Puerto Rico’s very own Jerry Rivera.

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The event also featured a Salsa Dance Contest and a Domino Contest. Kudos to Café and LindaAugust, their promotional staff, and sponsors for an excellent production enjoyed by families andfriends.

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The words of one fan ("I loved it and I can't wait until next year!") were validated by manyothers as the event came to a close.

11th Annual New York International Salsa CongressPhotos ©by Allen Spatz

The 11th Annual New York International Salsa Congress was held on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 at theNY Hilton Hotel — 53rd Street & 6th Avenue, NYC.

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The Congress exceeded all expectations with a dynamic mix of music and dance artistry.

Closing night highlights included a performance by Papo Pepín y su Orquesta;

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a masterful "classic" set by El Gran Combo; the presentation of a Latin Beat Siempre SalsaSpecial Recognition Award to Executive Director John "Choco" Knight by Latin Beat’s Vicki Solaand Rob Bernberg, and Charlie Aponte’s acceptance of Latin Beat’s Lifetime Achievement Awardon bahalf of salsa’s "ultimate ambassadors," Rafael Ithier y El Gran Combo.

Vicki Solá

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The Getaway That Got AwayBy Marie Rodríguez

This past July 30th found Latin Beat Magazine's Vicki Solásigning copies of her newly published sciencefiction/fantasy novel, The Getaway That Got Away (FullCourt Press), at the West Gate Lounge (located in Nyack,New York), as part of such venue's First AnnualMid-Summer Salsa Festival.

Solá's story details the adventures of Nicki Rodríguez (atwenty-something workaholic, dismayed by a basement-apartment existence supported by two low-paying radiojobs), who experiences a dramatic change in outlook whenfate transports her to an even lousier place — a distortedworld inhabited mostly by canine-humanoids trapped in adimension somewhere between New Jersey and outerspace. Mayhem and murder ensue as she searchesdesperately for her pilfered portfolio containing tenthousand hard-earned dollars and prays that herlife-threatening, dimensional burn will heal so she couldattempt a perilous return to her old life in "regular NewJersey."

"This tale is sort of my convoluted autobiography, and thensome," says Solá, laughing. "Anyone who slaved away for pennies or anyone who has observedthat life is often ridiculous, should appreciate it."

She also describes The Getaway That Got Away as a zany goof-Alice and her whole Wonderland,colliding with Oz and all of its characters, at a very high rate of speed, with no helmets-and addsthat readers who appreciate Douglas Adams' classic Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy willdefinitely enjoy her novel.

"I've been told," states Solá, "that my story, with its 450-story skyscrapers and articulatedthirty-two door stretch limos, lends itself to visualization, with a real potential to become a motionpicture. In that case, there'll be a whole lot of room for our Latin music!"

She remains grateful to artist Jay Hudson for creating a dynamic movie poster cover illustrationthat exactly matches her vision.

Solá, author of the Latin Beat Magazine column "A Bite From the Apple" since October of 1998,has hosted and produced the radio program ¡Qué Viva La Música! (WFDU-FM 89.1 andwww.wfdu.fm) for nearly three decades, while functioning as an advisor to the SmithsonianInstitution.

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The Getaway That Got Away is available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. She will besigning books on September 4 at the Hilton New York, as part of the 11th Annual New York CitySalsa Congress, and on October 27th, at Don Coquí in New Rochelle, New York.

DJ Luis Raúl Montell: Jazz Caribe (106.9 FM)“Jazz Caribe” es una asociación civil sin fines de lucro que nace enel año 1985 y cuyo principal objetivo es la divulgación educacionaldel género musical conocido como jazz latino. Como programa radialha salido al aire por Rumbera Networks (106.9 FM) y actualmentepor 97.1 FM -Río Chico (región turistica en Venezuela).Enteramente dedicado al jazz latino, el programa incluye noticias,

entrevistas, comentarios y mucha información sobre los músicos, compositores, arreglistas yfestivals de dicho género (ademas de transmitir el playlist de cada domingo a todos los clubes yforos relacionados).

En estos momentos, Jazz Caribe hace los últimos toques para salir tambien por Internet a partirde octubre, al mismo tiempo que por la emisora donde se transmite.

Además durante el mes de octubre, se realizarán diversas actividades a fin de recaudar fondospara la construcción de la Casa del Jazz Latino en Río Chico, donde la asociación civil JazzCaribe tiene un terreno disponible.

La pagina oficial de Jazz Caribe es: www.jazzcaribe.org y tambien posee un blog:www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.comCorreo electrónico: [email protected]; [email protected]

Luis Raúl Montell es abogado, escritor, profesor universitario yperiodista. Tambien es consecuente deportista y directivo. Además deejercer exitosamente sus profesiones, Montell figura como president dela Fundación Jazz Venezolano y dedica un buen espacio de su tiempo aapoyar todo lo concerniente al jazz latino, género musical que haapreciado desde su niñez. Comenzó a escribir en la prensa venezolana alos 11 años, pasando su pluma por las más importantes publicacionesnacionales y extranjeras incluyendo a Latin Beat Magazine. Escribe nosolo de deportes y jazz, sino tambien artículos de editorial. Este mes deoctubre lanzará su libro "Jazz Caribe," dedicado a los festivales yconciertos relevantes realizados en nuestra Cuenca, así como a losmúsicos, vocalistas y compositores con raices caribeñas. Su lema es:¡¡Amor y Jazz!!.

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2011 Brazil Day L.A.Text and Photos ©by Ricky Richardson

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Rain couldn't dampen the spirit nor the resolve of the Brazilians who converged at La Brea Tarpitsfor Brazil Day L.A. This year’s celebration was a spectacular event to be remembered for quitesome time. Brazil Day L. A. was founded and sponsored by Consulate General of Los Angeles.The festival permanently combined forces together with the Brazilian Street Carnaval in LongBeach. This happy union is great news for all parties involved, especially people like me, whoenjoy celebrating Brazilan culture.

Entertainment was provided by Samba Kids Riverside directed by Peter Ha, L.A. Samba Kidsdirected by Sidney Lisbon, Forro Rala Coxa, Raiz Brazil, Capoeira Batuque (Brazilian MartialArts), Ana Laidley Samba N Motion and Renni Flores. Sonaria, 2011 Muso do Carnaval led aRio–style parade around the perimeter of the park along with King Momo, "Bear." Mestre RodneyD’Assis led the baterias. The show concluded on a grand scale featuring Trio Electrio Parade withAmen Santos and AxeBahia, Mariano Silva and the pulsating, thunderous sounds of SambalaSamba School.

¡EL BARRANQUIJAZZ CUMPLIÓ QUINCE AÑOS!Por Elmer GonzálezFotos ©Haroldo Varela

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Barranquilla, al norte de Colombia, es una ciudad de contrastes. La uniformidad socioeconómicano es una de su características. Es un lugar donde parecen vivir en armonía la tradición y elprogreso hacia la modernidad. Sus puestos de comida típica y mercancías a bajo costo en unmercado de estructuras físicas deterioradas hasta modernos y amplios centros comerciales, su

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predilección por escuchar a La Sonora Matancera en lugar del Reguetón, el orgullo de ser la cunanatal de Shakira y la celebración anual de un festival internacional de jazz, son contrastes queparecen desaparecer sólo durante la celebración de su famoso carnaval en febrero.

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Y es esa línea de “contrastes” la tónica que ha sobresalido en las ofertas musicales que a lolargo de quince años viene ofreciendo el Barranquijazz celebrado este año durante los días 7 al11 de septiembre. Un festival que ha contado con decenas de artistas reconocidos del jazz en susdiferentes variantes. Un evento bien generoso en sus propuestas musicales. Una fiestainternacional que reúne el jazz en una tarima con otras formas musicales para brindarle al Caribey al mundo una oportunidad de apreciar la convivencia armoniosa y las capacidades simbióticasde las músicas de latitudes diferentes con el género nacido en New Orleans. ¡Es el mundo del jazzen el siglo XXI! Este año pudimos apreciar el trabajo de artistas de países europeos, Sudamérica,el Caribe y los Estados Unidos. Unas 19 agrupaciones alternaron sus presentaciones dentro y enlas inmediaciones al aire libre del Teatro Amira de la Rosa y el amplio salón Jumbo del CountryClub.

De los Estados Unidos, disfrutamos una impresionante presentación del quinteto del trompetistaTerence Blanchard. También se lucieron el cuarteto del vibrafonista Stefon Harris, la cantanteDebora Carter y el guitarrista de Nueva York Greg Dimond.

Por el Viejo Continente disfrutamos del trío del pianista catalán invidente Ignasi Terraza, suhomólogo Karlos Rotsen (Francia) con el sensacional saxofonista cubano Irving Acai, LuigiCinque Trio (Italia) y el Andrés Ortiz Trio (Suiza-Colombia)

De Colombia se presentaron el saxofonista Justo Almario, el sonido grande de la Atlántico BigBand y los grupos Ethnia Latin and Jazz y La Bandita. Dos agrupaciones que mostraron el talentoen desarrollo y el interés por el género de jóvenes locales.

Brasil tuvo una digna representación con el cuarteto del legendario pianista y compositor JoaoDonato mientras que Cuba se lució con el cuarteto del sensacional pianista Harold López-Nussa.

Y para abonar a la oferta variada y a los contrastes en estilos musicales, el “cantaor” españolDiego el Cigala interpretó tangos tradicionales traducidos al flamenco. Además, el cantautorcolombiano Andrés Cepeda arrancó gritos de muchas jovencitas con su estilo de baladas “pop”.Por otro lado, la clave sonó insistente en las manos del auditorio concurrido ante laspresentaciones de Eddie Palmieri y la Perfecta II, Seis del Solar con Paoli Mejías y una explosivapresentación de Alfredo Naranjo (Venezuela) y el Guajeo.

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Según nuestra percepción los grupos más destacados fueron los de Terence Blanchard de NewOrleans y de Harold López-Nussa de La Habana. Representantes de dos ciudades hermanasasociadas con las raíces del jazz y el jazz latino, respectivamente.

Una vez más comprobamos que Barranquilla es el mejor lugar del mundo para estar durante lasegunda semana de septiembre. Su festival de jazz ya alcanza la madurez y la proyeccióninternacional suficientes para que muchos músicos deseen participar de esta fiesta. ¡Allá nosvemos en el Barranquijazz 2012!

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