LATIN e, - LATIN BEAT Ralph Mercado and Ray Aviles will pre- the popular voice on Spanish radio in the TOP 20 LBUMS sent their third "Salsa" event at Radio City Pomona -Ontario areas. MIAMI POP MIAMI Hall in the heart of Rockefeller Cen- KWKW radio broadcasts 24 -hours a day ter, Feb. 10. Headed up "Salsa's Perfect to the Spanish language market of Los Combination Ill," there will be one concert Angeles and Orange Counties, numbering 1 JOSE LUIS 1 HOMENAJEA BENNY at 8:00 p.m. and one at midnight, under the over five million. KWKW is part of Lotus (Top Hits 2021) (Tico 1425) aegis of "A Rainbow Production." Communications Corporation, which owns his 11 KWKW, L.A.; KENO & K- 2 AMIGO 2 CHARANGA 76 EN EL 78 The evening will star Tito Puente and radio stations: ROBERTO CARLOS (Caytronics 1505) CHARANGA 76 (TR -139) Orchestra in a "Tribute to Beny More," and 92 -FM, Las Vegas; KONE & KOZZ-FM, it will mark the first time the man affec- Reno; KOXR, Oxnard; KFSD-FM, San 3 VUELVE 3 TREMENDA DIMENSION as King" will have Diego; KVAR-FM, San Antonio; KTKT, Tuc- LUISA MARIA GUELL (Alhambra 43) DIMENSION LATINA (Velvet 8012) tionately referred to "The appeared at Radio City. Tito and his son; and KRUX, Phoenix. 4 LOLITA DE LA COLINA 4 OSCAR DE LEON orchestra will literally be recreating his "Paco is my name and disco is my (Arcano 3416) (TH -2936( best-selling album, "Homenaje A Beny," on game." With these words each night opens the stage. Performing with the orchestra what is by several yardsticks the number 5 SOLA 5 ONLY THEY COULD HAVE will be a line-up of the best "Salsa" singers one DJ program in the number one market LISSETTE (Coco 148) MADE THIS ALBUM n IZ COLON (Vaya 66) in the business, all of whom are featured on in the country. 6 TE JURO QUE NUNCA the album. Starting with , Paco, who reportedly scored a 15.8 VOLVERA 6 CONJUNTO UNIVERSAL the others include Santito Colon, Ismael share of audience overall in the Octo- LUPITA D'ALESSIO (Orf eon 021) (Jaguar 5036) Quintana, Adalberto Santiago, Hector ber/November Arbitron for his time period Casanova, Nestor Sanchez, Junior Gon- at station WKTU-FM, now has been 7 MIAMI SOUND MACHINE 7 CONJUNTO BORINCUBA (Audio Latino 5027) (Libra 2005) zalez and Lulgl Texidor. catapulted from ethnic radio to star status Topping off Tito's segment of the show in a short time. 8 MI CARTE 8 EN LAS VEGAS will be an appearance by special guest, the The Puerto Rican -born radio veteran (he LOLITA (Caytronics 1506) EL GRAN COMBO (GC 015) Queen of Salsa, . began as a child actor on Puerto Rican 9 ENTRE AMIGOS 9 Adding to the overall excitement of the soaps on a Rio Piederas, P.R. station 35 CAMILO SESTO (Pronto 1034) (Epic JE 35523) evening will be the appearance of two more years ago) broke out of Spanish -language of Salsa's favorite stars, Millie Colon and radio last summer when WKTU switched 10 AMIS 33 ANOS 10 SALSA MAYOR Ruben Blades. They will be from mellow to disco. JULIO IGLESIAS (Alhambra 38) (Velvet 8011) performing material from their award -winning best- Paco, who was then known as Paqulto 11 DEMASIADO AMOR 11 LA COMEDIA selling album, "Metiendo Mano," and from Navarro, was playing salsa on WKTU's AM BASILIO (Zafiro 513) HECTOR LAVOE (Fania 522) their latest release, "Siembra." sister station WJIT. "I noticed that the

Adding to Willie's and Ruben's segment mellow sound wasn't going anywhere so I 12 VOZ Y CORAZON 12 CITY SALSA NELSON NED (West Side Latino 4117) ORQUESTA BROADWAY (Coco 141) of the show will be extra added attraction, went to WJIT general manager Len Hector Lavoe, who will join forces with the Mirelson and suggested that WKTU go

13 NUNCA SUPE LA VERDAD 13 FRIENDS Willie Colon Orchestra. disco. I them met with SJR Communica- DANNY DANIEL (Borinquen 1327) LOUIS RAMIREZ (Cotique 1096) Opening the show will be Ralph Lew and tions (the company that owns WKTU and his Salsa Disco Revue. WJIT) executive vice president Eddie 14 JUAN BAU #5 14 SALUD DINERO Y AMOR (Zafiro 512) ORQUESTA NOVEL (Fania 520) Emcees will be Paqulto (Paco) Navarro Cossman and suggested that WKTU switch and Polita Vega. to salsa disco. Salsa lasted two days," he 15 VOL #7 15 SPANISH FEVER Hernan Quezada Escandon appointed adds. ALVAREZ GUEDES (Gema 5058) FANIA ALL STARS (Columbia 35336) program director for KWKW radio, it was But the disco lasted and the rest is 16 SE TE VAS TE VAS 16 DOS announced by KWKW general manager, history. HUGO BLANCO (West Side Latino) CACHO (Salsoul 4115) John Paley. Paco stresses personality on WKTU. "I "For over 35 years KWKW has been the have an accent and that makes me unique," 17 UNLIMITED 17 SALSA ENCENDIDA station to which the Hispanic population in he reasons. "The ladies like my voice, they ALMA (Alhambra 152) TIPICA 73 (Inca 62) southern California has turned for the best call it sexy. I can't help that. That's just the

18 VOLCAN 18 INCONQUISTABLE in music, news and community and public way I talk." JOSE JOSE (Pronto 1035) DIMENSION LATINA (TH 2040) affairs programming," says Hernan Paco also reasons that his accent has Quezada Escandon. "We will continue to "added additional Latins to his audience. 19 NYDIA CARO 19 JOHNNY VENTURA (Alhambra 151) (Combo 2006) maintain that position of leadership." They have pride in my achievement." Escandon joined KWKW early in 1971, Just as disco has permitted Paco to 20 PERLA 20 TRIBUTE TO CHANO POZO and has become one of its most popular break out of ethnic radio, he notes, "Disco (Audio Latino 5040) JOSE MANQUAL (True Venture 1001) and well-known disc jockeys. As a result of has broken all barriers between whites, his many personal appearances as master - blacks, straights and gays. It has united of -ceremonies for the very popular people. Everybody likes it. It's great to see amateur hour held in various theatres mixed crowds at the discos." LATIN PICKS throughout the Los Angeles area, and his Paco sees some of those crowds not only personal appearances at the KWKW week- at personal appearances he makes at A TODOS MIS AMIGOS - Cella Cruz - Tico 1423 - end remoté broadcasts, he has become a various discos, but at his own disco, Les Producers; Puente, Cain, Santiago, Cristal star celebrity to the Spanish-speaking Nauges, on the upper East Side of Manhat- Here is another fine album by Celia Cruz, the Ella Fitzgerald public. For the past eight years, Escandon tan. of Latin music. She is the queen of salsa, and in this recording and Antonio Gonzalez, KWKW news direc- Paco sees big things yet to come for she excels cut after cut. The songs in this album are Celia's tor, have ,been the official spokesmen for disco. "I believe disco will branch out into greatest hits, with marvelous backing by the Tito Puente KWKW's New Year's day broadcast of the various forms like rock did," he says. He is Orchestra. Also, special credit to Memo Salamanca for his Rose Bowl Parade, bringing their exciting looking forward to disco songs which have ballad backing. Time after time Celia has come up with winners descriptions of this annual event. Escan- more meaningful lyrics. He points to Gloria in her recordings, but this is her greatest effort and a must in don's play-by-play accounts of the Aztec Gaynor's "I Will Survive" as an example. your collection of Celia hits. soccer games live from the Rose Bowl is "I like to sell the story of my records

another of his great versatility. before I play I my c9Vlon Xivera just example them, talk about them to FOREVER - Mon RIvera - Vaya JMVS-75 - Producer: in GTronever Escandon was born Hermosillo, listeners. People like to have someone >YA \,`ì Sonora, Mexico, in 1942. At 36, he is a warm to listen to. You have to be good com- Mon Rivera's music is immortal and will live in the pages of ?i 9, proud American citizen and lives with his pany," he says. ray terrace music history. Hit tunes may come and go, but Mon Rivera's wife, Elva, herself a prominent vocalist. music, like that of other pioneers, is timeless. With this album They live in Alhambra, Calif. Mon gave us his best, as always. It's a pity that such a super star He graduated from Pueblo High School is in GLrtiL-1 has left us, for this album excellent all respects. Beautiful in Tucson, Ariz. and went on to attend the 2A((J/r,Dr'5 A arrangements by Mon and others, outstanding horns, a superb University of Arizona at Tucson. Escandon rhythm section and fine vocals make this album a must for every obtained his radio engineer's license in collection. 1970. Actually his radio career began in 1963 in Tucson and he once headlined a FOR THE CONNOISSEUR popular bilingual show for armed forces SANTIAGO - Discos Pega 9005 - Producer: Santiago/Gar- DISTRIBUTOR INQUIRIES INVITED cia Jr. radio. Santiago is outstanding on this album of love songs and soft He comes from a family of two brothers rock. His voice is great and he is backed by excellent orchestra- and a sister, also famous radio and televi- VENTURES tions. Recording was done well in the States. Mostly all the sion personalities. One brother is known as LATIN PERCUSSION songs were composed by Santiago. The best songs are: "Amor the voice of Santa Barbara radio. His other P.O. Box 88, Dept. CA De Amantes," "Dian," "Primer Smor," "Libre," "Ansias," brother is the anchorman for news and Palisades Pork, N . 07650 "Dime," "Poco A Poco," "Solo," "Probre Corazon" and "Asi special reports on the leading Los Angeles (201) 947-8067 Comprenderas." Spanish television station. Their sister is

Cash Box/February 3, 1979 53

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