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LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html Home |Features | Columns |Hit Parades | Rev iews | Calendar |News |LB Style |Contacts | Shopping | E-Back Issues NOVEMBER 2011 ISSUE FROM THE EDITOR ¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to our annual "Percussion/Drum Issue." Volume 21, Number 9, November 2011 issue of Latin Beat Magazine Online features the Puerto Rican groups "Yubá Iré" (Cover story) and "Atabal" (In the Desde Borinquen Columns section), both practitioners of the traditional drum-based rhythms of the Caribbean. A piece by pianist/bandleader Eugene Marlow explains what influences and drives his "Heritage Ensemble," and contributing writer/bandleader /percussionist Ernesto "Chico" Alvarez takes a look at some of the Tri-State's top percussionists in his article "The Rhythms of My Soul." Yours truly salutes some of Southern California's favorite drummers in my c olumn "Que Pasa in L.A." Due to time restrictions, we were not able to include all the scheduled material for this special issue. Therefore, we will extend our percussion coverage into part of the upcoming December/January 2012 issue. We welcome our guest editor in this issue, pianist/bandleader Oscar Hernández for his thoughtful "A Week in the Life of SHO — A Tale of Two Countries," a Cintron Band Live personal observation about the current state of live salsa music in the U.S.A. Human Nature Windows Media We dedicate this issue of Latin Beat Magazine to the memory of writer/activist Piri Thomas. May Quicktime he rest in eternal peace. —Rudy and Yvette Mangual A Week in the Life of Spanish Harlem Orchestra Vanelis Como Lo Extraño (A Tale of Two Countries) - An Observation Windows Media By Oscar Hernandez Quicktime On the way to one of Spanish Harlem Orchestra's few gigs in New York City, I was excited and looking forward to our performance at the Copacabana. It had been a while since we performed at Nayibe a salsa club in NYC — a city with rich history and deep connection to this genre of music - my city. Borinquen 1 of 40 11/29/2011 9:00 PM LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html Windows Media There is nothing like performing or listening to live Salsa music at home in New York City — or so I Quicktime thought. However, after we completed our first sizzling set, I was called to the office by the club's MC and Luis González was stunned when the manager handed me our pay and then told us that we were done for the Spain night; there would be no second set. The conversation that followed brought me to a painful Windows Media realization about our beloved musical genre. Quicktime The manager and the MC explained that salsa music doesn't have much of an audience any more. The club's clientele is no longer interested in dancing to live salsa music - even if it is being Rolando Sanchez performed by an internationally recognized act such as the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Instead, Vamonos De Fiesta they would prefer to dance to a DJ's blaring selections of bachata and reggaetón music. It's ironic Windows Media that this NY experience happened at a time when more people are dancing Salsa worldwide than Quicktime at any other time in our history. Steve Pouchie Following this unexpected treatment (that we have never experienced before as a band - let alone Watch Ur Wallet in our own hometown), my initial reaction was shock! Then I asked myself what was wrong with Windows Media this picture? If a particular audience truly feels this way about our music - then this is NOT the kind Quicktime of audience we want to attract. We want to reach out to an audience that is mature and thoughtful about their musical choices; people who appreciate music performed by live musicians; and who understands the value of such music. Somos Son Bilongo I then began to reflect upon my musical life - the privilege to carry on the beautiful tradition of this Windows Media music. Having devoted my life to this art form, and having experienced, first hand, performing with Quicktime legendary musicians such as Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ruben Blades, and Cachao, etc. I know that this music — especially the live performances - brings joy to the audience and musicians alike. The Estrada Brothers Mr. Ray In this era, where excessively loud music is prevalent and hundreds of genres of music are thrown Windows Media to the public, it is a challenge for a band to stand out. Look no further than the commercial Latin Quicktime radio stations in New York, where they feed their listeners with mostly distasteful music - music that does nothing to inform younger generations about the rich tradition of their roots and music. In Manny Silvera spite of this, however, I remain convinced that the soul of our music will appeal to the right Bassed in America audience and that this interaction will live on. Windows Media Quicktime In searching for an answer as to why things are different now, I think that as I was growing up in New York City (in the 1960s), this music that we now call "salsa" was an important part of our search for cultural identity. It gave us a sense of pride and unity. Has that changed? Bobby Matos Cuchy Frito Man Moving forward from the above experience — one week later…. Windows Media The Spanish Harlem Orchestra is travelling to St. Petersburg, Russia, for the first time, as the Quicktime featured band in a Salsa Festival on a Saturday night. "Salsa in Russia?" seemed to be the question in the mind of our musicians. Excited to be in Russia, we had no idea of what the music scene would be like in St. Petersburg. 2 of 40 11/29/2011 9:00 PM LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html Chembo Corniel Buena Gente We arrived the day before our performance, and after having been taken to dinner by the Windows Media promoters, we were shown the venue where the festival had already taken place. The club held Quicktime approximately one thousand people and was about half-full. Prior to a scheduled performance by a local salsa band that night, a young woman DJ was playing Maña music for the crowd. It was obvious that the she had a very good knowledge of the genre and its Tranquilito history. We were pleased to hear her play an excellent mix of old and new; at a comfortable Windows Media volume that actually allowed us to carry on a normal conversation. Quicktime This was a diverse audience comprised of couples, singles, young, and old - all dressed to impress. We were amazed at the level of skill and sophistication of the dancers. It was clear that Johnny Polanco y Su they understood and respected the music as demonstrated by their connection to it through dance Conjunto Amistad — as well as their attentiveness to the music itself. Our overall impression was so pleasant that El Gusto de Mi Salsa we decided to stick around in order to hear the local band. We were surprised to hear a group of Windows Media Russian musicians who sounded remarkably sophisticated — and authentic. Quicktime The following evening, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra performed for close to one thousand people — many appeared to be in an almost trance-like state of euphoria — from beginning to end. The band felt the surge of energy from the audience. It was like the heyday of Salsa in New York City in the 1970s. Later I spoke with several people. They conveyed how exciting it was to experience our performance; until this evening, they could only imagine how we sounded live. Did they understand something about our music that we have forgotten? If so, then what could that be? Or, better yet, why could this be? I wondered…perhaps might we have started to take our own music for granted? Why the contrast between performing in NYC and in Russia? Maybe the Russians felt that they were experiencing a bit of history, since all of us in SHO had performed with many of the great musicians and bands of years past? Did they understand something about our music that we have forgotten? I began to think about the broad range of audiences for whom we have performed (In countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Israel, Australia, as well as throughout Europe). It dawned on me that in virtually every country outside of the United States, our audiences have appreciated the opportunity to hear (and dance to) our music - performed live. Another example of what I am expressing is, we recently performed for a nice but reserved audience in California, and the very next evening we were at the Toronto Jazz festival where we received six standing ovations, playing the same repertoire. It is my fervent hope that we can somehow bring about a change in the way some of our domestic audiences access music for their dancing and listening pleasure. If only they knew what they were mis sing! 3 of 40 11/29/2011 9:00 PM LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html YUBÁ IRÉ: CUBAN RUMBA MEETS PUERTO RICAN BOMBA AND PLENA By Rudy Mangual 4 of 40 11/29/2011 9:00 PM LBMO.com - Latin Beat Magazine - Latin Music Magazine - Features http://www.latinbeatmagazine.com/features.html Founded in 1998 in Puerto Rico, Yubá Iré is the brainchild of a group of street-corner percussionists who decided to come together as a folkloric percussion ensemble and dance troupe with the sole purpose of elevating and promoting the cultural roots and folklore of Afro-Caribbean rhythms.

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