Beat mail - Carta al Editor

Latin Beat Magazine, May, 2002

This is very weird. I have been telling people about Roberto Perera for some time. He has influenced me/others without knowing it. I recently pledged to myself: tell those who have positively influenced my life what they did. I never believed I would connect to Mr. Perera this way, but then I found the Internet. To make a very long story short, I found "Yvette," the name of a very wonderful and positive influence on my adult life when I, as a lark, searched for "Roberto Perera." You really have to know the whole story, but suffice it to say, "Yvette" bought me an angel that sits in my kitchen and watches over me as I type. This is too powerful a message for me to discard.

I experienced the artistry of Roberto Perera years ago in New Orleans, on a business trip. I was staying in the La Meridien and happened upon him, his fellow artists, and his/their friends, the first night I was there. I was so enraptured by the music, his personal message (he spoke to me, very politely in spite of my total lack of knowledge of his talent) and his respect for the people present, that I could not bring myself to do anything but await patiently for the pleasure of his gift the second night I was there. And then I just sat back in my seat and watched him interact with the fortunate people who had come upon him as I did, quite by lucky fortune.

I have enthusiastically spread the word of "Roberto Perera," albeit my exposure to his gift has been limited. I emphatically believe Erótica was very special to him, thus it reached the lucky few that were present to hear/watch him those 2 nights. I wonder if this is the work of which he is most proud (I had the title written on a bar napkin so that I could obtain it when I returned home.... as he had sold out of his copies both nights I was in New Orleans!!!!!).

I gave away one of my cassette copies of Erótica to someone who was so enraptured by the music, she asked for it!!!! I did find a CD copy, but it took a while (obviously the people around here need educating ...). And while I enjoy his other releases, at least those available to me at this time, I still believe he had a special message in Erótica. I do not know why I feel that way, nor do I believe I need to. But I would like to find a way to tell him this work not only touched me in a spiritual way, I have (as a Registered Nurse) had patients listen to Erótica. One of my patients claimed she had lacked peace of mind for many weeks and was unable to sleep due to fear of the unknown. I placed my copy of Erótica in her cassette player and she asked me, at least 5 times that night, to switch to the other side, or to replay it. She said it was the most "at peace" she had felt for weeks. I could not have expressed it any better. Will you please tell him about his positive influence here in Indy?

Thank you, Kimmie, RN, cyberspace

Antes de haber leído el artículo titulado "The Master of Soneo" por Frank Figueroa, para mí no existía otro sonero que Hermán Olivera; al decir esto no excluyo a los de la Fania y muchos otros de aquella época. Tuve el privilegio de conocerlo y entrevistarlo despues de un concierto realizado en Atlanta, GA, donde se presentó con la orquesta de Eddie Palmieri y la de Tito Puente, meses después de la muerte de este genio. Siempre he admirado su forma de improvisar y la facilidad con que lo hace, pero al leer la trayectoria del Cano Estremera me impactó mucho porque aunque poseo discos del Cano, nunca pude entender la mentalidad de este hombre hasta ahora. El Cano es único y no se puede comparar con nadie, no lo estoy comparando con Hermán Olivera, sino que es uno mas de mis favoritos. El Cano es un fenómeno.

Quiero tomar este momento también para agradecer a Latin Beat por sus artículos instructivos para todas la edades, pero lo único que no me gustó de la última tirada de la revista (Volume12, Number 01) fue la ausencia del maestro historiador, genio, Mr. Max Salazar. Es cierto que los escritores de Latin Beat se destacan por revivir los conciertos y entrevistas, pero sin Mr. Max Salazar Latin Beat no es lo que es.

Max Salazar nos enseña, nos educa, nos transporta a su época donde la música latina se vivía. No existe otra revista como Latin Beat; es cierto que él escribe para otras, pero sin Max Salazar Latin Beat Magazine no es lo que es.

Me llamo Efraín, soy un joven de 22 años de edad y deseo que este comentario sea publicado en el próximo volumen de la revista.

Gracias, Efraín Donaldson, cyberspace

I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the International Latin Music Hall of Fame and its Board members, to thank Rudy and Yvette Mangual for the tremendous work that they have done over the last eleven years with Latin Beat Magazine.

The survival rate of magazines is quite dismal. For Latin Beat to have survived eleven years required the vision of a soothsayer and the courage, fortitude and perseverance of a mother protecting her young. You have both done a magnificent and very important job ... we salute you!