Latin Beat Music Update - Columna

Latin Beat Magazine, May, 1999 by Nelson Rodriguez

The growing question of why Latin tropical (salsa and merengue) music has suffered a downturn in sales is not a new question or a difficult one to understand. Unlike tropical dance bands, rap (hip hop) and alternative rock bands have a constant factor in their favor even if they have limited radio. These acts are on constant tour throughout the United States (and other countries), performing for the masses at small venues, bars and clubs. They'll sacrifice for years until the right deal comes along. All the gigs become live rehearsals that pay back later. That doesn't happen in Latin music. Acts record at a label before a band is formed, and when the band does form, there is no way the band stays together when it becomes successful, with the lead singer usually the first one to go solo. The numbers that rap and alternative rock music accomplish without heavy radio exposure is directly related to word-of-mouth and live performances. Mix DJs and specialty NPR shows are also a powerful tool, but without the live performances, Latin acts are only partially introduced to the fans. With the almighty dollar being what it is today, selling a CD is harder than ever. Visual exposure becomes even more important. Latin labels should look into doing cosponsoring of their acts and finding those sponsors. The markets in New York, Miami, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., San Diego, Atlanta, Orlando, and Tampa deserve to see the acts before the big numbers cash in. In this issue we'd like to cover some acts who enjoy success with club exposure.

Nora, former lead vocalist of the Japanese salsa band Orquesta De La Luz, recorded her second solo album in Cuba titled Café Caliente. Three key musicians on her self-produced project include Chucho Valdés, Pancho Amat and young conguero wizard Miguel "Angá" Díaz.

Nino Segarra was huge in the early '90s and has remained within the romantic salsa vein on the CD titled Romántico Salsero with the single Homenaje A Frankie Ruiz.

Los Hermanos Fernández is a merengue group from the Dominican Republic with a front line of five brothers and sisters who have released a debut CD in the east coast. With proper promoting, the group could break-out soon.

Gisselle and Sergio Vargas, both with BMG, represent the subtle romantic part of merengue that has been saturating many markets. Both CDs, Gisselle's Atada and Sergio's A Tiempo are good productions and doing well on the East coast and Puerto Rico. Sergio Vargas always does well in Santo Domingo. A Tiempo does offer more of a variety of tempos for my taste.

Check out Descarga Boricua's "Best of" with the extra bonus track Me curo con Rumba. Word has it that the guys are already working on new tracks in the studio. Best wishes to producer and mastermind Frank Ferrer.

I recently spoke to producer/trumpeter Humberto Ramírez, who is working on a special jazz project for Casa De Los Tapes. The concept is one that Andres Coll, former RMM General Manager in Puerto Rico, had presented but never materialized. Humberto is uniting some of Puerto Rico's best Latin jazz bands, as well as an all-star group, for this recording. L.A.'s Oskar Cartaya is arranging one track, and Charlie Sepúlveda's band is doing another. Ramírez' pianist, the talented Luis Marín, will do a track, and the all-star band includes names like Papo Lucca, Bobby Valentín, Justo Almario and more. I'll have an update for you next month.

The new Tito Nieves CD, Clase Aparte, has a great version of the Luis Miguel hit Más, two English ballads including the Joe Cuba Sextet hit To Be With You and a humorous track, La Lección De Pedro K, about a man who loses his woman to another woman.

DLG's new CD, Gotcha, has gotten off the ground with their hit Volveré. Juan Formell's daughter, Vanessa, may have her debut CD out before the year ends.

I heard a demo CD of a group called Wickly, led by conguero Juan "Wickly" Nogueras, ex-member of NG La Banda who has also played with Conjunto Roberto Faz, Orquesta Riverside and Orquesta Pacho Alonso. The CD is outstanding and the plans are for a release before the year ends. I loved the songs Párese que va a llover and Rumbero de corazón.

The Latin Jazz Jam 99, scheduled for June 26th in New York, as part of this year's Jazz Festival, will highlight Tito Puente and his Golden Latin Jazz All-Stars featuring Dave Valentín, Hilton Ruiz, Charlie Sepúlveda, Giovanni Hidalgo, and special guest Mongo Santamaría. Also scheduled for that night are Poncho Sánchez, Arturo Sandoval and the first U.S. appearance of the Nettai Tropical Jazz Big Band, led by Carlos Kano. Those of you who attend will fall in love with Nettai. Atlanta's Toma Algarín picked this CD for his Top 10 of 1998.

Tampa, Florida's WRMD, La Nueva Tropical 860, has a weekend jazz & salsa program "Salsa, Jazz y Algo Más" hosted by Frank Piñiero, who plays with a Latin jazz band and performed 20 years ago with jazz vocalist Jerry Medina.