Latin Beat Music Update - Columna

Latin Beat Magazine, June-July, 1999 by Jerry Galante

Some observations... the Latin music industry has been evolving the past few years and "Latin" or "salsa" is super hot. While salsa dance lessons are on the rise, most dance schools and instructors are too technical and Hollywood is leaving the average student disillusioned. It really is about feeling the music from within.

There area dozen new bands springing up each month throughout the United States but the music is rarely unique. Latin jazz continues to dip and merengue has lost a certain flare that ir had years ago. Many people are still excited about the Cuban music emerging from the island but unfortunately, commercial radio has largely ignored Cuban releases and that's a shame.

A younger generation of salsa fans is for the most part exposed to contemporary established artists through commercial radio and club DJs. A perfect example of clubs that only reflect radio play can be seen in Miami. Many DJs there and in New York ate not playing new artists, remixes and older reissues. In essence, that's what a well-rounded DJ should do, bridge the old with the new. A good club DJ knows how to win over new fans as well as the "viejovenes" from yesteryear. That's what has made Henry Knowles a household name to club goers in New York. Playing Marc Anthony, Elvis Crespo and Victor Manuelle is easy. Breaking Obie Bermúdez, Roberto Avellanet, Lissette Meléndez, Jorge Luis Yanko, La Banda Chula, Jimmy Bosch, Isaac Delgado, Son Boricua and yesterday's acts is the challenge. Many clubs are not playing the rich legacy of the Lebrón Brothers, La Sonora Ponceña, El Gran Combo, Cano Estremera, Andy Montañez and Wayne Gorbea, who all have new CDs.

Everyday there are new techniques in promoting music and the last few years the major labels have been recording various versions of the same tracks to gather the most rotation and airplay for charting purposes. This has worked in the past for Olga Tañon and this past year for Jerry Rivera. While the Mexican and salsa stations played one version the pop stations played the ballad alternative. Now it is happening with the Jennifer López debut. Her ballad No Me Ames, a single duet with Marc Anthony from the CD On The 6 also has a tropical version that WSKQ jumped all over in New York City. This will continue to happen with bachatas, ballads, salsa and Mexican music. Labels continue to develop ways to get the most out of the system.

Cheo Feliciano is working on an interesting project, where he'll pay tribute to some of Latin music's vocal legends, such as Tito Rodríguez, Benny Moré, Hector Lavoe, Felipe Pirela, Santos Colón, Frankie Ruiz, Ismael Rivera and more. The original idea of doing a tribute CD to Frank Sinatra did not pan out because there weren't enough Sinatra hits known to the average salsa fan for a full release. This project is due at the end of the summer.

In 1978, Juan Pablo Torres led an all-star group of Cuban musicians in what resulted in a 5-volume set of recordings named Estrellas de Areito. These famous jam sessions recorded in the world renowned EGREM studios were an introduction to many of the finest musicians in Cuba. Three years later, Rubén González organized the same musicians to record the recently released Estrellas De Areito/Cuban All-Stars production by González. The standout musicians on these tracks are timbalero Amadito Valdés, flutist Joaquín Oliveros, my favorite trumpet player of all time-Felix Chapottín, trombonist Jesús Ramos and González on piano. A classic!

Vocalist Jerry Galante offers a great blend of modern sensual salsa with some great swing tracks on his new CD, Sin Reservas. The explosive tracks on this CD are Se Prendió El Rumbón, Nadie Manda Al Corazón, Mujer Latina and Como Pantera. Jerry's Colombian tinge should make him a sure hit in Colombia, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Putumayo World Music has put together an awesome compilation of music by Irakere, Sierra Maestra, the Afro-Cuban Jazz Project, Ibrahim Ferrer, Los Guaracheros de Oriente, Mi Son, Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñiero, Orquesta Sublime, Todos Estrellas and Eliades Ochoa y el Cuarteto Patria. The CD is a good combination of Cuban son and enjoyable melodies. You know of 76 year-old Ibrahim Ferrer from Buena Vista Social Club and Afro Cuban All-Stars. The Afro-Cuban Jazz Project includes Maraca, Tata Güines & Pancho Amat. Todos Estrellas has Guillermo Rubalcaba on piano and Los Van Van's lead vocalist Pedro Calva on the Arsenio Rodríguez classic Miami Me Gustó. The Ferrer and Ochoa tracks are previously unreleased.

Expect many American labels to start jumping on the Latin bandwagon this coming year. Sony is releasing Jennifer López, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, while Atlantic Records has opened two divisions: Caliente Records and Havana Caliente (12 CDs in 1999/20 scheduled in 2000). Adalberto Alvarez will be one of the early releases for Havana Caliente.

Alvarez's CD Jugando Con Candela is just as good as every other CD this giant of the Cuban son has released throughout the '90s. The CD swings from beginning to end. Check out the beautiful bolero son No Llores Más Por El that will soon be redone here in the States, in salsa. Kudos to Alvarez's vocalist Aramis Galindo.