Latin beat music update

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 2002 by Nelson Rodriguez

Some of the year's hottest releases include percussionist Orlando Poleo's El Buen Camino, Humberto Ramírez's Mi Primer Amor (with vocalists Freddie Gutierrez and Juan José Hernández), plus Luis Marin, Osvaldo López, and Martin Santiago).

Wilfredo de la Torre's Richport has found a home in Flor De Rumba Productions with a new release, Sigue Pa'Lante ... Salseando Pa'l Bailador. The label also has releases by Charlie Sepúlveda (Heineken JazzFest Live), Domingo Garcia (Las Manos Del Piano), Angel Rodríguez (Trova Pa'l Bailador), and Gabriel Rodriguez (The Beginning).

Many of these recordings I picked up at Viera Distributors in Puerto Rico recently. Rafael Viera's inventory includes smaller local acts as well as majors, an extensive Fania catalog and many oldies, such as Mario Ortiz All-Star Band's rare On The Road (Rico-Vox), a hard to find CD with vocals by Paquito Alvarez and Emma Roger. This was Ortiz's first LP and included the tracks La Noche y Yo, La Bicicleta, Maina, Que Bonito Es Puerto Rico, Mambo Inferno, De Cachete, Wobble Cha, Juventud, Horoscopo and Mi Bombo Sonó.

Also hot is vocalist/percussionist Jorge Arce and his band Humano (Caribe), out of the Boston, Massachusetts area.

Trumpeter Orlando Pabellon's most recent CD, Trompeta y Cuerdas (OPC), mixes trio music with brass. The result of this new recording is a romantic spellbinding delight for all true music fans.

Jesse Herrera (ex-timbalero/bassist for La Misma Gente) released Castigando (Latinos & Co.), a super hot recording with guest Yolanda Rivera doing a medley of her Sonora Ponceña hits.

Omar Chocolate is a Cuban living in Europe with a debut CD, Se Me Para El Corazón (Cuba), which mixes covers and original material.

Ritmo Vencedor is a CD of salsa and vallenato music with religious messages performed by Bobby Cruz, Diego Gale, Binomino De Oro, Alex D'Castro, Los Gigantes Del Vallenato, Jeff Morales, Cheo Quiñones and Lefty Pérez. By far the best track on this recording is Que Grata Reunión with Lefty Pérez, Cheo Quiñones, Bobby Cruz and guests Giovanni Hidalgo, Johnny Pacheco and Nelson González.

Concord Picante is looking at possible releases by some of Latin jazz's hottest acts, including Gato Barbieri. Considering that artists such as Bobby Sanabria, Ralph Irizarry, Giovanni Hidalgo and Charlie Sepúlveda are looking for deals, can any of them be heading to Concord?

La Timba Loca is a Boston-based band that exclusively plays Cuban timba and they do an excellent job of that on their debut, Beyond Havana. They perform the covers Llorarás, Besito De Coco, El Tibiri-Tabara, Lo Que Me Pasó En La Guagua, and many more.

La Corporación Latina recorded during the years 1973-78 and generated the hits Solo He Vivido, Eres Tú Mi Amor, Desengaño, Silencio, Serenata Jibara, Vagabundo, Amigo, Trompeta y Bongó and Que Pasa. Trumpeter Joe Campanella has compiled all their best hits on one CD that is due out soon.

Dominic is back with a new CD, Soy Como Soy, with a new approach to the arrangements and Ricky González at the production helm.

Enrique Lazaga, veteran of La Ritmo Oriental, has a new CD, De Nuevo ... La Ritmo, where he updates the arrangements of his many hits. The CD closes with a superb jam session, Descarga Ritmo Oriental, destined to be a club hit.

Pete Escovedo has recorded a live set at the Back Stage Lounge in San Diego that he informs us will probably be out in early 2003.

The United Kingdom is alive with Latin music, courtesy of Charanga Del Norte (from Leeds) led by flutist Sue Miller, that has been going strong since 1998 with four CDs to its credit. The 1999 debut ¡Ay Mama! started it all, followed by Libélula, Danzones de Ayer y Hoy and a new EP (three tracks), A Caballo. Included in the 2002 band is Roberto Plá on timbal, Ricardo Plá on conga, Gabriel Fonseca (former member of Original de Manzanillo and Candido Fabré bands) on violin, and Oswaldo Chacón on vocals.

A Verve/Impulse reissue series that will introduce over 50 titles on CD by the end of the year has already released Dizzy Gillespie's classic Afro (later released as Manteca) for the first time with performances by Cándido, José Mangual, Mongo Santamaría and Uba Nieto.

La Grande De Siempre's De Vuelta a La Salsa (Envidia) is the same concept that La Grande De Madrid used in the '90s but with a new vocalist, J.C. Calderon Aleaga, who reminds the listener of balladeer Roberto Carlos.

Timbalero Amadito Valdés, who reintroduced himself to the Latin world some years ago via the Buenavista Social Club, has since been diligently preparing his own solo project that includes Isaac Delgado, Maraca and Germán Velazco.

Son Damas' 2000 release, A Todo Ritmo (BIS), is now available as an import. Another import is the tribute to pianist Lilí Martínez Esto Si Se Llama Querer (Unicornio), directed by Manolito Simonet (Manolito y Su Trabuco) with guest vocalists Mayito Rivera, Isaac Delgado and Paulito F.G.

El Gran Combo's 40 Aniversario En Vivo is a two-CD set that includes Andy Montañez and Gilberto Santa Rosa. Their latest, Nuevo Milenio ... El Mismo Sabor generated two huge hits--Me Liberé and El Amor Es Ciego.