A bite from the apple

Latin Beat Magazine, May, 1997 by Nelson Rodríguez

Without a doubt, the biggest event of the year these past few months in New York City has been the celebration of the release of 50 Years of Swing by Tito Puente. When Joe Conzo and myself put this compilation together we didn't realize how much hoopla this would generate and it hasn't slowed down since the April 7th party at New York's Latin Quarter. Puente had just returned from recording with Ben Golsen and the Quarter was jam-packed with a list of who's who that included Bill Cosby, Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Nieves, José Alberto "El Canario," Larry Harlow, Yomo Toro, Ray Sepúlveda, Nicky Marrero, Nestor Sánchez, Ravel, Hilton Ruiz, Issac Hayes, David Sanchez, Isidro Infante, Maggy Ramos, Eddie Palmieri, Sancocho, Raul Gomez de Oro Solido and Piro Rodríguez.

The Tito Puente orchestra delighted the crowd with many classic tunes from the 3-CD set. The single I Am Going To Go Fishing has been added to many jazz radio programs, while the other previously unreleased single, Llegue, has been a mambo favorite at Latin jazz programs. These parties continued during the same week in Puerto Rico and Miami and then moved to Chicago, Houston and this month in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

This month is full of good news for all music lovers. Fans of Marc Anthony will be happy to know that he's in the studio while India is completing her studio work. The new India release includes a powerful song Mi Mayor Venganza and the follow-up to Nunca Voy A Olvidarte titled Si Volvieras A Mi which she co-wrote. The CD also marks the first time Celia Cruz and India sing together. India does have a current single on the Oscar D'Leon CD En Nueva York where the duo join on Hazme El Amor.

Gato Barbieri is back after being away from the music scene since his wife's death in 1995 and a heart attack shortly after that while performing at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. His new CD is Que Pasa? with the heavy Latin-laced cut Granada. He recorded his last CD, Apasionada, in 1982 for the Doctor Jazz label.

Lovers of the old school will love The Big Kimbos featuring Adalberto Santiago, led by timbalero Orestes Vilató. This group was part of the split from the Ray Barretto band when Ray went to Atlantic Records in the '70s. This band had some great musicians in Roberto Rodríguez, Nelson González, Sandoval Cuevas, Eddie Montalvo, Reinaldo Jorge, Joe Mannozzi and more. This CD generated two great jams in Probando and Juan Manuel.

La Sabrosura had a #1 hit in 1992 with the single Tu Amigo O Tu Amante and now have recorded a CD of classic tangos that include La Ultima Copa, Nostalgia, Que Facil Es Decir, Hablame De Amor and Fueron Tres Años. The CD is titled Tango Salsa y Arrabal (Fuentes) and the leaders Carlos Roda and Hector Fabio Arismendi even use the accordion on many slick arrangements by Alberto Barros (Los Titanes), Morist Jimenez, Chucho Ramírez, José Aguirre and Jorge Cottes.

Another hot Colombian release is the new Adolescentes Orquesta CD Persona Ideal. This one is even better than their debut with the #1 hit Anhelo. The best arrangements here include Clase Social, Celos y Distancia, Persona Ideal and Arrepentida. A must!

A new young vocalist to look out for is Anthony Alicea who sings Enrique Iglesias' smash hit Por Amarte in Salsa.

Manny Manuel now has two more salsa hits on the charts, Parece Mentira and Payaso.

The Kid group from Venezuela, Salserín, is back with a new CD, Con Mucho Swing, and one dynamite song, Soy Cantante. Organizer Manuel Guerra wrote seven of the tunes including the hit.

Juan de Marcos, leader of Sierra Maestra, leads the Afro Cuban All-Stars in a new CD that includes four generations of Cuba's best musicians plus six great soneros (Pio Leyva, Raul Planos, Felix Valoy, Ibrahim Ferrer, Manuel "Puntillita" Licea and José Antonio Maceo Rodríguez). A Todo Cuba Le Gusta also has the legendary Ruben González on piano.

New York was treated to a great new all female Japanese band from Tokyo called Son Reinas. All these ladies are twenty-somethings and looking for a label.

One of the hottest hits on radio has been Que Es El Amor by Grupo Sarao. Lead vocalist Jairo Perea is also a composer as are the other two vocalists.

Canada has a hot vocalist in their midst in Luis Mario Ochoa and his group Cimarron. The CD we received has the tunes Ya No Me Pidas Perdon and Si Nos Dejan.

Sol Caribe is the all salsa CD by merengue/pianist legend Sonny Ovalle who we first heard with Wilfredo Vargas.

Gema 4 is the female equivalent to Vocal Sampling and the four vocalists, Estela Guzmán Vega, Odette Telleria Orduña, Michelle Aldrete Espigul and Laura Flores Hernández harmonize with the best. The CD is titled Te Voy A Dar.

The Thunder Drums tour includes Giovanni Hidalgo, Changuito and Tata Güines with a band featuring Batacumbele members "Cachete" Maldonado, Eric Figueroa, Juancito Torres, Hector Venero and Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera. The tour will travel through New York, San Juan, Miami, Guadalupe, Chicago, San Francisco and Detroit.

Los Van Van have had a successful tour that will also include the 1997 Playboy Jazz Festival in the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.