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An Interview with...Ray Sepulveda |
On October 18th, I had the opportunity of meeting Ray Sepulveda at the after-party for the Marc Anthony concert at Madison Square Garden. Amongst all the hoopla, fun and flow of champagne, this salsero found the time to grant me an interview. Ray is a really nice guy with a great attitude. He was a pleasure to speak with. Here's what he had to say: Marla: How did your career get started and who influenced you most? Ray: Well, I started when I was about 15 or 16 years old. I started singing salsa in Puerto Rico. I used to sing rhythm and blues and was a big Temptations fan and a Michael Jackson fan, way back when he was just coming up with the Jackson Five and all the kind of stuff. My father was a singer too and he sang romantic songs with guitars. He had a trio, "Trio Los Romanticos" so I guess it runs in the blood. When I moved to Puerto Rico when I was 15, that’s when I really started getting into the salsa scene. I started my career over there with a band, an orquesta called "La Victadora" and then I started singing with a band called "La Musticia" who then became "La Soncia" when me and Frankie Luis used to sing together. When I was 21 I moved back to New York, where I was born and raised in Brooklyn and I stared singing in a band on the Fania label. The biggest influence for me in salsa music was Hector Lavoe. I was honoroed because I had a chance to even work with him as a background vocalist. I also sang with Adalberto Santiago. That was up to 1983. I left music for good and came back in 1988. In 1983 salsa wasn’t really hitting that hard. It had let me down a little but in 1988 I was offered a chance to sing with a group called "Salsa Con Clase" which was known as Johnny and Ray. I was Ray. I was the singer. Even though now I’m not with them anymore, he’s still using my name. He calls himself Johnny Ray. But you know, there you go – Ray comes from Ray Sepulveda, the singer. Some of our hits were "Bandolera" and "Margarita." These were like big international hits. I give him thanks. I really appreciate the opporunity he game me. Then I decided to sign with Ralph Mercado in 1990 and I’ve been with him ever since. I have four CDs with him and they are all doing very well. I song on the tribute to the Beatles album. I did "Fool on the Hill." In La Combinacion Perfecta, I sang a duet with Johnny Rivera, which was a tremendous hit. That’s like running through ti really quci. It’s been really good with Ralph Mercado. I’ve been with him for seven years now. I was in the New York Salsa Festival at the Meadowlands. On my new album I sing a duet with Tito Nieves, who’s my boy. We sing "La Dama de Mis Amores," which is a song we sing to Puerto Rico, which is our homeland and it’s been a really big hit. I don’t know if I left anything out but that’s running through my career real quick. Marla: I’ve heard different people’s opinions of what is mambo versus salsa. What does salsa mean to you? Ray: Well, I’ve listened to a lot of Cuban music since I started listening to Latin music. To me, the roots of salsa are Cuban music. Son, those are the roots. Salsa is a word that started being used in the late sixties to identify all the different rhythms of Latin music – guaguanco, guaracha, charanga. Merengue is something different. It’s tropical music but it’s something on its own. But salsa I would say is used because it means a little bit of everything – a little bit of different ingredients. You know what I mean? This is why they use the word salsa. Marla: How about mambo? Ray: Mambo comes way before salsa. Mambo is a dance. It’s not a rhythm. It’s a dance so you can dance mambo to salsa. Marla: When dancers talk about salsa, they are basically talking about mambo. Ray: Exactly. Sure. There you go. Marla: All the different rhythms you mentioned – guaguanco, guaracha, charanga – you can mambo dance to all of them, right? Ray: Yeah to guanguanco to guaracha. Guajita is a little different. It’s more like a cha cha. Marla: Are you a dancer? Ray: Yeah. I’m a pretty good dancer. I’m a dancer, yeah. You’ve got to dance a little when you’re up on stage. You can’t just stand there. Marla: In New York they dance differently than anywhere else in the world. Ray: It’s true. That’s very true. Even different from Puerto Rico, where a lot of New Yorkers are from. But they dance different in New York. It’s very different. Marla: In New York they dance on the two but it’s a different kind of two. They still step on one but break step on two. Ray: Exactly! Different but in a way all the same. I consider it all the same. In 1988/89 when I really hit it, when my name really hit people’s minds and they could remember my name, that was when the romantic salsa came. Now I feel we’re going back to the more movement style salsa – a little quicker. Romantic salsa has died ou6t a little. Even though that’s where "ya conocer" where people got to know who I was. I grew up with la rumba – you know, the real fast salsa. Marla: Where do you see the future of salsa going? Ray: Salsa is picking up more and more. I see a great, great future for salsa. Whoa, we’re on Broadway now. You know what I mean? It’s fantastic (laughs). Marla: How about you, Ray. What are you up to? Ray: Well, I’m travelling and promoting my new stuff and hopefully next year sometime I’ll work on something new. My new stuff is "De Todo Un Poco" with RMM Records, produced by Ricky Gonzalez who was up there tonight playing keyboards with Marc Anthony and he’s the musical director with my band. He’s been with me for about six years. I have a fantastic orquesta. So, thank God, I’m one of the busiest bands in New York. That’s why I’m still here. Marla: What’s your favorite city to perform in? Ray: My favorite city outside of New York. Well, I live here. This is where I make most of my bacon but I love to travel. I was in California about four months ago. I performed there in West Hollywood. It’s always great to go to California. Debbie Mercado of RMM Records stops by: Debbie: Hi Ray. Marla’s getting the word out to everybody. Ray: How’s the baby:? Debbie: They’re both beautiful. Ray: What was the question? Oh, my favorite city. I get really excited when I’m going to play in a city I’ve never been in. The first time I’m going to be somewhere. That excites me very much. It’s great because it’s like breaking the ice somewhere new. You know what I mean? It’s really nice. Marla: Do you watch the dancers from the stage? Ray: Oh yeah! That’s the best thing for an artist. When you can tell they’re enjoying your music and that’s the greatest feeling. When people come up to you and say, "Oh man, that was great. You really got me going." That’s fantastic. Marla: Where do you think people dance best? Ray: Where? New York. Yeah, New York. In Puerto Rico they dance. There’s some great dancers in California though. There are some great dancers there. It’s a little different but good dancers. Well, look, I’ve been to Colombia and they like hop, you know. Everybody dances different but it’s great. As long as they love the music it’s fantastic. Marla: So, how long has your newest album been out? Ray: About six months now. I’m gonna send you a package. You’re gonna love it. I have an English song in there too. I record salsa in English also. I have "Dreaming of You" from Selena. I have it in salsa, when we did RMM’s Selena tribute album.. It’s included as a bonus track on my album. Marla: Who are the newest up and coming artists in salsa? Ray: It used to be Marc but now Marc’s the top. He’s done great. The newest? I love Victor Manuelle. Even though he’s been around three or four years now he’s a great young guy. This kid, Frankie Negron is doing great stuff. He hasn’t even been here a year and he sounds really good. Marla: What would you like to say to all the salsa dancers out there? Ray: Thank you for the support that you’ve given Ray Sepulveda. Never stop dancing. Keep dancing to our music. It’s our roots. Teach other people who don’t know how to dance to dance salsa so it will be like a domino effect and we’ll have salsa dancers all over the world! |