A Conversation with Johnny Rivera

by

Marisa Miranda, Esq.

I sat down the other day to interview a well-known salsero, Johnny Rivera.  Johnny has been around for many years and has had several hits throughout the years.  You probably remember his songs-- "Cuando Parará la Lluvia", "Por Eso Ahora Está Conmigo", "Esa Chica Es Mía", and the list goes on.  It was a pleasure to sit down with Johnny.  I had a wonderful time chatting with him, not just because we were having fun, but because he is my cousin. I have to admit that during the interview, I did not feel like a reporter speaking with an artist.  Rather, it was more like two cousins joking around and having a good time.

Johnny was born and raised in New York City.  Before moving to Puerto Rico, he lived in the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and in the Bronx-- the home of salsa. Music had interested him since he was a young boy.  To be musically inclined is a genetic trait we have in our family.  For example, Johnny's uncle is a famous salsero, Adalberto Santiago, who used to sing with the Fania All Stars.  Also in the family is Johnny's famous cousin, Tony Vega. As far back as Johnny can remember, he was always exposed to music, especially Salsa.  As Johnny recalls, he reached a point in his life where he wanted to study his roots.  When I asked him how he had become interested in singing, he said,

"When I was younger, I began to study my roots.  I said to myself,

`WOW-- this is our music!'  Then as I grew older, I started listening more

to our music and I said, `WOW!  I have an uncle that sings!  I have

this and that.  This is great!  That's our music!  Let me find out a little more.'"

That is exactly what Johnny did.  While living in Manhattan, he discovered an East Harlem Music School where workshops were held for anyone who wanted to learn the art of singing.  At that school, he signed up for Johnny Colon's workshop.  It did not take Johnny long to become a corista in Johnny Colon's Band.   Soon, Johnny began singing with other local salsa bands in New York until he became part of Los Rodriguez.  It was with this band that he made his first recording.  Seeking more of a challenge, he moved on to Grupo Fascinación and then to Conjunto Classico where he replaced his fellow RMM colleague, Tito Nieves.

However, Johnny was not satisfied with his musical career.  As an ambitious young artist, he wanted to do more with his music.  He felt his music needed to be more modern.  Luckily, Johnny had a good friend, Sergio George, who had been hired by RMM.  Sergio opened the door for Johnny and gave him the opportunity to branch out on his own.  Soon, he was signed to RMM Records.  The two of them worked together on Johnny's first CD-- Amor de Verdad.  The CD was a hit for Johnny.  Ralph Mercado, President and owner of RMM Records, liked what he saw in his new artist and continued to sign him to RMM.

Although Johnny continues to sing and produce hits, he works with other artists on their projects as well.  If you were to listen to many other salsa singers, you would notice that Johnny sings the coros (back-up) on their CDs.  Johnny has worked with such artists as Frankie Negron, Marc Anthony, India, DLG, Tony Vega, Jerry Rivera, Lissette Melendez, Miles Peña, Brenda K. Starr, Victor Manuelle, and the list goes on. Not only does he help Victor Manuelle with his projects, he is also good friends with him.  As he himself states,

"Victor Manuelle and I are very good friends.  When we visit each other, we listen to and discuss our music.  Victor feels that when I help him with his record, I take on the task as if I were doing it for my own record.  I have helped him come up with the coros in his songs.  The reason it works is that I have the background from the groups like Conjunto Classico.  The improvisations we use in the music developed from my experiences with the group.  I bring my experiences to the record and we just have fun with it.  We work on the record together and we get this great sound that everyone loves.  We both express what we feel in our music."

Expressing what he feels in his music is very important to Johnny.  He is one of the few performers who still improvises while performing live.  Improvising is what makes the performances unique.  One never knows what the performer will say next and usually, the improvisations are very poetic.

Johnny's musical repertoire also includes a duet done several years ago with Ray Sepulveda.  "No Vale La Pena," from the CD Combinación Perfecta, was a big hit for both of them and the song is still loved by many.  Johnny happily says that he would love to do a duet with a salsero from the former Fania All Stars.  He would especially love to sing with his uncle, Adalberto Santiago, or Ismael Miranda.  According to Johnny, they are the best to work with because not only are they seasoned professionals with so many years of experience, but they are true salsa legends.

Right now, Johnny is coming out with his new CD.  It is called Estoy Aquí.  This is his seventh production.  He is very happy with the sound of this new CD mainly because he brought back his original sounds through the use of more trombones and trumpets.  The CD includes arrangements by Ramon Sanchez, Tommy Villarini, Humberto Ramirez, Julio Alvarado, and Luis García.  Johnny has used Humberto Ramirez ("Cuando Parará la Lluvia") and Tommy Villariny ("Tiempo de Estudiante" from the CD Paisajes de la Vida) as producers for his previous CDs.    This is the first time that Ramon Sanchez is used as a producer on one of Johnny's CDs.    Ramon Sanchez and Johnny worked together on Victor Manuelle's projects.  Johnny co-produced this new CD with his arrangers, working closely with them on all the songs.  This is typical of Johnny.  He has always been very involved with the production of his CDs.  According to Johnny, Ralph Mercado has always given him the freedom to be very involved with the production of his CDs.  This is mainly because Ralph Mercado has always been pleased with Johnny's work.  He and Johnny have never had a disagreement with respect to the style of the record and Ralph Mercado believes in Johnny's talents and mass appeal.

I have heard this new CD, which will be in the record stores sometime in July.  It is a great record.  The songs are lively and danceable.  The first release off the CD is very upbeat and combines the old sounds of salsa with the new.  If one listens carefully, one can hear some Cuban sounds in there as well.  When listening to the single, you can imagine yourself on the dance floor having a good time, or on the beach enjoying the outdoor weather.  This CD has the makings of a real summer hit.  In a year or two, Johnny will have his own studio where he will be creating, and experimenting with, sounds for more records.  Hopefully, Johnny will continue to be involved in the creation of songs in that studio not only for himself, but also for other artists.  Good Luck Johnny!