by Jesús M. Corral
Greetings
from Caracas, Venezuela.
Recently, a new Venezuelan record label was launched. The
label, LT Music, features some of the most outstanding international
interpreters of the “salsa romantica” style. They are Nino Segarra, Raulín
Rosendo, Roberto Lugo, Alex D'Castro, and Willie González. The roster includes
some Venezuelan artists as well which are being signed little by little.
Willie has had several hits. The singer stated among other
things: “I left MP Records five years ago. They have lost many artists because
they have not wanted to invest in them”...
Lugo stated: “Everybody sings “salsa romantica”. I sing everything, I can
sing you any type of song, and am prepared for that.” And in reference to
MP3’s on the Internet, he was emphatic: “that doesn't help in anyway, it
continues being piracy. Why? Because they are not buying my record in a store,
instead they copy it on the computer after another person sends it to them, and
that is not exactly right. That way everybody has it and nobody buys the record.
Where is the financial gain for the artists and composers, for those that work
in the factories, or the distributors?”... Raulín, recorded ballads in
salsa... Segarra has been in charge of the productions of the other artists on
the label. His release is titled Vivo
Por Ella,
the title track is a song
by Andrea Boccelli. The disc also features a tribute to Tito Puente sung by all
the singers, and includes a descarga featuring Luisito Quintero, Edwin Clemente
and Endel Dueño.
*
* * * Domingo Quiñones visited Venezuela to unveil his latest release, POETA Y
GUERRERO. In reference to his latest release he stated: “it is a
disc that contains topics that talks about realities. I have had the opportunity
to express what I feel. It definitely expresses my way of thinking, and of
being. I feel completely Puerto Rican. I would not like for the Americans, of
which I am grateful to, to break the bond with Puerto Rico, but they shouldn’t
make decisions for people that have the capacity to make decisions for
themselves. An inhabited island should not be bombarded, and I say this in many
aspects, not only because of the bombs, but in the bombardment of making
decisions for us.”
*
* * * Oscar D ' León and Wladimir Lozano have reunited on record again. It is
titled DOUBLE PLAY and it comes twenty-two years after having recorded
that double LP, which contained many successful tracks such as “Sanduguera”.
Oscar's orchestra was called the Salsa Mayor. The duo made history with La
Dimension Latina, in which they immortalized “Taboga”, “Llorarás”,
“Divina Niña”, and many others that became classics in Venezuela, as well
as outside of Venezuela. The relationship between Oscar and Wladimir is like a
couple that fights and reconciles every once in a while, and now, many years
later, Oscar is again including him in their live performances, and they have
released this record which is a gift for their fanatics, those that miss those
times.
Oscar clarified some things: “The moments arrive alone and I believe that our
reunion was already conceived. From the very first moment we begin to choose the
songs, a very beautiful aura was felt on the disc, and we are living it. I
believe that this disc will move a lot of people's feelings, since it moves the
memory of that which was La Dimension Latina, the people have waited for a
similar sound. I am happy with this. I believe that it will work, there are many
people that married, that fell in love, that got divorced with those songs.”
On
the other hand, Wladimir, stated: “I have been singing, regrettably I have
never had a successful recording like Oscar has had, but I continued advancing
in my career, not recording a lot. I was in Mexico, one year in Costa Rica.
Melodically it is very similar to the sound that we formerly had. There are
songs like ‘Clima De Amor ' that have a lot of cadence, there are others that
resemble ‘Taboga’. I think that those were very beautiful times, that LP
(from '77) was stupendous, we miss it so much so that we play them all. But this
disc overcomes many things musically. It doesn't have the swing of that time,
but it is very varied, very beautiful.”
Oscar
has just recorded a song for a Disney movie, an animated feature on the Incas.
The song was sung in English by Tom Jones.
* * * * A salseros rainstorm will be visiting Venezuela in the month of
November. From the first to the fifth in the Teresa Carreño Theater, Gilberto
Santa Rosa. His record is to have sold-out six dates at that venue, the most
important in Caracas...On the fourth, in El Poliedro, the “38 Years of El Gran
Combo” will be celebrated with a concert featuring Luigi Texidor, Yolandita
Rivera, Tito Allen, Cheo Feliciano, and El Canario...Then on the seventeenth
it’s the return of Luis Enrique, who has returned with new salsa disc...On the
eighteenth, also at El Poliedro, the 45th anniversary of La Sonora
Ponceña, with Roberto Roena and the Apollo Sound, Andy Montañez, José Mangual,
Jr., Mulenze, Willie González, and Raulín, among others. What surprises me is
that Yolandita and Luigi Texidor are not taking part in the concert for the
Sonora Ponceña.
That is everything from Venezuela.
To
know more about the Latin musical scene in Venezuela, visit:
Salpique
Latino
¡The
first Latin music site of Venezuela!