Latin Beat Music Update

With less than 100 days left in 1999, we look back at the year as the year of the Latinos. The only question I ask myself is why all the hype about crossover.

Ricky Martin is doing the same thing he's done for years but only with English lyrics, while Jennifer López's CD is not a crossover but a debut. No one is calling Cristina Aguilera a crossover because she hasn't done salsa or merengue. India, Marc Anthony, George Lamond and Brenda K. Starr are crossovers from dance music. So far, only Marc has crossed back to pop music with a few Latin tinges. Let's hope that all this new Latin awareness also benefits the tropical artists who record salsa and merengue.

Tropical music could reach additional regions of the world through new formats - internet, satellite radio and cable radio. La Musica.com, founded by Little Judy Faber, was the first to develop a website and now there's a new one forming every day. La Musica.com. has gone to a new level developing websites for labels, individual artists, and most recently the SBS radio network that includes Mega 97.9 FM in New York.

Cable TV radio is gradually growing but the new satellite set-up scheduled for the end of this year will be big in the year 2000. Satellite opens up the world to our music. Let's see how things span out in the next few months.

Alfredo Naranjo is a veteran Venezuelan vibe player who has been involved with jazz throughout his career now brings us Vibraciones De MI Tierra with guest artists Arturo Sandoval and Ed Calle.

Inner Voyage is piano virtuoso Gonzalo Rubalcaba's new CD that includes Ignacio Berroa and Jeff Chambers with special guest Michael Brecker.

The Habana Ensemble includes former members of Irakere and Chucho Valdés' fusion band with a CD titled A Tribute To Pérez Prado. The band is a young hip outfit with a great future ahead of them.

Los Zafiros are five vocalists from Cayo Hueso who formed a unique band that combined doo-wop, R&B, rumba and bolero in 1963. Many albums later, they present their acclaimed Bossa Cubana. If you enjoy vocal harmonies, this one is for you.

One of the best things I love about rock en español is the use of folkloric and Latin tinges. The rock/ rap group Control Machete has gone one better by inviting members of Buenavista Social Club, with Rubén González on piano, to perform Danzón. Very interesting and hip.

Jimmy Bosch, one of salsa's hottest trombonists, is back with his CD Salsa Dura, with guests Chucho Valdés, Steve Turré and David Sánchez. The CD has salsa, Latin jazz, plena and traditional boleros. It is a well rounded excellent release.

The artists who continue to do well because of their constant touring are Los Van Van, the Chucho Valdés Quintet, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Oscar D'León, Tito Nieves, Elvis Crespo, ¡Cubanismo! and Cheo Feliciano.

Bamboleo has established itself as the leading band of the timba sound, an erotic fusion of jazz, Cuban rhythms and funk. Their new CD, Ya No Hace Falta, will be on D J's turn tables well into the year 2000, with the tunes La Tremenda, Se Le Fue La Mano, El Pillo, Lo Que Quiero Es Bamboleo and the title track. Their "Baila Timba" tour has been on the money as illustrated by their sold-out appearances at S.O.B.'s in New York, the Conga Room in L.A., Yoshi's in Oakland and the Hot Tin Roof in Martha's Vineyard.

Popular merengue vocalist Rubby Perez, former Wilfredo Vargas vocalist with the high pitched voice, is now the exclusive artist of Los Toros Band Records. His CD Vuelve El Merengue includes some of his previous hits with new arrangements, such as the Vargas hit Volveré, now a bachata. DLG and Jorge Luis have both recorded Volveré as a salsa version.

For over 30 years Venezuela has had a musical phenomenon known as Guaco, a group that has recorded over 25 albums. The band began a U.S. tour and have a highly anticipated CD that is long overdue.

Kudos in Chicago to dance instructor Lisa "La Boricua," who teaches at her own studio -(312)-42-Salsa- and can also be found at The Note on Thursday nights, Friday's at the River West Brewery, and on Sundays at the Liquid Night Club. Lisa's instructors also include Enrique, Chris, Lucy, Evelyn, Linta, Traci and Tina. Check out Latin Street Dancing, Inc. whenever you visit Chicago.

Hot salsero Victor Manuelle has a new CD, Inconfundible produced by Ramón Sánchez, with two songs by Sergio George. The songs included on the CD are Sí Es Por Tí, Sí La Vés, Como Duele, Pero Dile, Cómo Quisiera Decirte, (popularized by Los Angeles Negros), Al Igual Que Ayer, Cuando Tu Amor Se Acaba and Bella Sin Alma. Expect this CD to do as well as his previous releases.

Los Van Van have been on tour throughout the states in support of their new CD Llegó Van Van. Their New York performance at the Manhattan Center Ballroom was scheduled for October 1, with special guest Barbarito Torres.

On November of 1988, the jazz world lost one of its most vibrant pianist/composers, Kenny Kirkland. His 1991 self-titled CD as a leader includes a smoking Latin version of Thelonious Monk's Criss Cross with Jerry González on congas.