salsa
When Rauw Alejandro performed at the Governors Ball music festival in New York in June, he wore a burnt yellow and beige pinstripe suit with skinny pants, reminiscent of 1970s hipster New York — and previewing what to expect from his next studio album, due out on Sony Music US Latin.
“My dad is from Brooklyn and I have lots of family in New York, and obviously, there’s a lot of Puerto Rican culture there,” Alejandro says, speaking from Rosarito Beach, Mexico, where he headlined the Baja Beach Fest in August. “It’s a little inspired in the ’70s, the Fania All-Stars, all that. It’s a whole character, and I call it a ‘character’ because I see it as an overall concept. Music goes hand in hand with the visuals, the videos, the photos.”
Alejandro, whose six albums have all reached the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, is no stranger to chameleonic shows of artistry. His aesthetic has changed from album to album, notably with 2021’s Vice Versa (which debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200), along with its disco-tinged hit single “Todo de Tí,” plus his most recent album, 2023’s Playa Saturno.
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The upcoming Cosa Nuestra — a title inspired by the genre-defining 1969 Fania All-Stars salsa album by Willie Colón with Héctor Lavoe on vocals — includes the already-released “Touching the Sky” and “Déjame Entrar,” slick blends of funk, disco and R&B. (The latter track is bolstered by a video featuring a cameo by actor Adrien Brody). Producers include Alejandro stalwarts like Mag, Tainy and Mr. NaisGai, as well as veteran salsa producers like Nino Segarra.
Alejandro is approaching his new music with a new agency (UTA) and, instead of new management, is working with “a collective, a family, where we all bring ideas to the table,” he says. The core group consists of veteran manager Jorge “Pepo” Ferradas (who also manages Camilo and Rels B and spent a decade with Shakira), Alejandro’s longtime associate Matías Solari and business manager/attorney José Juan Torres. Ahead of Cosa Nuestra’s late-fall release, Alejandro will perform at the Global Citizen Festival in New York in September and at two arenas in Japan in October as part of Coke STUDIO Live 2024 alongside NewJeans and Rita Ora.
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You spoke about creating a character for this album. Who is he?
I give them nicknames. This is Raúl, Raúl Alejandro, which has more of a telenovela vibe. It’s a bit more like Raúl Alejandro and His Orquestra, which is more serious. My dad’s name is Raúl, so everyone calls me Raulito. I was Raulito on Saturno, a younger character, more active in the street, in the neighborhood. But now I’m Raúl, a more adult guy living in New York and re-creating the era when Puerto Ricans immigrated to the city. My grandmother came in the 1930s, 1940s when there was a big economic depression in Puerto Rico. Many genres — hip-hop, jazz, salsa — came from that time. I love to really study the world I’m going into and try to live it in the present with my touch.
How did you decide on the direction of Cosa Nuestra?
I like to visualize my plans long term. I’ll sit in my house, read a book, smoke a joint with a little cafecito, look at the sky and try to make a mental map of what’s coming up. I don’t like to repeat projects, so planning helps me achieve that. Saturno is an album inspired by the ’90s with more uptempo, electronic music, so don’t expect my next project to be more of the same. Obviously, my essence comes from R&B, and that can fit in any kind of rhythm. It’s not just about the music, but the eras overall.
Your album title is inspired by a classic salsa album. Will there be salsa on yours?
Salsa is not my essence, but it’s something that’s in my blood and in my culture, and it’s something I love. I come from urban music, but I can do other genres. The Colón-Lavoe Cosa Nuestra had the elegance and the musicality and the instruments, which you will hear on this album. It’s the first time I use my band and live music on almost an entire project. I usually write with my keyboard and my computer, but on this project I’m going to the roots.
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You had a hit with “Santa” alongside Jamaican producer Rvssian and Nigerian singer Ayra Starr. Are you planning any Afrobeats or African-inspired music on this album?
Afro is mixed in everything because for me, African music is the mothership. We inherited so much African music in Puerto Rico; our cultural mix is so rich and flavorful, and African music is in our blood. I’ve worked a lot with Rvssian, he’s a good friend, and all our collabs are Afrobeats and dancehall mixed with reggaetón. But everything comes from Africa. I’d love to tour Africa.
Dance has been front and center in the music videos for this album’s singles. What inspired that?
I’ve been studying my ancestors and all the richness of Puerto Rico, so there’s a lot of typical dance and dance that the world may not know. I’ve already used those elements, but I haven’t explained them. Those movements are inspired by something cultural … They’re inspired in salsa, in bomba, in plena, in dances from my island, obviously mixed with jazz, contemporary dance and hip-hop. It’s another aspect of my career.
This story appears in the Aug. 24, 2024, issue of Billboard.
South Florida radio personality Albertico Rodríguez was cleaning out his closet last year when he found something unexpected: an audio reel recording of Celia Cruz, from a live show at the now defunct Casanova Club in Miami in 1986 or 1987.
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Rodríguez, who emceed many shows in which the legendary Cruz performed, had recorded this particular performance, put it away and forgotten about it. Now, almost 21 years after Cruz’s death, he had an unexpected treasure in his hands: a previously unknown recording of Celia Cruz, an extremely rare commodity in 2024.
Rodríguez immediately took it to Omer Pardillo Cid, the executor and trustee of Cruz’s estate, and Nelson Albareda, the CEO of Loud and Live (and Billboard‘s Latin executive of the year in 2023), which represents the Celia Cruz estate. Albareda purchased a machine to digitize the reel recording, and then, the three men sat down to listen.
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“I didn’t cry, but I was clearly excited,” says Albareda, who worked with Cruz as a young assistant when he started in the music business over three decades ago. “Not only was the recording quality great, but it had hits like ‘Quimbara.’” Albareda set to work, restoring and remastering the music, a process that took nearly a year to complete.
Now, on May 24, that recording will see the light of day as an album titled En Vivo: 100 Años de Azúcar, to be released in digital format, as a standard vinyl and as a limited edition collector’s box set that will also include a coffee table book and exclusive photographs of Cruz. The nine-track album will feature “Químbara,” a signature Cruz song, as the lead single.
Celia Cruz
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More importantly, the album will be only the second live recording of the legendary artist released since her death, and it will also mark the beginning of the celebration of the centennial of her birth, which will continue through 2025. As part of the celebration, Cruz’s face will be depicted on a U.S. quarter in August, according to the United States Mint, as part of the American Women Quarters Program.
When Cruz, known as the “Queen of Salsa,” died of cancer at 77 years old in July 16, 2003, she was already an undisputed icon — not only one of the most impactful artists in the history of Latin music, but perhaps the most revered Afro Latina artist of all time. Since her death, Cruz’s legacy has been carefully preserved by Pardillo Cid, her longtime manager, whom she appointed the executor of her estate before her death.
“One of the greatest treasures of my life was to spend so many years next to Celia as her manager, and most important, as her friend,” says Pardillo Cid today. “When she died, I made it a mission to defend the legacy of this unique woman for the rest of my life so her brilliant work wouldn’t be forgotten. This project, the first to commemorate her centennial is another example of Celia’s immortality.”
Beyond it being a rare recording, 100 Años de Azúcar is unique in that it captured Cruz performing at a relatively small venue –- for some 1,000 people — and it captures her interacting with her fans up close and personal.
“Her jokes, her spontaneity is something we don’t usually see in her live recordings,” says Pardillo Cid. “Here, we see the essence of Celia. Plus, there are no other original Celia recordings. Fans are going to hear something different, and that’s why we thought it would be perfect for the centennial.”
100 Años de Azúcar will be released by Loud and Live Studios and distributed by indie distributor InnerCat. The decision to keep things in-house, says Albareda, was very deliberate.
“We felt the project needed white glove treatment and we felt we had the passion to market it that way,” he says, noting that InnerCat also shared their passion for all things Celia. The details abound. The cover of the limited edition box set, for example, features an illustration of Cruz where her Afro hairdo was created from pieces of one of her dresses.
While the actual album will release May 24, Sirius XM’s Caliente channel will exclusively premiere the music beginning Friday May 17. The actual release will be accompanied by a big social and media push that will include Pardillo Cid embarking on a “big publicity tour” and a push on all DSPs.
“This is a passion project, but we do believe it will be economically viable and it will keep Celia’s legacy alive,” says Albareda. “The recording truly conveys and reminds us of the raw energy and power that Celia had on stage. Through this release, we seek to continue to celebrate the power, global influence, and legacy of Celia, and the impact she made through her live performances all throughout the world.”
It’s hard to believe that Sheila E. had not released a salsa album until only a couple weeks ago. As the daughter of American percussionist Pete Escovedo, the “Queen of Percussion” grew up surrounded by Latin music royalty — including the “King of the Timbales” Tito Puente, who was her godfather, and the “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz — before becoming a star in her own right.
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“Everyone thinks I’ve done a salsa record already, but I have not,” she says on a Zoom call from her home in Los Angeles about Bailar (released April 5 under Stiletto Music), for which she recruited Latin legends such as Gloria Estefan, Rubén Blades and Gilberto Santa Rosa. Her famous dad plays in one song, also featuring José Alberto “El Canario”, and its stunning big band orchestration and arrangements are a testament to her love for the genre.
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“I mean, I grew up listening to that music and it’s just so inspiring,” explains the Oakland-born singer and percussionist of Mexican and French Creole ancestry, who has performed, recorded, and toured with renowned artists from a multitude of musical styles — from her close friend and collaborator Prince, to Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and more. “And then when I really got into listening to Fania All Stars and all the other groups that were part of that,” she continues, “I was just in love.”
Sheila E. started playing drums at the age of 5 — although she admits she doesn’t fully remember that — and made her professional debut at 15, playing the congas for her father’s Latin-rock-funk band Azteca. Active in the industry ever since, this year she also appeared in the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night In Pop, about the historic night in January of 1985 when many of the biggest stars in music gathered to record “We Are the World.” “That was one of the biggest nights in my career,” she recalls.
During the interview, the artist spoke endearingly about her role models, the new generation of female percussionists, the simple joys in life, and what she misses most about Prince.
1. Congratulations on Bailar, your first salsa album. What took you so long!?
I don’t know! [Laughs.] Everyone thinks I’ve done a salsa record already, but I have not. But you know, it was on my bucket list a while ago. When I started thinking about doing it, it was 2015 and it took me this long to really get it together … I’m really excited. I grew up listening to salsa music, it’s so important to me, and I thought, “Man, this is the time to do it! Why haven’t I done this yet?”
2. Many of the songs have a very classical salsa sound. Where did you find the inspiration?
Listening to my dad rehearsing when I was younger at the house every day, he would practice to vinyl and he would play Latin jazz music, but he also listened to Tito [Puente], to Mongo [Santamaría], Celia [Cruz], Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rodríguez, Fania All Stars. You know, so many people. Ray Barreto. I mean, I grew up listening to that music and it’s just so inspiring. And then when I really got into listening to Fania All Stars and all the other groups that were part of that, the whole scene back then, I was just in love.
3. You dad actually plays in your album on the song “Descarga,” also featuring José Alberto “El Canario.” How was this experience for you?
It was so much fun! When I told him, “Daddy” — oh, I call him Papi some times — “Papi, I want you to play in one of the songs on the record and we’re gonna write it especially for you,” he’s like, “You better ask me to play on this record!”
So he came to my studio, and we recorded him here, and then something happened to the track, which is crazy, so my brother had to record him while I was out of town. They recorded him in the Bay Area, at another friend’s studio, so we finally got it. But it was just awesome to have him playing on the record […] He was really excited. And my mom also played guiro on the same song.
4. What’s your first salsa memory? Do you remember any particular song or artist that captivated you?
My dad was 18 when he met Tito, and Tito would come San Francisco, to the Bay Area, to play, and they would go see him play. Later on, after I was born, [when I was] a little bit older, meeting Tito and see them play, I mean, it was just amazing. [Later] my dad and I went to New York to see Tito play at the Palladium and the Corso, all these clubs that, you know, there are like four different bands playing. We didn’t have something like that in the Bay Area! And when you’d go to New York you’d hear these 10, 15-piece bands, playing multiple clubs in one night till 5 in the morning — you just go, “What is this?!” … I was about 15.
5. What’s the biggest lesson you learned from your dad?
My dad has taught me to be on time and learn your craft, learn your music, practice. If there’s a situation where you’re going to perform live or in the studio, if you have the music ahead of time to learn it, understand it — so when you walk into the room you’re gonna feel good about yourself, which gives you confidence, and it helps you to enjoy what your craft is, what your gift is. Preparation means everything … And to treat others respectfully. I just watched him respect his musicians, and how he was a leader and treated his musicians as family. That’s what I’ve done my whole life.
6. You were actually very close to Prince and you played with him for years. What do you miss the most about him?
HIM! [Laughs.] Which encompasses a lot. The times that we had. And being in the studio, just hanging out, playing music, making up music, you know, writing, jamming, parties, playing for parties. Just having fun. And competing against each other! Teaching each other, sharing new music. Just everything about him.
7. You were also Tito Puente’s goddaughter. How do you remember him?
He was hilarious! He was so much fun, he was always a jokester. If you didn’t know him, you thought he was stern, but he would do that on purpose, just messing with people. […] Some of the funnest times where when he and Celia [Cruz] where together and they make each other laugh. He picked on her all the time, and they were just funny together, like brother and sister, fighting all the time.
8. Any particular anecdote with him?
I just remember when we were going to New York and my dad and I would go to sit with him, […] we never saw any other young girls playing at the time. It was different for me as a woman, to sit with these guys [in the band], and he would always tell them, “Just leave her alone, she’s gonna play what she’s gonna play.” You know, even if I didn’t understand the music completely, he understood what my heart felt about the music, because I didn’t read [music]. And then he would tell me, “Don’t listen to those guys, they don’t know what they’re talking about. You just go play and you just be you.”
9. As a young Latina musician, who did you look up to growing up?
Basically my dad, and my mom. My parents were just — and still are — amazing. Actually, right when I just got on [this Zoom call], they just knocked on the door and came to my house, so I get to see them often, I talk to them constantly, they’re always with me. They were my role models and my inspiration, and still are. You know, for them to still be alive and doing well and healthy, still in love with each other and married — they’re going on 68 years in October — it’s a big deal! They mean everything to me.
10. What’s your first memory playing drums?
Well, the first time I played with my dad I was 5 years old. I remember the process of getting dressed at my grandmother’s house, dressing up really pretty, and then I remember waking the stairs [to the club] and hearing my dad’s band — he was playing with his brothers. This is in Oakland and I can hear the music. We got to the door, he saw my mom and he said, “I wanna introduce my wife and my daughter Sheila. She’s gonna come up and play.” So we walked to the stage, and I remember all the audience partying and clapping. I remember literally just my dad picking me up on the stage and standing me on a stool to play the congas. I just remember everything up to that point. He said that I played well, but I don’t remember.
11. Do you play every day nowadays?
No. When I was living at home [with my parents], in my teenage years, I was playing a lot. But no. I mean, I have drums in my home and my studio, and when someone comes over and I have to record, a lot of times I don’t touch my instrument until I get on stage.
12. What do you like doing besides music? What do you enjoy?
Oh, I enjoy life! I love being outside and nature. Walking, bike riding. I used to skate all the time, playing basketball outside, swimming. I love sports, I love going to the basketball games, professional, NBA, WNBA, football. Anything having to do with sports! I love playing ping-pong, pool. My whole family, we’re all into sports, and we love competing against each other. And I love going to other countries and learning about the food and the community.
13. What was the last country that you visited?
Spain. I was in Gaucin, Spain.
14. Favorite food?
It’s simple. I love making fresh juices in the morning, green drinks to start my morning with something really good. Later on in the day my food changes and I want potato chips and popcorn. It’s a balance. But I love Japanese food and I love all kinds of food! I really do.
15. Do you like cooking?
I do — I love grilling outside. Sometimes, even if it’s cold and it’s raining, I’ll still go outside and grill. I make amazing steaks, fish. I [also] make great gumbo.
16. Any young female musician you admire and are rooting for?
Oh my Gosh, there’s so many it would be unfair for me just to mention a few. What I do, when I have a couple of minutes, I’ll go on social media and I’ll look to see — you know, because of the algorithms it will tend to steer you away to find other people. So I’m always trying to encourage young women playing not just drums, but any instrument. I just reached out to another young girl last night and she D.M. me this morning and she was just like, blown away. “Oh my God, you have no idea,” she said. “I started playing percussion and drums because of you. I started at 9 years old and you are my idol.” And I just love hearing that. “Thank you for your gift,” it’s what I said to her. But there’s so many.
17. What does it feel like to be called the Queen of Percussion?
There are so many amazing queens playing percussion right now that I have seen that can outplay me for sure, and I can’t wait for them to be discovered, because they’re so amazing. So it’s a blessing and I’m humbled by it, but there are so many others that can play as well and should be called Queen of Percussion.
18. If you weren’t a drummer, what would you would be?
I would be an athlete! I was training to be in the Olympics when I was younger in school. I did track and field, I was a sprint runner, I was very fast. And I also played soccer for 5 years.
19. I saw you recently in the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop. What did you think about it?
I thought it was really good. I mean, I didn’t know who was going to be in it, they just said, “We want to do an interview,” and I was like, “Sure!” After I left later at 4:00 in the morning [the night of the recording of “We Are The World” in 1985,] I didn’t know what transpired after, so it was nice to see. And it brought back wonderful memories of what I had accomplished that night [when I also played at the American Music Awards right before]. That was one of the biggest nights in my career.
20. If there was a movie about your life, who should play you?
There are women that have come out to me to say, “I’m gonna play you if you ever do a movie.” [Laughs.] [Actress] Nicole Parker, she was one a long time ago […] and I was like, “Absolutely!” And Nicole Scherzinger, from the Pussy Cat Dolls, we talked to her a long time ago. She’s amazing, and she’s like, “I would love to do it.” And I said, “Well, I will have to teach you some timbales!” And then early on, when we were thinking of doing something, my nieces played percussion and they of course look related to me, so that was a good find for playing me when they were younger.
It’s been 60 years since Dominican bandleader Johnny Pacheco co-founded Fania Records with attorney Jerry Masucci. To commemorate the legacy of the Latin label that brought us legends like Willie Colón, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Héctor Lavoe, Ray Barretto, Rubén Blades, and Pacheco himself, Craft Latino announced on Tuesday (April 16) a year-long celebration with special releases, merchandise and events.
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The Latin repertoire arm of Craft Recordings, the catalog label team for Concord, Craft Latino will put out over a dozen remastered 180-gram vinyl reissues throughout the year, as well as remastered digital albums, a singles box set and curated playlists. It will also host artist spotlights and live events in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami and London.
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A newly remastered reissue for Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe’s 1970 salsa album La Gran Fuga (The Big Break) is already available. Other vinyl reissues coming in 2024 include Joe Cuba Sextet’s long-out-of-print debut album on Tico Records, Vagabundeando! Hangin’ Out (60th-anniversary edition), and the Fania All-Stars 50th-anniversary edition of the Latin-Soul-Rock album, with live recordings from the band’s 1973 concerts at New York’s Yankee Stadium and Puerto Rico’s Roberto Clemente Coliseum with guest artists Jorge Santana, Manu Dibango, Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer and more.
A Fania singles box set, Fania 45s: the Latin Sound of New York, is planned for the fall, with songs by Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Joe Bataan, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Ray Barretto, Ismael Rivera, Pete Rodriguez and Eddie Palmieri. The box will include archival images, ephemera and in-depth liner notes in English and Spanish by New York–based music historian, author and producer Aurora Flores.
“Craft Latino takes pride in being good stewards of this iconic catalog that is a true American story of greatness. Keeping this element of Latin culture alive in the US and abroad is a mission we don’t take lightly as evidenced in the release of the highly curated Salsa repertoire for the 60th anniversary”, Bruce McIntosh, VP of Latin Catalog, Craft Recordings, tells Billboard. “Via our online and consumer-facing initiatives throughout this special year, we are sure that Fania fans old and new will be captivated by the rhythm and significance of this great music.”
Founded in 1964, Fania Records became a powerhouse label with a signature sound: the apex of tropical music, combined with big band jazz and American R&B, jazz, funk and soul. In 1967, Masucci bought Pacheco’s share of the label, including its subsidiary labels. When Masucci passed in 1997, the label assets remained tied up for years, and in 2005, it was sold to V2 Records and Emusica. In 2018, Fania Records’ assets were sold to Concord, including 1.2K album masters, 15K songs and 7K compositions.
Home to one of the largest collections of Latin music master recordings and compositions, Craft Latino’s repertoire includes artists such as Antonio Aguilar, Joan Sebastian, Pepe Aguilar, Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colón, Ray Barretto, La Lupe, Rubén Blades and the Fania All Stars.
Santiago de Cali or simply Cali — the third-most populous city in Colombia after Bogotá and Medellín — is known as “La capital mundial de la salsa” (the salsa capital of the world) given the city’s love for the genre and more so, it’s talented artists. Among them is Grupo Niche, which was formed in Bogotá, but settled in Cali in 1982.
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Known for classic salsa tunes such as “Una Aventura,” “Gotas de Lluvia” and “Mi Pueblo,” Niche was founded 44 years ago by the late Jairo Varela. One the group’s most notable songs, however, is “Cali Pachanguero,” one that resonates with proud Colombians everywhere and is a must-play at any Latin party.
In celebration of the latter track’s 40th anniversary, the Latin Grammy-winning ensemble is on the road with its Pachanguero Tour, which has already made stops in Australia, Los Angeles, Panama, Peru and Miami.
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“It’s the new performance by Grupo Niche, with a new proposal and a new show on stage,” vocalist Alejandro Iñigo tells Billboard. “We’re going to perform at a jazz festival in New Orleans and we’re doing the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico, where we will take the legacy of the group to a new audience and a different market. The tour is full of surprises and big things.”
Niche, along with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, won the 2023 Latin Grammy for best salsa album with Niche Sinfónico. Now, the group is working on a new album that fans will love, according to vocalist Alex Torres.
“It will be a wonderful album that will surely reach a bigger audience,” he notes. “It will be with new songs and very modern, conserving the parameters and musical concept of the group.”
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Below, group members break down how “Cali Pachanguero” was created.
The Song’s Backstory
“This is a song that was composed by the maestro Jairo Varela,” José Aguirre, musical director and trumpet player of Niche says. “He composed it in a hotel in New York after talking to a friend at the time who felt an absence and lots of nostalgia [being away] from Cali. Talking to him, he got inspired to create this song. After that came the recording stage.”
The Lyrics & the Sound
The lyrics in “Cali Pachanguero” describe the city of Cali, Colombia — with its bustling carnivals, lively atmosphere and beautiful people — narrated by someone who’s far away and yearns to go back home.
“The rhythm, which had a very big boom in the ’70s in salsa and in the world, is a rhythm called ‘pachanga,’ and for that reason he titled the song ‘Cali Pachanguero,’” Aguirre explains. “It’s a very commercial melody that’s under the roof of the rhythms that make up salsa music. It was recorded in 1984 and not only was it an immediate success at the Cali fair, but also a success throughout Colombia, and abroad with such great force that today has become an icon of Latin music.”
The Song’s Impact
Aguirre continues: “This song was already born big. It came out at a very important time for Grupo Niche. Just by the success it had at the fair that year [1984], it began to move masses. It’s a work that has been gaining popularity. In fact, at the beginning of those years, the song was only played in Cali because it was from that city. But today, the song has to be played everywhere. It’s a must-play song [at our concert]. Everywhere [in the world], people assume it as their own.”
Its Legacy
“Maestro Jairo Varela left very strong foundations with his determination and discipline,” vocalist Luis Araque notes. “He’s always worked with that order of ideas. Respecting the music, respecting his concept and respecting what he’s done, I think everything with the group has gone very well. All of us in the group know that we have to arrive early, that we cannot get drunk, that we have to give a status to that discipline.”
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