TRUE EXCITING CLASSIC SALSA

Luis González
TRUE EXCITING CLASSIC SALSA
I
n the mid 80s, Luis González scored one of the
most inspiring and career transforming gigs,
touring and recording with one of his heroes,
legendary percussionist and bandleader Ray
Barretto (renowned by the masses for his 60s hit
“El Watusi”). The Puerto Rican born, Milwaukee
WI raised trumpeter was flattered when he heard
Barretto tell a large TV audience that members
of his large ensemble would someday become
bandleaders and solo artists in their own right.
A few decades later, after an extraordinary career
working with some of his native island’s greatest
artists (Tito Allen, Santitos Colon, Adalberto
Santiago, Jerry Rivera) and the world-renowned
salsa orchestras of Willie Rosario, Mulenze, Luis
Perico Ortiz and Tommy Olivencia, González
fulfilled Barretto’s powerful prophecy by launching
his career as a recording artist.
At the urging of Rosario, González formed The Luis González
Orchestra, which released its critically acclaimed debut album
Tributo a Un Gigante in 2010. The title was a reference to
Barretto, the chief inspiration behind the approach the trumpeter
took to creating his multi-faceted, high energy, brass intensive
12-piece salsa band. Inviting top Puerto Rican musicians and
vocalists to join him, he mixed New York style and Puerto Rican
style salsa, and as he says, “put it in a big kettle, boiled it together
and created my own style. One of the main things that caught
my attention was the way Ray selected composers, tunes and
arrangers. Once I formed the band, we rehearsed for six months
every Monday for four hours until this hybrid style gelled.”
As explosive as the music was, the excitement generated by
Tributo a Un Gigante was simply a warm-up for the freewheeling
burst of power that drives The Luis González Orchestra’s new
full-length collection El Tsunami de La Salsa - a pumped up
old school salsa autentico project whose title is also González’s
nickname. While fashioning the ensemble’s debut to introduce
his unique style, he and his team of composers, arrangers and
musicians made the new collection more aggressive, with more
complex, multi-faceted, highly danceable arrangements.
“When I’m making an album, I think about the audience first
and what we want to accomplish as musicians second,” says
González. “It occurs to me that dancers, or people that want to
use our music to dance to, are going to buy these recordings. So
we wanted to make it very exciting, with a pounding brass line,
with the mambo coming up strong and that rush of heavy sound
that will get people to come out and dance. The idea is to bring
that true excitement of classic salsa back, not only with a big
brassy sound but also with a mix that allows you to hear every
single instrument and puts the vocals out front. In many ways,
I’m still paying homage to Ray Barretto, creating a master class
for my musicians based on the way he created his sound. We’re
all really having fun!”
Luis González
TRUE EXCITING CLASSIC SALSA
ON STAGE
After years of playing NYC, throughout Puerto Rico and
the U.S. and touring Europe as part of prominent salsa
bands, González has finally stretched his creative muscles as
a prominent bandleader in his own right. Since making its
Stateside debut as part of a competition at South of Congress,
a prominent several day festival in Chicago, the Luis González
Orchestra has performed regularly at many prominent
Puerto Rico based festivals (including ones in Mayaguez and
the Carnaval de Ponce) as well as prominent San Juan hotels
(Marriott, Sheraton) and venues like the Latin Roots Club of
San Juan. In support of El Tsunami de La Salsa, the group
will be touring in 2015 in South America (Columbia), Central
America (Panama), perform in Mexico City and do select dates
on the West Coast.
The ensemble makes a powerful, high-energy presentation (that
González likens to “a big wave”, (i.e. the Tsunami), with three
trumpeters (including González), a trombonist, a complete
Latin rhythm section and three singers. During their shows, half
the people are watching and taking videos, while the other half
are up dancing. “I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had in my
career as a musician,” says González. “We’re bringing smiles to
the people and are a great stress reliever that makes them dance
away their problems for a little while. Hearing that people are
enjoying our performances brings us satisfaction that is more
important to us than any amount of money we earn. We are
proud representatives of Puerto Rico and its wonderful legacy
of salsa music.”
NOTABLE LIVE PERFORMANCES
Chicago International Salsa Congress – Chicago, IL
The Latin Roots - Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Fiestas Patronales - Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Salsa Congress – San Juan, Puerto Rico
South America Tour - (Bogata, Cali, Medellin, Buena Ventura)
Festival Roosevelt - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ponce International Jazz Festival - Ponce, Puerto Rico
Festival del Juey - Maunabo, Puerto Rico
New Year Eve Party - San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris
Casino Condado - Puerto Rico
Additional Tours in Panama, México, Colombia
Luis González
TRUE EXCITING CLASSIC SALSA
MUSIC
With nonstop energy and a wild, constant, high octane swirl of bold,
splashy brass, rich percussion textures, spirited Latin piano romps,
compelling lead and backing vocals, infectious melodies and toetapping grooves, El Tsunami de La Salsa - perfectly embodying its
title – sweeps the listener into a wave of joyous, dancing delight. As the
producer, González, working with top engineer Vinny Urrutia, makes
sure that each instrument receives prominent features throughout.
The ensemble includes vocalists Eric Pabón, Agustin Marrero and
Ricky Ramos – each of whom is given lead vocals interplaying off the
other two, which form a call and response chorus. Another prominent
performer is pianist Pedro Bermudez. González was honored for
El Tsunami de La Salsa by Puerto Rico’s National Foundation for
Popular Culture for best recording of 2010.
In addition to six dazzling, fiery originals (“Esta Como El Colorete,” “Sinceridad,”
“Si Te Preguntan,” “Recuerdos”, “Sonero & Trovadores” and the dramatic, sweeping
nearly seven minute closer “Tsunami Jazz Suite”), the set includes three tracks
covering classic tunes from an era of Salsa music that González considers a true
heyday time. These are the opener “Vamos, Hablame” (originally recorded by
Roberto Roena) “Ella Esta en Otra Rumba” (Justo Betancourt & Su Conjunto
Borincuba) and “Bruca Manigua” (a Cuban son standard by Arsenio Rodriguez,
once also recorded by Buena Vista Social Club).
FROM THE BEGINNING
Born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, González grew up in Milwaukee, WI, where his family
moved when he was an infant. Starting on his multi-faceted musical journey at age
seven, he first played accordion and timbales before he began on trumpet at age nine
and took private lessons from Roy Howards. For many years during high school, he
took classes at the Wisconsin College Conservatory of Music. After a very musical high
school career which included playing all different genres of music in many bands – as
well as the distinction of being the only Hispanic to make the All-City band - González
continued his education and majored at the Conservatory in classical trumpet with a
minor in jazz.
After relocating to San Juan, the New York band Conjunto Clasico – which he had met
during their Puerto Rican tour – asked him to join their band. He quickly moved to
NYC, where he lived and worked for many years, including his sting with Ray Barretto’s
group. Moving back to Puerto Rico permanently in the 90s, González launched his
career as a freelance trumpeter, contributing to recordings and live performances of top
Puerto Rican and Latin artists and bandleaders. Beyond those mentioned earlier, his
resume includes Roberto Rohena, Bobby Valentin, Puerto Rican Power, Nino Segarra
and Celia Cruz. He has also served as musical director for Lalo Rodriguez, Luisito
Carrion, Anthony Cruz, Wichi Camacho, Mel Martinez and Carolina Lao.
Luis González
TRUE EXCITING CLASSIC SALSA
REVIEW
“After playing for a wild array of legendary salsa artists and large
ensembles for so many years, Luis González has drawn from the
greatest of those influences to create a fresh, combustible vibe that
has established him as an innovator and his group, the Luis González
Orchestra, as a formidable new force in salsa music. Beyond being
buoyant, joyous and supremely danceable, the nine tracks on El
Tsunami De La Salsa also illuminate careful attention to every sonic
detail and texture – making this all at once a technical, creative and
commercial triumph. Jazz fans will relish the rich solo textures and
bursts of improvisation. Tech-heads will marvel at the production
and sonic invention. And the rest of us? We’ll be too tired from
dancing to worry about all that! With his mix of classic New York
and Puerto Rican concepts, González lights the way for the bright
future of salsa music.” – Jonathan Widran
BOOKINGS:
PUERTO RICO / USA
Elizabeth Chinea
Tel. (939) 405-1523
[email protected]
PANAMA / SOUTH AMERICA
Enrique J. Torres
Tel. 011 057 67816804
[email protected]
MÉXICO
Alejandro Zuarth
Tel. 011 521 55 5415 1220
[email protected]
EUROPA
Ana Maria Jiménez
Tel. 011 34-925-596549
[email protected]
SINGAPORE/ASIA
Carlos Molina
Tel. 011-65-9826 8025
[email protected]
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVALS
Carmen Hatch
Tel.1 (773) 220-9078
[email protected]
LINKS: (click on icon)