DAVID CALZADO Y LA CHARANGA HABANERA Biography

DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
DAVID CALZADO Y LA CHARANGA HABANERA
Biography
Sergio David Calzado was born in Havana, in 1959 and began studying classic violin when he was eleven years old. Music
was already rooted in his family environment since he is Sergio Calzado`s son, the prominent singer who is well-known for
his performance with the "Fajardo y sus Estrellas" group. David Calzado studied this instrument at the National School of Art
in Cuba for nine years.
He started his professional life as member of the Pancho "El Bravo" orchestra while acting as musical producer of important
soloists in the country.
From 1981 to 1987 he formed part of the violin section in the Ritmo Oriental Orchestra where he made his debut as arranger
of pieces that became very popular during that decade. His work in this important orchestra was decisive for his professional
development.
La Charanga Habanera was created in 1988 when a group of ten young graduates from the most important Cuban schools
of music, David Calzado among them, decided to set in motion the initiative of a French businessman, Bernard Lion, to
create an orchestra using the typical format of the charanga and perform the Cuban traditional music, especially that of the
1940`s and 1950`s. Once the group was created, they signed a contract with the Sporting Club of Monaco, in Montecarlo, to
make quarterly presentations for a five-year period.
At the beginning, the orchestra was led by Gerardo Aguillón and then by José Picallo. During its first stage, the genre
repertoire of La Charanga included the mambo, danzón, bolero, guaracha, cha cha chá and instrumental pieces from the
international repertoire. In Monaco, the orchestra shared the stage with artists of the stature of Whitney Houston and Lola
Flores, Frank Sinatra and Tina Turner.
At that time, young David Calzado was performing at the Tropicana Orchestra in Cuba as First Violin while working with La
Charanga Habanera and as arranger and recording producer.
Initially, the Orchestra only met to rehearse during summer and during its performances in Montecarlo until 1990 when they
decide to consolidate and stabilize their work as a formally constituted orchestra. It was then when David Calzado became
the head of the orchestra. It was also the transition time from the traditional music to the dancing popular music. The
orchestra"s first presentations were at the Charanga Festival and in "La Tropical", the most popular dancing hall in Cuba.
At that time, the orchestra was made up by three violins, cello, flute, saxophone, piano, bass, trumpet, viola, pailas and
congas. In December 1992, they decide to start again but from a widely-renovated Charanga Habanera whose members
wanted to become the Cuban dancers` favorite orchestra. Then, David Calzado devised a new format by eliminating one of
the violins and the cello and introducing the keyboard, bongos and another trumpet thus producing a much more modern
sound and transforming the performing style. That same year they performed at the Boulevard de los Sueños in Viña del
Mar, Chile.
Back in Cuba, the orchestra regularly performed at the Caribe Cabaret in the Habana Libre Hotel as guests of Santiago
Alvarez, the famous choreographer and art director. In 1993, they traveled to Europe to participate in the Helsinki, Tenerife
and Las Palmas carnivals.
In 1994, the orchestra launched its new sonority with "Me sube la fiebre" record (EGREM label) which includes songs from
important composers as, for example, "Me sube la fiebre" by Giraldo Piloto; "Extraños ateos" by Leonel Limonta; "El pregón
del chocolate" by Isaac Delgado; "Te la voy a liquidar" and "Para el llanto" by Manolín, the "Médico de la Salsa", among
others. Virtually all its songs became hits: "Me sube la fiebre" reached the first places according to audience surveys made
in 24 radio stations throughout the country. This record engendered a passion for the Timba in Cuba and La Charanga
Habanera consecrated itself in the most important scenarios of this genre.
In 1995, few months after the launching of its first record on the market, the Spanish Magic Music label launched the CD
"Hey you, loca" which meant the world recognition of the orchestra and its timba style. They tour across Europe and
performed at the most outstanding festivals in that continent sharing the stage with artists like Tito Puente. In Cuba,
thousands of followers of the new "charanguero" concept crowded the places where they performed. Songs like "Quítate el
disfraz", "Mi Estrella" and "Hey you, loca" itself became such hits that the album was granted the "Best Dancing Record in
Cuba" award that same year.
In 1996, they made an extensive tour across Europe which included Spain, France (the orchestra became the sensation of
the New Morning in Paris), Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden with the purpose
of launching a new phonogram entitled "Pa`que se entere La Habana" which was recorded in Costa Rica. Once again,
songs like "Nube pasajera", "La superturística" and "Yuya la Charanguera" reached the top places.
In 1997, the compact disc entitled "Tremendo Delirio" was launched and La Charanga hit the headlines again with "No
estamos locos", "Un disparo en la mirada", "Lola, Lola" and "Hagamos un Chen". According to both dancers and critics this
record was one of the best in that genre in Cuba as well as a challenge to Latin musical creation since it combines the socalled "hard salsa" with the eroticism, sensuality and energy exuded by the members of La Charanga Habanera.
In 1998, the orchestra was crowned again with an international hit during its presentation in MIDEM, the "Cuban Night" held
at the Great Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes where they ravaged the audience and confirmed once more
that La Charanga Habanera constituted the most ingenious Cuban music proposal of that time.
In Cuba, the audience followed La Charanga en masse to crowded places like El Palacio de la Salsa (The Salsa Palace), La
Cecilia and the Salón Rosado in La Tropical, the salsa centers or the Mella Theater and the Ramón Font Sport Hall.
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
During this stage, although the group preserved its name, it was no longer holding the charanga format, since it eliminated
the flute and the violins. The pailas with bass drum and cymbal were added and the brass section was finally made up by
three trumpets and one saxophone, thus creating a sort of symbiosis between the son, the typical charanga and jazz-band.
Under the leadership of David Calzado and with the incorporation of young talents, La Charanga Habanera soon managed
to place itself in the most impenetrable and competitive market of the salsa world in the 1990`s: Cuba. During these years,
many groups mushroomed and penetrated the popular preference, but La Charanga revolutionized the Cuban music and
became the main target of both the media and the public.
Their success lied on the fact that this orchestra constituted a new proposal which combined the broad potentialities of its
members "singers and instrumentalists alike- with a well-structured choreography executed by all musicians who display
versatility and expressiveness on stage thus breaking every predetermined canon of this kind of orchestra.
On the other hand, David Calzado "strategist by nature and with a sharp instinct to attain success- has wisely selected the
themes with very good nose: the orchestra"s repertoire has an explicit philosophical-popular sense and the daily life
becomes his great theme. Likewise, David Calzado has engaged in the selection of the wardrobe and the scenic
architecture, thus becoming a very special director. Other characteristic elements of La Charanga include the use of the
African harpsichord which adds a greater freedom of performance and accelerated polyrhythmic marked by the bass and the
keyboard in what is known as contratumbao, as well as the introduction of rap, funk and hip-hop elements.
Besides, it is worthwhile mentioning the role played by the singers in the success of this orchestra. Since its inception, the
orchestra has had important vocalists, namely, Luis Alberto Leyva, Mario Jiménez "Sombrilla", Leo Vera, Michel Maza and
Danny Lozada, some of whom have had later on a successful career as soloists or leaders in other groups. That is why La
Charanga Habanera is also considered as a school of music and an orchestra-producing orchestra.
The orchestra is advancing rapidly in its career with records like "El Charanguero Mayor", edited in the year 2000 and "Chan
Chan Charanga" (2001), and is once again at the top of popularity. In the year 2003, a new record-breaking event took place
with the launching of "Soy cubano, soy popular" on the market and one of its themes, "El Boni está", became a true hit and
its video clip the dancers` favorite one.
Themes originally performed by La Charanga have been included in the repertoire of prominent international artists like the
Spanish group Ketama, Omar Hernández, Yanko and the Puerto Rican singer Danny Rojo, among others.
David Calzado`s show-orchestra has received the Cubadisco Awards, Lucas Awards and has been nominated for the Latin
Grammy; it has also made countless international tours and has received many acknowledgements both in Cuba and
abroad. Today, this orchestra is still the favorite of the overwhelming majority of the audience for its always young image
and its talented instrumentalists and singers and for its dynamic sound closely associated with the most aggressive timba
born of the authentic spirit of the 1990`s. La Charanga Habanera is an indispensable orchestra that has to be taken into
consideration whenever we speak of the history of dancing popular music in Cuba.
Discography
1993 Cuba
1994 Hey you Loca!
1996 Pa que se entere la habana
1997 Me sube la Fiebre
1997 Grandes Exitos Vol. 1
1997 Tremendo Delirio
2000 El Charanguero Mayor
2000 Live in the USA (GRAMMY WINNER)
2001 Chan Chan Charanga
2003 Soy Cubano Soy Popular
2004 Charanga Light
2005 El Ciclon de la Habana
2006 Grandes Exitos Vol. 2
2007 El Rey de los Charangueros
2008 No Mires la Caratula
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
FEW CD COVERS
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
Press reviews
Hopped-Up Modern Salsa From Havana
By JON PARELES, New York Times, January 10, 2010
An audience packed with cheering Cubans greeted David Calzado and his Charanga
Habanera at S.O.B.’s on Friday night, in a rare and welcome American appearance by one
of Cuba’s top bands — signaling, perhaps, an Obama administration thaw in CubanAmerican relations. Formed in 1988 and persisting through multiple personnel changes,
Charanga Habanera has made hits in Cuba through the 1990s and 2000s, and its set raced
through them in an exultant, nearly nonstop two-hour medley. In songs like “Soy Cubano,
Soy Popular” (“I Am Cuban, I Am Popular”), the band sang of its own fame and success,
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
and the crowd proved it by shouting along, verse and chorus.
Charanga Habanera isn’t a charanga group, the traditional Cuban ensemble with violins
and flute. Since the early 1990s it has played timba, the hopped-up modern salsa that
developed through constant performing on Havana’s club circuit. Timba uses every bit of
the Afro-Cuban propulsion of mambo, rumba and guaguancó, with voices and trumpets
jabbing back and forth. Often it pushes the salsa rhythms even harder with choppy, stopstart bass lines that give the rest of the band something to hurdle. Timba lyrics also hint
at the everyday struggles of Cubans.
Charanga Habanera deploys five lead vocalists, not including Mr. Calzado, who sometimes
stepped forward to sing a few hoarse lines or play M.C.; otherwise he stayed busy
directing the band. The singers united in robust harmonies and traded off lead vocals:
crooning romantic entreaties, brightly declaiming the band’s self-praise and, now and
then, rapping. They danced too, in synchronized bump and grind and a few routines —
like one that had them tossing hats to one another — that suggested boy-band
choreography, if a boy band were replaced by pumped-up, grown-up Cubans.
For brief stretches Charanga Habanera showed it had heard hip-hop, at one point toying
with the low bass line and high synthesizer swoop of gangsta rap. And it has certainly
borrowed the self-congratulatory posturing of hip-hop videos. But instead of hip-hop’s
programmed music, Charanga Habanera has live muscle, and it only teased at funk or hiphop before returning to kinetic Caribbean rhythms.
Dipping into hip-hop isn’t the only way that Charanga Habanera glances toward the
United States. At the center of its set on Friday night was “Gozando en la Habana”
(“Having Fun in Havana” - click here for full lyrics in Spanish), a hit from Charanga
Habanera’s latest album, “No Mires la Carátula” (“Don’t Look at the Cover,” Planet
Records). The song — highly unusual in Cuba — openly addresses expatriates. It’s about a
girlfriend who emigrated from Havana to Miami, where “they say she has money, the car
that she dreamed of/ But she doesn’t find in Miami what she left behind in Havana,” and
she’s “crying in Miami,” while he’s having fun in Havana. The singalongs were nearly as
loud as the band.
Timba Geek
The London Connection to Cuba…
Dec 8th, 2009 | By admin |
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera return to the US to perform two concerts in
Miami. The most acclaimed Cuban band of this moment will perform only two concerts
in the US.
David Calzado and Charanga Habanera have been top of the charts in Cuban salsa
and timba since 1992 when David Calzado, the group’s director, began a new band
format: piano, keyboard, pailas, congas, 2 violins, 2 trumpets, altosax, flute y two
singers, to do a more modern sound that today is called timba.
They are known for their unique performance and the way they make a perfect
synenergy between salsa/timba and the contemporary musical development.
Charanga Habanera will be presenting their newest album “No Mires la Caratula” to the
US audience.
The Obama administration after loose some travel restrictions for Cuban Americans this
past spring, now grant permission to U.S. music promoters to bring Cuban artists
stateside & the coming appearance of Charanga Habanera is one of many their way.
CUBANOW
Charanga Habanera Cuban orchestra and its fifteen years of fame
01 / 03 / 2010
The Cuban orchestra has been in the people’s preference for 15 years. “Charanga Habanera emerged in
1988, when young, talented Cuban musicians graduated from Cuban school arts got together to develop a
popular music project dating back to the 1940s and 50s, to fulfil a commitment at the Montecarlo
Sporting Club.”
In 1994, the director of Cuba magazine asked me to go, somehow immediately, to the recently inaugurated
“Palacio de la Salsa,” in the former Copa Room hall of Hotel Habana Riviera. The mission: to report on
the excellent musical, dance and
gastronomic project.
Many people went there in those times of crisis, opening of tourism, and legalization of the dollar, after
the collapse of Cuba’s commercial partners from East Europe.
The legalization of the foreign currency allowed the population to acquire products in diverse commercial
centres emerging at the time, thus having an impact on the country’s socioeconomic conditions, as those
with access to the dollar were in better
conditions to face the crisis.
Those were moments of happiness and sadness. Some people, like me, had the eyes fixed on a glass of
mojito. But all of the sudden, the nice figure of director, composer, arranger, singer and dancer David
Calzado appeared to change the state of affairs.
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
During the formal greeting, his personal details came to my mind. He was born late in the 1950s in
Havana, son of Sergio Calzado, dancer and singer of the anthological band Fajardo y sus Estrellas. David
graduated as violinist, along with
Rafelito Lay (Aragón Orchestra) and Tony Calá (NG La Banda).
He was member of Ritmo Oriental Orchestra, the marvellous brass band that challenged the people’s
preference to Los Van Van orchestra in the 1970s.
David started saying: “Charanga Habanera emerged in 1988, when young, talented Cuban musicians
graduated from Cuban school arts got together to develop a popular music project dating back to the
1940s and 50s, to fulfil a commitment at the Montecarlo Sporting Club.”
The Montecarlo Sporting!, a place well known by Cubans, because the Lecuona Cuban Boys and the
Armando Oréfiche Orchestra performed there, with such eminent musicians as Rafael Somavilla,
Leonardo Timor, and Yeyo Escalante.
The project was successful for five years. During that time, La Charanga shared stages with famous
musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Barry White, James Brown, Ray Charles, Frank
Sinatra, Charles Aznavour, Jerry Lewis, Kool and the Gang, and Whitney Houston. They also recorded
their first CD with DOM.
David Calzado told me the funny paradox that though his musicians -whom he called “my niggers”- are
ugly, the brass band is considered by critics “an orchestra for women.”
The band had many virtues: the mastery of its musicians, the rich polyrhythm of percussion instruments,
and easy, attractive lyrics, with choruses reflecting daily life in Cuba.
The director said proudly that famous Cuban musician Formell respected him, and envisaged a future of
many tours.
Then, in the middle of the conversation, someone called him and maestro Calzado apologized with a smile
and headed for the stage to prepare the show. The interview would continue afterwards.
I then realized that in another table, also enjoying what was happening at Palacio de la Salsa it was the
“prince of heights,” Javier Sotomayor, who was then at the peak of his career after his 2.45-meter record
in Salamanca. Jorge Perugorría, the main character of the film Fresa y Chocolate, was enjoying that night
as well.
La Charanga was on the stage. Singer Leo Vera started with the song Pensar en ti, by Pancho Céspedes,
and continued with Tú eres. The audience was singing together, dancing, and many girls threw their
brassieres at the musicians. It was a steady show that closed with Yo no camino más, popularized by
América Orchestra.
David then took up the interview, and asked me: How was it?” “Awesome”, I said. He then asked
Perugorría, who replied: “This is the band that gives the most for show.” So it was. La Charanga, with its
spectacular choreographies, heated up the audience’s adrenaline.
I finally told him: “You all have danced all through the performance, do you do physical training?” “Yes,
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
sure,” he said.
What will you do when you get old? Could you maintain that rhythm? “I never think I will get old,” he said
with a smile.
After 15 years, La Charanga Habanera is still on the crest of the wave, with a similar spectacle, which
means they will remain like that for a long while.
In 1998, it won the award for most popular Cuban band, which they preserved in 1999, 2000, and 2001,
despite many tours of Japan, Europe, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, the US, and northern Africa.
La Charanga Habanera was nominated to the Latin Grammy awards in 2003 with the disc Live in the
USA, and in 2005 was nominated to the Orgullosamente Latino awards (Proudly Latin awards) in three
categories: best video, best album, best group.
The band has also conquered spaces in the Cubadisco and Lucas awards in Cuba.
In addition, La Charanga has won a place within the Cuban Team of Timba, along with Juan Formell and
Los Van Van (Timba and songo), Adalberto Álvarez (Timba and son), José Luis Cortés and NG La Banda
(Timba and jazz), Manolín, el médico de la Salsa, (Timba and rap), and Paulo FG y su Elite (Timbaand
and suffocation).
Another thing: Elio Revé has been always referred to as a musician with “good touch” to attract musical
personalities (Chucho Valdés, Juan Formell, Puppy Pedroso, Juan Carlos González). But such excellent
musicians as Leo Vera, Michel Maza, El Bony,
Dantes Cardosa and Leoni Torres have passed through La Charanga Habanera.
Among the songs that have made this miracle possible are: El Bony está pasmao, Riki ricón, Soy cubano,
soy popular, Juana Magdalena, Chico caramelo, El Charanguero mayor, El temba, La carátula, Lola Lola
and Gozando La Habana, the latest.
June 3, 2011 – An extraordinary show last night at the Conga Room at LA Live with
Cuba’s David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera.
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
The 22-piece band was an army of energy and sound performing in front of a full house
that knew that the chance to see this pride of Cuba could not be missed.
Men so professional in their trade they can jump from one instrument to the next without
missing a beat, and men aware that their looks are part of the Charanga Habanera
experience, were unstoppable for close to two hours. There was music, dance, hats,
shirts on and off, dark glasses at midnight, all of it, and it was fabulous!
La Charanga Habanera was created in 1988 when a group of ten young graduates from the most important Cuban
schools of music, David Calzado among them, decided to set in motion the initiative of a French businessman,
Bernard Lion, to create an orchestra using the typical format of the charanga and perform the Cuban traditional
music, especially that of the 1940`s and 1950`s.
David Calzado "strategist by nature and with a sharp instinct to attain success- has wisely selected the themes with
very good nose: the orchestra"s repertoire has an explicit philosophical-popular sense and the daily life becomes
his great theme. Likewise, David Calzado has engaged in the selection of the wardrobe and the scenic architecture,
thus becoming a very special director. Other characteristic elements of La Charanga include the use of the African
harpsichord which adds a greater freedom of performance and accelerated polyrhythmic marked by the bass and
the keyboard in what is known as contratumbao, as well as the introduction of rap, funk and hip-hop elements.
David Calzado`s show-orchestra has received the Cubadisco Awards, Lucas Awards and has been nominated for
the Latin Grammy; it has also made countless international tours and has received many acknowledgements both
in Cuba and abroad. Today, this orchestra is still the favorite of the overwhelming majority of the audience for its
always young image and its talented instrumentalists and singers and for its dynamic sound closely associated with
the most aggressive timba born of the authentic spirit of the 1990`s. La Charanga Habanera is an indispensable
orchestra that has to be taken into consideration whenever we speak of the history of dancing popular music in
Cuba.
The London conecction to the Cuban music…
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera return to the US to perform two concerts in
Miami. The most acclaimed Cuban band of this moment.
David Calzado and Charanga Habanera have been top of the charts in Cuban salsa
and timba since 1992 when David Calzado, the group’s director, began a new band
format: piano, keyboard, pailas, congas, 2 violins, 2 trumpets, altosax, flute y two
singers, to do a more modern sound that today is called timba.
They are known for their unique performance and the way they make a perfect
synenergy between salsa/timba and the contemporary musical development.
Charanga Habanera will be presenting their newest album “No Mires la Caratula” to the
US audience.
The Obama administration after loose some
travel restrictions for Cuban Americans this past
spring, now grant permission to U.S. music
promoters to bring Cuban artists stateside & the
coming appearance of Charanga Habanera is
one of many their way.
CHARANGA HABANERA
REPARTE LA GOZADERA EN
SAN FRANCISCO
NO SPECIAL 3D GLASSES NEEDED
Thursday, 24 December 2009, 07:01 PM
As the premiere of AVATAR 3D courses through the hi-tech veins of the Bay Area, there were
other accounts on an intense visual spectacle. After 9 years very long years, David Calzado y
su Charanga Habanera delivers its now signature timbatón -timba con reguetón- concert to
800+ in attendance in San Fransisco on Tuesday night just past. More pictures and analysis to
follow from Tom Ehrlich and Kevin Moore, but here are some quick juicy bits so you can get a
taste of what you missed...click on the images to check out the video clips.
For the musos I'm happy to report that Charanga has incorporated the bomba gear into its
arsenal. They used it very tastefully and of course its proved useful in the despelotera challenge,
where the ladies competed to see which one got the best crowd approval.
the tiny camera - the sound system could not hold
under the weight of Charanga's assualt
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
We are happy to report that sound engineers told the producers of this historic show that the
sound and backline set up and prepared for them was one of the best they have ever experienced
in all their international tours. Mauricio Acevedo of Digit Sound, SIR rentals in San Francisco,
and musician Omar Ledezma put in hours and hours of hard work to guarantee the sound
systems for the show.
That said, it is the opinion of many of our local musicians and TIMBA.com alike that Charanga
needed more from the the sound system. For future shows we hope that Club Cocomo is better
prepared by adding more control over the hi-end. Too many diffused highs added a white-noise
cacophony while the lows just weren't tight and overly "boom-ey". The concern was not over the
bass volume, but the definition and clarity of the low-end. But what does that matter when you
are laughing and having fun? Once the despeloteras began facing off the vibe rose to a randy,
contagious peak that could not be shaken off for the rest of the show. San Francisco did
REPRESENT and we are happy that the home team won. Home girl broke it down and got
down.
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
David Calzado
y su Charanga Habanera
emprenden una nueva gira por Estados Unidos
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
Miami, FL.- lunes, 12 de marzo del 2012.- (F & F Media Corp.) Un cuarto de siglo repleto de logros
artísticos y un repertorio de lujo. Estos son los motivos por los que David Calzado y su Charanga
Habanera se encuentran celebrando por todo lo alto, en la víspera de una nueva gira que los pondrá de
nueva cuenta frente a frente a su público incondicional de Estados Unidos.
La aclamada orquesta cubana, nominada a los premios Latin GRAMMY® en 2003 por su disco “Live in
USA”, empezará su tan esperado tour el viernes 23 de marzo en el famoso club “Off The Hooka”, en el
Bayside del Biscayne Boulevard de Miami, Florida.
Y será en esa misma ciudad floridana en donde la legendaria banda concluya su tour de aniversario con
un concierto monumental a mediados de abril en el club "Aché", el cual tendrá, además, varios artistas
invitados.
Pero antes, el ritmo pegadizo de estos músicos se hará sentir en ciudades como Los Ángeles, Tampa,
Atlantic City y Louisville. En esta ocasión, la emblemática agrupación cubana pondrá a bailar por primera
vez a sus admiradores, en escenarios de otras urbes como Las Vegas, Houston, Orlando, Fort
Lauderdale, San Diego y Dallas.
Estas informaciones han sido confirmadas por los directivos de la compañía Blue Night Entertainment,
Inc., con sede en Miami, quienes han puesto de manifiesto el orgullo de ser los encargados de la
organización y desarrollo de la presente gira.
Su presidente, Javier Otero, es el que ha organizado toda la gira y expresa la importancia de este nuevo
periplo en tierras norteamericanas. “Son 25 años de carrera internacional en los que se ha convertido en
referente de la música popular cubana y en un icono de los ritmos tropicales, de ahí que este tour
resalte su gran aporte al arte mundial”, dijo Otero, quien junto a su equipo de trabajo, consiguió
DAVID CALZADO Y LA
CHARANGA HABANERA
convertir la gira de David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera, con 17 presentaciones consecutivas en
Estados Unidos, en la más grande para una banda cubana desde el inicio de los intercambios culturales
entre ambos países.
Aparte de haber tocado previamente en Estados Unidos, “La Charanga” ha realizado giras por Japón,
Europa, México, Argentina, Perú y el norte de África, presentándose en importantes eventos y festivales.
Asimismo, ha compartido gloriosos escenarios con luminarias de la estatura de Stevie Wonder, Frank
Sinatra, Tito Puente, Barry White, Whitney Houston y Donna Summer.
David Calzado, también llamado “El Charanguero Mayor”, ha sabido cómo dirigir con éxito el grupo,
gracias a su constante experimentación que lo ha llevado a descubrir otros ritmos y nuevas fusiones
entre el sonido de las percusiones afrocubanas y los elementos del pop contemporáneo.
No en vano, el prestigioso diario “The New York Times” publicó una reseña en la que destacó la increíble
versatilidad de los músicos que componen esta veterana orquesta, capaces de hacer coros, crear
armonías, bailar de manera sincronizada y hasta rapear sobre un escenario.