Colombian Culture, Colombia Adoption and Raising Colombian Kids

When I was little, I loved the Muppet Movie. It was the early days of VHS, so I watched it dozens of times. I think I had the whole thing memorized. In one part, Gonzo the Great tells Fozzie Bear that he wants to “...go to Bombay India” so that he can become a movie star. Fozzie proceeds to tell him that, “You don't go to Bombay India...you go where we're going...Hollywood.” Gonzo replies, “Sure, if you want to do it the easy way!” Today's singer for our Tunes for Tuesday spotlight is a little like Gonzo. Born in Bucaramanga , Colombia, FATINIZA moved to Dubai. In Dubai, she has become a superstar. Her debut album garnered “Best Local Artist” Award nominations for Dubai in 2010 and 2011. She performed at the Formula 1 Grand Prix finals in Abu Dhabi . She has performed for the rulers of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai. So, now that you are a star in the Arab world, what do you do? You try to conquer your native turf – COLOMBIA. [Do you get the Gonzo conn...

Yes, you read it right. Salsa Music is dead. In Tunes for Tuesday, we have traveled through the origins, birth and evolution of this genre, and I was waiting for the end of the happy holiday season to break this more disconcerting news to all my readers. This may not be news to some Salsa followers, however. Some of you might have suspected it was so, and yet others may now acknowledge that they were in a deep state of denial. The only ray of hope that remains here is that this is just my opinion, so some of you may choose to continue to cling to your nostalgia and ignore reality. But allow me to explain my point: I believe that Salsa's slow and painful death began soon after the genre reached its Golden Years in the late 1970s and 1980s. The late 80s saw the advent of a group of performers who hijacked the genre, and began producing something they labeled "Salsa Sensual" (no translation required here). This movement became extremely popular and soon invaded radio ...

Last week I mentioned Fuentes Records' second spin off band, The Latin Brothers . Although this band included some of the musicians from Fruko y Sus Tesos (and even Joe Arroyo once sang for it), it was led by Piper Pimienta . Piper 's unmistakable voice and the sound of Luis "Tomate" Mesa on piano are the band's trademarks. The song Buscandote (Looking For You) is from Latin Brothers' second album, Dale al Bombo (Hit that drum), released in 1975. Here is a performance by the band, including lead singer Piper Pimienta (and some goofy dancers): Buscandote by The Latin Brothers <

As many of you know, Tunes for Tuesdays is the section of this blog where we discuss music and artists from Colombia. Also, those (both) of you who faithfully read my entries have probably figured out that my section actually appears on most Tuesdays, that occasionally we talk about music and artists that have little to do with Colombia, and that for some time now we have been discussing the history of Salsa music. If you are new to the blog, by click on the Tunes for Tuesdays link and read a few entries to help you catch up. Now, I finally have an excuse to introduce one of my favorite non-Colombian Salsa songs. Around the mid 1970s, Fruko y Sus Tesos had become the Colombian powerhouse of the genre, but they faced some serious competition from several talented foreign artists. Indeed, in its desire to outdo its rivals, Fuentes Music would spin off another great band, The Latin Brothers. But more on them later because what this entry is about a competitor from Venezuela. ...

One of the best known lead singers from Fruko y Sus Tesos is Wilson "Saoko" Manyoma . I have mentioned him before when I spotlighted " El Preso " as one of the top songs most Colombians would recognize. (http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2011/01/tunes-for-tuesday-songs-most-colombians.html). El Preso is Fruko 's anthem and an achievement in Colombian salsa. Manyoma sang this song just like he did many of Fruko's hits from the early 70s through the 80s. Here it is, translated this time. (He doesn't say Borgona , as the translation reads. He says G orgona , which used Colombia's Alcatraz, an island prison off the Pacific coast, and which is now a natural park.) And here's another one of Manyoma's performances: Los Charcos (The Puddles) with Fruko y Sus Tesos :

When Fuentes released Fruko 's second album, A La Memoria del Muerto (In Memoriam), in 1972, the lead singer was Edulfamid Molina Diaz . A tall, skinny man, Edulfamid became known for his great voice, reminiscent of the best Cuban singers, and for his peculiar dancing style. He would forever be remembered as Piper Pimienta . He sang many of Fruko 's Salsa hits, and was part of several different bands. Ironically, the words he sang in the title song of A La Memoria del Muerto would be used during his own funeral. Tragedy had been chasing him around Colombia. In the 80s his son was killed during a shooting, and in 1991 his house went up in flames with all his music inside forcing him to cancel concerts. In June 1998, Piper was assassinated in front of his home in Cali. He had just won a civil lawsuit over royalties. But, as he sang: "On the day I die, I don't want cryings or rosaries. . . I just want my friends to dance in my memory. . . ." So here it ...

In 1968, Julio Ernesto Estrada, Fruko , toured New York as the percussionist for the Corraleros de Majagual . He was already curious about Salsa music, and his intrest became cemented here as he met and performed next to the big names of the new genre: Tito Puente, Richie Ray, Bobbie Cruz, Willie Colón, Hector Lavoe, and the Ray Barreto Band. As Fruko reminisced during his interview with La W Radio Station in Medellín, it was during one of these trips to New York that on one occasion a television hostess asked him on camera, if he and his band were bringing "la hierbita" from Colombia. This was a deliberate pun. The Corraleros had a hit song called "La Hierbita" or Yierbita (grass, lawn). But " yierbita " was also a euphemism for a less innocuous, yet very popular plant smoked during the sixties. The song was a catchy clean tune. I guess "quiero sentarme contigo en la hierbita, en la hierbita, en la hierbita. . . ." (I want to sit wit...

In March 2011, in a copy cat show that the Radio Station La W dares to call Salsa Con Estilo (an alleged homage to the original), the young host interviewed Julio Ernesto Estrada , Fruko, and called him "A Living Legend." That part might be true, he is a legend. And there were several things Fruko said during the interview that caught my attention because of their historical value. Fruko said that his Great grandfather, Luis Felipe Rincón, came from Santiago de Cuba to Colombia to work on the construction of the famous Colombian railway, the Ferrocarril de Antioquia. Work on this rail began in 1874, and when it was finished in 1929, it finally linked the remote area of Antioquia with the rest of Colombia. The Ferrocarril was hailed as an engineering achievement because as the the people from Antioquia say, their mountainous terrain is only comparable to certain mountain ranges in Mars. Fruko's great-grandfather helped build the Tunel de la Quiebra . Fruko re...

A few entries ago, we started heading towards the point where Salsa, Fania , and Colombia definitely intersect. We found out that if such a point actually exists, it would have to be Antonio Fuentes' music label, Fuentes . We talked about Antonio's trip to Philadelphia in the 30s, his return to Colombia, the establishment of Fuentes in Medellin in the 50s, and the creation of the Corraleros de Majagual Band . And that's where life happened and we got interrupted. Well, the Corraleros the Majagual began touring around Colombia and abroad. By 1967, when they toured Venezuela, one of the kids who used to carry instruments and run other errands for the band, had become their new timbalero or percussionist. The kid was sixteen years-old and his name was Julio Ernesto Estrada . Julio's face and especially the gap between his two big front teeth seemed to resemble the character used in the commercials of a brand of ketchup in Colombia at the time, Salsa de Tomate Fruco ...

After a summer break, Tunes for Tuesdays is back. Much has happened since our last entry in this series. Most notably, Joe Arroyo passed away in July at a clinic in Barranquilla , Colombia. He was only 56 years old. Colombians lamented, cried, remembered, and then sang and danced to Joe Arroyo's music. "It's the best way to say good bye" they said. It was yet another excuse for a big party in Barranquilla, a city that has never experienced a shortage of such opportunities. All the big names in Colombian music had something to say. From Shakira and Juanes to Fruko , who cried on camera. Even the President of Colombia made a public statement. Abroad, Willie Colon and Oscar D'Leon , among others sent their condolences from the USA, and the BBC reminisced about a time when Island Records distributed his music throughout Europe. Then others also reminisced : that it was Fuentes who discovered him in 1972, that he used to sing in brothels in Cartagena ...

I was preparing to make the connection between Fania , Fuentes and Colombian Salsa , and to finally make sense of all the stuff we have been discussing, when I received a request for this song. It is also by the Corraleros de Majagual . Colombians in their forties (and older) will remember it as a perennial classic in our collective Christmas Music playlist. This genre exhausted its coolness a while ago, so younger Colombians will deny recognizing this song. The truth is: not only do they recognize it, but have danced to it at more than one party, most likely around 3 am when everyone was taking a break from dancing to the faster rhythms. Los Sabanales by Los Corraleros de Majagual

Let's continue with the story of Antonio Fuentes and his Fuentes Music Label. In 1954, Antonio moved his label to Medellín. This was a time when many costeños were moving to cities inland carrying their music with them. It is said that at that time in Bogotá the Catholic church questioned the new fashion and trend of respectable people dancing like blacks. Yet, by the 1960s, Fuentes had become the most important music label in Colombia. Twice a year the label released -- and still does -- its Cañonazos Bailables (Cannon Blast or Explosive Dance Hits), a collection of the best of Musica Costeña of the previous six months which sold like hot cakes throughout Colombia. Now, Musica Costeña was much more than just the well known cumbia. It also included gaitas, porros, merecumbé, and vallenato . Fuentes created a studio-based, all -star band: Los Corraleros de Majagual who played all the genres. The Corraleros included some of the most well known conteño artists of the t...

I think we have established quite well that Fania Records greatly influenced the development and recognition of Salsa music as a genre. But, how does all this connect with Colombia? Well, that's our next topic. Bear with me because we are going to go back in time again as we search for the intersection of Salsa Music with Colombian music. This story begins in la Costa , the Colombian Caribbean coastal area, where the historic cities of Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena are located. From these port cities, the slave trade spread the African musical influence throughout the region. Here in the Caribbean Region of Colombia, African music continued to evolve, mix, and change until it eventually spun out cumbia and vallenato among other rhythms. It was in Cartagena that Antonio Fuentes was born to his wealthy parents in 1907. In 1920, Antonio was sent to the United States to finish High School. Apparently, during a break from his studies, Antonio visited Philadelphia...

Last week we discussed Hector Lavoe and his contribution to the world of Salsa. Before moving on, here is one more Lavoe song that should be a part of anyone's Salsa collection: El Día de mi Suerte -- My Lucky Day. The lyrics tell the story of a boy for whom nothing ever goes right. His mother dies leaving him alone with his father, then his father dies, he needs to work to eat, he grows up and finds himself totally alone. In spite of all of his problems, he maintains the belief that his luck will change, but Cuando Será (When will it happen) The chorus states: Pronto llegará el día de mi suerte Sé que antes de mi muerte Seguro que mi suerte cambiará. Soon my lucky day will come, Before I die, I am sure That my luck will change. /div>

When speaking the words Salsa music , Fania , and Puerto Rico , the name of Hector Lavoe immediately comes to mind. We are about to move on from the Fania era of Salsa, but before we do, we have to dedicate one entry to " El Cantante ", The Singer. He was born in 1946 and his actual name was Hector Juan Perez Martinez . Why Lavoe , then? Well, I'm pretty sure the origin of Lavoe is this: Hector had a great voice, unique in the world of Salsa . His friends would call him Hector La Voz , Hector The Voice. Now, if you are from the Caribbean, there's no need to pronounce the " s " sound at the end of any word, (so La Voz turned into La Vo), and if you have a catchy nickname like that and you move to New York, you have to Anglicize it, hence, LaVoe, Lavoe. Soon after he moved to New York in 1967, Hector met Willie Colón and Fania . Over the next ten years, the three on them produced the albums that would solidify Salsa music as a genre. But Willie h...

Building a Salsa collection yet? Well, here's a must have: El Menú by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico As you might have noticed, one of El Gran Combo 's defining characteristics is their ability to make fun Salsa songs. This one is naturally about food, but with a twist at the end of the song punctuated by a double play on the word Salsa . "I like my lamb with wine, and my fish with lemon juice; my pork with pepper and oregano, and my rice with ham and bacon . . ." he goes on to list a few more food items such as well sautéed green beans, avocados as big as melons, and bananas. But "at the end" or top of all that "que le pongan Salsa!," pour on some sauce, or salsa, or Salsa! Get it? Either add some great salsa to the food or just play some Salsa while we eat, or better yet, do both!

Let's hear another song by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico : El Jíbaro Listo A Jíbaro is a rustic person, a country man. The Jíbaro in the song is also a smart ( listo ) person. Although the story transpires in Puerto Rico, this is a song about the American Dream. Having left the fields for the city, the Jíbaro arrives in San Juan de Puerto Rico on a Fourth of July (what a coincidence), finds work as a carpenter, and becomes successful. In the process he discovers that he has lost any desire to return to his lar nativo -- the native lair. As he puts it, the dark color of his skin turned out to be just stains from the banana plants which went away when he started using soap. He makes new friends and learns to write his name-- and last name--on a piece of paper. Voy a un sitio distinguido, llamado el Hotel La Concha, pues ya se me calló la roncha que del campo habia traído. "Now I go to a distinguished place called the La Concha Hotel, " and he is accepted there be...

Up to this point, and quite purposefully, I have avoided talking about Puerto Rico and its contributions to Salsa music. I simply wanted to dedicate some special entries to the Boricua artists who helped develop this genre. So here we go . . . We have to start with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico or The Great Band from Puerto Rico , unassuming, I know. When Fania All Stars played their famous Yankee Stadium concert in 1973, El Gran Combo opened for them. They had been around since 1962 when Rafael Ithier organized the band. In 1963, El Gran Combo released its first album, Acángana (my Puerto Rican friends might have to correct me, but this is Puerto Rican onomatopoeia for the sound produced when hitting or running into something.) Acángana happened to be released two days before John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Texas. As a sign of mourning, the distribution of this party album in Puerto Rico was postponed. Instead, the album was distributed in other Latin American coun...

We have been spending some time remembering the Salsa music stars of Fania Records. Since we are in no hurry to move on, I thought I'd spotlight another song by Rubén Blades , this one with a nostalgic connection to Colombia. Not too long ago, when I was growing up in Colombia, television there was limited to two government owned channels --three, if you lived in the capital. This technological wonder broadcast in all the hues of the color spectrum from white to dark grey and only within the hours of 5 to 10 pm. With literally nothing to see on the tube, most pre-internet Colombians became addicted to radio. On Saturday nights, all members of the Salsa cult, faithfully tuned in to a show named " Salsa con Estilo " (Salsa with Style) hosted by Jaime Ortiz Alvear . Jaime wasn't a DJ, he was one of the best sports commentators in the country, a possessor of encyclopedic knowledge about both sports and Salsa. At the beginning of the show, he would always recite: ...

Last week, I mentioned Rubén Blades once again, it must time to talk about him. This prolific artist has a remarkable story, which is closely tied to Fania records. Those who watched the PBS documentary (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/latinmusicusa/#/en/wat/02/01) might remember the story about Blades wanting to write and sing Salsa music so much that he begged Fania for a job. He eventually got the job-- as an orderly in the mail room. From there he rose to become one of Fania's main stars. It is difficult to choose just one of his songs to spotlight here, but let's start with a well known one: Pedro Navaja by Rubén Blades. This song is to Salsa what Louis Armstrong's Mack the Knife is to jazz. In fact Blades drew inspiration from Louis Armstrong for the song, just watch the video. But the song also draws from Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera, and is a narrative about Pedro, a quintessential New York thug who is outwitted by a street smart woman. The song first appeared in...