News (Noticias) Tagged ‘Celia Cruz’

Úrsula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso, Celia Cruz or simply Celia, who hailed from the humble Havana neighborhood of Santos Suárez, would become one of Latin music’s seminal figures, and probably the most recognized Cuban female singer.

A popular off-Broadway musical, Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz, celebrates her 60-year career and, after an extended run in New York — scheduled to end in December, the show’s success kept it onstage until last month — starts its international tour Wednesday at Miami’s Arsht Center, with shows in Spanish and English.”*

Willy Chirino  lanza “Pa’lante” hoy a la venta en los Estados Unidos y se consolida en la posición #3 del chart tropical de la revista Billboard. “Pa’lante” sigue creciendo y está siendo apoyado por un extenso trabajo promocional que lleva a cabo Willy Chirino en los próximos quince días.

Willy Chirino cuenta con su sitio oficial, www.willychirino.com donde  sus  fans  pueden  entrar y  encontrar fotos, calendario de presentaciones  y toda la historia de este legendario  cantante internacional. Su sencillo “Pa’lante”,  que da nombre al nuevo disco del cantante y compositor Willy Chirino, se mantiene fuerte esta semana en el Top 3 de la cartelera Tropical Billboard, según reportó el sistema BDS monitoreo por Nielsen SoundScan. El tema sigue ascendiendo en su camino al # 1 de la Cartelera Tropical de Billboard. Los fans de Willy Chirino también pueden contactarlo a través de su espacio en MYSPACE y FACEBOOK, al igual que pueden disfrutar de todo sus videos en el popular lugar cibernético YOU TUBE. Sigue los  siguientes  links para entrar en todos.

Este nuevo material discográfico de Chirino encierra una estupenda colección de canciones incluyendo temas de impacto social y humano, sumados a su tradicional ritmo caribeño fusionado con compases anglos y brasileños. “Pa’lante” el álbum, que sale a la venta el día de hoy 20 de mayo, es una propuesta innovadora, mantiene su sonido característico y una vez más musicalmente hace aportes al género tropical como solo Willy Chirino lo puede hacer. Dentro del repertorio se pasea por diversos temas, el amor, la esperanza, critica social e inclusive rinde tributo a la música salsa de todos los tiempos (”Los Campeones de la Salsa”) incluyendo frases de los más grandes exponentes de la música tropical como lo son Celia Cruz, Oscar D’León, Issac Delgado, Gilberto Santa Rosa y Víctor Manuelle, entre otros. Así mismo, la producción cont! iene otras sorpresas como lo son los duetos con artistas de talla internacional como Papo Lucca, Oscar D’León, Daniela Mercury, Alberto Plaza y Wahero. Willy Chirino, considerado el padre del sonido de Miami con este nuevo CD sigue imponiendo su ritmo único y variabilidad musical.

Más Sobre Willy Chirino
Con un inventario musical que supera el centenar de canciones y veintiocho discos grabados, Willy Chirino es sin duda uno de los artistas más emblemáticos de la música tropical de todos los tiempos, uno de los padres del “sonido de Miami” y el dueño y señor de la “salsa de Miami”. Sus éxitos se convirtieron inmediatamente en discos de oro y/o platino. Eso, sin citar las ventas logradas por los más de 60 artistas que han reproducido sus temas que, con merecida razón, le han dado vuelta al mundo. Chirino llegó a Miami en 1961 donde sin ningún conocimiento musical integró una orquesta que se convirtiera en el alma de muchas fiestas. Aún en la escuela secundaria aprendió a tocar otros instrumentos (bajo, teclados, guitarra, entre otros). Sin leer música, tocó en orquestas de cámara, sinfónicas, acompañó óper! as y zarzuelas. Pronto su nombre y talento lo llevaron a tocar en las presentaciones de los más grandes de los 60’s. Álvarez Guédes le ofreció su primer contrato y le grabó su primer disco: “One Man Alone”. Todas las canciones eran temas compuestos por él y casi todos los instrumentos los tocaba él mismo. El disco fue un éxito tan rotundo que le dio la vuelta al mundo y el tema “Soy” se convirtió en un clásico de la música tropical y hasta el día de hoy se sigue reproduciendo en otros idiomas, incluido el japonés. Desde entonces el genio e ingenio de Willy Chirino no han dejado de impactar el pentagrama musical del mundo. Muchos de sus temas se han convertido en himnos de esperanza para millones de personas sometidas a tiranías políticas mientras que otros pintan musicalmente un paisaje rural difícil de superar, o presentan una problemática so! cial digna de meditar. Su música llegó a las telenovelas y compuso para 3 de ellas: “La Zulianita”, “Pobre Diabla” y  “Laura Virginia”. De la mano de su carrera como cantautor, también ha destacado como productor, llegando a realizar importantes proyectos para leyendas de la música mundial como Celia  Cruz, Raphael y Oscar D’León. Entre los incontables reconocimientos recibidos vale citar que cuenta con su propia estrella en la Calle 8, tiene además una calle que lleva su nombre y que entidades como la UNICEF y el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos le han dado importantes reconocimientos por su labor humanitaria, ya que además de un artista exitoso, Willy Chirino es un filántropo inagotable que tiene su propia fundación benéfica. En el 2008 estrena un nuevo disco: “Pa’lante”. Se trata de un material histórico en el que hace mancuerna con los m! ás grandes de la canción: desde una colaboración con los mejores de la salsa (Celia Cruz, Víctor Manuelle, Issac Delgado, Oscar De León, Gilberto Santa Rosa) llamada “Los Campeones de la Salsa”, Papo Lucca (”Fue La Música”), Alberto Plaza (”Pa’lante”),  y un par de dúos históricos: uno con Oscar D’León (”Lo Que Esta Pa’ti”) y el otro con Daniela Mercury (”Hay Amores”). Y, por supuesto, un tema de esperanza y alivio a los millones de ciudadanos que por una razón u otra les ha tocado vivir en el exilio (”13 de Julio- El Mar Nos Une”), el tema que le apasiona y dedica especialmente a los cubanos de dentro y fuera de su patria. En “Pa’lante”, Willy Chirino vuelve a fusionar diferentes ritmos americanos, latinos y brasileños, con mensajes políticos y sociales, temas de amor y, sobre todo, canciones de optimismo, ese sentimiento! que le apasiona y que se ha convertido en su enorme bandera por la vida.

The 24th Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival has selected Las Dos Caras de Jano as an official film entry. This is the second film produced by Protégé Films which stars noted Puerto Rican actor, Modesto Lacén.

Las Dos Caras de Jano The Two Faces of Janus is the story of Isabelo Andújar Lacén, a private detective on a mission to catch serial killer “The Angel of Bachelors” who preys on some of Puerto Rico’s closeted homosexual male socialites.

A familiar face in Hispanic television and film such as My Family and Desamores to major motion pictures The Animal with Terrence Howard and Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights, Modesto is assuredly staking his claim to the title of Puerto Rico’s and America’s crossover “multi-threat” source of talent. Modesto’s talent has been dully noted and recognized with Special Mention at the Tribeca Film Festival for his work in 12 Hours and an ACE Award nomination for Best Actor in his current off-Broadway lead in Celia: the Life and Music of Celia Cruz. He plays the role of Celia’s husband, Pedro Knight.

The film is available for screening on Saturday, April 5th at 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 6th at 8:30 p.m. Both screenings will take place at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema, 2828 North Clark Street in Chicago, IL. To view the trailer, please visit www.youtube.com/user/EdmundoHR. Double XXposure has arranged a special viewing of the movie in its entirety just for you at our New York City office located at 1 West 34th Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10001. The screening dates are April 17th and April 18th from 12-6pm on both days. It will be shown every two hours. We request that you please call the Double XXposure offices to rsvp your preferred time for viewing.

This film is also scheduled for entry into HBO’s New York International Latino Film Festival which will take place in New York City, July 2008.

Double XXposure Media Relations extends an invitation to all media interested in interviewing Modesto Lacén regarding his career and current film festival feature and appearance. For further information, contact Double XXposure Media Relations at 212.629.9404 or theellerbeegroup@aol.com. “

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will honor Victor Manuelle and Black Guayaba at its 16th Annual Latin Music Awards on May 16, 2008 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Miami Beach. The black tie gala will also honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed songs in Latin Music of 2007.

Victor Manuelle will be honored with the ASCAP Golden Note Award, which is presented to songwriters, composers, and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones, and Black Guayaba will receive the ASCAP Vanguard Award in recognition of their impact, as new and developing musical artists, on shaping the future of their musical genre and the future of music.

Victor Manuelle has amassed significant achievements as a singer and songwriter and continues to be a familiar voice to Latin Music fans ever since his first album was released in 1993. Since then, he has produced chart-toping albums with substantial radio hits every single year. In March 2004, his album “Travesía,” produced by Emilio Esfefan, went to #1 on the Latin Billboard charts. In 2005, he released two live albums: “Victor Manuelle En Vivo Desde El Carnegie Hall,” recorded at Carnegie Hall, and “Dos Soneros…Una Historia” (Two Soneros…One Story), from his historical collaboration with Gilberto Santarosa, recorded live at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in Puerto Rico. In 2007, he released his DVD “En Vivo Desde El Madison Square Garden,” and under his own record label, Kiyavi, his first Christmas album “Una Navidad a Mi Estilo” (Christmas My Style), which became an instant classic of new compositions of traditional Puerto Rican music. Victor Manuelle has thirteen musical productions to his credit, has achieved several #1 radio hits of his own authorship and has sold over two million albums.

Victor Manuelle joins an elite list of ASCAP members who have been honored with the ASCAP Golden Note Award, including Garth Brooks, Jose Feliciano, Quincy Jones, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Tom Petty, Joan Sebastian and Stevie Wonder, among others.

The members of Grammy Award-winning rock band Black Guayaba are the first Latin music artists to be recognized with the ASCAP Vanguard Award. Other notable recipients include The All-American Rejects, The Beastie Boys, Beck and Bjork, among others.

In a short amount of time, Black Guayaba — formed by Gustavo González (vocalist), Javier Morales (guitar), Carlos Ortíz (bass), Carlos Colón (keyboards) and Gabriel Calero (drums) — has earned a solid fan base and has been recognized for their unique style and genre-affecting sound. They originally began playing at local pubs and private events before preparing original material for their first album. They released “Lo Demás es Plástico” in 2005, which was produced by Bob St. John, who had previously worked with Ricky Martin, Duran Duran and Collective Soul, among others. The album spawned several hit singles, such as “Lejos,” “Atrapado,” and “Despacio.” It was that success which gave them the opportunity of being the opening act for bands Enanitos Verdes and Journey during their concerts in Puerto Rico. They had their first concert at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in March 2006, the same year they were nominated for a Latin Grammy and a Grammy. In 2007, the band released their second album titled, “No Hay Espacio,” featuring the single “Sin Tu Amor.” In February 2008 they won their first Grammy in the category of Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.

ASCAP’s Latin Music Awards is one of the most attended and celebrated events in the Latin entertainment community. Victor Manuelle and Black Guayaba join a select list of Latin music icons that have been singled out for special recognition at ASCAP’s Latin Music Awards, including Antonio Aguilar, Ricardo Arjona, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Franco De Vita, José Feliciano, Ednita Nazario, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Joan Sebastian, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Olga Tañón.

During the May 16th event, ASCAP will also recognize the Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and Song of the Year, and Awards will be presented in the following categories: Pop, Tropical, Regional Mexican, Rock, Urban and Television.

Members of the press may apply for credentials at

*From: http://www.marketwire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Winter Music Conference 2008 — Fania Records announces the release of its first remix collection “I Like It Like That” pairing up the hottest dance scene remixers with legendary tracks by Fania artists like Pete Rodriguez, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon and Ruben Blades. The album, due to hit music stores and online retailers across the country in May 2008, marks the first time the label has remixed its classic tracks, joining forces with today’s dance masters to take the Fania flavor up a notch.

Star tracks include Aaron Jerome’s remix of Pete Rodriguez’s I Like It Like That, Louie Vegas’ EOL Remix of his uncle, Hector Lavoe’s, Mi Gente, Bugz in the Attic’s Plastico, originally by Willie Colon and Ruben Blades, and Joe Claussell’s Alejate, originally by Hector Lavoe.

“When it came down to remixing Fania tracks, we knew we’d have to hold out until we had a star line-up of contemporary artists,” said Dean Rudland, A&R Consultant for Emusica and album co-producer. “With “I Like It Like That,” we feel that we’ve really done each track justice by having today’s music stars inject their own music sensibility, creating new classics for the Fania label.”

“As an artist, it was a tall order to work with tracks that mean so much to Fania fans worldwide,” added Louie Vega. “I hope that we’ve been able to enhance the Fania catalog with our individual takes on each of these tunes.”

Fania artists mixed a cornucopia of styles that transcended the boundaries of traditional Latin music and set the path for the genres of salsa, boogaloo, Latin R&B, and afro-Cuban jazz. Throughout its forty-two year history, Fania has been home to some of the greatest musicians in the history of 20th century music. Johnny Pacheco, Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, Joe Bataan, Larry Harlow, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades and Celia Cruz are just a few of the musical legends that form part of the proud Fania legacy.

For more information on this and other Fania Records productions, visit www.faniarecords.com.

About Emusica:
In 2005, Emusica acquired the legendary Fania catalog and quickly began re-mastering and reissuing many of its original albums. The catalog includes more than 1,300 albums with 11,000 recordings, making it one of the largest in Tropical Music. It features such well-known artist as Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Larry Harlow and the famed Fania All Stars. The more than 100 albums in stores today are distributed by Universal Music Group Distribution in the United States. In addition to Fania, Emusica also owns the Kubaney, Protel, SoundMex and Revolu labels. For more please visit at www.faniarecords.com “*

*From: http://www.hispanicprwire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Bud Light and the Anheuser-Busch family of distributors are joining to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Calle Ocho through a retail promotion benefiting the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana’s Scholarship Fund. The promotion runs through March 16, the day of the Calle Ocho Festival.

Bud Light and the Anheuser-Busch distributors of South Florida are donating 25 cents per case for every Budweiser, Bud Light and Budweiser Select 18-pack of bottles and cans sold at Sedano’s Supermarkets throughout South Florida. The money will go to the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana Scholarship Fund to help support Hispanic higher education in South Florida.

“Calle Ocho began in 1978 as a block party to celebrate the Cuban culture in Miami and has become a global festival that attracts hundreds of thousands to South Florida and makes a difference in the community,” said Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez, president of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana. “Anheuser-Busch was one of our first sponsors, and their support is one of the reasons Calle Ocho has grown into the event it is today.”

Since the beginning of the festival, Anheuser-Busch has brought top Latino musicians to Calle Ocho, making its Musical Super Site one of the festival’s most popular attractions. Artists such as Celia Cruz, Willy Chirino, Hector Lavoe and El Gran Combo have appeared on the stage. This year, the Bud Light Musical Super Site will be located between S.W. 23rd Avenue and S.W. 24th Avenue at S.W. Eighth Street, and entertainment will begin at noon on March 16. The 2008 lineup features Grammy winning Cuban singer and composer Albita Rodriguez, Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award-nominated singer La India and Venezuelan salsa musician Oscar D’ Leon. The concerts will be free and open to the public.

“For generations, Anheuser-Busch has been active in the Latino community as part of our tradition of giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said Paco Bendaña, director of community relations, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “We’re proud to partner with the Kiwanis of Little Havana to support higher education and celebrate Latino culture through Calle Ocho.”

To celebrate Calle Ocho’s 30-year anniversary, Anheuser-Busch also sponsored the documentary “Calle Ocho – 30 Years and Counting.” The documentary will air as a television special on PBS in South Florida in April and nationally during Hispanic Heritage Month in October. The documentary showcases Calle Ocho through the decades with historical photos and news clips of the eras.

“We’re pleased to partner with Anheuser-Busch to support a great festival and a very important cause. The Kiwanis club of Little Havana has provided educational opportunities to so many South Florida students over the years through their Scholarship Foundation, and we’re please to share in that success by participating in this promotion.” said Javier Herran, director of marketing, Sedano’s Supermarkets.

Anheuser-Busch’s support of the Latino community dates back more than a century. The company supports approximately 400 community-based, local and national Latino organizations with contributions totaling nearly $52 million during the past two decades. Anheuser-Busch also currently sponsors the Mexican National Soccer Team and Chivas Soccer as well as top entertainers like Carlos Mencia. Anheuser-Busch’s efforts in the Latino community focus on values such as education, leadership development, economic empowerment, public advocacy and arts and culture. As a result, the company has the No. 1 and No. 2 beer brands in the Latino market — Bud Light and Budweiser. To learn more about these efforts, please visit www.Latinobud.com. “*

*From: http://www.hispanicprwire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Celia Cruz, affectionately known as “La Reina de Salsa,” was a force of nature, an irreplaceable, once-in-a-generation female singer whose life and music echoed for over sixty years the trajectory of the Cuban Diaspora’s effect on Latin American and world culture. A ten-time Grammy nominee who recorded over seventy albums, she was awarded a Smithsonian Lifetime Achievement award, a National Medal of the Arts, and honorary doctorates from Yale University and the University of Miami. She also acted in nine movies, including Los Reyes del Mambo, and the Mexican soap operas Valentina and El Alma no Tiene Color.”*

*From: http://www.brooklynrail.org
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Talented actress Aylin Mujica and renowned TV personality Alan Tacher will be the official hosts of the 2008 Billboard Latin Music Awards (tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/latinbillboard/index.html), presented by Heineken, which will broadcast live on Thursday, April 10 at 7PM / 6c from Hard Rock Live, located at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood. This year Telemundo celebrates its 10th broadcast of the event as well as the 50th anniversary of the distinguished Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The beautiful Aylin Mujica

(tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/latinbillboard/noticias/04032008/71/billboard-biograf-ayl-n-mujica.html), who most recently won accolades for her work in Telemundo’s hit novela “Marina” where she had a double role, began her artistic career in her native Cuba, later relocating to Mexico City where she became one of the most renowned figures within the telenovela genre. Thanks to her memorable participation in important projects such as “La Duena,” “Cancion de Amor”, “Senora”, “Yacaranday”, “Agua y Aceite” and “La Heredera,” this talented actress has earned international fame. Aylin, who has also garnered recognition for her work in film and theatre, has been honored with numerous awards, including an ACE Award for New Artist of the Year; Golden Sun for Young Up-and-Coming Actress and a Golden Mike, for her participation as host of the morning show, “Tempranito.”

TV host Alan Tacher (tv.telemundo.yahoo.com/latinbillboard/noticias/04032008/71/billboard-biograf-alan-tacher.html), whose expertise spans over 16 years, has worked his way into the hearts of viewers, becoming one of the most charismatic and beloved TV personalities in Spanish-language television. He has made his mark as host of very successful shows in his native Mexico, including: “Gente con Chispa,” “Desafio de Estrellas,” “Homenaje A…,” “Aplauso, Aplauso,” “Chispa Musical,” “La Academia” and for Telemundo, “Quinceanera: Mama Quiero Ser Artista.” He has also participated in special programs such as: World Music Awards, Los Oscar y Eventos Fundacion Telmex interviewing top personalities, such as Magic Jonhson, Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachov, Madeleine Albright, Felipe Gonzalez, Lance Armstrong, Goldie Hawn, Pele, Miguel Bose and Placido Domingo, among others. Thanks to his professionalism and unique style, Alan has been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Journalist Circle Award for Best Host in 2003, and Radio and TV Association for Best Host in 2004, which he received from the President of Mexico, Vicente Fox.

Over the last ten years the Billboard Latin Music Awards has been home to some of the greatest stars in the entertainment industry: Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Juan Gabriel, Shakira, Juanes, Marc Anthony, Armando Manzanero, Celia Cruz, Thalia, Alejandro Fernandez, Ricardo Montaner, Paulina Rubio, Christian Castro, RBD, Joan Sebastian, Juan Luis Guerra, Gloria Trevi, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Daddy Yankee, Lupillo Rivera, Marco Antonio Solis and many more. The event is also recognized for highlighting performances by internationally renowned music stars in the general market, such as Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean, P. Diddy and Jessica Simpson.

PRESS: For more information, please visit www.telemundomv.com.
“*

*From: http://www.hispanicprwire.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Dubbed the Latin House of Blues, the original Conga Room featured the best in local and international Latin artists, bringing together thousands of patrons seeking great music, dancing, food, drinks and atmosphere. Now, as it readies to reopen its doors this fall, the new Conga Room is poised to reclaim its position as the preeminent Latin music venue. Founded by entrepreneur Brad Gluckstein and co-owned by Jimmy Smits, Jennifer Lopez, Paul Rodriguez and Sheila E., the venue is on track to launch at L.A. Live, the hot new entertainment complex across from the Staples Center. The new Conga Room will offer a significantly larger, more sophisticated destination for loyal patrons and the anticipated twenty million complex visitors seeking an exciting, authentic Latin sabor.

“The Latin music scene has remained largely fragmented,” explains Gluckstein. “But the new Conga Room at L.A. Live will change that. Come this fall, the preeminent Latin and world music performers, the best atmosphere and the most inventive Latin food and drinks will be under one roof. The new Conga Room will be a one-stop destination for top Latin entertainment and culture!”

Having swept onto the L.A. social scene in 1998, the Conga Room earned a following with its hip ambience and hot performers. It hosted record launches, movie debuts, award shows and parties, including the 2001 Latin Grammy Award Presentation. It featured concerts by top Cuban and Latin tropical stars such as Celia Cruz and the Buena Vista Social Club and its stage was graced by the likes of Shakira, Juanes and Carlos Santana. The Conga Room broadened its musical repertoire beyond salsa to spotlight popular artists in other genres: rock en Español (e.g., Aterciopelados, Julieta Venegas), world beat (e.g., Susana Baca, Lila Downs, Hugh Masekela, Bebel Gilberto), jazz (e.g., Billy Cobham, Poncho Sanchez, Jack DeJohnette), urban (e.g., Common, Wyclef Jean) and pop/rock (e.g., Jose Feliciano, Nelly Furtado, Los Lobos). After nearly a decade, the original Conga Room closed its doors in May 2006.

With its rebirth at L.A. Live, the Conga Room will again host a broad array of artists and parties, many in the wake of entertainment, social, political and sporting events at the nearby Staples Center, Nokia Theatre, Club Nokia, ESPN, and JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Hotels. It will also be able to reach global audiences through onsite TV/radio production broadcasting. For larger Latin-flavored events, the venue has access to the outdoor Nokia Plaza, which can hold several thousand people.

Encompassing 15,000 square feet and accommodating 1,100 patrons (three times its former capacity), the Conga Room will scintillate audiences with world-class performances, pan-Latin cuisine and a distinctive architecture and design motif that aggregates contemporary elements from Mexico, Barcelona and the Caribbean. Gluckstein adds, “The new Conga Room will provide an unmatched cultural immersion in the most stunning venue in the heart of LA!”

For Conga Room
Kristen Chin or Stephanie Molina, 310-550-7776
kchin@bwr-la.com or

Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz, the Off Broadway musical celebrating the legendary “Queen of Salsa” currently playing at New World Stages celebrated its 200th performance last night on Tuesday, February 19. It was a momentous event in and of itself, but made even more special as it was the day that Fidel Castro resigned as the leader of Cuba!”*

*From: http://baltimore.broadwayworld.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

How do you say “legit” in Spanish?

Right now, it’s pronounced “Celia.” Since it bowed in August, the Off Broadway tuner that recaps the life of Cuban singer Celia Cruz has carved out a niche with Spanish-language auds. Five of its eight weekly perfs are played in Spanish.

An open-ended run of a foreign-language production is rare in Gotham. Although the upcoming Rialto transfer of “In the Heights” centers on a largely Hispanic uptown nabe, most of its dialogue is in English.”*

*From: http://www.variety.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

A sweet touch of the late “Queen of Salsa” has made its way to San Antonio.

The Celia Cruz exhibit runs through April at the Museo (moo-SAY’-oh) Alameda, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.”*

*From: http://www.kvia.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Azteca América presented Los Ganadores de la Gente, a special that showcased the best of El Premio de la Gente from 1999 until 2007. The event, produced by UNO Productions, was hosted by E! Entertainment star Daisy Fuentes and Azteca América’s actor Omar Germenos. The winners of the music and sports categories of 2007 were also announced.

RBD won Pop Group of the Year. Boxing sensation Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. was voted Most Popular Boxer of the Year and singer Belinda was named New Artist of the Year. A complete list of winners can be found at the conclusion of this release.

The two-and-a half hour special also showcased past special tributes to, among others, music legend Celia Cruz. Her 2003 tribute, presented by Juan Gabriel, was accepted by her husband Pedro Knight. The special also included a 2000 tribute to Joan Sebastian presented by Marco Antonio Solís “El Buki” and composer and singer Antonio Aguilar, as well as the presentation of a special award to Spanish singer Miguel Bosé. Special recognitions for Renán Almendárez Coello “El Cucuy” in 2004 and to Eddie “El Piolín” Sotelo in 2005 were also included on the show. The special also showcased a presentation of the 2001 edition of El Premio de la Gente. “Voces Cristianas,” led by Mexican singer Yuri, performed a song about love and hope.

“Azteca América is proud to offer its audience the best of the last seven years of Los Ganadores de la Gente,” said Adrián Steckel, the network’s President and CEO. “El Premio de la Gente is important for Azteca América because it’s the fans who chose the most outstanding artists and athletes of 2007.”

Fans of Latino celebrities have chosen the winners of El Premio de la Gente for seven years. In 2007 and due to viewers’ requests, the organization added sports categories. Fans voted from October 14 to November 14 of 2007 on www.elpremio.tv.

Azteca América also announced “El Reto de la Gente,” a trivia contest. Fans will be able to play via SMS (text message) by sending the word “premio” to 55225; or by visiting www.elpremio.tv and answering music and sports questions about their favorite celebrities. The grand prize is a “convivio’ (meet & greet) with Daisy Fuentes plus an all-expense trip paid to Los Angeles. Other winners will receive Nano iPods. Participants will be able to play from December 2 to January 1, 2008. Visit www.elpremio.tv for further details.

About Azteca América
Azteca América is the alternative choice in broadcast television for Spanish speaking families residing in the United States. As the fastest-growing Hispanic network, Azteca América now reaches 89% of the Hispanic households in the U.S., operating in sixty markets nationwide. Wholly owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V, Azteca América has access to the best programming from TV Azteca’s three national networks including a library with over 200,000 hours of original programming and news from local bureaus in 32 Mexican states. The network compliments Mexican programming with an innovative line-up of shows from international producers and distributors to ensure the finest programming to Spanish speaking viewers and unique advertising solutions to partners seeking to reach the most dynamic market in the country.

About UNO Productions
Founded by entertainment industry pioneer and producer Luis Medina, UNO Productions provides companies with a valuable link to Latin communities, helping them to expand into the multi-billion dollar Latin consumer market. UNO has become the foremost authority in the Latin music marketplace, providing promotional campaigns for nearly every major record label including Sony Disco, EMI Latin, WEA Latina, Arista, BMG, Atlantic, and Interscope. During the course of its 17 year history, UNO has gained the confidence of many international superstars including Julio Iglesias, Paul Simon, Enrique Iglesias and Placido Domingo. In addition, UNO has extended the range of its clientele to include some of America’s largest corporations, including Target, Mervyns, Clairol and a collaboration with The Miller Brewing Company that produced the enormously successful Sólo con Invitación (By Invitation Only) contests for Miller Genuine Draft and Al Punto Advertising. UNO is the official production company of El Premio de la Gente (R) for the 8th consecutive year.

LIST OF WINNERS OF LOS GANADORES DE LA GENTE 2007

– Pop Artist or Group of the Year - RBD (Album: Celestial)
– Most Popular Baseball Player of the Year - Alex Rodriguez (Team: New York Yankees)
– Regional Mexican Artist or Group of the Year - Alicia Villareal (Album: Orgullo de Mujer)
– Most Popular Team of the Year - San Antonio Spurs (Sport: Basketball)
– New Artist of the Year - Belinda (Album: Utopia)
– Athlete of the Year - Emmanuel Ginóbili (Team: San Antonio Spurs)
– Tropical Artist or Group of the Year - Olga Tañon (Album: Soy Como Tú)
– Most popular Boxer of the Year - Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
– Artist of the Year - Shakira (Album: Fijación Oral)
– Most Popular Soccer Team of the Year - LA Galaxy (City: Los Angeles, CA)
– Album of the Year - Fijación Oral (Interpreter: Shakira)
– Most Popular Basketball Player of the Year - Emmanuel Ginóbili (Team: San Antonio Spurs)
– Song of the Year - Pam Pam – Wisin & Yandel (Producers: Hectór Luis Delgado, Juan Luis Morera Luna, Uandel Veguilla Malave, Marco E. Masis)
– Most Popular International Soccer Team of the Year – Brasil (Confederación Brasilera de Fútbol) “*

-“Karlifornia,” the newest offering from MTV Tr3s, is a weekly one-hour show that invites viewers to live the L.A. lifestyle as the cameras follow Karli Henriquez, the quintessential Angelina, as she opens up about growing up in L.A., her personal life, family, dating and more while hanging out with her favorite artists and actors and everyone who is making a mark in the City of Angels. “Karlifornia” premieres on MTV Tr3s on November 13th at 4 PM.

“Growing up in L.A. is the most awesome experience ever and I can’t wait to introduce MTV Tr3s viewers to my world and mi familia” says Karli. “Having my own TV show is a dream come true and I promise viewers they’re going to love getting to know L.A. ‘Karlifornia,’ style!”

In the first episode Karli gets pointers from her gal pal Audrina Patridge from MTV’s “The Hills,” checks in with a psychic about the future of her new show and introduces viewers to the artist LaLa whose song “la la la” is the theme song for “Karlifornia.” Videos by Karli’s favorites artists are included in every episode.

“Karlifornia” is a channel-defining program for MTV Tr3s because it draws directly on the experiences of Karli, a young Latina who grew up in a bilingual, bicultural world and is using her unique sense of style and perspective to succeed in life.

“Karli really represents the best of Latino youth. She is proud, smart and totally open to new experiences. Her love of life is infectious and she really has her finger on the pulse of the hottest music, fashion and cultural trends,” says Lily Neumeyer, Vice President of Programming and Production for MTV Tr3s. “Our audience is going to really enjoy getting to know Karli and discovering all that “Karlfornia” has to offer.”

Karli got her start in radio, first as an intern, then as a member of the station’s street team and ultimately as on-air talent for the JoJo on the Radio program on KIIS-FM. She sees herself as an inspiration to young Latinas who are chasing their dreams just as she is doing.

Karli gets her own inspiration from role models such as Jennifer Lopez and Oprah Winfrey for their entertainment success, hard work, leadership and influence on other people and most of all, from her abuelita, who is her heroine.

Raised in a Mexican and Salvadoran family, Karli grew up listening to Vicente Fernandez, Celia Cruz and New Kids on the Block. Today she fills her iPod with tunes by artists such as Belanova, Calle 13 and Kanye West.

Away from work Karli likes shopping, dancing, reading, having some occasional outdoor adventures and spending time with her family. Finding new restaurants, clubs and places to visit are also among her favorite pastimes.

Karli was raised in Hollywood, California until moving to the San Fernando Valley where she graduated from Reseda High School. She plans to pursue a college degree in Business.

Following the premiere of “Karlifornia,” a companion Karli blog will be launched on mtvtr3s.com where viewers will be able to give Karli feedback about the show and comment on everything from her choice of guys, clothes and more.

MTV Tr3s is in 6.2 million Hispanic TV households and 31.9 million total TV households, making it the most-widely distributed TV network dedicated to superserving today’s bicultural Latino youth. MTV Tr3s’ programming is rooted in the fusion of American and Latino music, cultures, lifestyles and languages. Music programming is at the core of MTV Tr3s and the channel features hitmakers, emerging artists and new sounds that resonate with young U.S. Latinos. In addition to music programming, MTV Tr3s programming slate also features lifestyle series, news, documentaries and other long-form programs that celebrate US Latino hybrid identity and culture.”*

Due to popular response, Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz is extending performances at New World Stages for the holiday season through January 27 2008, tickets on sale now at Telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200 / 6240 Spanish. New World Stages at 340 West 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue

Performances are Tuesday – Friday at 8PM; Saturday at 5PM* and 9PM; Sunday at 3PM and 7PM*. * English performances. All other performances are in Spanish. Please visit www.celiathemusical.com“*

“For nearly two decades, trombonist-composer William Cepeda has been unearthing Puerto Rico’s musical roots — while at the same time fusing it with international sounds.

For him, those seemingly contradictory approaches do not conflict.

“Many genres also belong to our roots. For instance, we have been influenced by Spanish and Arab music,” says Cepeda, who in 1990 founded the Afro-Rican Jazz band, and has played with giants Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente and Celia Cruz.”*

On Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (EMP|SFM) will open American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music, the first major museum exhibition to tell the story of the profound influence and impact of Latinos in American popular music. American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music is created by Experience Music Project in partnership with the University of Washington. The 5,000 square foot bilingual and interactive exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual catalog. American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music runs through Sept. 8, 2007.

From 12 noon until 4 p.m. on Oct. 13, Sky Church at EMP|SFM will radiate with Latino sounds from local bands to internationally-renowned musicians. The day’s premiere event will bring together musicians from the band, Santana.

Santana Rhythms is a performance by and conversation with Michael Carabello and Michael Shrieve — original percussionists from Santana — who will be joined by Abraxas bassist Alphonso Johnson and Chepito Areas’s son, Adrian Areas, who will play the timbales. In between songs they will discuss how they created arrangements for songs like “Oye Como Va,” “Soul Sacrifice” and others.

Performance schedule for Oct. 13: — Totiyo y Amigos, 12 noon-1 p.m.; — Tumbao, 1:30-2:30 p.m.; and — Santana Rhythms, 3-4 p.m.

American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music highlights inspiration from five major centers of Latino popular music: New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, San Antonio and San Francisco.

Curator of American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music, Jasen Emmons has worked alongside University of Washington Guest Curators Marisol Berrios-Miranda, Shannon Dudley and Michelle Habell-Pallan since 2004 to research and develop the exhibition.

Exhibition highlights include: — 100 artifacts, including Ritchie Valens’ Harmony electric guitar and the Mexican-style vest he wore on American Bandstand in 1958; a trombone belonging to salsa star Willie Colon; a gown worn by salsa star Celia Cruz; and much more. — Instrument interactives that demonstrate how to play hooks from well-known Latino songs and a mixer that allows visitors to remix Latino songs. — A dance floor with a large screen projecting images of dancers and where guests can move to their favorite rhythms. — Filmed oral history interviews with more than 45 Latino musicians. — Listening kiosks with explanations about the Latino influence behind popular songs.

The exhibition is sponsored locally by The Boeing Company and Qwest. Opening weekend programming is sponsored by Safeco Insurance. Additional support for the exhibition has been provided by PONCHO, Moneytree, Inc., 4Culture and Zune.

Members of the exhibition’s community advisor group include: Casa Latina, Centro Cultural Hispano Americano, Consulado de Mexico, El Centro de la Raza, the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, Sea Mar and the Washington State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music exhibition content was developed in collaboration with the Simpson Center for the Humanities at the University of Washington, and initial support for the exhibition was provided by the Seattle Partnership for American Popular Music (SPAPM). SPAPM is a collaborative project between EMP|SFM, the University of Washington School of Music, and KEXP 90.3 FM. The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation supports SPAPM.

Admission to EMP|SFM is $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, youth and students and military personnel with ID. Children under 5 are free. EMP|SFM is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., seven days a week.

Since EMP opened in 2000 and SFM in 2004, EMP|SFM has welcomed more than 3.7 million visitors through its doors.

Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame

The 11th annual edition of the Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival will take place on October 13 and 14 in Hollywood, California. The festival features a new location, new media partners, new initiatives and alignment with the Los Angeles Latino International Latino Film Festival, 2007.

This year’s event will take place on Vine Street between Sunset Boulevard and Selma Avenue, in Hollywood, CA. The Hollywood Walk of Fame sidewalk, with its stars saluting the top names in all entertainment fields, parallels the Festival’s frontage on Vine Street and the Hollywood and Vine Metro station is mere blocks away.

The impressive list of authors scheduled to appear include: Univision News Anchor Teresa Rodriguez, Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, Jose Ramirez, Ana Cristina Reymundo, Carolina Valencia, Mabel Katz, Isabel Cruz, Joe Cepeda, Reyna Grande, Monica Moore, Melissa de la Cruz, Lucia De Garcia and many more.

The event features a tribute to last year’s Walk-outs featuring Edward James Olmos, local politicians, student leaders of the Walk-outs in L.A. & Dallas and cast members from Mr. Olmos’ movie of the same name.

Also new this year, an immigration forum will take place Saturday afternoon on the Farmer Insurance Festival Stage featuring participants with opposing views on the hot topic of the moment. Guest scheduled to appear: Janet Murguia, President of NCLR; Hector M. Flores, immediate past President – LULAC; Dr. Juan Hernandez and auhtor Margaret Donnelly. Also invited but yet to confirm: Los Angels Mayor Antonio Villagorosa, Ruben Navarette, national syndicated columnist/CNN commentator, Rev. Al Sharpton and presidential candidate: Senator Barack Obama.

Immediately following the Immigration panel, ¡Si se puede! a panel featuring successful Latina entrepreneurs that will speak on the challenges they encountered on the way to success. The presentation showcases a positive aspect of the contributions of Latinos to the US society and economy, while at the same time encouraging Latinas to succeed in business. The panelist include author Maria de Lourdes Sobrino with her recently released book Thriving Latina Entrepreneurs in America and some of the Latina business women featured in the book. (www.wbusinessbooks.com/thriving-book.html )

The 2007 Los Angeles LBFF will feature a tribute to Celia Cruz in music and books. The festival grounds will have 3 stages. The Farmers Insurance Festival Stage will be home to the forums, seminars and special guest authors. The WaMu Cultural Stage will feature the Folklorico Challenge USA Southern California regional competition with over 25 Folklorico dance groups participating. The Family Stage, with its footprint on the historic intersection of Sunset & Vine will feature singers, musicians and poets in an intimate setting.

The Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival is free to the public thanks to the support of the presenting sponsors: Farmers Insurance and WaMu. Other sponsors include: Dimetapp, Osram Sylvania, Juicy Juice, Party Lite, the Los Angeles Times, Ford’s “Warriors in Pink”, Hoy, Continental Airlines, CVS Pharmacies, Tu Ciudad Magazine, AIM Tel-A Vision and Pacific Oaks College.

For more information see www.lbff.us .

“With the golden age of Latin music receding further into the past, eager audiences are searching for ways to recapture moments that deeply affected their lives. This summer, “El Cantante,” a biopic about singer Héctor Lavoe’s life, riveted a generation of salsa fans despite mixed reviews. Now it’s Celia Cruz’s turn to be immortalized, this time in an Off-Broadway production now playing at New World Stages Theater (212-239-6200).

“Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz” is in many ways more satisfying than “El Cantante.” It helped that Cruz’s story was presented as live musical theater. Former Yerba Buena singer Xiomara Laugart took advantage of her starring role with stunningly accurate performances of Cruz standards like “Cumbanchero” and “Quí­mbara.” Even longtime collaborator Johnny Pacheco, who was in the audience, was visibly moved when Laugart closed the first act with her rendition of “Bemba Colorá.”"

“The hugely affectionate celebration of the life and songs of Cruz, who died four years ago, makes its official premiere Wednesday night at the New World Stages, two blocks west of Broadway. And judging from the reactions of preview audiences — some of whom ended up salseando with cast members at the end of two recent performances — the show is destined to become a hit with fans.

Produced for $2 million, Celia is a modest production by glitzy Lion King standards, relying entirely on projected images and creative lighting to establish sets ranging from Havana to New York to Zaire, where Cruz performed in 1974 before a crowd of 80,000.”

“I love My Name is Celia and My Name is Gabriela. You are doing an incredible contribution to children’s literature with your Latino biographies picture books. What is your research process for writing these biographies?

I try to be a meticulous researcher and honor the historical record, if there is one and it is accurate. As Latino/as, we are sometimes absent from this record and that is partly why I write. Since I was a scholar before I was a children’s writer, research comes naturally, but this is only the beginning of the process. I try to let my subject inspire my writing. Though I wrote a picture-book biography of Celia Cruz, her music–its rhythm, its joyful energy, the lyricism””is present on every page. In my forthcoming biography Pelé, King of Soccer (HarperCollins RAYO, 2009), I tried to capture the physical genius, the grace, and the spirit of his gift, on the page. My collaborator, illustrator Rudy Gutierrez, has done an amazing job!”