INTERVIEWS (CON'T): The following Latin Jazz/Salsa artists have been interviewed on The Latin Jazz Show by Sweet Lou and El Guiro.....
Tito Allen
Sonero and composer with an elegant, lucid voice and refined singing style, known as "El Elegante de la Salsa", Tito Allen made Salsa history with the megahit "Indestructible", as lead singer with Ray Barretto's band.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Andrea Brachfeld
New York City's most popular female Salsa flautists, Andrea Brachfeld has performed with Charanga '76, The Benito Sextet, Tipica Ideal, Charanga America, and Tipica New York. She has also performed with Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, and Machito.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Mark Weinstein
Began his professional career in Latin Music as a trombonist with Larry Harlow, then alongside legendary Salsa trombonist Barry Rogers with Eddie Palmieri's La Perfecta. In the late 1990's, Mark began recording as a flautist, and continues to produce a more traditional style of Latin Jazz.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kat Parra
This West Coast based Latin Jazz vocalist incorporates to her singing style not only afro-cuban music, but also adds afro peruvian, middle eastern, south american folklore as well as nueva trova. Kat Parra has performed in Brazil, Mexico, Chicago, Seattle, as well as top-tier venues around San Francisco.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Dave Valentin
Grammy award winning flautist, and 3-time Grammy nominee Dave Valentine has practically defined the role of the flute in Latin Jazz and Salsa. He boasts a command of both Latin and non-Latin styles that make him a unique presence in the music world.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Marty Sheller
Musical Director with Mongo Santamaria for a number of years, Marty Sheller is considered by many in the industry to be one of the most prolific Salsa and Jazz arrangers of modern times. He was instrumental in giving the FANIA Record Label the sound that made them second to none during the "Salsa Explosion" in New York City. Most recently, Marty has released his first production as a band leader, "WHY DENY", which features All-Star musicians, to include Oscar Hernandez and Chris Rogers (Son of the Legendary Trombonist Barry Rogers).
______________________________________________________________________________
Ernie Acevedo
Leader of Conjunto Imagen, founded in 1989 along with Junior Rivera. Conjunto Imagen has recorded 12 productions, and their recent CD entitled "AFINANDO" celebrates the group's 20th Anniversary. The new vocal section features Eddie Rosado, Johnny Ortiz, and Alex Rodriguez. Ernie Acevedo also heads up his own record label, Muziq Inc Records, in New York City, which has signed Ralphy Santi and Frankie Morales.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yoko
Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Yoko was born to sing Salsa. She was a member of "Las Estrellas", a Salsa band in Japan formed by former members of Orquesta De La Luz. She moved to the United States in 1997, and made her debut with Chino Nunez and Friends at the New York Salsa Congress. Yoko has performed in Japan with Herman Olivera, and with Ray Sepulveda on a duet entitled "Hoy Les Cantamos" on Chino Nunez' production "Doctor Salsa". Yoko has teamed with producer/arranger Willie Ruiz for her own production "La Japonesa Salsera", which also features Chino Nunez and Frankie Vasquez.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Izzy Sanabria
In 1978, the prestigious GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly) magazine published a profile of Izzy Sanabria in which it stated: Known as "Mr Salsa" because he almost single-handedly popularized the term "Salsa" (during the 1970s) which the world now recognizes as the name for New York's Latin Music.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Melena
Music is in her blood. Shaped from the rhythms that dance through her veins, Melena, born in Havana Cuba, has mastered the traditional rhythms that have traveled from Africa to Cuba, to the dance floors of America. Her Afro/Cuban sound is a conversation of melodies which she plays with fierce passion, whether on congas, timbales, or a range of other percussion instruments.