June 18, 1999
By Berenice Cisneros
Billboard Releases a Guide To Tejano and Regional Mexican Music
Latin music in America has had many faces, most notably with Latin pop artists such as Gloria Estéfan, Julio Iglesias, Tito Puente and more. But who are all those other artists who are winning awards in the popular Tejano and Mexican/American music categories, selling millions of records each year, but remain on the fringes of mainstream popularity? Who are Grammy winning artists Little Joe, Flaco Jiménez, Selena and Los Super Seven, and how have they impacted American and Mexican music?
The Billboard Guide to Tejano and
Regional Mexican Music by Ramiro Burr (Billboard Books, Paperback,
$18.95, May 1999) is a first of its kind comprehensive behind
the scenes look at the burgeoning Tejano music industry. For music
spawned around the turn of the century, growing stronger and diversifying
with each passing generation, the book is a detailing of Tejano
music and its subgenres of Conjunto, Norteño, Mariachi/Ranchera
and Trío/Bolero.
A resource for both the layman and most knowledgeable music industry insider, The Billboard Guide is a documentation of artists and bands who have shaped modern Tejano music. Illustrated with photos of artists who have made their mark on the Tejano music industry, the sourcebook covers more than 300 artists/bands, includes a glossary of music terms and Spanish words, a chronology of historical events, an insightful chapter on the history of Tejano music.
This music is, today, the choice of fans across the country and more notably, in its hometown territory of the American Southwest where its popularity has led to the succcess of the Tejano Music Awards, the South By Southwest Music Conference, The Tejano Music Hall of Fame, The Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and the annual Conjunto Festival in San Antonio, Texas, to name a few. In 1999, the Grammy Awards honored Tejano music artists with a Grammy in their own category for the first time, justifying the force and prominence of the genre.
The author Ramiro Burr is a 14 year veteran of music reporting in rock/pop/country and Latin music genres. A staff writer at the San Antonio Express-News, Burr is also a correspondent for Billboard Magazine and a freelance writer for Latina, Cashbox, New Country Music, Texas Monthly, and many others. Burr is a contributing writer on World Music: The Rough Guide and also contributed a chapter on Latin music for the Hispanic Almanac. Ramiro Burr resides in San Antonio, Texas.
For more information, contact Jackie Bazan at (201) 656-0529 or via email at jbazan@aol.com.
Latin Beat Magazine and EMI Team-Up to Release the Ultimate Latin Music Compilation
EMI Music Distribution's The Right Stuff joins forces with Latin Beat Magazine, the leading Latin music publication of the nineties to put together the ultimate Latin music compilation series of the decade. The series, titled Latin Beat Magazine Presents, consists of a total of four (4) compilation CDs, featuring original hit compositions from the worlds of Latin Dance, Latin Pop, Tropical Dance (Salsa), and Rock en Español. Each of the compilation CDs gathers the top exponents of their genre, performing some of their most popular hit songs in recent years. The first two compilation CDs of the series, Club Caliente and Mundo Romantico, are now ready for the whole entire world to enjoy
Club Caliente features some of today's most enticingly sweaty dance floor-favorites, performed by the hottest Latin hitmakers. This is a stellar introduction for those unfamiliar with what informed club-goers will instantly recognize. From the late Selena's "Techno Cumbia" to the unbridaled antics of Tito Puente Jr.'s "Las Mujeres" to the salacious charm of El Cubano's "Esta E' La Vida," this collection will weaken your woofers.
When the lights go out in dance floor land, it's time to head for Mundo Romantico. Spun from the same romantic threads that fashioned the suave sounds of the `30s and `40s, this collection clings faithfully to its catholic interpretation of emotional intercourse. Mundo Romantico contains sensual songs and diverse melodies of an all-star gathering that includes Emmanuel, John Secada, And Luis Miguel.
Rudolph Mangual, publisher/editor of Latin Beat Magazine, stated, "this joint venture with The Right Stuff materialized due to the excellent terms and conditions of our mutual agreement, which allowed us the freedom of searching and seeking material from all available sources as we conducted our selection of candidates for each of the compilations, and the added assurance that each CD would be produced and handled as a premium product throughout all of its stages."
Artists Update:
Mana
`Rock en Español' superstars Mana will open for the legendary Latin rock group Santana on their upcoming tour, which officially kicks off with a two-night stand in Houston on June 29-30.
The tour will mainly cover the Southwestern and West Coast of the US with a stop in San Diego scheduled for August 7 and 8 at Coors Amphitheater. Ticket sales for Los Angeles area have already set a new mark for a Latin bill as the two shows (August 12 and 13) at the Arrowhead Pond sold-out in one day. Up-and-coming Latin fusionists Ozomatli will open all dates.
Sandy García
On a local note Sandy Garcia was in town on a promotional swing, introducing us to her CD release Sandy Garcia "Ni por equivocación".
Sandy Garcia is a local woman, born in Santa Ana, California, striving to bring out the best of traditional folklore music (ranchera and mariachi) in her singing. At the age of six she participated in a competition in Tijuana, Baja California, creating a sensation and awakening her desire to pursue a singing career.
To this day she continues following her dream contributing her talents to many non-profit organizations, as well as traveling up-and-down the state performing in theaters, fiestas, for television and on radio, and at many fundraisers, which lead to her becoming a recipient of the United Way Latino Influential Award for 1999.
To contact Sandy Garcia call Ciri Records at 714-972-2806 or voice-mail at 714-430-7972.
Corrine
RMM's newest Salsa sensation returns in 1999 with her long awaited second album with a special added surprise to the album is a fantastic version of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" produced by Wyclef Jean
Corrine has a magical personality, romantic and modern stage presence and musical capabilities that make of her a splendid figure of modern Salsa. Produced by Isidro Infante, her second release with RMM, Un Poco Más promises to propel her artistic persona even more by featuring ten (10) evocative and danceable compositions where Corrine gracefully combines swinging Salsa with R&B and Hip-Hop rhythms.
An added surprise to the album is two fantastic versions (English and Spanish) of Madonna's platinum-selling song "La Isla Bonita" produced by Grammy Award winner Wyclef Jean who has produced top-charted hits for Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana and The Fugees, among others.
Corrine has a beautiful alto voice and sings in three languages (Spanish, English and Italian). Her involvement in music started at a very young age. While in elementary school, she studied clarinet and for five years and was part of her school's chorus. In high school, Corrine was part of The Central Islip Traveling Show Choir. She has performed two Opera solos for NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) earning top honors. Her achievements were well recognized when she was selected to the SCMEA (Suffolk County Music Educational Association) where she participated at all the county concerts.
Perhaps the most impressive quality of this amazing young lady is her conscience effort to use her fame as an instrument to guide today's youth. Corrine is the spokesperson for McDonald's Hacer Scholarship Program. Through this program, Corrine speaks to graduating seniors about the importance of an education and the opportunities the Hacer Program offers.
Chris Perez
A gifted musician, Chris Perez has spent the last four years writing music and laying the groundwork for a return to contemporary rock - his first love. Growing up in urban San Antonio he was drawn into the world of pop-Tejano, where he landed a gig as a sideman with Selena y Los Dinos. He spent six years in her band.
Since Selena, Perez sought solace through his songwrit-ing, spending hours at home in Corpus Christi crafting the songs that would become Resurrection. He soon connected with a vocalist named John Garza, and the pair fulfilled their musical vision with the additionof Joe Ojeda (keyboards), Adriel Ramirez (bass) and Jorge Palacios (drums). After signing with a lable that did stifle Perez's desire to play rock, the group proceeded to the studio.
The resulting album, Resurrection offers a cross-cultural mix of aggressive pop, a straight-dose of classic rock, flamenco-infused rhythm and heart-wrenching balladry. The album's title cut is alredy catching on with rock stations, while the ballad "¿Por Qué Te Fuiste?" (Why did you leave?) is simultaneously going to Latin Pop radio. Look for Chris Perez Band U.S. tour dates to announced shortly.
Un Talento Llamado Malú
Esta joven madrileña, hija de Pepe de Lucía y sobrina del reconocido Paco de Lucía, trae la música en sus venas y tiene un gran talento. Con sólo 16 años ha conocido el éxito por mérito propio y su hermosa voz le ha permitido grabar para WEA Latina su primera producción discográfica titulada Aprendiz.
Este álbum se estreno en España el otoño pasado, y Malú ha tenido un éxito rotundo, donde ya ha vendido más de 400,000 piezas. Uno de los grandes de su paíz, Alejandro Sanz, compuso especialmente para la artista tres temas incluidos en este disco entre los que se encuentran Aprendiz que es además, el primer sencillo promocional. La artista, ad-más, ha compartido e-cenarios con su compatriota en México y en el popular programa El Séprimo de C-ballería que conduce Miguel Bosé y que se transmite en España. En este disco se incluyen ocho temas de hermosas letras que r-cuerdan amores pasados, amores presentes y grandes emociones que nos tocan el corazón.
El Diario de Daniela
Hace un tiempo atrás la novela Luz Clarita acaparó los primeros lugares de audiencia en Estados Unidos, México y Puerto Rico. Ahora, Daniela Luján nos trae su más reciente novela y junto a ésta, una nueva producción musical. El albúm lleva por título El Diario de Daniela.
Esta novela es una serie musical infantil que actual-mente se está transmitiendo en México con una excelente acogida del público. En esta, ella es la líder de una pandilla de niños que recorrerán diferentes aventuras durante los seis meses de duración de la misma. La producción cuenta con doce temas en los que Luján es la intérprete principal. Además, incluye la participación del cantante y actor infantil Martín, quien interpreta el tema Canción de Martín, y la de Yolanda Ventura con Tema de Natalia. Esta novela se transmitirá en Estados Unidos a través de la cadena Univisión.
Cowboy Rumba
Cantante, compositor, guitarrista, líder de orquesta, productor - Ned Sublette es una de las figuras más originales del escenario musical de la ciudad de Nueva York, y Cowboy Rumba, su debut como solista para Palm Pictures, es igualmente ex-quisitamente único. Cowboy Rumba es precisamente lo que implica su título: la música, letra y vocalización de Ned combinadas con un maravilloso equipo de estrellas de la música de Cuba, República Dominicana y Puerto Rico.
Cowboy Rumba combina la tradición de historias líricas de la música country con lo mejor de la música latina, salsa, timba, rumba, son y merengue. A mediados de los 80s Ned efectuó su transición a ser fanático de la salsa. Durante todo este tiempo, Ned no había hecho un albúm de su propia autoría. Este album reúne quince años de su vida resumidos en una producción de una hora. Es una de las más sorprendentes y distintivas producciones del año.
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