In our Q&a /feature series Tell Me Más, we ask some of our favorite Latine artists to share some inside info about their lives and habits, revealing everything from their most recent read to the songs that get them hyped. This month, Grammy-winning artist Goyo, a member of legendary group ChocQuibTown, drops in to talk about her latest turn as a solo act, Afro-Latine representation, and what she's got in store for us in 2024.
As reggaetón, afrobeats, and trap become global, their distinct sounds and formulas become more cemented. However, rapper and singer Goyo has always defied the confines of a single genre. As a member of the award-winning group ChocQuibTown, the sound that she helped craft along with her brother Miguel "Slow" Martinez and Carlos "Tostao" Valencia, combined elements of traditional African percussion, Colombian folk, hip-hop, dancehall, and reggaetón. Now, as she continues her musical journey, this time as a solo artist,...
As reggaetón, afrobeats, and trap become global, their distinct sounds and formulas become more cemented. However, rapper and singer Goyo has always defied the confines of a single genre. As a member of the award-winning group ChocQuibTown, the sound that she helped craft along with her brother Miguel "Slow" Martinez and Carlos "Tostao" Valencia, combined elements of traditional African percussion, Colombian folk, hip-hop, dancehall, and reggaetón. Now, as she continues her musical journey, this time as a solo artist,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Miguel Machado
- Popsugar.com
The Conga Room is closing its doors.
The Los Angeles institution will bow out of the city’s nightlife scene after 25 years with one more final hurrah on March 27. Billed as a “farewell celebration,” the final night will be steered by investors Jimmy Smits and Paul Rodriguez and feature performances and appearances by Gilberto Santa Rosa (aka “el caballero de la salsa”) among other notable names (yet to be announced) from the worlds of music, politics and culture.
Opened in 1999 on Wilshire Boulevard by entrepreneur Brad Gluckstein, the Conga Room counted Smits, Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez and Sheila E. as investors. The Conga Room became a go-to nightlife, special events and concert destination that boosted culture, music and entertainment. Over the years it has hosted the likes of Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Celia Cruz, the Buena Vista Social Club, Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Alejandro Fernández, Jamie Foxx, Fito Páez,...
The Los Angeles institution will bow out of the city’s nightlife scene after 25 years with one more final hurrah on March 27. Billed as a “farewell celebration,” the final night will be steered by investors Jimmy Smits and Paul Rodriguez and feature performances and appearances by Gilberto Santa Rosa (aka “el caballero de la salsa”) among other notable names (yet to be announced) from the worlds of music, politics and culture.
Opened in 1999 on Wilshire Boulevard by entrepreneur Brad Gluckstein, the Conga Room counted Smits, Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez and Sheila E. as investors. The Conga Room became a go-to nightlife, special events and concert destination that boosted culture, music and entertainment. Over the years it has hosted the likes of Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Celia Cruz, the Buena Vista Social Club, Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Alejandro Fernández, Jamie Foxx, Fito Páez,...
- 1/31/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Norby Walters, a music agent who worked with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Kool & the Gang and Public Enemy before gaining renown in Hollywood for his annual “Night of 100 Stars” Oscar party and weekly poker game, has died. He was 91.
Walters died Dec. 10 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his son, producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash), told The Hollywood Reporter.
Walters hosted his first Oscar night gala in 1990 and the last in 2017, most often inside the Beverly Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. Among those who attended were Shirley Jones, Robert Forster, Charles Bronson, Patricia Neal, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, Louis Gossett Jr., J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, Red Buttons, Jon Voight and Allison Janney.
Walters for years also presided over a weekly poker game at his West Hollywood high-rise condo. The low-stakes $2 game was, his son said, “designed to be a place where actors could kibbutz,...
Walters died Dec. 10 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his son, producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash), told The Hollywood Reporter.
Walters hosted his first Oscar night gala in 1990 and the last in 2017, most often inside the Beverly Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. Among those who attended were Shirley Jones, Robert Forster, Charles Bronson, Patricia Neal, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, Louis Gossett Jr., J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, Red Buttons, Jon Voight and Allison Janney.
Walters for years also presided over a weekly poker game at his West Hollywood high-rise condo. The low-stakes $2 game was, his son said, “designed to be a place where actors could kibbutz,...
- 12/21/2023
- by Mike Barnes and Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Last month, Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro put out a call to the public, asking people to send ideas for music by Latin artists to submit to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. It’s part of a years-long effort on Castro’s part to get more Latin art preserved within the Library of Congress and to increase Latino representation across media and pop culture.
The National Recording Registry is made up of works considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” or that “inform or reflect life in the United States.
The National Recording Registry is made up of works considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” or that “inform or reflect life in the United States.
- 10/4/2023
- by Julyssa Lopez
- Rollingstone.com
Dancing with the Stars viewers are calling foul on judges Carrie Ann Inaba, head judge Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. They claim the trio was “underscoring” beloved TV star Barry Williams after a lively Cha Cha for Latin Night. Fans believe “they did him dirty” by giving the entertainer scores that placed him toward the bottom of the leaderboard.
Fans believe judges were ‘underscoring’ Barry Williams’ on his challenging Cha Cha
Dancing with the Stars Season 32 cast member Barry Williams entered week two of DWTS facing a challenging Cha Cha for Latin Night. Peta Murgatroyd trained Williams in the dance, incorporating small, quick steps rather than long glides across the dance floor.
In a video package accompanying William’s Cha Cha, Peta Murgatroyd and other competing couples celebrated Williams’ 69th birthday in a DWTS rehearsal room. The former Brady Bunch star admitted a great birthday gift would be high scores from the judges.
Fans believe judges were ‘underscoring’ Barry Williams’ on his challenging Cha Cha
Dancing with the Stars Season 32 cast member Barry Williams entered week two of DWTS facing a challenging Cha Cha for Latin Night. Peta Murgatroyd trained Williams in the dance, incorporating small, quick steps rather than long glides across the dance floor.
In a video package accompanying William’s Cha Cha, Peta Murgatroyd and other competing couples celebrated Williams’ 69th birthday in a DWTS rehearsal room. The former Brady Bunch star admitted a great birthday gift would be high scores from the judges.
- 10/4/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“Dancing with the Stars” will spice things up on Latin Night on Tuesday, so get ready for some major hip action.
The samba and rumba will make their debut this season with three couples performing the former and just one, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach, doing the latter. Guess they’re really gonna test his extra vertebrae. The other nine couples will either perform a cha-cha, salsa or tango.
See the full list below.
Tyson Beckford and Jenna Johnson: salsa (“Aguanile” by Willie Colón and Héctor Levoe)
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy: salsa (“Don’t Go Yet” by Camila Cabello)
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber: tango (“Can’t Remember to Forget You” by Shakira feat. Rihanna)
Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold: salsa (“Arranca” by Becky G feat. Omega)
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev: cha-cha (“She Bangs” by Ricky Martin)
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov:...
The samba and rumba will make their debut this season with three couples performing the former and just one, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach, doing the latter. Guess they’re really gonna test his extra vertebrae. The other nine couples will either perform a cha-cha, salsa or tango.
See the full list below.
Tyson Beckford and Jenna Johnson: salsa (“Aguanile” by Willie Colón and Héctor Levoe)
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy: salsa (“Don’t Go Yet” by Camila Cabello)
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber: tango (“Can’t Remember to Forget You” by Shakira feat. Rihanna)
Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold: salsa (“Arranca” by Becky G feat. Omega)
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev: cha-cha (“She Bangs” by Ricky Martin)
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov:...
- 10/2/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
La Lupe was electric onstage. The Cuban singer, known for her belting power and undeniable charisma, began showing off her skills at a young age, winning local radio competitions and dazzling audiences at clubs on the island. When she moved to New York City after the Cuban Revolution, she kept winning people over with her masterful presence — even catching the eye of salsa legend Tito Puente, who was a collaborator and lifelong fan until her death in 1992.
Now, the two artists will be reunited in a first-of-its-kind exhibition presented by...
Now, the two artists will be reunited in a first-of-its-kind exhibition presented by...
- 8/31/2023
- by Julyssa Lopez
- Rollingstone.com
Legendary thrash drummer Dave Lombardo has announced his debut album, Rites of Percussion, arriving May 5th via Ipecac Recordings. The lead single “Journey of the Host” can be streamed below.
The idea for a Lombardo solo album has origins as far back as 1998, when it was suggested by the drummer’s current Mr. Bungle bandmate Mike Patton.
“He introduced me to Tito Puente’s Top Percussion album,” Lombardo said via a press release. “I was already familiar with Tito and was a bit shocked that Patton was so musically diverse, and that he surrounded himself with musicians of the same mindset. That inspired me. I have had ideas that I’ve recorded on cassette over the years, but Patton kept insisting that I had to do a ‘drum album.’ So, the idea behind the album is years in the making. I just had to find the right time—for me—to do it.
The idea for a Lombardo solo album has origins as far back as 1998, when it was suggested by the drummer’s current Mr. Bungle bandmate Mike Patton.
“He introduced me to Tito Puente’s Top Percussion album,” Lombardo said via a press release. “I was already familiar with Tito and was a bit shocked that Patton was so musically diverse, and that he surrounded himself with musicians of the same mindset. That inspired me. I have had ideas that I’ve recorded on cassette over the years, but Patton kept insisting that I had to do a ‘drum album.’ So, the idea behind the album is years in the making. I just had to find the right time—for me—to do it.
- 3/8/2023
- by Jon Hadusek
- Consequence - Music
Tito Puente’s legacy in music was honored with a Google Doodle during Hispanic Heritage Month. Puerto Rican artist Carlos Aponte celebrated the late “King of Latin Music” with an animated video Doodle that has graced Google’s homepage.
Puente was born on April 20, 1923 at Harlem Hospital Center in New York City’s Spanish Harlem. He was a teenager when he started his career as a drummer and became one of the most prominent names in Latin music. Puente was a percussionist, composer, songwriter, recording artist, and bandleader with a career that spanned five decades.
He was posthumously recognized at the first-ever Latin Grammy Awards, and the Harlem street where he grew up — E. 110th Street — was renamed Tito Puente Way to honor his life and legacy.
Aponte, the artist behind Google’s Doodle, said he was introduced to Puente via his aunt. Although Aponte’s aunt died a year ago,...
Puente was born on April 20, 1923 at Harlem Hospital Center in New York City’s Spanish Harlem. He was a teenager when he started his career as a drummer and became one of the most prominent names in Latin music. Puente was a percussionist, composer, songwriter, recording artist, and bandleader with a career that spanned five decades.
He was posthumously recognized at the first-ever Latin Grammy Awards, and the Harlem street where he grew up — E. 110th Street — was renamed Tito Puente Way to honor his life and legacy.
Aponte, the artist behind Google’s Doodle, said he was introduced to Puente via his aunt. Although Aponte’s aunt died a year ago,...
- 10/12/2022
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The legendary Tito Puente did it all: He was a percussionist, a bandleader, a songwriter, and a producer responsible for some of the most renowned mambo, Latin jazz, and salsa classics in music history. Today, fans get to celebrate his life achievements with a heart-warming Google Doodle that shows off and animates his iconic career.
Illustrated by Carlos Aponte and timed with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Doodle shows Puente as a kid in Spanish Harlem, where he was born in 1923. He showed in interest in music from the time he was young,...
Illustrated by Carlos Aponte and timed with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Doodle shows Puente as a kid in Spanish Harlem, where he was born in 1923. He showed in interest in music from the time he was young,...
- 10/11/2022
- by Julyssa Lopez
- Rollingstone.com
Carlos Santana, the Grammy-winning 74-year-old founder of the group Santana, collapsed on stage during a concert in Michigan on Tuesday night. He was taken from the Pine Knob Music Theatre, an outdoor shed 40 miles outside of Detroit, to a nearby hospital in Clarkston. His manager released a statement saying that he is staying at the facility “for observation and is doing well.”
Santana’s Wednesday gig at Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania has been postponed.
Images and video of Ems workers rushing the scene made their way to social media late Tuesday. After a few moments of confusion, the iconic guitarist was carried away but shielded by a curtain. He later waved to fans, who cheered the musician.
Carlos Santana waved to clapping fans as he’s helped off the stage pic.twitter.com/YA55N4QCZe
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 6, 2022
The incident occurred about 40 minutes into the set,...
Santana’s Wednesday gig at Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania has been postponed.
Images and video of Ems workers rushing the scene made their way to social media late Tuesday. After a few moments of confusion, the iconic guitarist was carried away but shielded by a curtain. He later waved to fans, who cheered the musician.
Carlos Santana waved to clapping fans as he’s helped off the stage pic.twitter.com/YA55N4QCZe
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 6, 2022
The incident occurred about 40 minutes into the set,...
- 7/6/2022
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Carlos Santana has re-recorded his classic interpretation of Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va” with help from over 20 musicians around the globe, including Cindy Blackman Santana, Becky G, Tito Puente, Jr., Rubén Rada, Tal Wilkenfeld, Chouloute Minouche, and Jose Valdés Terán.
The song was produced by Playing For Change co-founder Mark Johnson as part of the organization’s Peace Through Music event in partnership with the United Nations to support social justice and the rights of Afro descendants.
“This song is so full of positive energy and soul that it...
The song was produced by Playing For Change co-founder Mark Johnson as part of the organization’s Peace Through Music event in partnership with the United Nations to support social justice and the rights of Afro descendants.
“This song is so full of positive energy and soul that it...
- 5/27/2022
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
La Lupe never seemed to second-guess herself onstage. The Afro-Cuban singer — who died 30 years ago this week, on Feb. 29, 1992 — was infinitely watchable, unafraid to kick and howl and twitch, as if the music were sending electric jolts throughout her body. In Cuba, where she headlined nightclubs in the early 1960s, she enthralled novelists like Ernest Hemingway and Guillermo Cabrera, both of whom wrote about the rhapsodic fury that seemed to overtake her when she sang. Her first husband Eulogio Reyes once said that the first time he saw her perform,...
- 2/28/2022
- by Julyssa Lopez
- Rollingstone.com
George Ferencz, a longtime mainstay of the Off Broadway scene who directed premieres and revivals of plays by Sam Shepard, Aishah Rahman and Amiri Baraka, died Sept. 14 following a long illness. He was 74.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
His death was announced today by the three-time Emmy-winning costumer designer Sally Lesser, his wife of 35 years and collaborator on more than 65 theater productions.
Among the other then-new playwrights directed by Ferencz in significant stagings were Jean-Claude van Itallie, Mac Wellman and Yasmine Rana. Ferencz also directed established works by playwrights including Eugene O’Neill, Bertolt Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Sean O’Casey and Agatha Christie.
“We would regularly run into his colleagues and former students on the street,” actor Jenne Vath, who worked in numerous Ferencz productions, said in a statement. “They would invariably say that George changed their life. George was a great spirit and a rock star...
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
His death was announced today by the three-time Emmy-winning costumer designer Sally Lesser, his wife of 35 years and collaborator on more than 65 theater productions.
Among the other then-new playwrights directed by Ferencz in significant stagings were Jean-Claude van Itallie, Mac Wellman and Yasmine Rana. Ferencz also directed established works by playwrights including Eugene O’Neill, Bertolt Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Sean O’Casey and Agatha Christie.
“We would regularly run into his colleagues and former students on the street,” actor Jenne Vath, who worked in numerous Ferencz productions, said in a statement. “They would invariably say that George changed their life. George was a great spirit and a rock star...
- 9/23/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Dagmar Schultz on Audre Lorde at the Winterfeldt Markt in Berlin (1992): “She really liked going to the markets, to cafés, and really enjoyed the city.” Photo: Dagmar Schultz
Dagmar Schultz’s up-close and personal portrait Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984-1992, co-written with Ika Hügel-Marshall, Ria Cheatom, and Aletta von Vietinghoff (who is also the editor) takes us into the private and public life of the poet, activist, teacher, humanitarian, whose life-affirming outlook remains evermore important today. Audre Lorde was a graduate of Hunter College High School and Hunter College in New York City, and a Distinguished Professor of English at the college from 1981 to 1986. In 2019, Audre Lorde was honored, along with Maya Angelou, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Celia Cruz, James Baldwin, Gil Scott-Heron, Tito Puente, and Reggie Jackson by the artist Rico Gatson with their portraits in glass mosaics for the 167 Street subway station in the Bronx.
Dagmar Schultz’s up-close and personal portrait Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984-1992, co-written with Ika Hügel-Marshall, Ria Cheatom, and Aletta von Vietinghoff (who is also the editor) takes us into the private and public life of the poet, activist, teacher, humanitarian, whose life-affirming outlook remains evermore important today. Audre Lorde was a graduate of Hunter College High School and Hunter College in New York City, and a Distinguished Professor of English at the college from 1981 to 1986. In 2019, Audre Lorde was honored, along with Maya Angelou, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Celia Cruz, James Baldwin, Gil Scott-Heron, Tito Puente, and Reggie Jackson by the artist Rico Gatson with their portraits in glass mosaics for the 167 Street subway station in the Bronx.
- 5/15/2021
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Rubén Blades, the singer-songwriter behind some of the greatest salsa of all time, attempts a bold merger on his latest album, Salswing!, moving between the strutting, brassy sheen of swing and the driving, blasting, hyperkinetic salsa that made him a legend.
In the liner notes accompanying the album, which Blades made with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, he announces his intention to “eliminate the stereotype that affirms that we are conditioned to only exist artistically within specific boundaries according to our nationality.” Blades later adds, “All albums today limit themselves to a...
In the liner notes accompanying the album, which Blades made with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, he announces his intention to “eliminate the stereotype that affirms that we are conditioned to only exist artistically within specific boundaries according to our nationality.” Blades later adds, “All albums today limit themselves to a...
- 4/16/2021
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
Johnny Pacheco, the Dominican-born musician and label founder who helped popularize salsa around the world, died Monday, February 15th, The New York Times reports. He was 85.
Pacheco’s wife, Maria Elena “Cuqui” Pacheco, confirmed his death on Facebook. In another post dated February 13th, the Pacheco family said the musician had been hospitalized with pneumonia.
Pacheco was a percussionist, flautist, songwriter, arranger, and bandleader. In 1964, he and Jerry Masucci co-founded Fania Records, which earned a reputation as the “Motown of salsa” with its copious hit records from acts like Celia Cruz,...
Pacheco’s wife, Maria Elena “Cuqui” Pacheco, confirmed his death on Facebook. In another post dated February 13th, the Pacheco family said the musician had been hospitalized with pneumonia.
Pacheco was a percussionist, flautist, songwriter, arranger, and bandleader. In 1964, he and Jerry Masucci co-founded Fania Records, which earned a reputation as the “Motown of salsa” with its copious hit records from acts like Celia Cruz,...
- 2/16/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
In September of 2008, an unusual performance took place at downtown New York club Le Poisson Rouge. At stage right, opposite fellow six-string adventurer Marc Ribot, sat Lou Reed, conjuring clouds of free-rock energy from his guitar. Behind them, avant-garde mainstay John Zorn sent forth piercing, impassioned blasts of alto sax. And at the center of it all, churning with the fury of a whirlpool and dancing across his hand-painted drum kit with the control and flair of a flamenco master, was Milford Graves — the percussionist, healer, and interdisciplinary seeker who...
- 2/13/2021
- by Hank Shteamer
- Rollingstone.com
Actor and filmmaker Matt Dillon has released two clips from “The Great Fellove” [“El Gran Fellove”], a long-gestating documentary chronicling the musical career of Cuban scat singer and showman Francisco ‘el Gran’ Fellove and the recording of his last album, “Fellove & Joey.” The film is world premiering at the San Sebastian Film Festival and is being sold by Nick Shumaker of United Talent Agency.
It is Academy-Award nominee Dillon’s second feature film in the director’s chair. In 2003 he co-wrote and made “City of Ghosts” in which he starred alongside James Caan, Gerard Depardieu, and Stellan Skarsgård.
Through a series of interviews, archival photos and videos, as well as new footage, “The Great Fellove” recounts Fellove’s life as a struggling musician in Cuba, his eventual success in Mexico, and the contagious love he had for music until the very end.
The Cuban soul star was born on Oct.
It is Academy-Award nominee Dillon’s second feature film in the director’s chair. In 2003 he co-wrote and made “City of Ghosts” in which he starred alongside James Caan, Gerard Depardieu, and Stellan Skarsgård.
Through a series of interviews, archival photos and videos, as well as new footage, “The Great Fellove” recounts Fellove’s life as a struggling musician in Cuba, his eventual success in Mexico, and the contagious love he had for music until the very end.
The Cuban soul star was born on Oct.
- 9/19/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Variety Film + TV
For the Duels this season on “World of Dance,” the contestants don’t decide who they go up against in head-to-head dance combat. The judges choose for them, and to start things out on Tuesday night the judges arranged a Latin dance-off between salsa performers Jefferson y Adrianita and fellow Latin ballroom couple Luca and Alessandra. So were Jefferson y Adrianita able to withstand the pressure? Watch their routine above to see for yourself.
Jefferson y Adrianita should be used to pressure. After all, they were the very first performance in the very first episode of this season’s Qualifiers, so they had to bring it right out of the gate. And they did it again. As soon as their performance to “El Rey Del Timbal” by Tito Puente ended, guest judge Stephen “Twitch” Boss warmed his hands over the stage they just set on fire. “That was pretty amazing,...
Jefferson y Adrianita should be used to pressure. After all, they were the very first performance in the very first episode of this season’s Qualifiers, so they had to bring it right out of the gate. And they did it again. As soon as their performance to “El Rey Del Timbal” by Tito Puente ended, guest judge Stephen “Twitch” Boss warmed his hands over the stage they just set on fire. “That was pretty amazing,...
- 7/1/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Edward James Olmos has partnered with Tito Puente’s family to bring the story of the legendary musician to the world in a series of projects, including film, television and Vr content.
Known as the “King of Mambo,” Puente was a six-time Grammy winner, and received many other accolades before he died in 2000.
Olmos is working with Puente’s son, Tito Puente Jr., producer/writer Damon Whitaker, music artist/producer David Guzman, and his own son, director/producer Michael D. Olmos, to bring the projects to fruition.
The Olmos team will be producing the project alongside Whitaker and Guzman, with Tito Jr. advising throughout the process. The team is developing a docuseries featuring never-before-seen images and footage from the family’s estate to create a feature film that focuses on Puente’s struggle to bring Latin music to the mainstream. A Vr musical experience and a tribute album with contemporary...
Known as the “King of Mambo,” Puente was a six-time Grammy winner, and received many other accolades before he died in 2000.
Olmos is working with Puente’s son, Tito Puente Jr., producer/writer Damon Whitaker, music artist/producer David Guzman, and his own son, director/producer Michael D. Olmos, to bring the projects to fruition.
The Olmos team will be producing the project alongside Whitaker and Guzman, with Tito Jr. advising throughout the process. The team is developing a docuseries featuring never-before-seen images and footage from the family’s estate to create a feature film that focuses on Puente’s struggle to bring Latin music to the mainstream. A Vr musical experience and a tribute album with contemporary...
- 5/31/2020
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
The idea of creating a separate organization to honor the diversity of Latin music was a discussion that took place for years before it actually happened, but an event driven by one of pop music’s most important crossover artists solidified it.
During the 41st Grammy Awards ceremony, a young Ricky Martin was scheduled to perform “La Copa de La Vida (The Cup of Life),” the theme to the 1998 World Cup. The success of the song put Martin on the map, and with the help of Miami Sound Machine producer-executive Emilio Estefan, the Recording Academy booked him to perform at the 1999 Grammy Awards.
Martin’s voice, moves and charisma so captivated the audience that a phenomenon the press called the “Latin Pop Explosion” ensued.
“It was a ‘before and after’ for my career when I had the opportunity to perform at the Grammys,” Martin says. “Things were never the same.
During the 41st Grammy Awards ceremony, a young Ricky Martin was scheduled to perform “La Copa de La Vida (The Cup of Life),” the theme to the 1998 World Cup. The success of the song put Martin on the map, and with the help of Miami Sound Machine producer-executive Emilio Estefan, the Recording Academy booked him to perform at the 1999 Grammy Awards.
Martin’s voice, moves and charisma so captivated the audience that a phenomenon the press called the “Latin Pop Explosion” ensued.
“It was a ‘before and after’ for my career when I had the opportunity to perform at the Grammys,” Martin says. “Things were never the same.
- 10/18/2019
- by Cata Balzano
- Variety Film + TV
This month marks 20 years since Ricky Martin dropped his self-titled, English-language LP — forever shifting the course of American pop music.
Released May 11th, 1999, Ricky Martin would sell nearly ten million copies worldwide within its first month. Its astronomical success was due in no small part to its single, “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” which was dropped earlier that March. Co-written with his fellow Menudo alum, Draco Rosa, as well as hitmaker Desmond Child, the salsa-rock fusion track would not just ascend to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100; but it would...
Released May 11th, 1999, Ricky Martin would sell nearly ten million copies worldwide within its first month. Its astronomical success was due in no small part to its single, “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” which was dropped earlier that March. Co-written with his fellow Menudo alum, Draco Rosa, as well as hitmaker Desmond Child, the salsa-rock fusion track would not just ascend to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100; but it would...
- 5/27/2019
- by Suzy Exposito
- Rollingstone.com
The O’My’s have been a band for more than a decade, shuffling through many members and releasing a fair amount of music in the process. But the experimental Chicago soul duo would prefer you view Tomorrow, their spacey and sensual new album, as their true starting point. “I finally feel comfortable giving this to somebody and saying, ‘This is what we do,'” says singer-guitarist Maceo Haymes, 29, who founded the group in 2008 with keyboardist Nick Hennessey, 28. “If you can’t get it now, then you’re probably never going to.
- 10/12/2018
- by Dan Hyman
- Rollingstone.com
As we ponder how series 8's music will sound, Jeff digs out ten inventive takes on the Doctor Who theme...
Feature
With series eight’s Deep Breath fast approaching, there are questions all Dw fans will be asking – perhaps none as pressing as “What new bag of tricks will Murray Gold be bringing to the theme song?” While we all wait with bated breath, why not take a gander at these variations on Ron Grainer’s immortal work?
Doctor Who Theme – Gallifrey Remixes (Dominic Glynn and Syzygy)
Dominic Glynn’s theme from Trial Of A Timelord is an 80s effort that’s worn well for this writer, particularly the way Glynn sneaks in a new array of far-out soundscapes. This remix, originally performed at L.A.’s Gallifrey One convention, features four upgrades of Glynn’s ‘Trial’ theme, as produced with Syzygy (a.k.a. Justin Mackay). It takes a...
Feature
With series eight’s Deep Breath fast approaching, there are questions all Dw fans will be asking – perhaps none as pressing as “What new bag of tricks will Murray Gold be bringing to the theme song?” While we all wait with bated breath, why not take a gander at these variations on Ron Grainer’s immortal work?
Doctor Who Theme – Gallifrey Remixes (Dominic Glynn and Syzygy)
Dominic Glynn’s theme from Trial Of A Timelord is an 80s effort that’s worn well for this writer, particularly the way Glynn sneaks in a new array of far-out soundscapes. This remix, originally performed at L.A.’s Gallifrey One convention, features four upgrades of Glynn’s ‘Trial’ theme, as produced with Syzygy (a.k.a. Justin Mackay). It takes a...
- 7/20/2014
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
What better way to charm a lady than to display your dance moves?
Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) leads the cast in British dance-comedy Cuban Fury as Bruce, a middle-management type in a mechanical design office. His boss Drew, played quite creepily by Chris O'Dowd (The It Crowd, Bridesmaids), constantly picks on him and won't stop with the fat jokes (seriously, enough with the fat jokes). Both men are excited by the entrance to the company of American executive Julia (Rashida Jones, Parks and Recreation, Celeste and Jesse Forever).
Bruce has a secret: He and his sister were once young Latin-dance superstars in their region, until an attack by bullies led him to put up his dancing shoes. To impress Julia, whom he spies taking salsa lessons, Bruce turns to his former dance coach Ron (Ian McShane, Deadwood) for aid. Bruce also gets help and advice from his bartender sister (Olivia Colman,...
Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) leads the cast in British dance-comedy Cuban Fury as Bruce, a middle-management type in a mechanical design office. His boss Drew, played quite creepily by Chris O'Dowd (The It Crowd, Bridesmaids), constantly picks on him and won't stop with the fat jokes (seriously, enough with the fat jokes). Both men are excited by the entrance to the company of American executive Julia (Rashida Jones, Parks and Recreation, Celeste and Jesse Forever).
Bruce has a secret: He and his sister were once young Latin-dance superstars in their region, until an attack by bullies led him to put up his dancing shoes. To impress Julia, whom he spies taking salsa lessons, Bruce turns to his former dance coach Ron (Ian McShane, Deadwood) for aid. Bruce also gets help and advice from his bartender sister (Olivia Colman,...
- 4/18/2014
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
San Juan, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rican salsa legend Cheo Feliciano died in a car accident early Thursday, prompting the governor of the U.S. territory to declare three days of mourning. Feliciano, a member of the Fania All Stars, was one of the most recognized salsa singers, with hits including "Una en un millón," ''Mi promesa," and "Contigo aprendi." The 78-year-old Feliciano was alone in his Jaguar when he hit a light post before dawn in the northern suburb of Cupey. Police officer Jorge Hernandez Pena, who is overseeing investigation of the crash, said in a phone interview that Feliciano was not wearing his seatbelt. He said it is unclear what led to the crash, adding that officials did not find any drugs or alcohol in the car. His wife of 56 years, Socorro "Coco" Prieto Leon, told reporters that Feliciano had been at a casino Wednesday night. "He was...
- 4/17/2014
- by Danica Coto, AP
- Hitfix
Salsa legend Jose Luis “Cheo” Feliciano died in a car crash Thursday morning in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was 78.
Cheo Feliciano Dies
Felciano had been driving his Jaguar when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a light pole at 4:13 a.m., according to Puerto Rican police. It has yet to be reported how fast he was traveling at the time of the accident.
No other people were injured in the wreck. Feliciano, who did not like to wear a seatbelt according to his wife Coco, died at the scene.
“Father will live forever because he has given his music, his heart to his people,”Feliciano’s son José Enrique told El Nuevo Día. “Thank God we have his music to remember him by.”
Last year, Feliciano had been diagnosed with cancer and had been receiving treatments with the expectation of going into remission.
The Puerto...
Cheo Feliciano Dies
Felciano had been driving his Jaguar when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a light pole at 4:13 a.m., according to Puerto Rican police. It has yet to be reported how fast he was traveling at the time of the accident.
No other people were injured in the wreck. Feliciano, who did not like to wear a seatbelt according to his wife Coco, died at the scene.
“Father will live forever because he has given his music, his heart to his people,”Feliciano’s son José Enrique told El Nuevo Día. “Thank God we have his music to remember him by.”
Last year, Feliciano had been diagnosed with cancer and had been receiving treatments with the expectation of going into remission.
The Puerto...
- 4/17/2014
- Uinterview
Fox
When a voice-actor passes away for any cartoon, the writers have three options: re-cast with a similar-sounding actor/actress; send the character on a “long vacation” until a decision can be made; or permanently retire said character(s) out of respect for the deceased. After being on the air for 25 years, The Simpsons have, unfortunately, seen their fair-share of voice-actors pass on. Very few of their “permanent” voices, but enough in-house- as well as special guests who voiced themselves and reoccurring characters- have passed that the writers have had to make those decisions.
Sixty-three voice-actors and actresses- three considered “regular cast” and the other 60 “special guest stars”- have been silenced over the last 25 years. Some of the more familiar guest stars you won’t see in this list include: Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, Gary Coleman, Linda McCartney, Tito Puente, Elizabeth Taylor, and Barry White. The ones listed within...
When a voice-actor passes away for any cartoon, the writers have three options: re-cast with a similar-sounding actor/actress; send the character on a “long vacation” until a decision can be made; or permanently retire said character(s) out of respect for the deceased. After being on the air for 25 years, The Simpsons have, unfortunately, seen their fair-share of voice-actors pass on. Very few of their “permanent” voices, but enough in-house- as well as special guests who voiced themselves and reoccurring characters- have passed that the writers have had to make those decisions.
Sixty-three voice-actors and actresses- three considered “regular cast” and the other 60 “special guest stars”- have been silenced over the last 25 years. Some of the more familiar guest stars you won’t see in this list include: Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, Gary Coleman, Linda McCartney, Tito Puente, Elizabeth Taylor, and Barry White. The ones listed within...
- 4/4/2014
- by The 'House
- Obsessed with Film
New York — Misty-eyed music promoter Sid Bernstein, who booked such top acts as Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland and the Rolling Stones and hit the highest heights when he masterminded the Beatles' historic concerts at Shea Stadium and Carnegie Hall, died Wednesday at age 95.
Bernstein's daughter, Casey Deutsch, said he died in his sleep at a hospital. She cited no illness and said he died of natural causes.
For decades, the squat, floppy-haired Bernstein excelled like few others at being everywhere and knowing everybody. He worked with Garland, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles, promoted Dion, Bobby Darin and Chubby Checker and managed Esy Morales, the Rascals and Ornette Coleman. He was an early backer of Abba, setting up the Swedish group's first American appearances. He was behind one of the first rock benefit shows, the 1970 "Winter Festival for Peace" at Madison Square Garden, which featured Hendrix and Peter, Paul and Mary.
Bernstein's daughter, Casey Deutsch, said he died in his sleep at a hospital. She cited no illness and said he died of natural causes.
For decades, the squat, floppy-haired Bernstein excelled like few others at being everywhere and knowing everybody. He worked with Garland, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles, promoted Dion, Bobby Darin and Chubby Checker and managed Esy Morales, the Rascals and Ornette Coleman. He was an early backer of Abba, setting up the Swedish group's first American appearances. He was behind one of the first rock benefit shows, the 1970 "Winter Festival for Peace" at Madison Square Garden, which featured Hendrix and Peter, Paul and Mary.
- 8/22/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Spoilers ahead. Two more dancers have left the competition after tonight’s performance show, which featured the exceedingly endearing Anna Kendrick as a guest judge. I’ll post my full recap of tonight’s performances later on; in the meantime, discuss!
Alexis Juliano and Curtis Holland have been eliminated. Curtis injured his shoulder during rehearsals this week, so that one was a given.
Jasmine Harper and Mackenzie Dustman landed in the bottom three for the girls, but only Alexis and Jasmine had to dance solos.
For the guys, Nico Greetham and Alan Bersten joined Curtis in the bottom three.
*
‘So You Think You Can Dance...
Alexis Juliano and Curtis Holland have been eliminated. Curtis injured his shoulder during rehearsals this week, so that one was a given.
Jasmine Harper and Mackenzie Dustman landed in the bottom three for the girls, but only Alexis and Jasmine had to dance solos.
For the guys, Nico Greetham and Alan Bersten joined Curtis in the bottom three.
*
‘So You Think You Can Dance...
- 7/31/2013
- by Annie Barrett
- EW.com - PopWatch
Police Captain María Laguerta will soon be busy following Dexter’s blood-soaked trail when the seventh season of the Showtime hit drama "Dexter" premieres this week. But Puerto Rican actress Lauren Vélez, who plays the ruthless Laguerta, used the time between seasons to work on a project centered around another ambitious Cuban woman.
Vélez, a long time admirer of 1960s Cuban singer and exile Guadalupe “La Lupe” Victoria Yolí Raymond, will star and help produce "They Call Me La Lupe,” a biopic of the artist written by Luis Caballero and James Manos Jr. (creator of “Dexter”). To bring the film to the big screen -- also set to feature Dominican actress Judy Reyes (“Scrubs”) -- the Boricua and a team of producers are trying to raise $100,000 through Kickstarter, a popular social platform used to fund creative projects.
In an exclusive interview with The Huffington Post, Vélez talked about the reasons...
Vélez, a long time admirer of 1960s Cuban singer and exile Guadalupe “La Lupe” Victoria Yolí Raymond, will star and help produce "They Call Me La Lupe,” a biopic of the artist written by Luis Caballero and James Manos Jr. (creator of “Dexter”). To bring the film to the big screen -- also set to feature Dominican actress Judy Reyes (“Scrubs”) -- the Boricua and a team of producers are trying to raise $100,000 through Kickstarter, a popular social platform used to fund creative projects.
In an exclusive interview with The Huffington Post, Vélez talked about the reasons...
- 9/26/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
In the wake of the smash success and pop culture phenomenon of AMC's "Mad Men," other networks have been scrambling to develop their own period based dramas. ABC and NBC each tried with "Pan Am" and "The Playboy Club" respectively and failed, with both shows already canceled. But Starz has faith in their late '50s soaked "Magic City," chronicling the glitzy highlife (and lowlife) of Miami of the era. And with show already renewed for a second season, they are looking to stick around for a while.
With show now a couple of episodes in, Starz is not waiting to get the alternate revenue streams rolling as the soundtrack for the series is already on the way. And it's pretty solid. Boasting eleven tunes, it's steeped in the era with blues cuts from Bo Diddley and Johnny Otis, jazz from Lee Morgan, soul from Ray Charles and pop radio...
With show now a couple of episodes in, Starz is not waiting to get the alternate revenue streams rolling as the soundtrack for the series is already on the way. And it's pretty solid. Boasting eleven tunes, it's steeped in the era with blues cuts from Bo Diddley and Johnny Otis, jazz from Lee Morgan, soul from Ray Charles and pop radio...
- 4/16/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
When (or if) Carlos Santana finally retires and ends his almost 50-year-long career (so far) of being one of the greatest genre-spanning guitar talents of his time, it will be a very sad day. But that day is not today, and by the logic of these past two sentences it wasn't last year either, which might account for his live concert at Montreux which someone had the wisdom to record and commit to DVD and Blu-ray. Santana Live at Montreux 2011 has the acclaimed artist playing a 23-song set of his classics and covers of hits originally by Tito Puente ("Oye Como Va"), Fleetwood Mac ("Black Magic Woman"), and John Coltrane ("A Love Supreme"). Be honest though, how many of you associate those songs with Santana more than you do the original artists?
To celebrate the release of Santana Live at Montreux, we're going to give away a DVD copy to three lucky readers.
To celebrate the release of Santana Live at Montreux, we're going to give away a DVD copy to three lucky readers.
- 2/20/2012
- by Lex Walker
- JustPressPlay.net
Chico & Rita
Directed by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
Written by Ignacio Martinez de Pison and Fernando Trueba
2011, Spain / UK
The great films throw the existing state of cinema into sharp relief, filling a gap in the movie-going experience that was not only empty, but previously invisible to even the most passionate audience members. Today there are Disney princesses, Pixar whimsies, and Miyazaki dreams, but the superior Chico & Rita provides animation with something that it had never known it was missing: seduction. This is simply the most romantic animated film ever made.
The titular couple meet in a smoky Havana club in 1948. Rita has the voice that can draw every eye in the room, and Chico is a promising pianist with the chops for everything from Stravinsky to bebop. They go to bed that first night, and the following morning the complications begin. Both have the talent and the passion...
Directed by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
Written by Ignacio Martinez de Pison and Fernando Trueba
2011, Spain / UK
The great films throw the existing state of cinema into sharp relief, filling a gap in the movie-going experience that was not only empty, but previously invisible to even the most passionate audience members. Today there are Disney princesses, Pixar whimsies, and Miyazaki dreams, but the superior Chico & Rita provides animation with something that it had never known it was missing: seduction. This is simply the most romantic animated film ever made.
The titular couple meet in a smoky Havana club in 1948. Rita has the voice that can draw every eye in the room, and Chico is a promising pianist with the chops for everything from Stravinsky to bebop. They go to bed that first night, and the following morning the complications begin. Both have the talent and the passion...
- 2/11/2012
- by Mark Young
- SoundOnSight
With "Midnight in Paris," Woody Allen's comic look at nostalgia and its limitations, having earned four Oscar nominations last week (including nods for Best Picture, Allen's direction and his original screenplay), it's a good time to take a look back at Allen's 1987 comedy "Radio Days." Another comic take on nostalgia, "Radio Days" is now officially a golden oldie itself, having been released exactly 25 years ago, on January 30, 1987. A fond look, filtered through memory, of a 1940s New York childhood, the radio broadcasts that captivated audiences back then, and the behind-the-scenes gossip about the performers who voiced them, "Radio Days" may be best known today for launching the career of Seth Green -- then a 12-year-old who played the Allen-like narrator as a boy. But there's also a wealth of little-known true stories behind the film, some of them from Allen's own life, some from classic radio lore, and some...
- 1/30/2012
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Latino animation Chico & Rita is set to become a stage musical, and the stars were out for the Chemical Brothers' new film
Cuban heels
Hot on the heels of its Oscar nomination last week, animated feature Chico & Rita is set to become a stage musical. The film, telling the romantic story of a Havana piano player and a beautiful singer separated by time and circumstance, has all the ingredients for a stage show, including a successful soundtrack by the late-flowering Cuban musician Bebo Valdés. The film also features music from Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Tito Puente and Thelonious Monk, and is set in the late-1940s period when the New York jazz scene began to absorb immigrant percussionists from Havana's nightclub scene such as Chano Pozo. The film, produced on the Isle of Man by CinemaNX and directed by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal, has already won a European...
Cuban heels
Hot on the heels of its Oscar nomination last week, animated feature Chico & Rita is set to become a stage musical. The film, telling the romantic story of a Havana piano player and a beautiful singer separated by time and circumstance, has all the ingredients for a stage show, including a successful soundtrack by the late-flowering Cuban musician Bebo Valdés. The film also features music from Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Tito Puente and Thelonious Monk, and is set in the late-1940s period when the New York jazz scene began to absorb immigrant percussionists from Havana's nightclub scene such as Chano Pozo. The film, produced on the Isle of Man by CinemaNX and directed by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal, has already won a European...
- 1/29/2012
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
One friend said it sounds like it was recorded for babies on a Casio keyboard. Another called it “Spanish Max Headroom.” I call it Gloria Ke$htefan, a new musical genre that combines — you guessed it — Gloria Estefan and Ke$ha. Gloria’s new song, “Wepa,” is produced by The Neptunes.N.E.R.D./Pharrell Williams, which may be why it sounds like a hyperactive dance march that borrows as equally from Ke$ha — the Kween of Tra$hpop — as it does from Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. Although it doesn’t necessarily sound like her voice was Auto-Tuned, there is an element of robotic call-and-response that one would more likely expect from, say, The Black Eyed Peas. Basically, Gloria Estefan wants to sit at the kids table, and that is Fine! Personally, I’ve gone from staring, slack-jawed, at the album art of Gloria looking rather Fierce, to...
- 9/13/2011
- by Eliot Glazer
- BestWeekEver
Hey folks! Dennis here, covering True Blood this time out since your usual brilliant recapper Steven Frank is on his honeymoon. He will be back next week, I promise. Go easy me if I'm not nearly as witty or incisive as Steven normally is.
Show opens in Bill's high tech dungeon where it looks like "Mantonia" (the witch Antonia in Marnie's body) has cast an Imperius curse on Louis.
She has him call out to that red-headed woman who infiltrated the witches' coven to spy on her. I'll call her Harriet, as in Harriet the Spy, since I don't know her real name.
And I love this detail, Harriet is playing friggin' Plants v. Zombies on her iPad! (Love that game!)
Anyway, Harriet thinks Louis has attacked Marnie so – bad move – she enters the cell. Louis puts the drop on her and – after arranging for Mantonia's exit route via her...
Show opens in Bill's high tech dungeon where it looks like "Mantonia" (the witch Antonia in Marnie's body) has cast an Imperius curse on Louis.
She has him call out to that red-headed woman who infiltrated the witches' coven to spy on her. I'll call her Harriet, as in Harriet the Spy, since I don't know her real name.
And I love this detail, Harriet is playing friggin' Plants v. Zombies on her iPad! (Love that game!)
Anyway, Harriet thinks Louis has attacked Marnie so – bad move – she enters the cell. Louis puts the drop on her and – after arranging for Mantonia's exit route via her...
- 8/8/2011
- by Dennis Ayers
- The Backlot
Adam Rose / Fox Contestants perform on the June 30 broadcast of “So You Think You Can Dance?”
It’s down to seven couples now.
The judges give a lot more substantive feedback tonight, which is much more interesting than generalized shrieks and love, maybe because with fewer dancers there’s more time to talk to them? The music is much more varied, too, with numbers from David Bowie, Tito Puente, Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat. There’s also a new choreographer,...
It’s down to seven couples now.
The judges give a lot more substantive feedback tonight, which is much more interesting than generalized shrieks and love, maybe because with fewer dancers there’s more time to talk to them? The music is much more varied, too, with numbers from David Bowie, Tito Puente, Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat. There’s also a new choreographer,...
- 7/7/2011
- by Gwen Orel
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Legendary Latin artists Selena, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente and Carmen Miranda will be immortalized by the U.S. Postal Service in its new Latin Music Legends (Forever) stamp series. The stamps, painted by San Diego-based artist Rafael Lopez, will be unveiled March 16 at the South X Southwest Music Conference. Members of the artists' families will be in attendance. Grupo Fantasma will perform. "The United States Postal Service has a long-standing tradition of honoring and depicting the events and people who have influenced American culture and history and have helped to define our nation," said Marie Therese Dominguez, vice president of Government...
- 3/10/2011
- Hitfix
Cinema fulfils the .need for fiction. that is inherent in human beings and helps them .better understand life and reality., Spanish filmmaker Fernando Trueba has said. .Writers and filmmakers, with their stories, have enabled us to better understand human beings,. Trueba said during the presentation of his animated feature .Chico & Rita. in Miami. The director, whose 1992 movie .Belle Epoque. won the Oscar for the best foreign language film, said he had the .sense that this film ought to come to Miami because of its large Hispanic and Cuban population.. .Chico & Rita. will open this year.s Miami International Film Festival Friday. The film, winner of a Goya prize in Spain for best animated film, has some political overtones but is above all a love story, a .bolero full of music and romanticism., he said. Co-directed by Trueba with designer and illustrator Javier Mariscal, the film tells a heart-wrenching love story involving Chico,...
- 3/3/2011
- Filmicafe
Here’s what I learned about Will Smith’s favorite city from The Real Housewives of Miami, the latest iteration of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise: It is not New York. It is not L.A. It’s a great place to find women with big, floppy hats, ridiculously long, flat-ironed hair, and sexy accents. Its largest PR firm employs a staggering 12 people. And some people refer to it as The Magic City. (Okay, fine, I actually learned that last fact on Wikipedia.)
I still don’t know, however, if Miami has what it takes to host a decent edition of Housewives.
I still don’t know, however, if Miami has what it takes to host a decent edition of Housewives.
- 2/23/2011
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
Dexter star Lauren Velez is in talks to bring the life of Cuban music sensation La Lupe to the big screen.
Velez, the star of one woman show They Call Me La Lupe, will end her limited run in the Off-Broadway production on 23 January, after less than three weeks in the role.
The stage show, written by Emmy winner James Manos, Jr. and Luis Caballero and directed by Veronica Caicedo, tells the rags to riches life story of the Latin singer, who became the lead vocalist in Tito Puente's band.
But Velez won't be waving goodbye to the singer just yet - Manos, Jr. and Caballero are in talks with the Puerto Rican Film Commission to shoot a planned movie version with the actress, according to Variety.
Manos says, "I co-wrote this show as a way to jumpstart the process. I felt the play would help revive interest in La Lupe.
"It's scary how Lauren has inhabited her being. Not only does she look like La Lupe but she has captured La Lupe's distinct voice as well."...
Velez, the star of one woman show They Call Me La Lupe, will end her limited run in the Off-Broadway production on 23 January, after less than three weeks in the role.
The stage show, written by Emmy winner James Manos, Jr. and Luis Caballero and directed by Veronica Caicedo, tells the rags to riches life story of the Latin singer, who became the lead vocalist in Tito Puente's band.
But Velez won't be waving goodbye to the singer just yet - Manos, Jr. and Caballero are in talks with the Puerto Rican Film Commission to shoot a planned movie version with the actress, according to Variety.
Manos says, "I co-wrote this show as a way to jumpstart the process. I felt the play would help revive interest in La Lupe.
"It's scary how Lauren has inhabited her being. Not only does she look like La Lupe but she has captured La Lupe's distinct voice as well."...
- 1/14/2011
- WENN
The Ten Funniest Action-Movie Trailers in Cinema History Is the Unstoppable trailer supposed to be so funny? By Amanda Green 1. Unstoppable In the trailer that inspired this list, an unmanned freight train carrying hazardous chemicals is improbably on the loose traveling northward at fifty miles per hour. What will it kill first: a horse, schoolchildren, or Denzel Washington's career? 2. Armageddon Up to second twenty-nine, you're thinking the only possible explosion in this movie is happening somewhere around Liv Tyler's cervix. But you're wrong. 3. Desperado Gunslinging (even from a guitar case, ese!), explosions, and forced entry all in time with Tito Puente. How do you say Wtf in Spanish? 4. Crank 2: High Voltage An accented protagonist can't save every film, especially when it's an action movie about a man literally looking for his heart. On the bright side, there's a character named Poon Dong. 5. [...]...
- 11/9/2010
- by Amanda Green
- Nerve
It's difficult to write about Bruce McDonald's latest film, if only because I feel like I'm examining someone else's very personal correspondence. Co-star Tracy Wright, a truly bright light of Canadian theatre, television, and film, died this summer of cancer. She was only 50. Trigger, rushed into production as her health declined, is really a love letter to her from many of the people who held her dear. Her performance is her letter back: to her husband; to her friends; to her professional community; perhaps most of all to her art. It's a letter delivered personally, so to speak.
Vic (Wright) and Kat (Molly Parker) had a measure of success with their final band together, the titular Trigger. A decade or so after their band and their friendship implode on stage due to (remember, this is a Bruce McDonald film) drugs, alcohol, sex, and self-loathing, they meet again to make...
Vic (Wright) and Kat (Molly Parker) had a measure of success with their final band together, the titular Trigger. A decade or so after their band and their friendship implode on stage due to (remember, this is a Bruce McDonald film) drugs, alcohol, sex, and self-loathing, they meet again to make...
- 9/14/2010
- Screen Anarchy
At the 25th annual Imagen Awards, which celebrate the achievements of Latinos in television, America Ferrara picked up her third award for her work on "Ugly Betty" as reported by the La Times. Of course, it was a bittersweet moment, since Ferrara's Betty made her final appearance last April.
"I'm going to try and not cry right now," Ferrara said through her tears as she accepted the award. When someone shouted that he was sad from the audience, Ferrara agreed. "Me too. I just love her. I love the show. It was a period of my life that was just magical."
Not that she's concerned. "I'm not afraid I'm not going to work again. That's not why I'm crying," she clarified.
See below for a full list of the winners, announced Sunday, August 15 at the Beverly Hilton.
Best Primetime Television Program or Movie-of-the-Week: "Cold Case"
Best Actor/Television: Danny Pino,...
"I'm going to try and not cry right now," Ferrara said through her tears as she accepted the award. When someone shouted that he was sad from the audience, Ferrara agreed. "Me too. I just love her. I love the show. It was a period of my life that was just magical."
Not that she's concerned. "I'm not afraid I'm not going to work again. That's not why I'm crying," she clarified.
See below for a full list of the winners, announced Sunday, August 15 at the Beverly Hilton.
Best Primetime Television Program or Movie-of-the-Week: "Cold Case"
Best Actor/Television: Danny Pino,...
- 8/16/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
It was a big day for the brothers Bratt at the 25th Annual Imagen Awards luncheon ceremony Sunday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Filmmaker Peter, the recipient of this year's Norman Lear Writers Award, also nabbed the feature prize for his film "La Mission," while the film's star, Benjamin, was deemed best lead actor for his portrayal of a father coming to terms with his son's homosexuality. Jeremy Ray Valdez, as the son, received the supporting actor prize.
Other film winners included Ana de la Reguera, named best actress for her role in Maya Entertainment's "Backyard"; Kenny Ortega, who received the director's prize for his Michael Jackson concert film "This Is It"; Dominik Garcia-Lorido, the supporting actress winner for her role opposite dad Andy Garcia in "City Island"; and "Taught to Hate," the recipient of the theatrical short prize.
In the television categories, CBS' "Cold Case" grabbed the best TV...
Filmmaker Peter, the recipient of this year's Norman Lear Writers Award, also nabbed the feature prize for his film "La Mission," while the film's star, Benjamin, was deemed best lead actor for his portrayal of a father coming to terms with his son's homosexuality. Jeremy Ray Valdez, as the son, received the supporting actor prize.
Other film winners included Ana de la Reguera, named best actress for her role in Maya Entertainment's "Backyard"; Kenny Ortega, who received the director's prize for his Michael Jackson concert film "This Is It"; Dominik Garcia-Lorido, the supporting actress winner for her role opposite dad Andy Garcia in "City Island"; and "Taught to Hate," the recipient of the theatrical short prize.
In the television categories, CBS' "Cold Case" grabbed the best TV...
- 8/15/2010
- by By Noela Hueso
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO documentary El Espiritu de la Salsa debuts Aug. 9 The hot dance that is a mash of cultures, Afro-Cuban beats and sultry Caribbean rhythms, salsa (.sauce.) has a wide-ranging appeal that extends far beyond the Latino community. The documentary El Espiritu De La Salsa follows a diverse group of ten New Yorkers as they discover the transformative power of salsa dance when it debuts Monday August 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m. Et/Pt), exclusively on HBO. El Espiritu De La Salsa features a red-hot soundtrack of music from legendary salsa masters Tito Puente, Eddie Santiago and Héctor Lavoe, as well as contemporary pop superstars such as Norah Jones. This film concludes the HBO Documentary Films summer series. The other August...
- 7/27/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Singer Alexandra Taveras is raising her voice in opposition to Arizona's new immigration law.
The vocalist -- who sang with The New York Band, tours with Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, toured with Thalia, had a number-one duet with Tito Nieves and worked with late music legends Tito Puente and Celia Cruz -- has just debuted her songs "Land of the Free" and "Tierra de la Libertad" on the website www.ArizonaApartheid.com.
Taveras performed the songs -- produced and composed by Latin Grammy nominee Jose Luis Pagan -- to raise awareness about the negative impact of Arizona's new law.
Alexandra, who was featured on momlogic last year, confided to Chris Yandek of CYInterview.com, "As for this new Arizona law, when it comes to my daughter, I'd like to see her grow up in a world that is fair and free of discrimination."
Alexandra's songs are available as free...
The vocalist -- who sang with The New York Band, tours with Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, toured with Thalia, had a number-one duet with Tito Nieves and worked with late music legends Tito Puente and Celia Cruz -- has just debuted her songs "Land of the Free" and "Tierra de la Libertad" on the website www.ArizonaApartheid.com.
Taveras performed the songs -- produced and composed by Latin Grammy nominee Jose Luis Pagan -- to raise awareness about the negative impact of Arizona's new law.
Alexandra, who was featured on momlogic last year, confided to Chris Yandek of CYInterview.com, "As for this new Arizona law, when it comes to my daughter, I'd like to see her grow up in a world that is fair and free of discrimination."
Alexandra's songs are available as free...
- 7/2/2010
- Momlogic
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