Artist description Salsa gitana at its best. Creative songwriting with hard driving danceable salsa!

Music Style Salsa

Musical Influences Ruben Blades, Fania all Stars, the Beatles

Similar Artists Rubén Blades

Artist History Orquesta Gitano was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area by "Bosco El Gitano", multi-percussionist of Nicaraguan and Estonian (Gypsy) heritage and cousin to legendary Santana percussionist "Chepito". The other 12 members hail from as far away as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and New York. For the last 18 years, Orquesta Gitano has played Latin dance music all over California, but their passion has always been great songwriting, inspired by the creativity of Ruben Blades, Willie Colon, The Fania All-Stars, and Juan Formell, as well as Mozart, The Beatles and other great composers of all genres. Orquesta Gitano's rhythms are familiar and danceable, but the songs are unique, each carefully and patiently painted from a musical palette of unlimited colors and each full of surprises at every turn, earning them consideration for the 1998 Grammy awards and a long series of rave reviews. Orquesta Gitano's exciting, original style is a perfect combination of tradition and innovation, featuring the full range of exotic Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms (salsa, plena, charanga, guaguanco, songo, cumbia, bolero, guaracha, merengue), all played with an intense, world-class swing that is perfect for dancing. Complementing a tight, driving rhythm section of timbales, congas, bongo, guitar, violin, bass, piano and a powerful 4-piece brass section {2 trumpets & 2 trombones}, Orquesta Gitano features the incredible vocal talents of Cuban-born Sonero, Mario "Rumbero" Perez, commanding a huge vocal range as he moves effortlessly from Salsa to Bolero to intense, heartfelt rumba singing. New to the 2nd CD is Eduardo "Sabroso" Herrera, who brings a very smooth, contemporary vocal style to Orquesta Gitano's Salsa Fusion. Gitano's contemporary Salsa style has put them on the same bill with such legends as Tito Puente, Changuito, Patato, Mongo Santamaria, Orestes Vilato, Willie Colon, Poncho Sanchez, Armando Peraza, Los Hermanos Moreno, Conjunto Cespedes, Airto Morenira and Flora Purim, the Neville Bros, and Third World. On March Saturday 21st 1998, THE SALSA HOTLINE held its 4th Annual "TIMBALERO EXTRAVAGANZA" at Mr. E's Jazz Club in Berkeley Calif., where Bosco El Gitano was a featured soloist (along with Benny Velarde, Richie Velez, Carlos Caro and Louie Romero) and was presented with an ' LATIN MUSIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD" for his distinctive timbale style. In addition to Gitano's extremely danceable original material, the Orchestra features a wide selection of Afro-Cuban music, Salsa Classics, Latin Jazz and some Top 40 Salsa music from New York Cities hottest Latin bands, and even some of Carlos Santana's greatest hits. Orquesta Gitano's Recordings: 1992 Release of debut CD, "Como Suena Mi Rumba". [reviews] 1996 "Coconut Grove" records (San Francisco), along with Sutter Home Wines released the CD "Soleo" classic salsa collection, a compilation CD which places two songs from Gitano's first CD in the company of such greats as Poncho Sanchez and Manny Oquendo. 1998 Release of "Salsa Gitana" [reviews] 1998 Inclusion of tracks from "Salsa Gitana" with the award-winning book "SALSA: the Rhythm of Latin Music" by Charlie Gerard and Marty Sheller. Distributors of Orquesta Gitano's music: H.L. Distributors 800-780-7712; 305-262-7711. Qradio (http://commerce2.qradio.net)Jazz Con Clave (http://home.earthlink.net/~jazzconclave)Descarga Records (http://www.descarga.com) Orquesta Gitano Members: Bosco El Gitano, Leader - Timbalaye / Phillip Retamoza, Bajo - Guitar - Coro / Alicia Rodriguez, Trombone - Coro - Maracas / Kevin Moore, Violin - Musical Director / Mario Perez, Lead Vocals / Eduardo Herrera, Lead Vocals - Percussion - Coro / Abel Robaina, Coro /Ken Woodward, Trumpet / Ed Morrison, Trumpet / Daniel Filip, Piano / Edwin Morales, Tim Gutierrez, or Carlos Caro - Congas / Joey Borrero, Bongo - Campana - Percussion / Mara Fox, or Terry Russell, Trombone. BOOKINGSBosco El Gitano831-728-5420 or 831-462-1005Little Gypsy ProductionsP.O. BOX 1503 Freedom California 95019RETAILERS: Salsa Gitana can be order wholesale worldwide from H.L. Distributors in Miami. Follow the link http://www.hldist.com/searchscreen.html and type "Salsa Gitana" in the title field, or call H.L. Distributors 800-780-

Group Members Vocals Mario Perez, Vocals Eduardo Herrera, Timbales Bosco "El Gitano", Congas Carlos Caro, Bongos Francisco Andrade, Bass Phillip Retamoza, Violin & Musical Arrangments/Production Kevin Moore, Trombone Alicia Rodriguez, Trombone Marty Weiner, Trumpet Louis Fasman, Trumpet Ed Morrison

Instruments piano, bass, congas, timbales, bongo. 2 trumpets , 2 trombones. violin and guitar

Albums como suena mi rumba, and salsa gitana

Press Reviews Not since "Pedro Navaja" has there been a chronicle of a murder with the impact of "Buscando La Gen." The talent of Afro-Cuban singer Mario Pérez, his voice redolent of rum and rumba, foreordains success for this drama which is on the level of compositions like "Rumberos De Ayer." With Rebeca Maulen-Santana churning the piano, the plena/funk tugs at your sleeve like a culprit whose salvation depends on unburdening himself of a tale that is equal parts fable and police blotter. Even the murder of Chano Pozo, El diablo himself, has not been as eloquently translated into epic narrative. On "Buscando La Gen" the artists individually and collectively transcend their limitations and create something that does not belong to them anymore but to the tradition.©1998 by JazzBuffalo (Luis Moreno), Jazz Con Clave (http://www.jazzconclave.com) "It's all here-seamless compositions, fresh (not canned) horn lines, distinctive vocalists, driving rhythms, plunking piano and thumping choruses. The best part is that, unlike most fusion records in any genre, there isn't a single bad track on this album. /Que chévere!" Nathan Thornburgh, The Stranger http://www.the stranger.com Seattle WA I love Orquesta Gitano. Ground-shaking grooves and superb musicianship describe the fourteen largely original pieces. But the dearest is "El Manzanero", from the pen of trombonist Alicia Rodriguez. Wonderfully interpreted by co-lead singer Eduardo Herrera, it speaks to the farm working reality of the fertile Salinas Valley. This is really is one of the great regional releases of the year. Jesse "Chuy" Varela, Latin Beat This band of California gypsies has put together a fantastic CD. In "Salsa Gitana," they give us over an hour of salsa dura spiced with a bit of cumbia, a touch of merengue, some jazz, all played by a very tight band of excellent musicians. Along the way, each style is performed with respect, but without intimidation; Orquesta Gitano is not afraid to add their own touch to each genre, which is what makes this album so good.Bruce Ishikawa, Picadillo http://www.picadillo.com, and Oasis Salsero http://www.oasissalsero.com This is probably the most creative salsa project I have ever listened to. The album features the funky urban sounds of bass and percussion while it while also having the classic aggressive brass sections. The entire album sounds like a mixture of the favorite and modern sounds from Cuba and the US. You will find the aggressive dance approach loved by the US as well as the rap (kind of like Paulito FG) sections and rock experiments typical of the avante garde Cuban stuff...This is a groundbreaking undertaking and all people serious about Afro-Latin music should check it out.Victor H. Paredes Jr., Victor Hugo's View http://www.salsaweb.com/music/vhv.htm Orquesta Gitano has tried to make this CD different by linking the songs compositionally. The melodic and harmonic themes reappear in various forms throughout the album. This album will have great appeal to those who listen to it with a musical ear. There is much to be appreciated. Those who listen for danceability will especially like the Charanga style title cut Salsa Gitana. Vacilar and Mi Promesa are other very danceable tunes.Eileen Torres, Publisher, http://www.salsamundo.com Vocalists Mario Perez and Eduardo Herrera evoke the greats like Hector LaVoe and Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez without sounding derivative. The long tracks all build to a meaty crescendo, pushed along by the musicians, strong melodies and clever arrangements. This year's recording to beat is Salsa Gitana. (awarded 5 stars)Steve Sando, Mr. Lucky Latin Communique, http://www.mrlucky.com One of California's most hip and cutting-edge salsa bands has just produced possibly the most incredible and musically captivating dance album of the year. Orquesta Gitano's Salsa Gitana hits and simply does not quit.Jym Murry, City on a Hill Press This is cutting-edge salsa, a set of original tunes that is equally pleasing to the ears or the feet. They are sort of what Frank Zappa is to rock, stretching traditional salsa into new territory.Brad Kava, San Jose Mercury So innovative und gleichzeitig spa§ige Musik erwartet man (zumindest im Latin - Bereich) am ehesten aus Kuba. Um so erstaunlicher, da§ diese kleine Meisterwerk eine Band aus Santa Cruz, Kalifornien auf die Beine gestellt hat. Alle Achtung! Klaus Reiter, Der Salsaholic http://aachen.heimat.de/salsa/ Salsa Gitana, the second release of the band, is representative of the true mix of ethnic sounds that modern Afro-Latin music has become. Its liner notes reveal ingredients in varying quantities of Salsa, Charanga, Mozambique, Plena, Funk, Bolero, Yambú, Fusion, Merengue, Cumbia, Guajira, Rock, Rumba, and Guaguanco... a daring feat in an industry dominated by bands that play mostly watered-down versions of Salsa or Merengue (but never both together!). And this is precisely how I see this production: an "in-your-face" display of contempt for the preferences of the Afro-Latin musical establishment and a brilliant one it is. Wallice de la Vega, Nuestra Salsa, http://ArsNova1.com The horn arrangements are simply stunning, the vocals full of gritty phrasing and genuine enthusiasm, the percussion relentless and the songwriting nothing short of epic in scope and sophistication. This is a masterful work, a singular achievement that lets nothing get in the way of the simple joy of the music.Rob Pratt, The Good Times Move over Gipsy Kings, we've discovered another precious gem destined to compete for your chart-topping throne. All hail the Orquesta Gitano, the ensemble that puts the swing back in salsa. Unbeknownst to the surgeon general, the blazing horn section - fueled by that throbbing bassline - on "Buscando la Gen" does more than viagra to rejuvenate the soul. Salsa aficionados be wise: if Orquesta Gitano's latest CD "Salsa Gitana" sparks the uncontrollable urge to test those dangerous freestyle moves don't shoot the messenger.. Angela D. Johnson, qradio http://commerce2.qradio.net/ ...a must for all dj's The singing abilities of Mario ( El Cubano) Perez, and Eduardo Herrera along with the incredible musical arrangements totally blew me away! Today they don't make Salsa like that anymore. Music that moves you, and also gives the opportunity to hear true musicians at their best. Just like the old 70's Salsa, but with today's dance feel.Luis ( DJ Lou Bop) Batista http://www.ourlatinthing.com/salsa1.htm Para aquellos que gustan del sonido afro-caribeño, los temas del CD Salsa Gitana, "Iyamba Okerere", "Seis Tumbadoras y un Batá" y "Los desaparecidos", les transportarón al sentimiento del que escucha la música con el alma y los sentidos. SalsaJazz, http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/2493/gitano.htm

Location Santa Cruz, Ca - USA

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