Being a "latin soul" on this side is not easy. Being a "latin musical soul" is even worse. My music requires that full Cuban sound. An 8 piece band is actually considered small for my music. Preferably, I would have 16 musicians at my bidding. But unfortunately, there are only about 8-10 people within a 100 mile radius of me (maybe even further) that can actually play the music. I'm not saying that I am high and mighty. There are lots of wicked players out there, rock, jazz, you name it, but people who can play latin music? I don't think so. Unless, hey, if I don't know you, please get in touch with me. The only reason I have even come close to playing it at this point is due to my great mentors and at least 2 years of intense study on my part.
Back to the 8 piece band. In Victoria, there are a very limited number of venues that fit a large band. There are a few that are very successful at it, but for that, you need to have a pretty big following. Unfortunately, since I don't have enough chances to play, due to lack of funds and my musicians living in different cities, there is no way to play shows to build that following. Ay, catch 22. Sometimes, playing folk guitar-y music is tempting.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Big dreams arent easy
Yes, I am a lost latina soul in Canada. Victoria BC to be exact. I do not regularly listen to The Beatles, Nickleback or anything really considered rock and roll. Nor do I know all the words to "the song with the big black horse and the cherry tree". The only thing I have in common with music loving folk here is Bob Marley. He just makes me happy. No all that music does nothing much for me, however in the world of pop, yes I am a blind admirer of Shakira,Christina Aguilera,JLo,even the B.Spears.
All that aside when someone asks me if I know the words to a Rolling Stones song and are then appalled by the fact that I dont, I merely ask them if they have ever heard of NG la Banda or Los Van Van or maybe Hilario Duran, Isaac Delgado, Pancho Cespedes, Luis Miguel, Alejandro Sanz, Nina Pastori, La Charanga Habanera, Juan Luis Guerra, Irakere, And the list goes on ... They stop asking questions. Music with soul,feeling,lyrics that talk about more than how depressed they are and that contain more than the words "baby baby...". With musical arrangements that create music so enjoyable and impressive but merely too complicated for the average non latino soul to understand. I hope this will help anyone who wants to know why I write most of my music in Spanish. If you stop and listen to a song that talks about a piece of fruit but is really using it as a metafor for poverty and yet the song makes you smile instead of cry, you will understand.What I hear in English far from inspires me in that way.
All that aside when someone asks me if I know the words to a Rolling Stones song and are then appalled by the fact that I dont, I merely ask them if they have ever heard of NG la Banda or Los Van Van or maybe Hilario Duran, Isaac Delgado, Pancho Cespedes, Luis Miguel, Alejandro Sanz, Nina Pastori, La Charanga Habanera, Juan Luis Guerra, Irakere, And the list goes on ... They stop asking questions. Music with soul,feeling,lyrics that talk about more than how depressed they are and that contain more than the words "baby baby...". With musical arrangements that create music so enjoyable and impressive but merely too complicated for the average non latino soul to understand. I hope this will help anyone who wants to know why I write most of my music in Spanish. If you stop and listen to a song that talks about a piece of fruit but is really using it as a metafor for poverty and yet the song makes you smile instead of cry, you will understand.What I hear in English far from inspires me in that way.
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