Tag Archives: Cheo Feliciano

Fania Records Signs with Creative Artists Agency

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Fania Records is experiencing a resurgence…

A half-century after its founding, the iconic Latin music label is capping off its 50th anniversary by signing with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Fania Records

Founded in New York City in 1964 by Dominican Republic-born bandleader Johnny Pacheco and attorney Jerry Masucci, Fania Records went on to represent artists including Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto, Ismael Miranda, Ruben Blades, Cheo Feliciano and Roberto Roena. That impressive roster help cement the label’s status as the definitive home for genres like Latin big band, Afro-Cuban jazz, boogaloo, salsa and Latin R&B.

Masucci became Fania’s sole owner in 1967 (Pacheco stayed on as artistic director), and when he died in 1997, the label, which had fallen dormant for decades, became entangled in probate court.

Miami-based Emusica Entertainment Group purchased Fania’s assets from Masucci’s estate for a reported $9 million to $12 million in 2005 (ownership was later transferred to Codigo Group). The new management got to work sorting through its newly acquired catalog (it eventually unearthed almost 3,000 albums, 3,000 compositions and approximately 10,000 master tracks) and remastering and reissuing them for a new generation of listeners.

The new Fania has been adroit at adapting to changing times. In 2013, the label resumed profitability with approximately a quarter-million albums sold, most of them via digital download. In April, the label partnered with Spotify to launch a dedicated Latin-music app, a first for the genre. The app makes Fania’s entire digital catalog available for streaming, along with visually rich artist pages and a timeline of the label’s 50-year history.

This year, Fania also issued digital compilation albums and DJ remixes and partnered with Central Park’s SummerStage program for a concert series that married its classic tunes with “new school artists,” including DJ Turmix, Canyon Cody, Timothy Brownie and Whiskey Barons.

“Fania has evolved into a robust entertainment brand,” Codigo CMO Michael Rucker said in a statement. “CAA, with its breadth and depth of expertise in harnessing the power of pop culture, will guide us as we move forward into new creative and business territory and introduce us to a broader fan base.”

Calle 13’s René Pérez Named King of New York City’s Puerto Rican Day Parade

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There’s no raining on René Pérez Joglar’s parade…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican singer-composer and Calle 13 frontman, best known by his stage name Residente, has been named the king of New York City’s upcoming Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Rene Perez - Residente

Pérez, known as much for his music as for his social commentary and actions that include regular meetings with Latin American presidents, and recently, a collaboration with Julian Assange on the title track of the band’s recent album Multi-Viral, will be grand marshall of the parade, which will take place on June 8.

The front man of the record-holding Latin Grammy-winning group follows Latin music stars like Marc Anthony as king of the massive event on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Pérez is an outspoken supporter of the Puerto Rican Independence movement.

The parade will also honor the two greats of Latin music, Cheo Feliciano and Gran Combo of Puerto Rico founder Eddie Pérez, both of whom who died in the past year.

Sergio George’s Salsa Giants to Perform in Latin America Beginning in October

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Sergio George’s Salsa Giants will have you moviendo tus caderas this fall…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican pianist and noted record producer has announced plans for his music group to perform a series of concerts later this year.

Sergio George's Salsa Giants

The Salsa Giants kick off concert will take place on October 4th in Lima, Peru.

Oscar D’León, Luis Enrique, Cheo Feliciano, Andy Montañez, Willy Chirino, Jose Alberto “El Canario,” Tito Nieves, vocalist Nora from Orquesta de la Luz and Charlie Zaa make up the line up of the Salsa Giants concert at Lima’s San Marcos University.

The group’s tour will continue to Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and Panama, with dates still to be announced.

Marc Anthony, a featured singer on the Salsa Giants debut album, which was recorded live at the Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival, will not be part of the group’s kick off concert, as he’s scheduled to play the same night at San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Coliseo de Puerto Rico José M. Agrelot, commonly referred to as el Choliseo.

Meanwhile, salsa pioneers the Fania All Stars will stage a rare reunion concert at the Choliseo on Oct. 18.

That line up will include Fania founder Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Miranda, Feliciano, Colón, Larry Harlow, Bobby Valentín and others who were present at the birth of salsa in 1960s in New York City.

The concert will include tributes to departed All Star members Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Ray Baretto and others, with a special nod to Puerto Rican cuatro player Yomo Toro, who passed away last year.

The Fania musicians will continue on a world tour in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Fania Records, according to the company’s Chief Marketing Officer Michael Rucker. No other concert dates have been announced at this time.

The National Museum of American History to Memorialize Cruz

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It’s been nearly 10 years since Celia Cruz passed away… But she’s remained one of the most influential artists in Latin music… And, now she’ll be memorialized in our nation’s capital.

The legendary Cuban-American singer—known as the “Queen of Salsa” —will be the subject of a new biographical portrait by Robert Weingarten, a noted photographic artist, at the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Celia Cruz

As part of the museum’s “Frame an Iconic American” contest, officials selected five iconic American figures who represented a different set of ideas. And after more than 11,000 votes cast, Cruz’s story of immigration, music and entertainment resonated with a clear majority of the voters.

“The comments on our contest pages hint at some of the challenges museum staff face when thinking about how we collect, preserve and present history” says Shannon Perich, curator of the upcoming Pushing Boundaries: Portraits by Robert Weingarten exhibition. “Which stories do we tell and why? For some commenters, local allegiances were most important. For some, having a personal connection was the deciding factor. Others wrestled with the various ways in which we recognize the many kinds of contributions our heroes make to our society. This dynamic dialogue is important and we thank you for sharing your points of view with us.”

Celia Cruz

Cruz, who passed away in July 2003 at the age of 77, recorded more than 80 albums and songs, many of which went gold or platinum, during a professional career that spanned more than 60 years. Cruz, who became known around the world for her piercing and powerful voice and larger-than-life personality and stage costumes, won five Grammy Awards and received various other honors for her contributions to Latin music. She collaborated with Gloria Estefan, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Rivera, David Byrne, Wyclef Jean and many other musical legends.

Celia Cruz

To learn more about Cruz, read a special tribute on the American History Museum’s blog or visit the museum’s online exhibition, ¡Azúcar! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz.

Cruz beat Audie Murphy, Alice Paul, Samuel Morse and Frederick Douglass for the honor. Weingarten’s finished portrait of Cruz will be displayed at the Smithsonian this fall.