Orquesta La Palabra
The Orquesta La Palabra is a Cuban salsa band that was named after the band leader La Palabra, actually Rodolfo M. Foster from Caimanera , Cuba . La Palabra is also known as "Abuelo de Salsa Erótica" (Spanish: 'Grandfather of Salsa Erótica'). The Afro-Cuban group is considered to be the defining style for Salsa Romántica with Latin-Jazz elements.
Career
La Palabra was born in the coastal town of Caimanera in Cuba and grew up under the influence of Cuban salsa bands such as Orquesta Aragón , Estrellas Cubanas Orquesta, Pello el Afrokan with Pedro Izquierdo, Tataguini and Chapotin with a wide variety of musical styles such as Charanga , Son , Danzón , Cha-Cha- Cha , Bolero , Bolero-Chá, Rumba , Sipisón, El Mozambique, Paca, Joropo, Changui, Mozan-Cha, Guaguanco and early forms of Latin Jazz . Even in early childhood, La Palabra won an amateur competition for a self-written musical and received a scholarship to a music school in Havana.
After the Cuban Revolution , his family received an exit visa for the United States in 1966 and emigrated to New York City . There La Palabra continued his music career and played for the sextet Lalo y La New Yorkina. With the title Rompe Tu Pared , sung by Hector Casanova, they had their first success. In 1968 the family moved to Detroit , where La Palabra attended Cooley High School. In 1974 La Palabra graduated from high school and played at the El Sol Supper Club. In 1979, La Palabra moved to Los Angeles , where he made his living playing piano in nightclubs.
When the Spanish-speaking ballad singers Roberto Carlos and Emanuel had great success with songs like Cama y Mesa and Todo Se Derrumbo , La Palabra was inspired and combined Afro-Cuban rhythms with modern American pop music, as well as high-energy salsa with ballads. In 1979 La Palabra met Jesús “El Niño” Alejandro Perez and formed the Orquesta Versalles with him, which were considered to be the pioneers of salsa musicians on the west coast. They played in nightclubs like Club Candilejas in Los Angeles, Club Riviera in Eagle Rock and the Marina Hotel in Las Vegas . They had their biggest hits with Me Voy Pa 'Puerto Rico and Todo Se Derrumbo . Joni Figueras wanted to produce the Ballada en Salsa / Salsa Romántica project with the two musicians. However, La Palabra refused to enter into a long-term business relationship with Joni Figueras, as he already had contracts with Stevie Wonder and Phoenix Rising. In 1982 Stevie Wonder left the Phoenix Rising Project.
In 1985, La Palabra, which up to this point worked under the name Fito Foster, but was now officially called La Palabra, founded the group Sensation 85 from former members of the Orquesta Versalles. Sensation 85 was very successful in Miami's dance clubs such as Riviera Lounge (later renamed Club Capri), Papa Grande (later Big Daddy's), Maxim's Supper Club, Copacabana and Salsa 2000. After newcomers to Salsa Erótica received lucrative record deals and the competition Reinforced, La Palabra returned to Los Angeles disaffected until it made its comeback in 1999. He founded Orquesta La Palabra with George "Babaloo" Balmaseda and Angelo Pagan as singers. In Los Angeles they recorded the first album On Fire . Her biggest hit was the song Lady , which immediately became a number one hit and was very successful in the USA , Latin America , Europe , Asia and Israel .
The album Breakthrough , recorded by Tornillo Records in 2003 , was also a great success, the title El Tun Tun de Tu Corazon held number one on the Colombian radio charts for twelve weeks. Orquesta Palabra toured Latin America and Europe and made an appearance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics . They also gave concerts at the Grand Millennium Hotel, China Doll Nightclub, Susie Wong Nightclub, Block 8 Nightclub, the International Salsa Festival and the Salsa Congress in 2008. Orquesta Palabra returned to his Afro-Cuban roots in 2009 with the album Musicholic .
Discography
- On Fire (2001)
- Breakthrough (2003)