THE 2nd ANNUAL INT’L LATIN MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY AND CONCERT
“The upholstery
industry honors it’s constituents as do those who make shoes receive some type
of recognition. Yet Latin Music doesn’t have a Hall of Fame....”
This was the
sentiment that Joe Hernandez shared with the audience who attended the 2nd
Annual International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) Induction Ceremony on
April 5th at the Hostos College Cultural Center Theater in the
Bronx, NY, when explaining the logic as to why it was high time that Latin
Music receives it’s due. This concept has been the brainchild of many, but only
one individual happened to act upon it.
This organization is dedicated to the preservation of and
homage to Latin Music and Culture. The overall purpose and goal Mr. Hernandez and his staff have in mind is to
one day establish an actual venue or museum where the public can dwell and
actually learn and appreciate the history and sound of the Latin Music
Diaspora. All aspects of Latin Music is essentially taken into consideration,
from the Tango de Argentina, to the Bomba y Plena de Puerto Rico, to the
Merengue Dominicano, to la Cumbia Colombiana, etc. While it is important to note that all respected genres of Latin
music will be the primary focus of this Int’l Latin Music Hall of Fame
Organization, in this 2nd annual induction ceremony, the pulsating
sound of Afro-Caribbean rhythms dominated the scene this night, including
homage to some of Salsa’s biggest legendary figures and pioneers.
The Hostos theater
was packed with various celebrities within the audience. Many who have
contributed to
the Salsa movement. In one direction you could see Hector
Casanova speaking to Joe Bataan, while Joe Cuba made his way to shake hands
with Orlando Marin. Record Label boss
& promoter, Ralph Mercado, booking agent & manager, Ana Araiz, Los
Amigos De La Plena and head of Aurora Communications, Inc. Aurora Flores, Band
Leader, Percussion Master and Mentor, Bobby Sanabria, the star of the
children’s Afro-Caribbean musical “Sofrito”, David Gonzalez, percussionist
and current leader of the Machito Big Band Orchestra that bears his father's
name, Mario Grillo, The head of El
Taller Latino, Mappy Torres, Radio Host/DJ, Vicki Sóla, Movie Actor, Matt
Dillon and long time audio engineer for FANIA records, Irving Greenbaum, were
but a few of the many well known personalities who were a part of the audience
present.
FOX News
Anchorman, Mario Bosquez, started things off by presenting a video montage of
last year’s festivities which happened to be the very first annual induction
ceremony held at the world famous jazz nightclub, Birdland. The clips shown on
the large screen we’re an array of the various personalities who had either
received special recognition or we’re inducted into the ILMHF. The audience
cheered as the vision of legendary figures such as Mario Bauza, Ignacio
Piñiero, Beny More, Marco Rizo, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, Orquesta Aragon, Gloria Estefan, Tito Puente,
Ernesto Lecuona, La Sonora Matancera, Joe Cuba, Johnny Pacheco and Tito
Rodriguez paraded across the screen, while the song “CANTA” composed by Don
Rafael Hernandez, himself an inductee, played in the background. With that
review of last year’s list of inductees and mission of the ILMHF, Bosquez
presented the first musical act of the night. Directly from Japan, Nora y su
Descarga Cubana, who delighted the audience with her hit “Trátame Como Soy.”
As Nora ended
her performance, Bosquez brought out founder and president of the ILMHF, Joe
Hernandez, who presented the audience via some more video montages, some
background information regarding the following recipients receiving special
recognition awards.....
Max Salazar: Latin Music’s premier
authority on the history of Afro-Caribbean music ranging from New York, Puerto
Rico, and Cuba. For three decades solid he has been writing countless articles
and contributing music reviews as well as documenting and providing the history
of Afro-Cuban music and Salsa for numerous publications such as the now defunct
LATIN NY magazine to his current monthly featured contributions at Latin Beat
magazine.
Ry Cooder: For years a well-known figure in the blues
and country music genre’s, Cooder made his mark in Latin Music in the late
1990’s when he traveled to Cuba and together with some of the central figures
of Cuban Popular Music’s Golden Era, recorded and released a traditional Cuban
musical production that would eventually identify Cooder and Co. as the Buena Vista Social Club, named so for
the Danzón that bears it’s
name. The recording was a world-wide best seller and spinned off various other
individual recordings from it’s membership.
Miguel Perez: The host of the longest running
Latino themed public programming entity, Imágenes, radio personality, as well as a personal
friend of Joe Hernandez.
Harry
Belafonte:
Born 1927 in Harlem, NYC, actor and humanitarian, Belafonte is considered to be
the ambassador of Calypso to the world. He is one of America’s most successful
African American pop stars and is an interpreter of folk, jazz and world beat
rhythms which was endowed upon him by his Caribbean born parents and
background.
Izzy
Sanabria: Mr. Salsa. Among the first to
begin promoting the music under that name. Renowned graphics designer. In 1960s
he set the standard as to how LP cover jackets were designed. Hosted weekly
television show SALSA. Founder and
publisher of the influential magazine LATIN NY, which at a time was the only
publication seriously covering the Latin music industry with any substance.
Master of ceremonies for various Salsa events, up to and including the
legendary Fania All Stars.
Willie Sanchez: Television personality. Long
running producer, contributor and host of his own segment of the longest
running Latin themed show in public programming, Imágenes. A close friend and associate of Joe
Hernandez.
Joe Gaines: Took the reins of the Symphony Sid radio
program in 1972 on WEVD and made his mark as the host of the popular Joe Gaines
Express Show. A master of ceremonies and personality in the Latin music
industry for three decades. One of the principal promoters of Latin music
throughout the 70s.
Japanese
Salsera, Nora and booking agent/manager, Richie Bonilla, presented each special
recognition award individually to the aforementioned.
“When I started
documenting articles about the music...” said Salazar, “I always wondered if it
was appreciated. I now know the answer...” as he lifts the award for the
audience to witness while they applauded.
Joe Gaines
added, “You can teach someone how to dance, ....but you can’t show them how to
feel. It comes from the
heart. De
corazón.. I am honored to be involved in Latin Music...”. Gaines quickly added
some words of wisdom to his good friend Joe Cuba sitting in the audience. “STAY HEALTHY!... ‘Cuz I need ya baby!!...”.
As always, Mr.
Salsa, Izzy Sanabria, managed to leave his audience with a smile as he accepted
his award and shared with the audience his observations of getting old.
“You know, as you get older...uh...you tend to forget certain things....so....I brought with me something I wrote down....”. Sanabria pulls out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and unleashes a scroll about a mile long. The audience roared with laughter as Izzy reminded them, “Just a few words...”.
