Gran Combo invita al País a echar pa’lante
Por Vocero.com el 16 de agosto de 2011
La agrupación musical el Gran Combo invitó esta
mañana al País a “echar pa’lante” por medio de un mensaje que fue
difundido por las ondas radiales.
Con el lanzamiento de una nueva versión de su canción “No hago más
na’”, el grupo pidió a los puertorriqueños a luchar por una mejor
calidad de vida, ante los problemas sociales que aquejan al País.
El director de la orquesta Rafael Ithier expresó que en 1962 se
unieron para llevar alegría a los pueblos por medio de su música, por lo
que reescribieron la canción.
“Hoy todavía seguimos luchando contra las adversidades que día a día
nos trae la vida. La batalla no se ha perdido. Nuestro Puerto Rico no
está pobre de esperanza. Vamos pa’lante. Vamos a soñar. Vamos a pensar
en grande. Así lo hicimos nosotros en aquel entonces y lo continuamos
haciendo ahora. Tenemos que ser positivo. No esperes que nadie lo haga
por ti”, dijeron antes de invitar a todos a cantar el sencillo.
El coro de la nueva versión dice: “que bueno es vivir así, con ganas de trabajar”.
El mensaje fue transmitido a las 7:30 y a las 8:30 de la mañana.
Popular, a leading financial services company, has presented its
new musical production, which will be broadcast on Sunday, Dec. 5.
The new production “Salsa: A Tribute to El Gran Combo” contains
almost an hour of some of the band’s biggest hits performed by various
local and international artists.
“With this new production, we pay a well-deserved tribute to the
University of Salsa, which is how this iconic group is called. Our
mission is to bring joy through their music. It’s not a documentary, but
it is a project that shows this Salsa institution and many who
appreciate them doing what they love the most, playing music,” said
Richard L. Carrión, president and CEO of Popular.
The musical offering showcases artists such as Edgar Daniel, NG-2,
Carolina La O, La India, Willie Colón, Domingo Quiñones, Issac Delgado,
Luisito Carrión, Tito Rojas, Michael Stuart, José Alberto “El Canario,”
the Symphony Orchestra from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music
featuring Roselín Pabón, and El Gran Combo, among others.
As in previous years, the funds raised from CD and DVD sales will go
to the Fundación Banco Popular, which will use them for music education
for children and young people.
The Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, the “Escuelas Libres de
Música” and the Loaíza Cordero High School, are some of the entities
that have benefited from funds raised from the music specials’ sales.
Isidro Infante was in charge of the music production while Rojo
Chiringa did the film production and the Behind the Scenes feature.
Reaktor did the post-production and Gabriel Coss edited the special.
The new production will be broadcast not only on local television,
but also through the Internet and various TV channels in the United
States. Just the same, Popular designed an Internet page in which
visitors can learn more about this production at www.popular.com.
As part of this tribute, announced Tuesday, Popular also presented an
exhibit dedicated to El Gran Combo, which will remain at the Popular
Center’s lobby for the next two months.
Popular offers a range of financial products and services, with its
presence in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.
El Gran Combo going strong after half-century
By CB Online Staff
El Gran Combo headman Rafael Ithier is singing the praises of the
Banco Popular holiday special currently in production that honors the
legendary local salsa orchestra’s 50
th anniversary.
“We
are very proud, especially since it has been a while since we
participated. This special is something else,” Ithier told Inter News
Service.
“¡Salsa! Un Tributo a El Gran Combo (Salsa! A Tribute to
El Gran Combo)” is being put together by Behind the Scenes under
production manager Andrés Castro and director Víctor Marín.
The
latest installment of Banco Popular’s storied, annual holiday specials
will debut on local television on Saturday, Dec. 4. It is slated to get
earlier “airtime” through a promotional agreement with a commercial
airline.
Ithier signaled he is pleased with the direction the project has taken.
“It
is in different settings and the public is participating,” the
legendary bandleader and pianist said during a break in recent filming
at the Symphony Hall at the Luis A. Ferré Center for the Performing Arts
in Santurce.
“There are great orchestras here and it is just a huge honor that they selected us,” he said.
Ithier
indicated that other big plans may be in the works to mark El Gran
Combo’s half century of packing dance floors with salsa fans around the
world, calling the special a “preamble” to its 50th anniversary celebrations.
Five decades in, Ithier says El Gran Combo continuously works to stay fresh without straying too far from its roots.
“We have been lucky to pick songs that have proven very popular,” he said modestly.
“We
haven’t changed so much as we have evolved within the style,” Ithier
said. “Now we play a little slower, the arrangements are more harmonized
and we know more.”
The passage of time has been good to El Gran Combo, which has shown no sign of slowing down.
“Our
work is feeling, it’s done by feel. So each day we improve and sound a
little better,” Ithier said. “By singing a given song for so long we
digest it better.”
A smiling Ithier, who greeted all of his band
mates who arrived at the filming,acknowledged the responsibility that
comes with being the standard bearer of Puerto Rican salsa.
“It carries a weight, because you have to adjust the knobs and know how much to do so,” he said.
“The
boys have created conscience that besides playing fine, good or bad
depending on their mood, they represent the island,” Ithier said.
“I’msure that the boys have a clear conscience about that and it helps.”
The three voices of “Los Mulatos del Sabor” concurred that working on the tribute special has been a thrill.
“We feel very honored and proud of a recognition like this one. The group has 48 years of history,” Jerry Rivas said.
“This
is something that makes me feel humbled. It is said that nobody is a
prophet in his own land, but our island loves and values us,” Papo
Rosario said.
“We go on stage to do our job. So many signs of
affection, that is something big. El Gran Combo’s purpose is to deliver
happiness,” he said.
“The people are in for a surprise with his
special,” said Charlie Aponte. “The people are a blessing and it is
there desire for us to succeed that keeps us alive.”
