To All Our Readers.....

It is with great pleasure that I announce that innovator and main contributor to sentimientomanana and wife are expecting their first child, a girl. Congratulations to the Duque family and may health and prosperity follow them all through their lives.......

Angel R Rodriguez - Workshops

Bomba Y Plena Workshops - 6.23-6.25

From Julia Gutierrez:

LOS PLENEROS DE LA 21 ~

ARE PROUD TO BRING BACK

BOMBA & PLENA - UN PASO ALANTE

Intensive BOMBA & PLENA Classes for

musicians and experienced music students with master percussionist

ANTHONY CARRILLO

¡Saludos Familia!

Los Pleneros de la 21 are proud to announce that due to popular demand and request, we are offering an additional 3 evenings of intensive percussion classes with the incomparable ANTHONY CARRILLO!

Join us for in Bomba & Plena: Un Paso Alante's - our program that offers intensive Bomba, Plena and music instruction for musicians, experienced music students and music afficionados - next dates: on

JUNE 23RD THROUGH JUNE25TH 2009!

THREE CONSECUTIVE EVENINGS

DEDICATED TO

MUSIC TECHNIQUE,

REGIONAL PERCUSSION STYLES,

AND

BOMBA & PLENA PERCUSSION:

TUESDAY JUNE 23RD 2009 - THURSDAY JUNE 25TH 2009

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JUNE 19TH 2009

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR REGISTRATION FORMS OR CONTACT US TODAY!

(212) 427.5221 / / nellietanco@aol.com

or visit us at our headquarters:

1680 Lexington Avenue Room 209 NY NY 10029

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Bomba y Plena:Un Paso Alante established in 2007, is a part of our “Bomba & Plena For All” – Educating through Arts Initiatives and is made possible in part with the support The New York State Council on the Arts, and NYC Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito, District 8.

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Los Pleneros de la 21, Inc.

"BOMBA & PLENA - PARA TODOS USTEDES"

uniting community buidling and cultural equity through music for over 25 years

1680 Lexington Avenue, Room 209

El Barrio, NY 10029

T: 212-427-5221 / F: 212-427-5339

www.losplenerosdela21.org

www.myspace.com/losplenerosdela21

Jose Rivera

(Jose Rivera on caja, Angel Rodriguez and Babaila in the background, Photo Credit: Willie "El Ruso" Everich)

"Don't ever sit down with anyone who will ruin the montuno..." (Santiago "Iko" conversing with Jose Rivera)

I first heard of Jose through my compay Willie. From the way Willie talked about Jose, you can tell that more than admiration and respect followed his words, it was a sense of loyalty and brotherhood. More often than not, (especially in the music scene) we are quick to be betrayed, used, and disrespected. This has unfortunately become the status quo, so it's really a breath of fresh air when you come across someone that really ain't looking out for number one. I don't have to tell anyone that's met Jose, what a great guy he is. In any case here is his story:

According to his mom he started around the age of 4, banging on the old export soda cans. The moment came when he about 17 years old, and happened to be playing baseball at his High School (Adlai Stevenson), when he heard a car drive by playing some "plena" and he was hooked. According to Jose, he struck out and said goodbye to his baseball career. His uncles taught him some bomba and plena beforehand, but this had been one of those special awakenings. Jose would go on to play conga in a band by the name of “Tony Aponte y su Conjunto”, the band would later dissolve after the band leader got married. They used to play Tito Puente charts among others.

(Jose on a beautiful Skin on Skin quinto, Photo Credit: Willie Everich)

Jose and a friend by the name of Alex used to play behind a high school on Friday nights in the Bronx, and one day some guy with a Doberman came by and it turned out to be the late Ralphie Davila (Chivirico’s Son). Ralphie asked Jose if he wanted to go to a big rumba on the concourse, and as time went on Jose got more and more into the scene. Apache had been playing rumba, and was ushered into the bembe scene by non other than Willie. Willie was playing with Totico's Okokan guiro group and after insisting for a while Jose finally joined eventually developed into the first call cajero that he is today. Jose has played with Totico's Okokan, Izzy Davila, and Bembesito.

I've had the good fortune of meeting Jose and hanging with him. Always humble, he is always willing to share what he knows as long as you are respectful. Once in a while Jose will play a bembe with the younger cats, and speak his mind as to certain behavior that goes on. Gentlemen take heed, because we could use a few more Jose Riveras in the game.