On Saturday, November 19, 2011, at the Lehman Center of Performing Arts in the Bronx, a stage was set to host three salsa superstars for a “Salsa Palooza”. A show with great performances from veteran vocalists (in order of appearance): the smooth and romantic Michael Stuart, the sensational Tito Nieves, and the strong vocals of La India.
All the performances that night were on fire!
Michael Stuart opened the show. I saw him headline in the 2011 Los Angeles’ Dia de San Juan Festival (www.fiestalegre.com). He was a little more inviting and energized this evening if you could imagine that! Michael opened to a very welcoming crowd that was waiting for some warmth to combat the evenings’ cold temperature. He didn’t disappoint with his vocals and enthusiasm. He kept the crowd in a frenzy without singing his well-known hit songs. Even though his performance was shorter in length than the one in LA, it was on point with the Bronx (BX) flavor.
Tito Nieves was not only the warm and silky voice as always but much more vibrant and funny, didn’t know he was also a comedian. His vocals made you go through time, back in the day while slowly arriving at the present with songs from his new album “Mi Ultima Grabación”. Tito made me feel like a teenager again. Feeling like I was at home with my tias (Aunt), tios (Uncles), and primos (cousins) at a family holiday get-together. Boy, do I miss those house party days. When the kids had an assembly line guayando los plátanos para la masa de los pastelles, abuelita (Grandmother) haciendo el coquito (100% Proof Puerto Rican Egg Nog sort of) … 🙂
La India, what can I say … that voice commands you to listen and smile. She started singing softer songs, increasing in intensity and excitement the longer she was on stage.
She wrapped herself with the Puerto Rican flag and to the delight and pride of the crowd regardless of their Patria. When she did that everyone felt the pride to have this music to call their own as Latinos. I don’t know about the rest of the packed house but the question around me wasn’t if she was going to sing the duet songs she recorded with Marc but who was going to sing it with her … Michael, Tito or was Marc going to surprise everyone by making a cameo appearance. It is the Bronx, anything can and usually does happen.
Well, the music to “Vivir lo Nuestro” (Play VIdeo) started and everyone around me was anticipating it … and from the side of the stage, this voice came from a backup singer (Play VIdeo) which made us forget all about Marc with the first note. Everyone around me didn’t speak a word, sat motionlessly, just listened, and watched in awe. When the singer hit that high note, you know the one I’m talking about, the women went into a screaming frenzy. Of course, India hit all her extremely high notes effortlessly and the BX crowd screamed even louder. I don’t know his name but I’m trying to find this out because I would like to start looking for music from this voice.
To summarize the night: Michael started to heat the Bronx crowd to a quick broil. Tito took over from there and kicked up the heat to a white-hot. La India’s vocal power started to incinerate the Bronx crowd. Esta noche fue un Fuego en el Bronx, Tirare la agua!
A Bronx kid who now lives elsewhere, it has been over 15 years since I have seen a Salsa performance of this magnitude in NYC let alone in the BX. Listening to live Salsa in the Bronx has a different and distinct flavor to it … tienes mas potencia. Wow, it brought me back to the weekends in Orchard Beach. Thank you! Like Dunkin Donuts “it’s worth the trip”, oh yeah, and the airfare also.
Salsa es la sangre que cursa a través en mi cuerpo!
View other videos from this special night on YouTube.
View other great images which capture the evenings’ feeling by going to the Nuyorican Photoblog (http://www.mamboso.net/).
Ciao,
The Shadow