Now, while the movie ‘El Cantante‘ will not win any awards for Best Motion picture by husband and wife duo, there is much to be said for the soundtrack. You can’t go wrong having Marc Anthony, with his terrific vocals, sing some of Hector’s best songs. They have been remastered and cleared up and are always a perfect gift if you haven’t figured out what to give to that special salsa dancer of yours.
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I would like to send a thanks to Jan for sending me this link to this article. It talks specifically on the comparison of the salsa scenes portrayed in ‘El Cantante‘ the movie compared to the salsa scenes of today. You can find the article here: Salsa Spins Beyond its Roots.
One of my favorite quotes from the article is when Ms. Torres states: that salsa “...remained a dance of the street, not taught but absorbed“. This reminds me of how must of us learn salsa. While we take lots of salsa lessons here and there, we usually just learn by either asking or watching other dancers at the club. I would have to agree that most of the patterns I end up learning are from observation than anything else. I can look at someone doing a pattern, and decompose it into its ‘fundamental’ elements – and then add my own style to make it my own. It is not a special inherent ability, every dancer develops it in the long run.
Another anecdote that is mentioned in an interview with Mr. Eddie Torres, is why he decided to start teaching dancers to break ‘on 2′.
“There’s something in the rhythm section in a Latin dance called the tumbao,” he said. “It’s a time pattern that the conga player plays, and you’ll hear an accent, and it’s always on the second beat. This is why Tito Puente said breaking on two is natural, there’s a feeling in that beat that you gravitate to.”
and specifically on how today’s dancers are very different than the days before:
“Young salsa dancers are becoming Olympians, athletes in the dance, so they’re not thinking of drinking and doing drugs, like we did years ago.”
..which statement resonates with some of the things we say about how salsa was back in the old days. If you listen to the podcast, you hear us joke around about salsa artists/dancers being alcoholics, doing drugs and going to jail. Well, while it might seem harsh, it was just a known fact – that is the way things were in New York City in that era. Think of it as the current social relation that people have with ‘Hip-Hop’ and ‘Gangsters’, except that back then it was ‘Salsa’.
While I will not continue to paraphrase the article, I do suggest that you read it because it is very well written with some very good points and interviews. I am just happy that salsa is getting more exposure, now with the new Hector Lavoe Movie (and here and here) and this article being in the New York Times – we are starting to take salsa one step further. (pun intended)
Well, just finished watching the interview by Jay Leno on the Tonight Show to Jennifer Lopez about the movie ‘El Cantante‘. She ends up speaking more about the movie. I guess the entire movie is told through Puchi’s eyes, Hector Lavoe’s wife. Now, I am impressed that she is on Leno doing a plug for the movie – which means it will be shown in most theaters. However, with that said, they showed a new clip of the movie, and well, to be truthful, the prospects are not looking good as far as storyline and character development.
For those who don’t know anything about the film, here is the synopsis from Hollywood.com:
“The dramatic-biography of Puerto Rican salsa pioneer Hector Lavoe, one of the biggest Spanish-language singers in the 1970s. The tale follows Lavoe”s passionate relationship with his love Puchi, and his skyrocket to international fame. But even when he has it all, Lavoe is unable to escape the allure of drugs and his personal pain.“
My only wish for this movie is for people to get to know salsa, it’s history and to know why Hector Lavoe is famous. (I’m now starting to doubt it will do the latter).
Regardless, I’ve started seeing reviews from the movie from the premier:
- Review: Great Music Can’t Fix`Cantante’ – SFGate
- ‘El Cantante’ recaptures Lavoe’s music, not Lavoe – Newsday
- Marc Anthony plays the idol – LA Times (CalendarLive)
Can anyone find other good (hopefully positive) reviews?
On a couple of funny sidenotes, the movie was supposed to come out in 2006, but the movie was improved to contain more music (and less acting I guess). Also, Lopez says on the Tonight Show that Marc Anthony forgot to give her a birthday gift.
A soon to come tribute to the rise and fall of one of the greatest salsa singers of all time. I have to admit, while I’ve heard mixed reviews about the film – I am very excited to see it in theaters. I think the critics just don’t understand the salsa side of this movie and might see it as trying to make something like Ray Charles but for Latino people – and that is not the case. I do admit that I am a bit concerned with that fact that Jennifer Lopez is all over this movie (in the story of Hector Lavoe). In reality, I’m not sure if Puchi (his wife) played that key of a role in Hector’s life…. but we’ll see – it is their interpretation. This means they might sacrifice facts over entertainment. But that’s just usual ‘Hollywood’. The movie comes to theaters August 3rd, 2007.
For more information, music and cool wallpapers check out: http://www.elcantante.net/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siMVv4Ovan8
As you all know, I am a HUGE Hector Lavoe fan. With that said, after seeing this trailer for the movie “El Cantante” which is about the life of Hector Lavoe and listening to the music, hearing Marc Anthony sing, and having a rush of memories come back to me.. I literally got shivers and goosebumps. I’m really looking forward for this film. I hope it will unite the salsa community and bring salsa back into the mainstream so others can enjoy it. Marc Anthony stars as salsa legend, Hector Lavoe, alongside real-life wife Jennifer Lopez as “Puchi” (Hector’s Wife). Official Website for El Cantante Movie [Hi Quality Trailer]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lynvAMWnJs
Thanks to Kanemaster for the update!
Producer: Julio Caro, Simon Fields, Jennifer Lopez, David Maldonado
Screenplay: David Darmstaedter, Leon Ichaso
Cinematographer: Claudio Chea
Editor: David Tedeschi
Production Designer: Sharon Lomofsky
Sound: Danny A. Abeckaser
Music: Willie Colón
Principal Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, John Ortiz, Vincent Laresca, Manny Perez
Bring on the Nuyorican soul. This biography of Hector Lavoe, salsa music’s celebrated vocalist, luxuriates in vibrant musical numbers, heart-wrenching drama and the palpable chemistry between chart-topping superstars – and real-life husband and wife – Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
Hector (Anthony) is a humble Puerto Rican singer who feels the pull of stardom leading him to the United States in the early sixties. Once in New York, he quickly captures the attention of the local musicians – impressed by his emotive singing style – and Puchi (Lopez), a tough-talking beauty who becomes Hector’s advisor as well as his one true love. She gives him the confidence he needs to partner with his long-time collaborator, trombonist Willie Colón ( John Ortiz), and their label, Fania Records – and to pioneer a sound combining Puerto Rican and American influences: salsa.
His natural charisma and arresting voice means he rides high on sold-out concerts, dozens of hits and best-selling albums, but Hector can’t escape the allure of drugs and the pain of his father’s rejection. Even Puchi ultimately throws up her hands at his unwavering self-sabotage. As she says: “Love is never perfect when it’s real love.”
As the couple move from the glory days of the seventies to the bleak realities of the eighties, their relationship flames out in wrenching scenes of personal tragedy. El Cantante purges its difficult emotions with a touching final tribute, as director Leon Ichaso incorporates footage of the real-life Lavoe’s funeral in 1993, for which thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets to pay their respects.
The stellar performances make this end seem all the more poignant and proud. The fabulous Lopez delivers the goods as Puchi: all tight dresses, oversized sunglasses and sexy New York brass. Anthony is a revelation, bringing a pitch-perfect combination of charm and vulnerability to the endearing but star-crossed Hector. His captivating vocals adorn re-recordings of Lavoe’s hits – an unforgettable repertoire of classic songs that enrich the story with all the lustiness, joy and heartbreak this music conveys – in entrancing concert set-pieces. El Cantante is a must-see, a tale of love and loss set to an irresistible clave beat.
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