SON DEL MONTE
UNA CHARANGA CON ALGO MAS
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Son Del Monte is an 11 or 12 piece band featuring a combination of trombones, flute and violins. Son Del Monte has performed at various venues such as Co-op City, Monique 108 Lounge, McManus Center, Loisaida Festival, a Fundraiser for Wilfredo Benitez, the Maryland Live Casino, the Baltimore's Latino Festival, Coney Island Boardwalk, SOB's, the Empire Casino in Yonkers, NY, Gonzalez and Gonzalez, La Marqueta, The 50th Old Timers Stickball Festival, The Latina Hats Society, Industry City, Harlem Mist, Central Park Harlem Meer, Cubanelle, West Gate, the Newburgh Lation Festival, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center David Rubenstein Atrium and other venues throughout New York City. Son Del Monte was awarded the Tanio Nation Entertainment Digital Media Award, TANAE, for Charanga/Conjunto Band of the year 2018. Son Del Monte is also a featured artist with Marty Cohen's Youtube Congahead Video Productions with two videos, Herman and Vengo De Nueva York with more than 10,000 views each.
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Son Del Monte has recorded three songs released on their cd entitled, Son Del Monte, Una Charanga Con Algo Mas available on all media outlets. To preview or purchase the songs, please go to the New Release Page above or at https://sondelmonte.hearnow.com/una-charanga-con-algo-mas. The songs are, Rumba Omelenko, Lead Singer Luis Ayala, arranged by Charlie Garcia and Composer Gil Suarez; Vengo De Nueva York, Lead Singer Luis Soto arranged by Charlie Garcia and Willie Millan, Composers Marin Medina and John Peewee Hernandez; and Vamonos Pa' Senegal, Un Homenaje A Gil Saurez, Lead Singer Armando Sonji Jimenez arranged by Charlie Garcia, Composer Gil Suarez. The musicians on this recording are all the original band members from Son Del Monte's inception. The band
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Son Del Monte is a New York City band, known as a "Chajunto" which is a combination of a classic charanga band incorporating trombones to create a collective conjunto sound performing unique tunes from various artists. Son Del Monte was born from Musical Director/Manager and Timbalero, Manny Rivera. My aspiration was to create a Charanga band incorporating trombones with a hard driving New York sound and pay homage to all the great bands of the past to the present. Our music is captivating with the swing we create to the listeners as well as the dancers. From our awesome stage presence to our memorable song lyrics, the band members have always found a way to leave their mark at every venue we perform at.
Manuel Rivera has been a musician for more than 40 years. His musical career started playing Bongo in a latin workshop band which eventually became Orchestra Yambu. Yambu was known for its Latin Jazz style and Disco Hit "Sunny", his first recording. Subsequently, he joined the original Charanga Orchestra Sublime of New York City, doubling up on Bongo and Timbales. He recorded on Sublime's first two albums in 1977 and 1979. In 2001, he rejoined Orchestra Sublime now known as Sonsublime. Manny Rivera recorded on Sonsublime's Gran Reserva and Bailando Con Sonsublime, their latest CDs.
members are, on Flute is the virtuoso Mauricio Smith Jr., on Violins is Eric Roberto Salazar and Ali Bello, on Trombone are Juanga Lakunza and Charlie Garcia, who has arranged for the band as well, on Piano is Andy Colon, on Bass is Bert Castro, on Conga is Joe Gonzalez and on Timbales is Manuel Rivera also the Manager/Musical Director. The singers are Luis Ayala, Armando Jimenez Sonji and Luis Soto. All known as lead singers and coristas as a testament of their talent. Son Del Monte's musicians come different parts of the Latin community such as Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Spain and New York consisting of the upmost talented and professional musicians in the music industry today. Coming soon new music from Son Del Monte.
I studied various folkloric rhythms, Bata drums and sight reading at the Harbor's Conservatory of Music in El Barrio in New York City under the guidance of the Master Louie Bauzo. I have performed with Bassist William Millan, of the original Conjunto Saoco, singers Henry Fiol, Ray Ramos, and Luis Ayala. Also performed with Yerason, the MTG All Stars Orchestra under the direction of Hector Leguillow, Joe Quijano at Lincoln Center and other various artists throughout my musical career. I was awarded the David Melendez Award acknowledging my lifetime commitment to Latin Music and continued effort to promote the Charanga genre.
