El Cantante -the movie - Johnny Pacheco

M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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Hey guys went to see the movie "El Cantante" Hector Lavoe
It was wonderful to see the beginnings of some of these great musicians like our Dominican Johnny Pacheco, Santiago born. also feature was Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, which I didnt know wrote the song "El Cantante".

here is a link to a performance in Africa, where you can see The director of the band Johnny Pacheco in white pants and red and white checker shirt, lol.
wow notice Hector's green and red shiny outfit.
YouTube - Salsa Fania all stars & Hector Lavoe - mi gente

I never really liked Hector Lavoe's music but now I had a new found interest in his music, because now I know a little bit more of his life and the great musicians that he worked with.
 

Marianopolita

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Dec 26, 2003
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Pillars of salsa music- Lavoe, Colon, Pacheco etc.

Are you kidding M.A.R? You are the first person that I know to say that you never really liked Lavoe's music and especially a New Yorker. No need for me to repeat myself here. I have said it many times in many posts. Salsa- the genre and its success is due to Lavoe, Willie Col?n, Pacheco and Fania All Stars. When H?ctor Lavoe passed away in 1993, I drove all over town looking for the special tribute album (on vinyl) released by Fania All Stars titled Tributo a H?ctor Lavoe. I was willing to pay whatever price for it and I did. I cherish this record album now only played by me. It has three records and a great selection of songs which include: Cheche col?, El d?a de mi suerte, La banda, El cantante, Rompe Saraguey and many others.

Notice most of his best hits were with the great Willie Col?n. Earlier this year Fania All Stars released a similar album of Col?n's greatest hits on cd called "A man and his music" which I bought immediately when I saw it. The above mentioned artists are pillars of the genre and truly represent salsa IMO. When I introduce people to salsa, I begin with people like Lavoe and Col?n. True ambassadors of the rhythm.

I hope the movie is playing in my area. I will check and if so I will go and see it.


Merci beaucoup Madame.


-LDG.
 
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M.A.R.

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heheh Lesly I guess that statement comes from the fact that I am an 80's Merengue Child. There's a line in the movie where Willie Colon tells Hector that "all that new movement like Merengue and all that stuff is gonna knock out the salsa if we don't stay on top of it" (something to that effect). Even though I grew up in NY, and even though TV and radio played most of Hector's Salsa I mostly tuned it out most of the time, but of course I remember all his hits but I'm glad I saw the movie because like I said I have a new found appreciation for the Fania All Stars.

Jose Feliciano was also part of Hector's band.

Lesly I love that crisp sound of his voice at the beginning as he gets older he voice sounds sad and tired, understandbly. There is a rapero, I think is El Bambino ???? that reminds me of Hector's voice when he was younger.
 
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Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
Dec 26, 2003
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Interesante-

M.A.R-

You have restored my faith. As far as I am concerned, all salsa lovers lost a legend too soon. Lavoe was not just a salsa singer, he loved the music and that's the difference. Same can be said for Colon. That's why I was glad when he stepped down last year and not when people stopped buying his albums. Fans should remember them in their splendor, in their best moments as artists. True salsa lovers live on the memory of Lavoe and his contribution to salsa music.

Now do yourself a favor. Go out and buy his greatest hits album and enjoy some of his best salsas (some with Colon) like: Calle luna, calle sol, Triste y vac?a, Juanito Alima?a etc. I bet you won't remain seated for very long!

I am motivated to see this movie. Thanks for the thread.

Chao


-LDG.
 

miguel

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Jul 2, 2003
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Que, adonde?.....

Did someone say "Hector Lavoe"?.

Perhaps the greatest Salsa singer EVEEEEEEEEER.

Any threads about Hector and I am there as he is my favorite Salsa singer and I think I have ALLLL his songs.

Too bad I have to wait months before seeing the movie because I fricking live in the "infierno" and they are not showing here yet.

I don't know MAR but you are gaining points, I tell you!!. lol.
 

M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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Did someone say "Hector Lavoe"?.

Perhaps the greatest Salsa singer EVEEEEEEEEER.

Any threads about Hector and I am there as he is my favorite Salsa singer and I think I have ALLLL his songs.

Too bad I have to wait months before seeing the movie because I fricking live in the "infierno" and they are not showing here yet.

I don't know MAR but you are gaining points, I tell you!!. lol.


Wow que privilegio!!!! heheheheheh


Too bad, the movie could have been better, there's so much to work with, there should have been more about him as an artist, not so much about his tragic life and the tragedies in his life. IMO - I give it 3 stars.
 

miguel

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Dilo otra vez......

Wow que privilegio!!!! heheheheheh


Too bad, the movie could have been better, there's so much to work with, there should have been more about him as an artist, not so much about his tragic life and the tragedies in his life. IMO - I give it 3 stars.
That's right, que privilegio, wahahahahaha!!.

Listen, when they started saying that they were going to make that movie, I knew that they were going to do him a dis-service.

NOT because I thought that the movie was going to bad (and it's not, if I listen to my NY friends, and I do) but because I thought that NOBODY and I mean N.O.B.O.D.Y. truly knows the impact Hector had on the Salsa genre and in so many people's lives.

He was a man that even when hated my people who disliked him because his drug addiction, those same people were the ones getting on line to pay for a chance to see him sing!.

I say this because MOST of my friends hated him with a passion but they were ALWAYS stuck to me, like fricking flies, every time I said I was going see Hector sing.

Let me tell you a little story of how great this guy was:

He was ALWAYS, AAAAAALWAYS late to his presentations. The crowd was always talking crap about how irresponsible he was and how they were not going to attend another one of his presentations again. The basically called him all the names in the book.

But whenever he got there, the man just melted your heart with his talent.

I should know, I was one of those that was always talking crap but as soon as he started singing, THAT'S it, all forgotten.

Then I just got used to it. When they said he was going to perform at 9pm, my friends and I showed-up at 10:30Pm. (I wonder if he had Dominican blood, wahahahahahaha).

IN MY OPINION, you can put all the new Salsa singers together, the old Fania All-Stars together and when it comes to Hector's talent, NONE of them come even close to him.

And the funny thing is that MOST of them WILL even tell you that there will NEVER be another Hector Lavoe!!.

"Hector Lavoe, leyenda que nunca muere".......

I may forget A LOOOT of dates but when he died, I will never forget. A few months short of 47!.

Btw: If you want some of his songs, send me a PM!.
 
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Bronxboy

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Jul 11, 2007
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I see Hector, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Johhny Pacheco, Ruben Blades, I think I see Oscar De Leon, etc.

I wish I could have experienced the early 70's. I was only in my pre-teen years.

This thread is very enjoyable.;)
 

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
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595
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That's right, que privilegio, wahahahahaha!!.

Listen, when they started saying that they were going to make that movie, I knew that they were going to do him a dis-service.

NOT because I thought that the movie was going to bad (and it's not, if I listen to my NY friends, and I do) but because I thought that NOBODY and I mean N.O.B.O.D.Y. truly knows the impact Hector had on the Salsa genre and in so many people's lives.

He was a man that even when hated my people who disliked him because his drug addiction, those same people were the ones getting on line to pay for a chance to see him sing!.

I say this because MOST of my friends hated him with a passion but they were ALWAYS stuck to me, like fricking flies, every time I said I was going see Hector sing.

Let me tell you a little story of how great this guy was:

He was ALWAYS, AAAAAALWAYS late to his presentations. The crowd was always talking crap about how irresponsible he was and how they were not going to attend another one of his presentations again. The basically called him all the names in the book.

But whenever he got there, the man just melted your heart with his talent.

I should know, I was one of those that was always talking crap but as soon as he started singing, THAT'S it, all forgotten.

Then I just got used to it. When they said he was going to perform at 9pm, my friends and I showed-up at 10:30Pm. (I wonder if he had Dominican blood, wahahahahahaha).

IN MY OPINION, you can put all the new Salsa singers together, the old Fania All-Stars together and when it comes to Hector's talent, NONE of them come even close to him.

And the funny thing is that MOST of them WILL even tell you that there will NEVER be another Hector Lavoe!!.

"Hector Lavoe, leyenda que nunca muere".......

I may forget A LOOOT of dates but when he died, I will never forget. A few months short of 47!.

Btw: If you want some of his songs, send me a PM!.

Hey Miguel:

Something tells me you are part Puerto Rican.
 

M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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hehe I didn't realize that Miguel had written that looong post, maybe because I don't like reading long posts

I recognize some of them like
Yomo Toro, Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Miranda, Oscar de Leon with hair, Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, and Ruben Blades oh and Feliciano, forget his first name.
 

Occam's_razor

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Sep 19, 2007
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I see Hector, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Johhny Pacheco, Ruben Blades, I think I see Oscar De Leon, etc.

I wish I could have experienced the early 70's. I was only in my pre-teen years.

This thread is very enjoyable.;)

If you see Oscar D'Leon in that photo, you are seeing things.
 

Occam's_razor

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Sep 19, 2007
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hehe I didn't realize that Miguel had written that looong post, maybe because I don't like reading long posts

I recognize some of them like
Yomo Toro, Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Miranda, Oscar de Leon with hair, Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, and Ruben Blades oh and Feliciano, forget his first name.

Really? You see Oscar there?
 

Occam's_razor

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Sep 19, 2007
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Ok so he wasn't in the Fania All Stars so who is that guy in the last row right in the middle with sunglasses, looks a lot like Oscar.

That gentleman's name is Reynaldo Jorge, a trombonist in Willie's band back in the day.

By the way, Ismael Miranda, known as el ni?o lindo de La Fania, and who is to Pacheco's left on the photo, played the part of Lavoe's father in the movie El Cantante.
 

Occam's_razor

New member
Sep 19, 2007
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hehe I didn't realize that Miguel had written that looong post, maybe because I don't like reading long posts

I recognize some of them like
Yomo Toro, Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Miranda, Oscar de Leon with hair, Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, and Ruben Blades oh and Feliciano, forget his first name.

First name is Jos?, as in Jos? "Cheo" Feliciano, not to be confused with Jos? Monserrate Feliciano Garcia, who is blind and also from PR.
 

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
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Gracias

That gentleman's name is Reynaldo Jorge, a trombonist in Willie's band back in the day.

By the way, Ismael Miranda, known as el ni?o lindo de La Fania, and who is to Pacheco's left on the photo, played the part of Lavoe's father in the movie El Cantante.

Thanks!!;)