After some time, Héctor Daniel and La Constelación are back, a tremendous salsa band, that in times of so much studio-made music, manages to sound live and good. The band is returning to the stage with the CD Alegría pa' mi gente, a great surprise for dancers.
Available at:
Cubamusic.com
iTunesHéctor Daniel is an outstanding musician, claimed to be one of the most talented salsa singers in Cuba today. He is obsessed with the sonority of his band, which has made him gather a band with one of the best timbers of Cuban popular music at the present.
Rumor has it that your band sounds very good, that it is also known as an all-star band. How do you achieve that?- All the musicians working with me at the moment graduated from the schools of music and they are very talented. Concerning about the quality of the band's sound has always been my priority. With the musicians I had before, La Constelación sounded very good live and with the ones I have now is sounding even better. I have been improving the sound with the experience of the years. Live concerts really show the quality of the music, where you win dancers over.
If you were a fan of Cuban music, a dancer...What is different about Alegría pa' mi gente?- Alegría pa' mi gente is about relaunching La Constelación after reformatting the band. The CD has 11 tracks and many featurings. It is a CD made among friends. I was lucky to sing with my sisters Haila María Mompié and Tania Pantoja, with my brother Alexander Abreu we sang Cuando tin tiene tin vale, and with the charismatic Juan Guillermo we made a parody to *99 and people like it.
Another song is dedicated to the Matanzas baseball team, introducing Javier Sotomayor who is the holder of the world high jump record. Javier dressed like a rapper and did the alternative part of the song. And he did it very well. Listen to the CD and you will know about Javier Sotomayor's rapper side. I also sing with my dear friend Will Campa a song dedicated to Varadero.
Why are you called the King of Varadero?- People call me that way and I am grateful for that. It must be because of the number of presentations and concerts that we normally give there. Besides, we are highly accepted by the audience. We work in Varadero, we are from Matanzas and the people of Matanzas love us. That is really lovely.
Everybody knows that you are beginning a new stage. ¿Did you change anything about the previous sound of the band?- My previous productions were more about timba. Alegría pa' mi gente brings a ballroom salsa, more cabaret-like. It is music to dance but also to listen anytime of the day. I also embark on other genres like bachata, merengue and fusion.
The CD has a new producer, Roniel Alfonso Mella, who is one of the great talents of Cuba and Latin America.
You are a descendant of a musical family, however, it has not been easy for you in the world of music..- Nooo, not at all, I grew up with music around me. My father was a member of the band of the famous Guayabero in Holguín and my mother was a cabaret singer. However, they were always reluctant to let me study music. It was not until I majored in Chemical Engineering at the University of Holguin that my parents told me: "Now, you do what you want to do". And here I am, doing what I really like to do.
In your opinion, what is the future of salsa facing so much pressure of urban music?- Urban genre has completely flooded the music market of today. The majority of people like it. It is a world-class event. Cuban salsa artists have the challenge of boosting the level of acceptance. That is why, we must keep on doing good and interesting things, so that salsa go on around the world.
Héctor Daniel keeps making sound his Constelación with first day's enthusiasm. Cubamusic.com witnessed the intense sonority of the new salsa line-up, that carefully refines its fantastic capacity of live sound.
Other work engagements prevented the Cubamusic.com staff from enjoying the rehearsal of the band to the very end. After the interview we said good-bye, but even some blocks away from where we had spoken with Héctor, it was possible to hear the contagious salsa of Alegría pa' mi gente. We wish many good things to La Constelación in this period. Let the music play!!!
