Grupo Niche
Encyclopedia
Grupo Niche is a salsa group founded in 1978 in Bogotá
, Colombia
. Currently based in Cali
, Colombia, it enjoys great popularity throughout Latin America
. It was founded by Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano. Jairo Varela has stayed with the group becoming producer, director, songwriter, vocalist and guiro
player. Alexis Lozano, trumbone player, later left to form Orquesta Guayacan. It also included Nicolas Cristanelo, on the piano; Francisco Garcia, on the bass; Luis Pacheco, on the congas; as well as vocalists Jorge Bassam and Hector Viveros.
Grupo Niche's first album: "Al Pasito" was released in 1980, did little to challenge the dominating salsa band of Colombia at the time, Fruko y sus Tesos
. The following year, however, the group found success with their second album, "Querer Es Poder", particularly with the single "Buenaventura y Caney".
The group relocated in 1982 to Cali where they have been based since. After recording two more albums, Grupo Niche released "No Hay Quinto Malo" in 1984, which featured their signature song, "Cali Pachanguero". The tribute hit single to the "world salsa capital" catapulted Niche as one of the top salsa bands of Colombia.
In 1986, the band incorporated Puerto Rican vocalist Tito Gomez
, who had previously worked with the famous Puerto Rican salsa group, la Sonora Ponceña, and Ray Barretto
, the Godfather of Latin Jazz
. Later that year, Grupo Niche released "Me Huele A Matrimonio". Afterward, yet another Puerto Rican joined, the pianist Israel Tanenbaum
, who would eventually leave the group to join a Niche spin-off band: Orquesta Guayacán.
Grupo Niche is known for both its vigorous, uptempo dance music as well as slower-paced romantic numbers. Among its best known hits are "Cali Pachanguero", "Del Puente Pa'llá", "Sin Sentimientos", "Una Aventura", "Etnia", "Gotas de Lluvia", "Han Cogido la Cosa", "Mi Pueblo Natal", "Hagamos Lo Que Diga Corazon", "Duele Mas", "Nuestro Sueño", and the famous cumbia
"Canoa Rancha".
Their most famous song is "Cali Aji".
Some of the most famous singers from Niche throughout its history include Alvaro del Castillo, La Coco Lozano, Tuto Jiménez, Saulo Sanchez, Tito Gomez
, Moncho Santana, Charlie Cardona as well as Willy Garcia and Javier Vasquez, now members of the group 'Son de Cali'. They have been very successful, and some of their songs are considered Classics of Salsa Music
. The group still enjoys some of its past successes, and, as of 2006, is on tour, making worldwide presentations, and singing their most memorable songs.
Musician Tito Gomez, who fronted the group for 8 and half years (1985–1993), died on June 14, 2007. Gomez lived in Cali, the city of the Grupo Niche.
, Colombia
. He is son of merchant Antonio Varela Pedro Restrepo and writer and poet Teresa de Jesús Martínez Arce, who is remembered as a woman of great strength that gave his life character.
His first contact with music occurred when he was eight years of age in a "barrio
" called Roma de Quibdo where he formed the group "La Timba", essentially composed of musicians playing only the flute, bongos, maracas
and güiro
.
Grupo Niche also played again in Montreal, the 15th of July 2006 in the festival colombiano, October 2008 and ``May 8, 2010 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band``.
And according with the Latin site Hola Calgary]" the 11th of October 2008, Grupo Niche play at the Jack Singer Concert Hall EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts in Calgary, AB ```.
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Currently based in Cali
Santiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, Colombia, it enjoys great popularity throughout Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. It was founded by Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano. Jairo Varela has stayed with the group becoming producer, director, songwriter, vocalist and guiro
Güiro
The güiro is a Latin-American percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The güiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role...
player. Alexis Lozano, trumbone player, later left to form Orquesta Guayacan. It also included Nicolas Cristanelo, on the piano; Francisco Garcia, on the bass; Luis Pacheco, on the congas; as well as vocalists Jorge Bassam and Hector Viveros.
Grupo Niche's first album: "Al Pasito" was released in 1980, did little to challenge the dominating salsa band of Colombia at the time, Fruko y sus Tesos
Fruko y sus Tesos
Fruko y sus Tesos is a salsa group from Colombia which enjoys immense popularity throughout the Latin American world. It was formed in 1970 by Julio Ernesto Estrada, artistically known as "Fruko" who modeled it after the New York salsa sound of the Fania All-Stars, one of the leading salsa groups...
. The following year, however, the group found success with their second album, "Querer Es Poder", particularly with the single "Buenaventura y Caney".
The group relocated in 1982 to Cali where they have been based since. After recording two more albums, Grupo Niche released "No Hay Quinto Malo" in 1984, which featured their signature song, "Cali Pachanguero". The tribute hit single to the "world salsa capital" catapulted Niche as one of the top salsa bands of Colombia.
In 1986, the band incorporated Puerto Rican vocalist Tito Gomez
Tito Gómez
Tito Gómez or Tito Gomez may refer to:*Tito Gómez *Tito Gómez *Tito Gomez , Cuban-born painter...
, who had previously worked with the famous Puerto Rican salsa group, la Sonora Ponceña, and Ray Barretto
Ray Barretto
Ray Barretto was a Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican jazz musician.-Early years:Barretto was born in New York City of Puerto Rican descent...
, the Godfather of Latin Jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
. Later that year, Grupo Niche released "Me Huele A Matrimonio". Afterward, yet another Puerto Rican joined, the pianist Israel Tanenbaum
Israel Tanenbaum
Israel Tanenbaum-Rivera is a Puerto Rican pianist, record producer, composer, arranger and audio engineer who has produced more than 50 albums and participated in over 100 recordings.-Salsa:...
, who would eventually leave the group to join a Niche spin-off band: Orquesta Guayacán.
Grupo Niche is known for both its vigorous, uptempo dance music as well as slower-paced romantic numbers. Among its best known hits are "Cali Pachanguero", "Del Puente Pa'llá", "Sin Sentimientos", "Una Aventura", "Etnia", "Gotas de Lluvia", "Han Cogido la Cosa", "Mi Pueblo Natal", "Hagamos Lo Que Diga Corazon", "Duele Mas", "Nuestro Sueño", and the famous cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
"Canoa Rancha".
Their most famous song is "Cali Aji".
Some of the most famous singers from Niche throughout its history include Alvaro del Castillo, La Coco Lozano, Tuto Jiménez, Saulo Sanchez, Tito Gomez
Tito Gómez
Tito Gómez or Tito Gomez may refer to:*Tito Gómez *Tito Gómez *Tito Gomez , Cuban-born painter...
, Moncho Santana, Charlie Cardona as well as Willy Garcia and Javier Vasquez, now members of the group 'Son de Cali'. They have been very successful, and some of their songs are considered Classics of Salsa Music
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
. The group still enjoys some of its past successes, and, as of 2006, is on tour, making worldwide presentations, and singing their most memorable songs.
Musician Tito Gomez, who fronted the group for 8 and half years (1985–1993), died on June 14, 2007. Gomez lived in Cali, the city of the Grupo Niche.
Jairo Varela
Bandleader and co-founder Jairo Varela Martínez was born on December 9, 1949 in QuibdóQuibdó
Quibdó is the capital city of Chocó Department, in western Colombia. The municipality of Quibdó has an area of 3,337.5 km² and a population of 100,000 mainly consisting of Afro Colombians and Zambo Colombians. Quibdo serves a a receptor for those persons affected by the Colombian armed...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. He is son of merchant Antonio Varela Pedro Restrepo and writer and poet Teresa de Jesús Martínez Arce, who is remembered as a woman of great strength that gave his life character.
His first contact with music occurred when he was eight years of age in a "barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
" called Roma de Quibdo where he formed the group "La Timba", essentially composed of musicians playing only the flute, bongos, maracas
Maracás
Maracás is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
and güiro
Güiro
The güiro is a Latin-American percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The güiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role...
.
Grupo Niche in Montreal, Canada
Grupo Niche played in Montreal July 21, 2001 for a party done to celebrate the independence of Colombia(July 20). Grupo Niche was also accompanied that night with another band called Balmore Estrada y su Nueva Sensacion, who was formed in the late 1980s by Balmore Estrada.Grupo Niche also played again in Montreal, the 15th of July 2006 in the festival colombiano, October 2008 and ``May 8, 2010 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band``.
And according with the Latin site Hola Calgary]" the 11th of October 2008, Grupo Niche play at the Jack Singer Concert Hall EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts in Calgary, AB ```.
Discography
- Al Pasito (1980)
- Querer Es Poder (1981)
- Preparate... (1982)
- Directo Desde New York! (1983)
- No Hay Quinto Malo (1984)
- Triunfo (1985)
- Historia Musical (1986)
- Me Huele A Matrimonio (1987)
- Tapando el Hueco (1988)
- Sutil y Contundente (1989)
- Cielo de TamboresCielo de TamboresCielo de Tambores is an album by Grupo Niche released in 1990.- Track listing :# Cielo de Tambores# Una Aventura# Se Parecio Tanto a Ti# Doña Pastora# Pregón Verde# Busca Por Dentro# Deberia Olvidarla# Sin Sentimientos# Cali Aji...
(1990) - Llegando al 100% (1991)
- Un Alto en el Camino (1993)
- Huellas del Pasado (1995)
- Etnia (1996)
- A Prueba de Fuego (1997)
- Señales de Humo (1998)
- A Golpe de Folklore (1999)
- Propuesta (2000)
- La danza de la chancaca (2001)
- Control absoluto (2002)
- Imaginación](2004)
- Alive (2005)