“Melina Almodovar”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

Melina Almodóvar (born Ilsa Melina Almodóvar Sánchez in Santurce, Puerto Rico), also known as La Muñeca de la Salsa^[1] and La Chica Del Bling, is a Puerto Rican salsa singer, songwriter, dancer, and entertainer. Known for her high-energy performances and salsa dancing skills, she combines old-school salsa moves with contemporary styles of dancing and singing. She is also credited with establishing the first successful salsa orchestra in the Southern United States, Orquesta Caliente.

Early life

Almodóvar was born on June 3, 1979, in Santurce, a barrio of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her family split its time between Levittown and Cataño, Puerto Rico. Her parents, Ilsa Milagros Sánchez Rodríguez and José Luis Almodóvar Hernández, divorced when she was one year old. Her father married Evangeline Garland five years after the divorce, and they had two daughters, Gretchen Evangeline Almodóvar Garland and Carina Cristina Almodóvar Garland.

Almodóvar's father was a bolero singer and, along with his brothers, had a small group called Boleros y Algo Mas. They traveled around Puerto Rico playing music inspired by José José, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Raúl di Blasio, and Camilo Sesto; Almodóvar was named after one of Sesto's hit songs, "Melina". Her mother was a Flamenco dancer who later worked in medicine. Her maternal grandmother, Elia, is a sculptor, painter, and poet who fueled Almodóvar's artistic interests, taking her to plays and concerts from an early age.

After Almodóvar's father died in 1989, her mother married a man from Memphis, Tennessee, and moved the family there. Almodóvar has described her introduction to the United States as a "culture shock" and said that it was hard for her to make friends. She turned to music for solace, and the move became a frequent subject of her songs. Soon after, she received a cassette of songs by Rubén Blades and Celia Cruz as a Christmas gift from her grandmother and discovered that she had a natural ability for tropical music, salsa, and merengue. She also started listening to Memphis musicians such as Al Green, Otis Redding, and The Staple Singers, and she befriended record producer Willie Mitchell's grandchildren, who attended Houston High School with her in Germantown, Tennessee.

Almodóvar was accepted to Berklee College of Music but did not attend. She worked for a short time as a translator and assistant for the Memphis City Council as she briefly considered a career in politics. Later, she studied music performance at the University of Memphis.

Career Beginnings

At sixteen, Almodóvar started performing around Memphis with bands from various genres, including rock, blues, jazz, and gospel. She was soon approached by a group of music professors from the University of Memphis to start a salsa band. She agreed and was given a repertoire of salsa classics. The band, Orquesta Caliente, traveled across the South to play at events like the King Biscuit Blues Festival and the Beale Street Music Festival. It was the first Latin band to play on Beale Street, and was nominated for Best New Band and Best New Artist at the 1999 Grammy Awards.

Almodóvar began traveling to Nashville on the weekends to perform and write songs with other musicians. However, she soon decided to focus on salsa music and moved back to Puerto Rico. She traveled all over the island, listening to music, experimenting with sounds, and learning how to sing and dance salsa.

"La Chica de San Juan" became the title track of her 2003 album Rumba's SalsaSoul Delight. The album reflected a mixture of tropical and soul rhythms, and employed a Spanglish style of language that emerged with the influx of Latinos to the United States. Almodóvar returned to the United States to promote it. Upon her return, Ramses Arraya—the percussionist for the Costa Rican band Editus, which backed Rubén Blades on his two Grammy-nominated records—asked her to perform on a record he was producing, "Corazón en Clave" (Heart in Clave). She traveled to Miami, Florida, to record the song "Yo Soy la Rumba" (I Am the Rumba), and soon relocated there permanently.

"I am Puerto Rican, and Puerto Rico lives in me, in everything I do," Almodóvar said. "Memphis is also a part of me, and it makes me the artist I am, but Miami is where it all comes together for me. The mixture of all the beautiful peoples of our Latin American countries, it fuels my soul."

Move To Miami

In Miami, Almodóvar became a sought-after performer, opening for artists like Tommy Olivencia and La Sonora Ponceña. She has also played with Larry Harlow She also produced her first single in Miami "Yo Soy La Rumba"produced by her musical director Ramses Araya. This single hit #2 on tropical radio.In Miami Melina established a residency

every Tuesday night for nine years at Tapas & Tintos on Española Way in the city of Miami Beach.Also performed at the 100 years celebration of the city of Miami Beach and was awarded the Key to the City of Miami Beach in 2014 by Mayor Philip Levine.

By this time Melina had produced her first full album in Miami "La Muñeca de la Salsa y Mas"and ode to her fathers band in Puerto Rico "Boleros y Mas"

Collaboration with Bobby Cruz

In 2016 Bobby Cruz pioneer of salsa music of the legendary group Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz created a new group called "Salsa Factory Bunch" in this group he brought to light the new crop of salsa artists that are emerging, and Melina was hand picked to sing an original song written and arranged by Bobby Cruz himself called "La Chica del Bling" thus making it a nickname for Melina. Melina and all the members of "Salsa Factory Bunch" were honored in opening for Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz and La Sonora Ponceña in November 2016 at the Choliseo of Puerto Rico. The title song of the same title was played all over the world in many salsa stations.

Collaboration with Tito Puente jr.

was looking to record a new single. He and his production team were searching for a woman to be part of the single just like Tito Puente father used to collaborate and showcase women singers like La Lupe and the queen of salsa Celia Cruz. Melina and Tito had met in 2001 in Nashville, TN where Melina was performing with her Orchestra at a local club in Nashville. There Tito sat in with her band. Later as the years went by and Melina moved to Miami Tito was paired with her on several shows. When Tito was looking for a female singer to record "Mi Socio"

a remake of the 1965 song featured in "Tito Puente Swings - The Exciting Lupe Sings" with an arrangement by his father he asked Melina to be the female singer on it. Since then Tito and Melina have become a much sought after duo traveling all over the world performing his father's music and Melina's as well. "Mi socio" has become a favorite of salsa dancers everywhere. Tito and Melina have performed at the new Yankee Stadiumin New York and also perform regularly at world famous Ball and Chain in Miami's Little Havana district, as well as at the Calle Ocho festival.

Hollywood Salsa Festival

In 2014 Melina Almodovar and her production partner Cristina Moinelo decided to turn a regular concert series performance in the city of Hollywood, Florida at Arts Park at Young Circle. Noticing that this venue with its beautiful stage and ample area for families and salsa lovers would be a great spot to create a yearly festival dedicated to Salsa Music they joined forces with the Community Redevelopment Agency of Hollywood, Florida and created a yearly festival dedicated to salsa music. The year 2018 marked its fifth anniversary that culminated in at attendance of 10,000 people.

This festival has become a staple in Florida and all salsa fans flock every year to attend this free event.

It is composed of salsa dance performances, live orchestras and traditional latin food and drinks all of this hosted and also performed by Melina Almodovar and her many guest performers which vary every year. Festival occurs every year the first Saturday in April. The week before is called Salsa Week by locals and reflects many salsa performances all over South Florida and different clubs and venues. This festival has yielded a spin off festival in Miami Beach city witch Melina calls home the first Saturday if November for four years this one called "Miami Beach Salsa Festival" this year 2018 to be held on November 3, 2018 at the North Beach Band Shell also produced by Melina and her production company Almodovar Musica LLC.

Personal life

Melina has been with her partner Kevin since meeting in Miami Beach in 2007. She has a deep love for animals and loves dogs especially Chihuahuas. She has an extensive collection of old vinyl records especially old latin music. She also enjoys spending time with the elderly of Miami and Miami Beach and frequently performs for them to entertain them and make them enjoy their latin music and make them dance and enjoy life. Frequently volunteers her time to elderly's causes.

Discography

References

1. ^{{cite news|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/ten-best-salsa-acts-in-the-world-according-to-melina-almodovar-6448338|title=Ten Best Salsa Acts in the World, According to Melina Almodovar|date=September 1, 2014|work=Miami New Times|accessdate=July 4, 2016}}
2. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/melina-almodovar-mn0000355428|title=Melina Almodovar|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=4 July 2016}}

5- http://www.sun-sentinel.com/elsentinel/fl-es-festival-salsa-hollywood-20180322-story.html

External links