New Years 2010!

New Years Eve Pinatas and Fireworks Video -- CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR THE SHORT MOVIE

Last week we found a luchador wrestler pinata and bought it thinking we would have one  for the kids on our street at new years. Yesterday, we went next door and got 10 year old Ariel to come fill the pinata.  When he was done there was still a half bag of candy left and lots of oranges so we walked down to the market to find a second pinata, locating the pink sister to go with our blue one.  That not being quite enough, we wandered further down the street and found a drippy gooey cake with a jelly covered fruit top, (which turned out to be delicious in spite of how it looked,) and a couple of roasted chickens for dinner and headed home.

Ariel and Aron came over for dinner
We set up a stand to hold the rocket fireworks we bought last month and took Ariel all over the neighborhood to invite all the kids he knew for the pinata breaking at 7:30.

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Singing in Spanish #5

Today’s song, Nuestro Juramento (Our Vow)
(Listen while you read this post)
Was composed by Puerto Rican Composer
Benito de Jesús of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico,
But it’s fame is attributed to Julio Juramillo
Of Guayaquil, Ecuador, 1935 – 1978.
His rendition and recording of the song
Earned him the name of Mr. Juramento.
Nuestro Juramento is another Bolero
Whose theme is love, life, death and love eternal

Julio is known as ‘El Ruiseñor de América’

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Singing in Spanish #4

Today’s song – Mucho Corazon
Is a Bolero written and popularized by Benny Moore,
Go here for the video to listen to while you read this post

There is a general consensus
That the first Latin American Bolero
Was popularized in 1895
By Cuban troubador José Pepe Sánchez
With his song Tristeza.
The Bolero contains two phrases of sixteen bars,
A guitar instrumental between them,
The words are emotionally romantic,
Of love,
Adoration,
Lament,
Unrequited love,
Sadness.

The striking differences

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Singing in Spanish #3

Perfume de Gardenias,
There’s an incredibly rich story behind this song,
Or more accurately stated, by it’s composer,
Rafael Hernández Marín of Aguadilla,
Puerto Rico 1892 – 1965.
I suggest going to the song to listen while you read this post.

At age 12 Rafael studied music in San Juan
His teachers, Jose Ruellan Lequenica and Jesus Figueroa.
His instruments, clarinet, violin, piano, guitar and tuba
But it was his learning to compose music
That would bring him to the forefront of the world music scene.
All of this began as early as 1917,
Almost 100 years ago when he and his brother
Were recruited into the The Orchestra Europe –
Led by James Reese Europe, bandleader, U.S. Army.
The orchestra was assigned to an army regiment,
Nicknamed by the Germans ‘The Harlem Hellfighters’.

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Singing in Spanish #2

Here’s the second post
In the series of Singing in Spanish,
Musica Romantica,
Translated from Spanish to English below.
Sung my neighbor Lorenzo and his quartet,
On stage last night here in San Miguel.
The link below has a movie of their performance
Singing  Si Nos Dejan

Click here for the video of Si Nos Dejan
Wait for it to load, and sing along!
The words, in Spanish and English are below:

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Singing in Spanish #1

Grupo Trebol

Last night at the Feria de Lana y Laton I went by the stage which is set up in the Jardin to see what music was playing. I wanted to try out my new High definition video camera, which in almost every review, said the quality was poor in low light. I wanted to see for myself and figured 5pm – 9pm at 50-60 feet away, would be a good way to start.

Grupo Trebol, the first group,

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Community Altar

There’s too much going on today with getting ready to go up to the States tomorrow for Andreas’ first birthday to write a big post, but here’s a short follow up on the last few days with some photos from  yesterday.

I spent most of the day on Calle Relox, with Elvia and her girls, watching and helping a group of  young men build an altar for Jesus (Kiro) and in honor all of the other deceased of this neighborhood -parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and friends. The decorating and painting of this fountain is a tradition with these guys and is also decorated by them for every major holiday or religious festival.

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