Featuring:
Astrid "La Holandesa" Pulles: Coros
Daniel Patriasz: Coros

Without a doubt, ‘crisis’ is a very popular word around the world at this moment. Obviously, music and musicians have not been spared from the ‘crisis’. In spite of this all, fortunately, there are those who refuse to keep their arms crossed in resignation but instead forge ahead, continuing to create alternatives for a public that’s willing and prepared to enjoy the Latin music. So I put together a quartet “La Crisis”, performing once-a-month-Sundays in Amsterdam’s café-restaurant El Cantinero, featuring Charanga themes. One day, Dr. Salsa hinted to me: “Hey man, why don’t you add a couple of violins to the group? You know there are no Charanga’s here in Holland.” My reponse was: “have patience, the crisis is making it difficult for us to grow, but let’s see what happens.” Then, DJ’s Mauri and Willy booked us to play at the Wilhelmina Pakhuis on every first Wednesday of the month. It was there that we started to grow and we transformed in a quintet. One day appeared Elena, the flutist, telling me: “I’ve got two friends who play the violin. If you like, I can invite them to play with us.” My repons was: “bring them on!”. From that night that Claudia and Laura Valenzuela appeared, we transformed in a real Charanga. The girls played the themes with tremendous knowledge and soul and this day we really won the audience. Dr. and Mrs. Salsa, who where there that night, threw talcum powder on the floor and danced as if they were in seventh heaven. Bulu, Miguel and Roset said: “Gerardo we’ve got to record this”. And …. here it is! In your hands you’re holding this cd, that expresses the marvellous moment that we are living while playing this music of which we consider ourselves to be their heirs. “Charanga la Crisis” is a continuing tribute to the great charangueros: Orquesa Aragón, Arcanio y sus Maravillas, Melodías del 40, Orquesta Ámerica, la Duboney, la Broadway, Fajardo, Pacheco, Pupi Lagarretta and many others. We have done our utmost to interpret danzón, mambo, cha cha cha, son montuno and salsa with understanding, concept and ‘sabor’. Of course, the crisis drags on, but we are enjoying the “Charanga la Crisis” and feel happy with our good-old-fashioned salsa.
With love, your friend Gerardo Rosales