Alfredo de la Fé
Encyclopedia
Alfredo De La Fé is a Cuban
-born and New York-based violinist who lived in Colombia
for more than 16 years and is responsible for transforming the violin
into an important sound of Salsa and Latin music. The first solo violinist to perform with a Salsa orchestra, De La Fe has toured the world more than thirty times, appearing in concert and participating in more than one hundred albums by such top-ranked Latin artists as Eddie Palmieri
, Tito Puente
, Celia Cruz
, José Alberto
"El Canario", Cheo Feliciano
, The Fania All-Stars and Santana
. His second solo album, Alfredo, released in 1979, received a Grammy nomination as "Best Latin album".
A child prodigy, Alfredo's father who was a singer (a tenor of opera) in Havana
, Cuba and sang on Cuban radio with Bienvenido León and Celia Cruz in the 1940s recognized his son's skills and encouraged his musical talent. De La Fé began studying violin at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana in 1962. Two years later, he received a scholarship to attend the Warsaw Conservatory in Poland. In 1965, he performed compositions by Mendelssohn
and Tchaikovsky with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in Carnegie Hall
. A scholarship to Juilliard Arts enabled him to further his studies. De La Fé launched his professional career, at the age of twelve, when he switched from classical music to Salsa and accepted an invitation to join charanga legend José Fajardo's Orchestra. In 1972, he joined Eddie Palmieri's Orchestra. He remained with the group for a very short period, moving temporarily to San Francisco where he joined Santana. Returning to New York, De La Fé joined Tipica '73 in 1977. Two years later, he released his debut solo album, Alfredo.
In 1980, De La Fé signed with Sars All Stars, and produced thirty-two albums for the Latin record label. His second solo album, Charanga '80, was released the same year. In 1981, De La Fé became musical director of Tito Puente's Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble. The following year, he resumed his solo career, signing with Taboga, for whom he recorded the album Triunfo. Relocating to Colombia in 1983, De La Fé signed with Philips
and released three albums - Made in Colombia, Dancing in the Tropics and Alfredo De La Fé Vallenato - by the end of the 1980s. In 1989, De La Fé switched to the Fuentes label. Although he joined the Fania All-Stars in 1995, De La Fé continued to pursue a solo career. He signed with Sony Music in 1997. Two years later, he toured with his own band, appearing at festivals in Denmark, Holland, France, Turkey and Belgium, and reunited with Eddie Palmieri's Orchestra for a European tour.
In 2002, after several years in Europe, Alfredo moved back to New York and toured the US with his New York band, led by pianist Israel Tanenbaum
. Other musicians included bass player Maximo Rodriguez, percussionists Tony Escapa and Little Johnny Rivero, flute player Andrea Brachfeld.
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
-born and New York-based violinist who lived in 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...
for more than 16 years and is responsible for transforming the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
into an important sound of Salsa and Latin music. The first solo violinist to perform with a Salsa orchestra, De La Fe has toured the world more than thirty times, appearing in concert and participating in more than one hundred albums by such top-ranked Latin artists as Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri , is a Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican pianist, bandleader and musician, best known for combining jazz piano and instrumental solos with Latin rhythms.-Early years:...
, Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
, Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
, José Alberto
José Alberto
José Alberto is a Dominican salsa singer. José Alberto moved to Puerto Rico with his family at the age of 7, and inspired by Latin music went on to polish his singing at Las Antillas Military Academy...
"El Canario", Cheo Feliciano
Cheo Feliciano
José Feliciano, better known as Cheo Feliciano , is a composer and singer of salsa and bolero music.-Early years:...
, The Fania All-Stars and Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
. His second solo album, Alfredo, released in 1979, received a Grammy nomination as "Best Latin album".
A child prodigy, Alfredo's father who was a singer (a tenor of opera) in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba and sang on Cuban radio with Bienvenido León and Celia Cruz in the 1940s recognized his son's skills and encouraged his musical talent. De La Fé began studying violin at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana in 1962. Two years later, he received a scholarship to attend the Warsaw Conservatory in Poland. In 1965, he performed compositions by Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn
Mendelson is a Polish/German Jewish family name, meaning "son of Mendel", Mendel being a Yiddish diminutive of the Hebrew given name Menahem, meaning "consoling" or "one who consoles".Mendelssohn is the surname of a number of people:...
and Tchaikovsky with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. A scholarship to Juilliard Arts enabled him to further his studies. De La Fé launched his professional career, at the age of twelve, when he switched from classical music to Salsa and accepted an invitation to join charanga legend José Fajardo's Orchestra. In 1972, he joined Eddie Palmieri's Orchestra. He remained with the group for a very short period, moving temporarily to San Francisco where he joined Santana. Returning to New York, De La Fé joined Tipica '73 in 1977. Two years later, he released his debut solo album, Alfredo.
In 1980, De La Fé signed with Sars All Stars, and produced thirty-two albums for the Latin record label. His second solo album, Charanga '80, was released the same year. In 1981, De La Fé became musical director of Tito Puente's Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble. The following year, he resumed his solo career, signing with Taboga, for whom he recorded the album Triunfo. Relocating to Colombia in 1983, De La Fé signed with Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
and released three albums - Made in Colombia, Dancing in the Tropics and Alfredo De La Fé Vallenato - by the end of the 1980s. In 1989, De La Fé switched to the Fuentes label. Although he joined the Fania All-Stars in 1995, De La Fé continued to pursue a solo career. He signed with Sony Music in 1997. Two years later, he toured with his own band, appearing at festivals in Denmark, Holland, France, Turkey and Belgium, and reunited with Eddie Palmieri's Orchestra for a European tour.
In 2002, after several years in Europe, Alfredo moved back to New York and toured the US with his New York band, led by 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:...
. Other musicians included bass player Maximo Rodriguez, percussionists Tony Escapa and Little Johnny Rivero, flute player Andrea Brachfeld.