Provocative New Film Premieres in Union City

"Bahía de Cochinos, Nuestra Perspectiva"

("Bay of Pigs, Our perspective") 

(Union City, NJ)  MeLu Films and The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc. present the World Premiere screening of the documentary "Bahia de Cochinos, Nuestra perspectiva" on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 7:00 PM at the Union City Performing Arts Center, 2500 Kennedy Boulevard, Union City, NJ.  Free Admission.  Refreshments served. Free parking at the Parking Deck located on 23rd Street between Summit & Kerrigan Avenues.  The cast and crew of the film will be present.  

"Bahia de Cochinos, Nuestra perspectiva" is a documentary film about the Bay of pigs as told through the eyes of Cuban Exiles who actually participated in the invasion.  Now, many years later, they contemplate the happenings and share their individual satires and feelings with us.  That story comes at a price, a price we ask them if they would be willing to pay again.  When all is said and done, are these past invaders resentful?  Do they cast any blame?  Who lost most in the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Featured in the film is testimony by members of the 2506 Brigade: Ángel Casabona Ruiz, Isidoro López González, Ricardo Montero Duque, Raúl Puig Sánchez, and Alvin Ross Diaz; as well as Sergio Gatria, director of the Cuban Information Center.  Their stories are moving and shed light of the infamous Bay of Pigs Invasion.  The film is bound to create some serious dialogue about what truly lies behind the events leading up to the invasion and the fallout thereafter.  

The film is directed by renowned Cuban director, Ricardo Bacallao and Lucio Fernandez; and produced by MeLu Films and The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc.; Megan Fernandez, Executive Producer.  The entire film crew was from Hudson County. The producers held a pre-release screening of the film in 2015 to get feedback before completing the project this month. 

(Please note:  this film is presented in Spanish, but informational materials in English will be handed out prior to the screening; and all discussions will be conducted in both English & Spanish.)

www.MeLuFilms.blogspot.com

www.GraceTheatre.com

www.UnionCityPAC.com

Pelicula Provocativa estrena en Union City

"Bahía de Cochinos, Nuestra Perspectiva"

(Union City, NJ) MeLu Films y The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc. presentan el estreno mundial del documental "Bahía de Cochinos, Nuestra perspectiva" el Miercoles, 25 de mayo 2016 a las 7:00 PM en el Union City Performing Arts Center, 2500 Kennedy Boulevard, Union City, NJ. La entrada es gratuita.  Se servirán refrigerios. Estacionamiento gratis en el parqueadero localizado en la calle 23 entre Avenidas Summit y Kerrigan.  El reparto y el equipo de la película estarán presentes.  

"Bahía de Cochinos, Nuestra perspectiva" es una película documental sobre la Bahía de Cochinos representada a través de los ojos de exiliados cubanos que participaron en la invasión. Ahora, muchos años después, contemplan los acontecimientos y comparten sus historias y sentimientos individuales. Esa historia tiene un precio, un precio que les preguntamos si estarían dispuestos a pagar de nuevo. Cuando todo está dicho y hecho, ¿están estos últimos invasores resentidos? ¿Le echan la culpa a alguien? ¿Quién perdió más en la invasión de Bahía de Cochinos, los exiliados, los cubanos revolucionarios, o el pueblo de Cuba?  Esta es una nueva narración de esta historia, y se recuenta con profunda emoción.

La película cuenta con el testimonio de los miembros de la Brigada 2506: Ángel Casabona, Isidoro López, Ricardo M. Montero, Raúl Puig, y Alvin Ross; así como con Sergio Gatria, director del Cuban Information Center. Sus historias son conmovedoras y arrojan luz sobre la infame invasión de Bahía de Cochinos. La película posiblemente creará un diálogo serio sobre lo que realmente sucedió detrás de los acontecimientos que condujeron a la invasión y sus consecuencias posteriores.

"Bahía de Cochinos, Nuestra perspectiva" está dirigida por el reconocido director cubano, Ricardo Bacallao con Lucio Fernandez; producida por MeLu Films y The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc.; Megan Fernandez, Productora Ejecutiva. 

Maxima Alerta @ Maxwell's

After a SOLD OUT performance in February at the legendary Maxwell’s in Hoboken, the musical group Maxima Alerta once again returns to Maxwell’s on Friday, May 13, 2016 at 8:00 PM.  The opening act will be the Grammy nominated artist Ariacne Trujillo accompanied by Olivia Duran.  Maxima Alerta’s director, Ray Machado, says “we love Maxwell’s and Hudson County.  This is our home.  We are so happy to be playing here, and we’re here to stay.” Get your tickets today, visit:  https://www.ticketfly.com/event/1166891-maxima-alerta-hoboken/

Maxima Alerta is one of Cuba’s best known and loved fusion bands.  The group has moved to the US and it is now based in Hudson County.  They are celebrating the release of their new single "Vive la Vida" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9YEtBVjltIc.

Audiences can expect to dance all night.  This music is for everyone.  Maxima Alerta’s sound is fresh and exciting, with a positive happy message.  Some of their songs you may recognize, such as “La Figura (“Ay Lola”)” which they recorded with the multi-award winning and internationally renowned group Gente de Zona.

Maxwell’s is located at 1039 Washington Street in Hoboken, NJ.  Admission is $20 paid at the door; or $15 in advance online by visiting www.MaxwellsNJ.com.  This will be a special concert… a night of music and fun for everyone.  Come join the party.  You’re guaranteed a great time.

“Cuban Music with more Flow”  For more information about Maxima Alerta, please visit:  www.MaximaAlerta.com

About Maxima Alerta

Maxima Alerta is known for its fusion of Cuban Music and other genres forming a fresh hip sound.  From son cubano to conga, from cumbia to merengue, from rap to ballads… all with a fresh modern sound taunting audiences on their feet to dance and have a good time. 

The group was formed in Santa Clara, a busy city in the center of Cuba, where Ray Machado aka “El Italiano”, the lead singer, musical director, and composer for most of the songs of the group, developed the band.

In 2003 Máxima Alerta exploded on the scene, hitting radio and television stations with two songs, "Cast pa 'front' and “Adegüello 1895" which very quickly became popular throughout the country. Thanks to these successes, in 2004 they delivered their new album “Llegaron los Alertas”, recorded at Abdala Studios owned by renowned singer/composer Silvio Rodriguez with the French company Lusafrica, and joining their catalog and sharing the stage with popular groups such as La Orquesta Aragón, Polo Montañez, Anacaona, Isaac Delgado, Osdalgia, among others.

In 2005 Máxima Alerta was nominated to Cubadisco as “Best Album Rap, Dance and Hip Hop” which garnered the group great popularity both nationally and internationally, as well as topping the charts. Later in 2009 the group returned to the top of the charts with the song "La Figura" recorded with the group Gente de Zona.

Later in 2011, they released the CD “Alertas para Todos”, recorded and produced by Nando Pro in Havana, Cuba. This is an album containing fourteen tracks, of which six featured special guests: Yulien Oviedo and Dantes (Charanga Habanera); Alexander Delgado y Randy Marcos (Gente de Zona); Sisto Llorente "El Indio" (Orquesta Aragón); Los Cuatro; and Alain Daniel and Ramón Lavado (El Chacal). The CD also features a song dedicated to one of the greatest Cuban baseball players, Victor Mesa.

Maxima Alerta has crafted an intense and dynamic signature sound. This fresh sound is a fusion: elastic bass lines, powerful programming, catchy choruses sung in unison with warlike ardor, counterpoints that owe as much (if not more) to rap as to reggae or Latin beats… it all comes together to showcase voices that drive themselves mercilessly, to unleash a verbal bombardment of exceptional skill and intensity but at the same time accentuating the flavor and influence of Cuban music.

After settling in the United States, Ray Machado reorganized the group and recorded a new production. In October 2015, Maxima Alerta was reborn in the United States performing in two SOLD OUT concerts in New York with Fernandito Villalona. In 2016, Maxima Alert released its new song "Vive la Vida" with an accompanying music video.  Subsequently the group had a SOLD OUT concert at the legendary Maxwell's in Hoboken, and another SOLD OUT concert with Latin bachata star Anthony Santos at the historic 1,500 seat Park Performing Arts Center.

  

“Cuban Music with more Flow”

                          

About Ariacne Trujillo Durand

Grammy Nominee Ariacne Trujillo was born in Havana, Cuba. She began her career as a child prodigy concert pianist. Blessed with perfect pitch, she was able to graduate with honors from Cuba’s hyper-competitive ISA conservatory while working as a singer and dancer at the legendary Cabaret Tropicana. Since arriving in New York City in 2002, Ariacne has performed or recorded with Paul Simon, Paquito D’ Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, Danny Rivera, Jonny Pacheco, John Scofield, Brian Lynch, Esperanza Spalding and Savion Glover. The most recent and significant collaboration of her career is her contribution to the Pedrito Martinez Group.

Such impressive bona fides aside, the most important qualities Trujillo brings to the mix are her ability to improvise both form and content, and her truly relentless sense of time. It’s standard Cuban practice to break down to piano, clave and kick drum, but her work with the Pedrito Martinez Group repeatedly highlighted her talent by breaking down to piano – just piano – and letting the audience experience the unstoppable groove that Trujillo lays down – often while singing lead in her powerful and endlessly flexible voice.

The range of expression in Ariacne’s playing and singing encompasses Classical, Afro Cuban, Latin Jazz, Opera, Ballet, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Soul, and Funk.

MAXIMA ALERTA at DROM, NYC

After two back to back SOLD OUT performances at the legendary Maxwell's and at the 1,400 seat PPAC, Maxima Alerta heads to DROM in NYC on Saturday, March 19th. Join the party!!!  

Purchase your tickets in advance by visiting:  https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1095243

Maxima Alerta… from Cuba to Hoboken 

The legendary Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ will be presenting the musical group Maxima Alerta directly from Cuba for one night only, on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 8:00 PM.  The opening band will be the hip group N.Y.C.M. New Young Cuban Music.

Maxima Alerta is one of Cuba’s best known and loved fusion bands.  The group has moved to the US and it is now based in NYC.  They are kicking off their US tour and celebrating the release of their new single "Vive la Vida" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9YEtBVjltIc.

Audiences can expect to dance all night.  This music is for everyone.  Maxima Alerta’s sound is fresh and exciting, with a positive happy message.  Some of their songs you may recognize, such as “La Figura” which they recorded with the multi-award winning and internationally renowned group Gente de Zona.

Maxwell’s is located at 1039 Washington Street in Hoboken, NJ.  Admission is $20 paid at the door; or $15 in advance online by visiting http://www.ticketfly.com/event/1085663/?utm_source=fb1 This will be a special concert, a night of music and fun for everyone.  Come join the party.

“Cuban Music with more Flow”  

For more information about Maxima Alerta, please visit:  www.MaximaAlerta.com

Maxima Alerta - Vive la Vida

The Cuban group Maxima Alerta releases a new song and music video  "Vive la Vida". A dance till you drop track.  

See it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YEtBVjltIc

Maxima Alerta & Fernando Villalona

Concert by legendary singer Fernando Villalona in Union City 

with one of the best known fusion reggaeton groups from Cuba, 

Maxima Alerta 

(Union City, NJ)  The City of Union City,  Mayor Brian P. Stack and the Board of Commissioners cordially invite the community to a special concert by legendary singer Fernando Villalona on Sunday, October 11, 2015 at the Union City Performing Arts Center, 2500 Kennedy Boulevard, Union City, NJ.  The concert will also feature the US premiere of one of the most popular reggaeton fusion musical groups from Cuba, Maxima Alerta. Admission is free.  Doors open at 5:00 PM and the concert will begin at 6:00 PM.  

(Please note:  general admission; space is limited; first come first served; preference to senior citizens and Union City residents; no alcoholic beverages allowed; and no big bags allowed.)

Free parking at the Municipal Parking Deck located on 23rd Street between Summit & Kerrigan Avenues.

Fernando Villalona in Concert

featuring Maxima Alerta

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Doors Open at 5:00 PM

Concert at 6:00 PM

Union City Performing Arts Center

2500 Kennedy Boulevard

Union City, NJ

Free Admission 

www.UnionCityPAC.com

www.UCNJ.com

www.UnionCityArtScene.blogspot.com

Fernando Villalona, the first artist named "El Mayimbe" (born in Loma de Cabrera, Dajabón Province on May 7, 1955, Ramón Fernando Villalona Évora), is a Dominican merengue singer that began singing in the early 1970s, his popularity started to grow by the late 1970s and has not declined ever since. Fernando began singing at a very early age and became popular after participating in "El Festival de la Voz", an amateur TV talent show. After that, merengue icon Wilfrido Vargas hired him to be part of his group Los Hijos del Rey[1] but Fernando and the group would soon be separated after his popularity became larger than the group itself. He would then go into a period of drugs and isolation but never stopped singing, recording some of his best music during that period. In 2012, Villalona recorded "El Color de tu Mirada" with American singer/songwriter Victoria Daly. The music video was directed by Rene Brea in the Dominican Republic. It went to be nominated for "Best Music Video" at the Soberano Awards in 2013. Villalona began recording two singles with Latin sensation, Olga Tanon. Recording began in April, set to be released on her upcoming album.

Songs such as "Tabaco y ron", "Celos,", "Te Amo Demasiado,","La Hamaquita", "Dominicano Soy," "Sonámbulo," and "Carnaval" among others became popular in the 1980s. "Quisqueya," "No Podrás," "Música Latina," "Retorno," and "Me he Enamorado" were some of his biggest hits in the 1990s. In recent years he has had some health problems making performing a difficult task. But besides the fact that he has not been able to perform frequently, he probably still is the most important merengue singer in Dominican history. He was married to Evelyn Jorge a woman of Puerto Rican origin and they have a daughter named Paloma.

***

Maxima Alerta Biography

All over Cuba, young people listen keenly to radio programs featuring reggaeton and their favorite group, Máxima Alerta.

It all began in Santa Clara, a busy city in the center of Cuba, where Ray Machado aka “El Italiano”, the lead singer, musical director, and composer for most of the songs of the group, developed the group.

In 2003 Máxima Alerta exploded on the scene, hitting radio and television stations with two songs, "Cast pa 'front' and “Adegüello 1895" which very quickly became popular throughout the country. Thanks to these successes, in 2004 they delivered their new album “Llegaron los Alertas”, recorded at Abdala Studios owned by renowned singer/composer Silvio Rodriguez with the French company Lusafrica, and joining their catalog and sharing the stage with popular groups such as La Orquesta Aragón, Polo Montañez, Anacaona, Isaac Delgado, Osdalgia, among others.

In 2005 Máxima Alerta was nominated to Cubadisco as “Best Album Rap, Dance and Hip Hop” which garnered the group great popularity both nationally and internationally, as well as topping the charts. Later in 2009 the group returned to the top of the charts with the song "La Figura" recorded with the group Gente de Zona.

Later in 2011, they released the CD “Alertas para Todos”, recorded and produced by Nando Pro in Havana, Cuba. This is an album containing fourteen tracks, of which six feature special guests: Yulien Oviedo and Dantes (Charanga Habanera); Alexander Delgado y Randy Marcos (Gente de Zona); Sisto Llorente "El Indio" (Orquesta Aragón); and Alain Daniel and Ramón Lavado (El Chacal). The CD also features a song dedicated to one of the greatest Cuban baseball players, Victor Mesa.

The group has crafted an intense and dynamic signature sound. This fresh sound is a fusion: elastic bass lines, powerful programming, catchy choruses sung in unison with warlike ardor, counterpoints that owe as much (if not more) to rap as to reggae or Latin beats… it all comes together to showcase voices that drive themselves mercilessly, to unleash a verbal bombardment of exceptional skill and intensity but at the same time accentuating the flavor and influence of Cuban music.

In October of 2015, Máxima Alerta will arrive in the United States to a swarm of eager fans waiting to hop on the musical train that is on track to take over the music world.

The rest is history to be written.

Cuban Groups arrive in Hudson County

Cuban Groups arrive in Hudson County

La Charanga Habanera & El Medico de la Salsa

One Night Only!!!

(North Bergen, NJ)  Los Amigos Productions present two dynamic Cuban groups, La Charanga Habanera and El Medico de la Salsa under one roof for a one night-only concert on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at the Lido Ballroom located at 2600 Tonelle Avenue in North Bergen, NJ. Doors open at 7:00 PM.  Also featuring DJ Morales.  Free parking.  For more information or reservations, please call 201-552-1023.  

Grupos cubanos llegan al condado de Hudson

La Charanga Habanera y El Medico de la Salsa

Solamente Una Noche !!!

(North Bergen, Nueva Jersey) Los Amigos Productions presentan dos grupos cubanos dinámicos, La Charanga Habanera y El Medico de la Salsa bajo un mismo techo para una única noche un concierto en Sábado, 18 de julio 2015 en el salón de baile de Lido ubicado en 2600 Avenida Tonelle en North Bergen, Nueva Jersey. Las puertas se abren a las 7:00 PM. También con DJ Morales. Estacionamiento gratis. Para más información o reservaciones, por favor llame al 201-552-1023.