MP3 Victor Hugo - Salsa Que Pasa

Get lost in the Salsaâs pulsating polyrhythms and Victor Hugoâs exuberant and distinctive vocal styling, blend them with intimate lyrics of love, passion and heartache and you get Salsa Que Pasa? - cooked up in Victor's Salsa Kitchen

12 MP3 Songs
LATIN: Salsa, LATIN: Merengue



Details:
Victor Hugo â the revolutionary Renaissance man!

The Salsa revolutionary, Victor Hugo was born in Caracas, Venezuela, over 150 years after his French namesake. With such a famous name, how could he fail to succeed? This Latino Renaissance man grew up to becamo a singer, songwriter, producer and director, inspired by his love of Venezuelan, Puerto Rican and Cuban music.

After graduating in the Performing Arts, Victor moved to London to study filmmaking and to continue his musical career. In London, he co-founded King Salsa with percussionist Robin Jones. He then went on to form Victor Hugo & La Clave, one of the original Salsa bands in the UK, with Jim Lemessurier, another London percussionist who collaborated on the new Salsa project.

Victorâs big break came when he performed with piano virtuoso Charlie Palmieri in London. Palmieri asked Victor to replace Hector Lavoe on a short European tour. This kick-started Victorâs Salsa performing career in Europe. Sadly, Charlie passed away soon after the tour, but not before inspiring and encouraging Victor to pursue a career in Salsa.
Following this, Victor formed his own Latin pop band No Way Jose and released Tequila on Island Records. A huge hit across Europe it went top 40 in over twenty European and American countries. The Latin Thing released later on Faze Records also hit the top of the UK dance charts.

Despite Victorâs commercial success with Latin related pop music, he retained his love of Salsa and formed the band, Victor Hugo con Picante Later Victor Hugo la banda. This huge Salsa extravaganza went on the road with over 25 people, musicians and dancers, joining Victor on stage.

Victor recorded his first solo album Oye Latino with Picante. Another album entitled Tropicalisimo, featured master percussionist Alex Sarria from Cali Colombia. However, after a chance encounter with Grupo Niche, things really began to take off.

An exciting collaboration with Julio Cortes, pianist with Colombian band Grupo Niche, resulted in the album El Niche soy yo - recorded with Julio and the band in 2002. This was the first of several albums recorded with 2005 Latin Grammy award winners Son de Cali from Colombia.

Concerts across Europe have seen Victor performing with chart-topping artists The Corrs, Ricky Martin, Ronan Keating and Beverley Knight. He has also shared stages with a whoâs who of Salsa legends: Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Oscar DâLeon, El Canario, Palmieri, Grupo Niche, Gabino Pampini, Son de Cali, David Pabone, Pedro Conga and Tito Nieves.
Even international royalty have not escaped Victorâs South American pizzazz! Royal Brits such as HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Prince Andrew have lost themselves in Victorâs music. These âby appointmentâ performances have taken Victor into the Royal Palace of Amman in Jordan, Westminster Cathedral and London landmark St. Paulâs Cathedral.

Victorâs international reputation was secured in April 2005 with the release of the album Salsa PaâAmerica which featured Kike Harvey on the track Viva la Salsa. It won Best Salsa Album, while the song Havanera from the same album, won Best Salsa Song at the 2006 JPF music awards in the USA. Victor was also nominated for Best Latin Artist in the UK in 2005.

Few artists are as prolific as Victor Hugo. In 2006 he released a re-mastered version of his most loved album, Latinoamerica, which never enjoyed the commercial success that it deserved. It is now recognised as a masterful piece of Salsa music arrangement. Armin Keil who collaborated with Victor in this unique, once in a lifetime, musical project, arranged all the songs on Latinoamerica.

His brand new album is entitled Que Pasa and it promises to be yet another commercial success, and today, Victor performs his songs all around the world, or as he says âwherever the music takes me'.