Puya | |
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 Puya in Puerto Rico (2010) from left to right: Harold Hopkins, Eduardo Paniagua, Sergio Curbelo, and Ramon Ortiz | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Puerto Rico [1] |
| Genres | |
| Years active |
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| Members |
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| Website | www |
Puya is a Puerto Rican progressive metal band. Formed in 1991, the band rose to prominence with their fusion of jazz, salsa and heavy metal.
The band originally formed in Puerto Rico as a progressive rock combo, [2] in 1991, under the name Whisker Biscuit. [3] In 1992, the band added vocalist Sergio Curbelo and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they created a mix of salsa and heavy metal with the assistance of Jeff Renza and the Noiz Boiz production studio. They adopted the name Puya in 1994, which is Spanish for "sharp point", [4] but is also a popular type of Puerto Rican coffee. [5] Puya was the first Puerto Rican rock band to achieve a high level of international success. [6]
In 1995, Puya released their self-titled debut album under the Noiz Boiz label, but did not sign with the label. [5] There they also met producer Gustavo Santaolalla who signed them to MCA and in 1999 released their second album, Fundamental , which received critical praise. This propelled the band to stardom even landing them in the second stage of Ozzfest where they shared the opening slot with Slipknot in 1999. In 2000, their song "Tírale" was included in the soundtrack of the movie Heavy Metal 2000 , and was the collection's only track with Spanish lyrics. The band opened for Sepultura, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pantera and Kiss. They also recorded a cover of The Police's "Spirits in the Material World" in Spanish, with the title "Almas en un mundo material".
When sales of the band's 2001 album Union did not meet MCA's expectations, the label did not renew the band's contract. [6] After a 2002 performance at Tito Puente Amphitheater in Puerto Rico (which was later released on DVD), Puya went on an extended hiatus. [7] During this time Ramon Ortiz formed the band Ankla.
In 2009, Puya reunited and performed in front of over 12,000 fans at Stereo Music Fest at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. [8] The digital EP Areyto appeared on iTunes on August 27, 2010. The band has since continued on with a lighter touring schedule, focusing primarily on "special shows" like Cuba’s Patria Grande Festival in 2014. [9]
In 2018, Sergio Curbelo left the band. Diego Romero of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, replaced him [10] and they released two singles together, "Súbele La Candela" whose lyrics speak about the protests held in Puerto Rico against former governor Ricardo Rosselló and "Viento". In 2020, Puya announced that Diego was embarking upon a solo career and Sergio is returning to the band. Puya entered the studio in the summer of 2020 and teased a new song "Potencial" on the Puerto Rican digital radio station AZ Rock Radio. [11] [12]
Puya's music is defined by placing emphasis on heavy guitar grooves and percussive Latin rhythms, punctuated by big band horns, with composed melodies that lead into instrumental improvisation. Additionally, some of Puya's songs have also incorporated rapping. [13] [14] Puya's music draws from diverse styles, including salsa, [15] [16] [13] Cuban rumba, [4] bomba, [4] alternative rock, [13] hard rock, [17] blues rock, [5] heavy metal, [17] jazz [6] and progressive rock. [1]
Puya was influenced by Pantera, [6] Rush, [1] Fania All-Stars, [6] Fishbone, [6] Metallica, [6] Black Sabbath, [6] Van Halen [6] and Sepultura. [6]
The band's music has been categorized as alternative rock, [18] hardcore, [19] hard rock, [18] heavy metal, [20] Latin metal, [21] progressive metal [1] [22] [23] and rock en español. [24] Though sometimes categorized as nu metal, this is contested by Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes, which says that Puya is not a part of this genre and has its own style of music. [4]
Studio releases
Live releases
Singles
[* with vocalist Diego Romero, not Sergio Curbelo]
Salsa music is a style of Caribbean music, combining elements of Cuban, Puerto Rican, and American influences. Because most of the basic musical components predate the labeling of salsa, there have been many controversies regarding its origin. Most songs considered as salsa are primarily based on son montuno and son cubano, with elements of guaracha, cha-cha-chá, danzón, descarga, bolero, guajira, rumba, mambo, jazz, funk, R&B, rock, bomba, and plena. All of these elements are adapted to fit the basic Son montuno template when performed within the context of salsa.
The Music of Puerto Rico has evolved as a heterogeneous and dynamic product of diverse cultural resources. The most conspicuous musical sources of Puerto Rico have primarily included African, Taino Indigenous, and European influences. Puerto Rican music culture today comprises a wide and rich variety of genres, ranging from essentially native genres such as bomba, jíbaro, seis, danza, and plena to more recent hybrid genres such as salsa, Latin trap and reggaeton. Broadly conceived, the realm of "Puerto Rican music" should naturally comprise the music culture of the millions of people of Puerto Rican descent who have lived in the United States, especially in New York City. Their music, from salsa to the boleros of Rafael Hernández, cannot be separated from the music culture of Puerto Rico itself.
The music of Colombia is an expression of Colombian culture, music genres, both traditional and modern, according with the features of each geographic region, although it is not uncommon to find different musical styles in the same region. The diversity in musical expressions found in Colombia can be seen as the result of a mixture of Amerindian, African, and European influences, as well as more modern American.
Marco Antonio Muñiz, known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and songwriter. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-time Lo Nuestro Awards winner, he has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide.
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican salsa orchestra based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, it was often considered Puerto Rico's most successful musical group. The group received the moniker La Universidad de la Salsa in Colombia, due to the sheer number of famous salsa musicians and singers who developed their careers with it, who started with the group, or who were occasionally backed up by the band and La India.
Linda Bell Viera Caballero, better known as La India, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter of salsa, house music and Latin pop. La India has been nominated for both Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, winning the Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album for the Intensamente La India Con Canciones De Juan Gabriel album.
Michael Stuart is an American salsa singer, songwriter and actor.
Julio César "Tito" Rojas López, also known as "El Gallo Salsero", was a Puerto Rican salsa singer and songwriter.
Puya is the self-titled debut album of the Puerto Rican progressive metal band of the same name, released in 1995 by the Pompano Beach, Florida independent record label Noiz Boiz.
Todo a Su Tiempo is the second studio album by American recording artist Marc Anthony, released by RMM Records on May 31, 1995. The album was produced by Sergio George, who was also involved with production of Anthony's debut studio album, Otra Nota. The album comprises five new compositions, three of which were written by Omar Alfanno, and four cover versions. Eight singles were released from the album, all but one of which topped the Billboard Tropical Songs chart.
Contra la Corriente is the third studio album released by American singer Marc Anthony on October 21, 1997, by RMM Records. The album was produced by Puerto Rican musician Angel "Cucco" Peña, with most of the songs written by Panamanian composer Omar Alfanno. The album was well received by critics who praised the vocals of Anthony as well as the songs. The album produced six singles, four of which peaked on the top ten on the Hot Latin Tracks chart. Promoted by a sold-out concert in Madison Square Garden, Contra la Corriente became the first salsa album to reach number one on the Top Latin Albums chart and to chart on the Billboard 200.
Ojalá Que Llueva Café is the fourth studio album by Dominican singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra released in 1989 by Karen Records. It is considered one of his most emblematic and important albums. The album set the musical path for his later albums, re-formulating Dominican merengue and bachata music through the contemporary elements of pop, rock, salsa, or jazz. Incorporating socially conscious lyrics with danceable merengues and romantic-poetic bachatas, the album is considered one of the most important albums of his discography.
Latin metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music with Latin origins, influences, and instrumentation, such as Spanish vocals, Latin percussion and rhythm such as Salsa rhythm. Some South American bands also add influences and instrumentations borrowed from world music and ethnic music, relating to musical traditions of the indigenous people of America.
Tropical Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. Established in June 1985, the chart compiles information about the top-selling albums in genres like salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, and vallenato, which are frequently considered tropical music. The chart features only full-length albums and, like all Billboard album charts, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan from a sample representing more than 90% of the U.S. music retail market, including not only music stores and music departments at electronics and department stores but also direct-to-consumer transactions and Internet sales. A limited number of verifiable sales at concert venues is also tabulated. Innovations by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico was the first album to reach number-one in the chart on June 29, 1985. Up until May 21, 2005, reggaeton albums appeared on the chart. After the installation of the Latin Rhythm Albums chart, reggaeton titles could no longer appear on the Tropical Albums chart. By removing reggaeton albums from the Tropical Albums chart, it opened slots for re-entries and debuts. American bachata group Aventura claimed the top spot on the Tropical Albums chart, which marked the first time since the issue dated November 6, 2004 that a reggaeton album was not at the number-one spot. The current number-one album on the chart is Formula, Vol. 2 by Romeo Santos.
Areyto is the first EP by Puerto Rican progressive metal band Puya, released digitally in 2010.
Ramón Ortiz is a Puerto Rican guitarist and composer, best known as a founding member and director of the progressive metal band Puya, the heavy metal band Ankla and his solo project ORTIZ. Ramón is a visionary and pioneer of the Latin metal movement internationally. His music is a fusion that blends the power of guitar driven heavy rock and metal with the syncopated beats of Afro-Caribbean music. As once stated by Peavey amplification: "his music is an exercise in contrast and control, like a fist inside a velvet glove. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he started the guitar at age seven. Son and grandson of the guitar and the Puerto Rican cuatro. He studied classical guitar at the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico during his adolescence."
Harold Hopkins Miranda (born 1971 in San Juan, Puerto Rico is a Puerto Rican bass player, composer, director and founder of the progressive metal band Puya. Hopkins Miranda is largely responsible for creating Puya's style, a fusion of jazz, salsa and heavy metal. Hopkins Miranda and guitarist Ramon Ortiz are the composers of most Puya's songs. Hopkins Miranda is also a developing music producer and plays, composes and directs other musical projects. He is currently the bass player for De La Tierra.
The 13th Lo Nuestro Awards ceremony, presented by Univision to honor the best Latin music of 2000 and 2001, took place on February 8, 2001, at a live presentation held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. The ceremony was broadcast in the United States and Latin America by Univision.
The 14th Lo Nuestro Awards ceremony, presented by Univision and honoring the best Latin music of 2001 and 2002, took place on February 7, 2002, at a live presentation held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. The ceremony was broadcast in the United States and Latin America by Univision.
This is a list of notable events in Latin music that took place in 1998.
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