Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia

Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia, Vamos…Siempre Pa’lante
31 Jan, 2014 Matthew Forss

Nicaraguan-born and France-based, Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia brings together an insightful mix of jazzy, reggae-tinged compositions with a Caribbean and Latin flavor that is anything but boring. Vamos…Siempre Pa’lante represents a great cross-section of music with only three compositions. The music is rich with party-like vocals and ambiances that possess strong roots, salsa, urban, and alternative leanings.

“Militante” opens with a reggae beat, swishy percussion, and party-vibe vocalizations. The guitar ripples along with the music beat. The swishy percussion and throaty reggae vocals travel along in a zippy manner that is outgoing, effervescent, and vibrant. The back-up vocals accompany the music with a fiery passion encompassing a Latin or salsa edge that bridges the reggae genre with a Spanish, aural tapestry. The Latin timbales and congas provide a somewhat Cuban arrangement, but that only energizes the music to new heights. The rhythmic tune and melodic arrangements are very enthusiastic, upbeat, and memorable.

“Gagarin” opens with a space shuttle radio countdown sequence interspersed with a Latin jazzy background that melds into a reggae-soaked medley of alternative rock, funk, and salsa. There are background vocals that are still reggae-based, but the instrumentation represents a more free-form display of musicianship. The lead vocals are a bit more edgy than other tracks, but the same musical vein exists. The free-form electric guitar adornments provide a little different spin on the reggae theme. The radio countdown at the beginning of the song ends the song.

“Vamos” begins with a static, radio-esque vocal delivery that merges into a mesmerizing cumbia-like beat with several voices and Latin beat flavors. The upbeat, party-esque music contains a writhing melody full of jazzy nuances, electronica dance elements, and South American ambiances. The relatively steady beat is lively and rich with percussion and numerous vocals that primarily follow the instrumental beats. At any rate, the Congo-Latin guitar styles, Latin jazz, world dance, and swishy percussion sounds cement Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia’s name in the world of innovative and contemporary music.

Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia combines the reggae sounds of the Caribbean with the Latin, salsa, jazz, and alternative rock music forms indicative of Latin America and North America for a truly remarkable musical journey. The tunes are relatively varied and engaging without the need for pop hooks or pointless dance beats. Luckily, Carlos realizes the musical potential of reggae beats, Latin rock, and jazzy influences by using them in the music in appropriate ways. The end result is a fantastic medley of sounds and a colorful example of ingenious music-making gone right.
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5) - Fixmand Cd

Carlos De Nicaragua y Familia is a musical fusion of salsa, reggae, rock and it's coming to Kilkenny to a venue near you.

This 7 piece (Le Havre based) band is the pioneer of a sound that has rarely been heard in this country before. If one was to pigeon-hole this style it would be best summed up as a spontaneous meeting in Africa of the Buena Vista Social Club, Bob Marley and Carlos Santana.

Carlos himself could be described, "as loveable as Mr. T, as serious as Marcus Garvey and as wholesome as Bob Marley".





The mini tour which hits Kilkenny over the bank holiday weekend is on the back of Carlos's campaign for justice and peace. May 9-12 saw him and thousands of other conscientious observers make the pilgrimage from Paris to Vienna to protest at the world summit for "Fair Trade". He wrote a song especially for the occasion and it will be sung with vigorous passion at the Town Hall on High Street, Kilkenny on Saturday afternoon at 12 noon. This is a "Fair Trade" organised event and crowd participation is hugely appreciated.

Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia will be playing salsa, reggae, rock in Ryan's bar on Friary Street on Friday June 2 at 9pm, On Saturday June 3 at the Town Hall, High Street at 12 noon and at Morrison's Bar Ormonde Street at 3pm. They will also play on Sunday June 4, at Carroll's Bar in Thomastown at 4pm.

Carlos advises music fans to feel the reggae roots from the bottom of your feet, then let the salsa swing from your hips and rock to the beat.
- Kilkenny Advertiser

CARLOS DE NICARAGUA
1-2-1999
Fusión de salsa, reggae y rap.

CARLOS DE NICARAGUA está grabando un álbum cuya producción corre a cargo de Mad Profesor. Para aquellos que os suene de algo el nombre, sólo tenéis que pensar en el tema El Alakran del album "Casa Babylon" de Mano Negra. El grupo que acompaña hoy a Carlos es al que él llama Familia, está formado por doce músicos de diversas nacionalidades y la música que hacen es una fusión de salsa, reggae y rap.
Autor: Redacción



A comienzos de los años 90, la casa disquera “Fuentes” de Colombia, comenzó a distribuir la salsa para toda Europa a través de la sociedad “Música Latina”, creada por el colombiano Hector Herrera. Luego, el cantante “Carlos de Nicaragua” realizó una fusión de Reggae-Salsa, titulada “Escuchen Familias” que también endulz´el oído de los amantes de estos ritmos.



Autor: Redacción - La Prensa

Reviews: New CDs highlight lush Latin grooves Latin Groove

Latin Groove testifies to Spanish music’s ability to surmount the most obstinate cultural boundaries and embrace other musical styles. This innovative CD showcases artists and groups from Cuba, Columbia, the USA, France and Germany. Its 11 songs – largely consisting of salsa and Cuban rhythms – incorporate a range of musical influences, from funk to hip hop and electronica to flamenco, rock and reggae.

The performers skillfully blend these two seemingly irreconcilable musical genres – Latin music and modern western music – into slick, well crafted songs, with hints of a keen sense of whimsy. Barrio Cubano de Ronald Rubinels’ gritty “El carretero” successfully blends Cuban guajira and hip hop and infuses it with a contemporary funky electronic beat. “Chan Chan” is a funky, infectious rendition of Francisco Repilado (better known as Compay Segundo) Cuban son by France’s El Conjunto Massalia.

Columbia’s Los Aterciopelados’ cutting edge “el estuche” artfully mixes Cuban son with funk. “Salsita,” by Cuba’s Sin Palabras, is an excellent slow-paced funk-laden salsa track.

New York-based Si Se’s sensual “bizcocho amargo” fuses hip-hop, Afro-Cuban and flamenco rhythms. The song’s periodic lapses into a Cocteau Twin’s dreamlike state add a degree of complexity and originality that makes this song stand out. “Sensemayo,” by the French group Carlos de Nicaragua & Familias, alternates between reggae and salsa, with flourishes of funk and rock, resulting in a very danceable track. The other tracks on the CD are also delightful - People's weekly World.

Latin Groove
Salsa and Cuban son join funk, hip-hop and electronica for a cutting-edge Latin dance party Putumayo continues its exploration of new trends in world music with Latin Groove, a collection of cutting-edge Latin music that blends salsa, Cuban son, and cumbia with funk, hip-hop, soul, and electronica. European DJs expertly fuse contemporary club music with the funky grooves of old- school salsa, while bands from the barrios of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York create new styles that keep the essence of the classic Latin sound, while adding the modern style and attitude of today's urban reality.
The artists on Latin Groove represent trendsetters in Latin music such as Ozomatli, Aterciopelados, Los Mocosos, Si*Se, Sin Palabras, Conjunto Massallia and Carlos Nicaragua. Also included are a number of European producers and DJs who are fusing Latin music with electronica to create exciting new blends, such as Sidestepper, Funkanazenji, and Supatone. The result is a collection of songs that show how old-school Latin dance music has become a solid foundation for the sounds of the future. As Latin Groove reveals, Latin music is not only capable of joining cultures, it is clearly adept at uniting generations. Classic Cuban styles like son and guajira, which first developed over one hundred years ago, sound right at home amidst the digital manipulations of today's avant- garde European DJs. The violins of charanga, a traditional Cuban instrumentation that has its roots in the delicate European ballroom dances of the 1800s, sound wonderful over a hip-hop beat. Latin percussion, descended from ancient African cultures, is practically futuristic when combined with drum Ôn' bass, funk or vinyl scratches. Indeed, it seems that classic Latin music and modern dance and electronica are joined at the hip and the hippest thing in the joint.Titles include:
Barrio Cubano El Carretero
Sin Palabras Salsita
Sidestepper Linda Manigua
Aterciopelados El Estuche
Los Mocosos Soy Callejero
El Conjunto Massalia Chan Chan
Funkanzazenji Latin Flavour
Si*S Bizcocho Amargo
Supatone Yorulamento
Carlos de Nicaragua Sensemaya
Ozomatli Cumbia de Los Muertos - PWW.

Why this name?The name Nicaragua comes from "Nicarao Cai" which is the name of an indian chief who has been the founder of my country: Nicaragua. I chose to use this name in honor of Nicarao Cai, the indian chief.Do you play live?Yes I do, all over the world, mostly Europe where I am based. I like it a lot specially when the place is very crowded.How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?It helps the independant artists to revalise with the majors and control their own rights.Would you sign a record contract with a major label?Yes, if they'd offer one with good conditions.Your influences?BOB MARLEY
JIMI HENDRIX
CARLOS SANTANAFavorite spot?Corn Island, an island in the middle of the ocean, on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua.Anything else...?I struggle for peace, love & solidarity in the world. - Sound Click

Héritier d’une riche tradition musicale caribéenne, Carlos de Nicaragua a choisi le camp de la fusion. Rasta, il a cultivé le reggae où il greffe des sonorités salsa. Il se présente comme l’un des musiciens qui a introduit cette musique en France


Carlos de Nicaragua: entretien

Si tu avais à décrire ta musique au public de La Peña, comment le ferais-tu ?

Je répondrais que je suis l’un des précurseurs de la salsa reggae en France. Je suis né sur la côte atlantique du Nicaragua, où il y a beaucoup de descendants des esclaves africains. Ma musique s’enracine là-bas, dans cette culture. Etant jeune, j’écoutais de la musique du monde entier, mais j’étais particulièrement branché sur la musique des Caraïbes, dont le reggae, la salsa, le calypso, le merengue, la cumbia et j’en passe.

Comment as-tu choisi ton nom d’artiste ?

Ce n’est pas seulement parce que je suis du Nicaragua, mais c’est surtout en honneur de Nikarao Kaï, un guerrier indien, sage et philosophe, qui a interpelé les Espagnols, à l’époque de la conquête, avec trois questions embarrassantes : si votre Dieu est aussi généreux que vous le dites, pour quoi y-a-t-il autant des calamités dans le monde ? Est-ce que le chef de votre église est immortel ? Dites nous, pourquoi aimez vous autant l’or ?

Qu’est-ce qui t’a décidé de venir en France ?

Je suis arrivé en France en 83 pour faire des études de cinéma et de photographie. Mais j’ai quitté l’université en 85 pour faire de la musique, un domaine qui, à mon avis, me permettait de mieux comprendre mes racines.

Comment était la musique de tes débuts ?

Après avoir laissé tomber mes études, j’ai démarré la Sound Music. Cela se faisait avec une chaine de musique, un DJ et un sélecteur, chargé de passer les disques. Le DJ chante sur la musique de ces disques, dans le style jamaïquain des années 50. Nous avons été soumis à cette influence et nous avons lancé cette musique ici, dans les quartiers, dans les ghettos. A nos côtés, il y avait Pablo Master, Tonton David. Tout cela était quelque chose de nouveau.

Et ensuite ?

Pendant les années 90, j’ai monté mon groupe, j’ai réussi à développer mon idée de reggae salsa et nous avons fait des concerts. En 93, j’ai rencontré Manu Chao, qui rentrait de sa tournée en Amérique Latine. Nous nous sommes croisés dans un studio où nous, les rastas, répétions. Il s’est intéressé à notre musique et il m’a invité à faire un jam avec lui et ses musiciens. Avec nous, ils se sont imprégnés de reggae et c’est de cette rencontre qu’est né l’album Casa Babylon. J’ai été co-auteur de l’un des titres, « El alacrán ». J’employais déjà le slogan « ¡Escuche familia ! », ce qui pour moi équivaut à parler d’un seul amour, dans le sens où Bob Marley l’exprimait. C’était une période intéressante et en même temps triste parce que le groupe Mano Negra s’est séparé. Alors, avec Manu Chao, on a essayé de créer un autre groupe. C’est à ce moment là qui est apparu Radio Bemba Sound System, qui a apporté beaucoup de succès à Manu. Nous avons été les précurseurs de tout cela. Nous sommes partis en tournée en Espagne. J’ai participé à la composition des chansons mais, suite à un différend, nous nous sommes séparés.

Après, as-tu démarré autre chose, une autre étape ?

En 95, je suis rentré en France et j’ai commencé à organiser mon propre groupe, « Carlos de Nicaragua y familia ». Nous avons fait un album de salsa reggae, que nous avons produit nous mêmes. L’un des titres de ce CD, ‘ Sensemayá ‘ a été inclus dans la compilation ‘ Latina Café n° 2 ‘. D’autres morceaux dont je suis l’auteur, comme ‘Putumayo’, ont aussi été inclus dans d’autres compilations. Et je continue de me battre et de créer ma musique.

Il faut dire qu’avant nous, personne d’autre ne faisait ce type de musique en France, mais je tiens aussi à dire que je respecte tout le monde, tous ceux qui font une musique semblable à la notre.

Explique-nous ton concept de la fusion

Pour moi et mon groupe, danser c’est comme chanter et vice-versa. Dans le reggae, il y a un rythme et si l’on introduit de la salsa là-dedans, il y a une rupture. Les deux rythmes s’alternent et se mélangent. Je mets en musique les vers du poète cubain Nicolás Guillén, qui disait qu’à Cuba il n’y avait pas des blancs ni des noirs mais des mulâtres. A son instar, je fais une musique mulâtre.

Des projets de disque ?

A l’heure actuelle, je reviens à un style où mes racines latino sont plus fortes. C’est toujours de la salsa reggae, mais la tendance est plus ‘salsera’, plus chaude.

Tout ce que j’ai vécu au Nicaragua ressort dans l’album que je suis en train de préparer. Il y a du rock, du reggae, de la salsa, du mambo, en plus de toute cette magie musicale qui nous est propre à nous, les latino-américains. C’est pour cela que personne d’autre ne peut faire cette musique comme nous. Je pense que cet album va confirmer ma place dans l’univers musical latino.

D’autres projets ?

Ce printemps, nous sommes partis en tournée en Autriche, en Allemagne, en République Tchèque, en Slovénie. A partir de juin, nous jouons dans des festivals d’été en Italie, en Suisse, en Autriche. - LA PEÑA SITE WEB...

“Mi etapa con Mano Negra
fue una experiencia agridulce”
Charles Wiltshire toma su nombre artístico
de un legendario jefe indio que combatió
ferozmente contra los españoles. Como su
antecesor, Carlos de Nicaragua también estuvo
en el frente, al lado de los sandinistas,
con la poesía como arma, hasta que, decepcionado
de la política y guiado por el mensaje
de Bob Marley, aterrizó en París. Allí
compartió cartel con los artistas underground
del momento y empapó de salsa
reggae a los Mano Negra de Manu Chao,
con quien conquistó Francia y España al
cántico de ¡Escuche familia!, incluido en el
disco Casa Babylon. De paso por Mallorca,
actuará este sábado en Esporles.
–¿Qué le trae a Mallorca?
–Soy un nómada. Para mí, viajar es una necesidad.
Llevo quince años en ruta. En esta
isla he encontrado tranquilidad.
–¿Su primer viaje lo halló en la poesía?
–Fui poeta antes que músico. A los siete
años, Rubén Darío me abrió los ojos para
deslizar la pluma entre mis dedos. Desde
entonces, nunca le he abandonado. Otros
poetas me abrazaron al marxismo, como
Nicolás Guillén y Carlos Rigby, autor negroide
que se inventó su propio código para
no escribir en español. Era un rebelde, como
yo. Siempre quise crear un son que hiciera
bailar al negro, al blanco y al gato.
–¿Qué aprendió al lado de los sandinistas?
–Los primeros años de la revolución fueron
los mejores. Preferíamos comer hierba que
arrodillarnos. Recorrí cientos de kilómetros
proyectando películas para los indios de la
costa atlántica, que no habían
visto cine en su vida. Los documentales
sobre la revolución
cubana les aterrorizaban, sin
embargo, Chaplin les agarró.
Con la revolución descubrí la
tradición africana que anida en
mi pueblo.
–¿Qué mensaje lanza con sus canciones?
–De paz, amor y solidaridad. Tras años y
años relacionado con las ideologías, la política
y el arte, he advertido que la música
toca al hombre por encima de cualquier
cosa. La música hace bailar al dictador, al
pobre y al rico, incluso al Papa. Es el lenguaje
moderno que necesitamos para entendernos.
–¿Cómo entró en Mano Negra?
–Les conocí en 1993, en un París que empezaba
a moverse con el ragga. Ellos acababan
de venir de uno de sus viajes en barco
por Latinoamérica y les faltaba un disco
para finalizar su contrato con Virgin. Manu
quería explotar otros sonidos y se volvió loco
con el ragga. Le aleccioné a través de
jam sessions. De aquella relación salió El
alacrán, que se editó en el disco Casa
Babylon.
–¿Qué descubrió usted en Manu Chao?
–Su locura y fuerza por conocer de cada
uno. Todo lo anota en su cuadernillo. Como
músico es muy rápido a la hora de mezclar
distintos estilos. Y es un buen estratega. De
compromiso, nada de nada. Fue el dinero el
que envió a Mano Negra al garete. Mi etapa
con Mano Negra fue una experiencia agridulce.
–¿Por qué se convirtió en rastafari?
–Para saber de dónde vengo. Todo lo que
estudié iba contra mis raíces. Africa no es
sólo emocional, como me decían, también
de ahí procede la razón. Lucho
para crear una nueva conciencia,
una nueva pirámide. En los conciertos,
un rastafari actúa como
alguien que da misa. Mucha información
y espiritualidad. Eso
sí, los míos también son como
una fiesta sin siesta y con las pilas
puestas, con mucha ironía y vacile.
GABRIEL RODAS. Palma.
“La música hace bailar al dictador, al rico
y al pobre, incluso al Papa; es el lenguaje
que necesitamos para entendernos”
Revolucionario, rastafari y músico, dejó su sello en Mano
Negra, el grupo de Manu Chao que descubrió en este
incansable viajero la salsa reggae; este sábado ofrece un
concierto en Esporles, “una fiesta sin siesta”, anuncia
El músico Carlos de Nicaragua, en la plaza Major de Palma, ciudad en la que residirá durante unos meses, para luego emprender un viaje por Latinoamérica. FOTO: S. LLOMPART
CARLOS DE NICARAGUA EN CONCIERTO.
Aparcamiento de la Vilanova, en Esporles. En el marco
de un festival solidario. Día 20. 21h. 12 euros. - DIARIO DE PALMA DE MALLORCA

Carlos de Nicaragua & Familia!

ALBUM : ESCUCHE FAMILIA !

Carlos de Nicaragua’s real name is Carlos Wiltshire, but -- as his story goes – this stage name is the combination of his home country designation and the Indian chief, Nicaraocai. Some moments during this five-song release bring reggaeton to mind, with its mixture of Latin rhythms and reggae toasting. But Nicaragua’s blend is a far more organic one. “Sensemaya”, which one guesses is about the Rasta’s overwhelming religious fervor for herb, (though one must know "Sensemaya" is an original poem by Nicolas Guillen meaning "A song to Kill a Snake", the sacred herb and the snake therefore creating a strong dual symbol) opens with a blazing Santana-like electric guitar intro before going into a fairly straight ahead salsa groove, complete with swaying rhythms and punctuating horns. With it, reggaeton is the last thing on the listener’s mind. While much of Nicaragua’s musical inspiration reveals deep Latin roots, “Sensemaya”, and especially “Babylon La Prostituta”, are directly connected to roots reggae. And you don’t need to remember all your high school Spanish to pick up on how he compares Babylon, our corrupt modern culture, with the world’s oldest profession. It’s kinda obvious. He doesn’t so much sing these songs as speak them, like a soapbox preacher. While he calls the relatively tame Paris, France his home now, it’s more than likely he’s seen his share of political and social corruption back in volatile Nicaragua. As with the best reggae, Nicaragua’s music is primarily filled with anger and vitriol. Even so, “Oye Mujer” offers a welcome, sweet break from all the musical protest. Maurice Coppola’s soulful organ and Rick Gautier’s jazzy flute particularly shine during this softer track, which also features a strong backing chorus. Gautier also throws down a wonderful R&B saxophone solo at the end of this one, as an exclamation point. This brief disc ends with its most reggae-fied number, “Fuego En El 23”. Although it also includes plenty of Latin percussion and horns, the pumping rhythm is clearly derived from island reggae. Nicaragua’s shouts of “Rastafari!” only add to this track’s overall reggae vibe. Nicaragua’s vocal, while a little bit rap, still retains a melodic feel. It’s hard to explain, but he just doesn’t come off unmusical as some lesser rappers do. Nicaragua’s backing band is called his ‘Familia’, although this is not family in the genetic sense of brothers, sisters, mother, father, sons, daughters. Instead, it’s like Willie Nelson’s Family Band, which has been together so long, it’s like a family now. There are fifteen musicians on this release, which is far larger than most bands. Heck, they could sport their own basketball team if they liked. When it comes to modern music, there are few new things under the sun. We hardly expect brand new, innovative styles to emerge upon the scene anytime soon – all the new streets have been explored. What is exciting, however, is the continuing fusion of various styles. So while reggaeton may have mixed reggae with Puerto Rican, Carlos de Nicaragua mixes so much more into the pot (the bowl, not the drug, by the way). There’s reggae and Latin sounds, yes, but also Santana’s rock & roll as well as indigenous influences from his native Nicaragua. This self-titled release is just a taste of what the man can do. Yet I’d love to hear what might happen if Nicaragua mixed it up with David Byrne or Peter Gabriel, two rockers deeply involved in world music. I’m sure they could help Nicaragua create a killer full-length. But for now, this small sampling will have to last you. Dan MacIntosh2009-01-12 - REVIEW YOU

Carlos De Nicaragua Y Familia: Militant Salsa Reggae.

Carlos de Nicaragua is a man with a long, long musical history. From his Central American birthplace to thebanlieues of Paris via the Caribbean, Cuba, Africa and all the influences along the way, he has developed a truly unique sound over the last quarter of a century.
Now Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia are ready to explode into Europe once again.

They are releasing a new album, Militante, embarking on a ten date tour of Germany and the Czech Republic, and launching a brand new website to boot.

Carlos de Nicaragua, born Carlos Wiltshire on the Atlantic coast of the country that gave him his name, has been a huge player on the Parisian sound system scene ever since he came to Europe in the early 1980's.

Spinning a unique mix of salsa and reggae in the suburbs of the French capital, Carlos and his crew released a mini-album, entitled Mayombe and sung in Spanish, way back in 1984.

He moved on to work with the great Manu Chao - co-writing the song 'El Alakran' - and he toured with the Radio Bemba Sound System, helping take the sound of reggae-latin all over the continent and making it the popular hybrid it is today.

Having learnt from and worked with the best in the business, and influenced by legends like Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana, he created his own big band, to be christened his 'familia', with whom he has now played for ten years.

Together, Carlos and the Familia have released an album, named after Carlos' favourite battle cry: 'Escuche Familia'. They have had songs featured in prestigious compilations of European reggae and played some of the biggest and best festivals and clubs all over the continent.

Now Carlos has finally stayed still long enough to produce a full length album, Militante, that fuses reggae, latin and even rock & roll. But whatever style it is, this is a record that will make you groove.

Militante will surely have heads nodding to Carlos' infectious vibe all over Europe and the world. The title track itself, referencing his heroes of the musical world and beyond, is a call to arms for everyone who believes music can set you free.

'Militante' is a feeling. It is what Carlos himself is, and it transmits itself to his audience. It expresses the pain and problems in the world, but in the most joyous form possible.
And the future for Carlos? To carry on doing what he does best: Take the music and its message all over the world. - CHARTS TOP 40 LATIN (NEW YORK)