Mariela Murdocco2013-06-18T02:58:42-04:00Mariela Murdoccohttp://www.voces.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=mariela-murdoccoCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Mariela MurdoccoGood old fashioned elbow grease.Adrenaline-Dripping "Prófugos" A Thriller From Chile, First-Ever From HBO Latinotag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19014752012-09-24T11:13:59-04:002012-11-24T05:12:01-05:00Mariela Murdoccohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariela-murdocco/Prófugos (fugitives), but for HBO Latino, these elements are just a platform where different characters interact developing an interesting analysis of reality. A reality anyone can relate to.
"The most interesting thing to me is how these four different characters interact as their escape unfolds and they are forced into the common struggle for survival. And it is this tension in an action film that, when coupled with the drug trafficking aspect and the everyday issues that all of us can relate to, make for a compelling story or the Latino audience", said the protagonist, Chilean superstar Francisco Reyes.
Chilean star, actor Francisco Reyes. Photo courtesy HBO Latino.
HBO lovers will not be disappointed at this new series in Spanish, filmed partly on location in the Chilean desert. "The series took three months to get ready and six months to film. It was a very demanding experience, physically and in terms of giving your all: working in extreme conditions far away, in different locations along 2,500 kilometers of desert and mountains," said Reyes.
"It's a 'road series' with complex characters", said Luis F. Peraza, Executive VP, Programming Acquisitions and Original Production, HBO Latin America, "a compelling story, relevancy for our market". Peraza agreed that shooting on location all over Chile and making action scenes credible, was a big challenge.
The enormous Atacama desert was only one backdrop selected for the first-ever HBO Latin America production in Chile. The first two episodes were premiered with a red carpet event at the opening of the New York Latino Film Festival last month.
Together with Fábula Producciones, a renowned Chilean production company, HBO Latin America faced the challenge of working on unknown territory for the first time. "There was neither the confidence nor the knowledge of how to work in Chile. So, it was like an ant's work," said Reyes.
Award-winning Chilean director and producer Pablo Larrain and Venezuelan director Jonathan Jakubowicz directed the thirteen episodes of Prófugos, an acquisition for HBO Latino. The cast also includes Chilean international film and TV star Cristian de la Fuente, who also co-produced the series.
"Pablo Larrain was the person who originated the idea and took control of almost everything", said Reyes, "half of the series was filmed by Mexican Javier Patrón, with whom I had a fantastic connection. Same with Jakubowicz, but he was there less time (and the relationship was more distant)", said the celebrated actor.
Francisco Reyes said he identified himself with the character Oscar Salamanca, an ex-revolutionary who managed to escape torture and death and decided to become involved in a drug trafficking operation to secure a future for his daughter. Reyes recalled fighting during the Chilean dictatorship: "...not armed, but I did combat in the street, confronting the police and participating at the secret meetings. But there was an important group of patriots that did armed combat. Salamanca incarnates one of those that gave everything in that fight. Then, all of a sudden, politics goes in another direction and leaves dictatorship behind through peaceful negotiations. Therefore, the armed fight was over and all those guys have nowhere to go. Some of these patriots inspired the story of Salamanca, they knew how to live at risk on the run, how to handle guns, arms and logistics, so they became criminal groups in order to make a living or perish. I was very attracted to telling this story."
The story of a failed drug trafficking operation started on the border between Bolivia and Chile and developed with the relationship of four men with different personalities, but similar criminal background and a complex web of ambitions where corruption transforms all the course of the planned strategies.
Chilean actors Benjamín Vicuña, Néstor Cantillana, Luis Gnecco and Franciso Reyes.
Photo courtesy HBO Latino.
"The action genre is very attractive, I love the idea of being on TV screens in Latino America and North America, it is great to reach millions of viewers," said Reyes.
It is indeed very exciting that HBO is betting on their productions in Latin-American countries, to reach a wider Spanish speaking audience in the United States, and therefore allowing an enriching artistic and technical exchange between American and Latino American production companies.
"Our Spanish-language content is very important for HBO Latino," said Lucinda Martínez, Vice President, Domestic Network Distribution & Multicultural Marketing for HBO. "We're the only premium Spanish-language channel for U.S. Latinos with original programming, so the content and the quality is what truly sets us apart and continues to make HBO Latino a leader in the category. We know that exclusive rights to premiere Spanish-language movies ranks as one of the most compelling programming features on the channel, so we have significantly increased the number of 'Estrenos Latinos' we acquire for the service."
In the beginning of September, HBO started showing one of their 'Estrenos Latinos' every night of the week at 8 PM. "Our Spanish-language content is also culturally relevant, which is extremely important to our audience, whether it is a series like Prófugos, Capadocia or Alice which we acquire from Latin America, original documentaries like The Latino List or our exclusive boxing events which feature Hispanic announcers who call the fights in Spanish," emphasized Martínez, the HBO Vice President.
Some great programs will be premiering in 2013: two Mandrake telefilms and the highly-anticipated third season of Capadocia -one of their most successful Spanish language series- with thirteen new episodes, are scheduled to premiere in the second half of next year. "Capadocia has intriguing, colorful characters and a really great cast including Ana de la Reguera, who is very well known to HBO Latino audiences. The storyline also makes the series very popular. The idea that life can change in an instant is something everyone can relate to."
While the second season is already in development, Prófugos will premier on HBO Latino tonight at 10 PM /9C and will air every weeknight at 10 PM. All episodes will be available on HBO Go and HBO On Demand after they air. Don't miss out on this series -get ready for an action-packed, adrenaline-dripping thriller and the high quality production that truly sets HBO apart.]]>Cumplió un sueño que le costó la vida: Sigue el dolor ante la muerte del tecladista de 'No te va gustar'tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.16761022012-07-23T19:06:51-04:002012-09-22T05:12:05-04:00Mariela Murdoccohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariela-murdocco/
A más de una semana, Uruguay sigue de luto y la música continúa llorando la pérdida de un gran artista: Marcel Curuchet, tecladista del grupo No Te Va Gustar. El aclamado músico falleció el sábado 14 de julio luego de un accidente ocurrido el pasado jueves en la autopista New Jersey Turnpike. En medio de una exitosa trayectoria por el mundo y de gira por México y Estados Unidos junto con el grupo argentino Los Auténticos Decadentes, NTVG y miles de seguidores por todo el mundo siguen en duelo ante la impactante tragedia.
Marcel cumplió su sueño en realidad, un sueño que quizás nunca hubiera imaginado que le costaría la vida: "Japo (Gonzalo Castex, percusionista) y Denis (Ramos, trombonista) nos contaron que Marcel quería cumplir su sueño de recorrer parte de Estados Unidos en moto con un amigo íntimo de toda la vida en una Harley Davidson", dijo el uruguayo Martín Rivero, "el grupo apoyó a Marcel con su deseo, él venía en una Kawasaki (había intercambiado motos con su amigo) desde Washington D.C. y el resto del grupo con Los Auténticos Decadentes viajaron en un ómnibus."
Los integrantes del grupo estaban devastados en los corredores del Jersey City Medical Center, mientras Curuchet se encontraba en estado delicado. Varios uruguayos se acercaron para ofrecer su solidaridad y hasta ofrecieron sus casas. El Consulado del Uruguay en Nueva York los apoyó desde un principio con la visita del Cónsul General Carlos Orlando. NTVG solicitó privacidad y lo único que pidieron fue yerba para tomarse unos mates. "Apenas ingresé a la sala de espera los identifiqué: tenían los rostros desencajados, como si estuvieran asustados, no era para menos, su amigo se estaba debatiendo entre la vida y la muerte," comentó la periodista de Banda Oriental Solveig Gurgitano, "no era mucho lo que se podía hacer allí quedándonos, así nos dijeron, entendimos la situación y nos fuimos. Después me llamó Emiliano Brancciari (vocalista y guitarrista), querían una cebada de mate. Lamentablemente Marcel murió, siento que la música uruguaya perdió a un gran talento."
La familia de Curuchet, incluyendo su esposa embarazada de cuatro meses, viajaron de inmediato hacia Nueva Jersey al enterarse del accidente. "Ella (su esposa) estaba devastada," comentó Martín Rivero, quien además compartió momentos con la familia en Jersey City Medical Center.
"Traté de estar con ellos en ese momento tan difícil llevándoles comida uruguaya (pizza y bizcochos) y cebando mates," comentó Cloudya Esther, conductora del programa de TV uruguayo Los De Afuera, "nos tomamos dos termos de mate con Denis y Emiliano, traté que de alguna manera se sintieran cerca de casa. La última noche de Marcel en el hospital pasé unas cuantas horas con ellos.
Uno trata de sacar temas o hacer un chiste pero las sonrisas eran efímeras y la triste realidad se apoderaba de cada momento. A la una de la madrugada cuando ya estábamos solos en la fría sala de espera, a uno de ellos se le volcó un vaso lleno de soda en el inmaculado piso blanco y se armó una pila enorme de papel mojado. Chistes como 'el que nos esta mirando por la cámara de seguridad no debe de entender nada, prendelo fuego y desaparece la evidencia, ya de paso hacemos unos choricitos,' etc, brotaron enseguida. Luego de terminar de limpiar, la mesa volvió a su lugar y también sus cabezas."
La congoja se hizo sentir, además, en las redes sociales: "con mucho dolor estamos despidiendo a nuestro gran amigo Marcel," dijeron Los Auténticos Decadentes en su página de Facebook. Por el mismo medio el músico uruguayo Luciano Supervielle escribió: "es un día muy triste, se fue un gran tipo, un apretado abrazo para toda la familia e íntimos del Curucha." Mientras que Fernando Cabrera, reconocido músico y cantante uruguayo, expresó: "querido Marcel: quedó todo pendiente: tus invitaciones a charlar, mis planes de hacer música juntos. Me despertaste un gran cariño y una gran admiración. Te voy a extrañar siempre."
NTVG había comunicado el triste infortunio, también a través de Facebook a más de sus ochocientos mil seguidores: "con el más profundo dolor queremos comunicar el fallecimiento de nuestro compañero y amigo Marcel Curuchet. Agradecemos a todos los que estuvieron cerca de cualquier manera, ya sea ofreciendo cualquier tipo de ayuda, haciendo fuerzas con sus oraciones, o simplemente enviando energía positiva. A su familia un apretado abrazo. A vos Curucha, que decirte... No te fuiste, estas acá con nosotros, o quizás te llevaste una parte de cada uno para cuidarnos desde donde estés. Hasta luego amigo, porque como vos decis, 'Lo prometido es y será siempre deuda".
El día del accidente, Curuchet se dirigía en motocicleta hacia el legendario escenario de BB King en New York City donde tenían pautado un concierto. Mismo lugar donde el año pasado dieron un impecable show y quedé sorprendida de la euforia y la locura que causó la banda en el establecimiento ubicado en el corazón de Times Square. Además de la gira, NTVG también formaba parte de una importante conferencia de música en la ciudad de Nueva York (L.A.M.C.). Fue allí donde la tristeza me invadió al enterarme del accidente y que mi entrevista con el grupo quedaba cancelada.
"Nacional Records y L.A.M.C. estamos tristes por la súbita muerte de Marcel Curuchet," dijo Tomas Cookman, fundador de la disquera, "es trágico cuando pasa algo así y peor aún estando lejos de tu casa. No puedo imaginar por lo que estará pasando su familia. Nacional Records lanzó su disco doble nominado al Latin Grammy en Estados Unidos. Con esta visita la banda estaba atrayendo más atención de la prensa y estaciones de radio. Todavía quedaba mucho por hacer..."
Marcel se dirigía desde Washington D.C. a través de Nueva Jersey hacia Nueva York cuando ocurrió el accidente. "Marcel Curuchet de 40 años de edad se encuentra en condición estable pero grave," había indicado Mark Rabson, vocero del Jersey City Medical Center. El Sargento Greg Williams, de la policía estatal de Nueva Jersey dijo que Curuchet perdió el control de una motocicleta Kawasaki cerca del poste de millas 6, en la autopista New Jersey Turnpike cuando en una curva se estrelló contra un muro de hormigón antes de la salida Exit 14C. Williams dijo que Curuchet chocó contra la barrera de hormigón y rebotó hacia el carril derecho antes de estrellarse, por lo que el músico salió despedido de la moto.
NTVG suspendió su gira, su último concierto fue el 11 de julio en el Howard Theatre Washington en Washington D.C.
NTVG es uno de los grupos de más éxito en Uruguay en los últimos años y cuenta con una trayectoria de dieciocho años de carrera. En enero presentaron "Público", un dvd y cd de grandes éxitos en vivo grabado en varios shows en Uruguay y Argentina. En su natal Uruguay, en Argentina y en otras ciudades provocan frenesí en cada presentación y sus conciertos con entradas agotadas en estadios son memorables. Cuando Uruguay celebró el bicentenario de la independencia, NTVG superó todas las expectativas al convocar a más de sesenta mil personas en un concierto masivo al aire libre. Según publicó El País de Uruguay: "Marcel Curuchet heredó de su padre el gusto por tocar el teclado."
"Este capo del teclado nos vino a pintar el cielo de Manhattan de un solo color", dijo Juan Andrés Fagúndez de Uruguayos en Manhattan, refiriéndose al emblemático tema Cielo de Un Solo Color que identifica al grupo con la selección uruguaya de fútbol.
En honor a Marcel, los dejo con una selección de temas de NTVG: Clara, Cero A La Izquierda, Al Vacío y Chau.]]>From Calle 13 to Los Auténticos Decadentes and Mala Rodríguez, L.A.M.C. Rocks NYC with an Exquisite Selection of Latin Artiststag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.16608962012-07-11T18:25:52-04:002012-09-10T05:12:03-04:00Mariela Murdoccohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariela-murdocco/LAMC comes to New York City on Wednesday, July 11th, making lots of noise clear through Saturday the 14th. A celebration of Latin alternative music, LAMC is the best place to be if you are a musician, singer, talent/event promoter or a music industry decision maker.
A world of opportunities for up-and-coming Latin recording artists that not only will change your playlist but may just become famous along the way. This four-day music conference is one of the biggest events in the world for cutting-edge bilingual Latin music of various genres from Latin America, Spain and the United States.
"We once again have a large list of exciting new musicians who are going to be given a big outlet for their music. We also have some major free shows in some of the premier concert venues in New York - Central Park and Prospect Park . We are going to have multiple nights in those venues with some big names," said Tomas Cookman, founder of LAMC, entertainment company Cookman International and indie music label Nacional Records.
"The purpose of the conference is to bring attention to some amazing bands and equally as important, to allow for a forum for artists, labels, publishers, marketers, promoters, etc, etc, to have a place to get together and network - and learn," said Cookman.
Q and A with multi-Grammy-winners Calle 13 and The Latin Recording Academy's Gabriel Abaroa (Latin Grammys), "How to Make a Hit" or "How Did Don Omar Get More Than 200 Million Hits on Youtube" as well as "Why Is 3Ball MTY Number One?" are just part of the musical cornucopia that will lift your spirits and inspire you. "Finding Your Audience in the Ever-Changing Radio Landscape", "Digital Streaming, Branding & the Art of Getting Paid" will be covered plus the opportunity for high powered networking among industry insiders and artists alike.
"I noticed that there were panels at other conferences dealing with the subjects I wanted to see being talked about and when they had those panels, they were always packed that is what helped me decide to do the first LAMC. I felt that there was enough of an audience to justify it - and grow it," said Cookman, a New Yorker with Puerto Rican roots.
LAMC started thirteen years ago in New York City with the purpose of marketing Latino artists, a place to gather all the amazing diversity that represents the contemporary Latin music world to reach both Latinos and non-Latinos alike from all over.
This summer LAMC moved its location to The New Yorker Hotel. "There is a strong media support and a lot of key players that can make a big difference in your career - whether it is when you are first started or even when you are established."
Based in Los Angeles, Cookman selects new bands every year and releases an album compilation with their best songs. "I pick the artists", affirmed Cookman. "It is a combination of availability (for some of the bigger names) to pure taste and feel for what is either about to make noise or just starting to make noise in some part of Latin America or the US."
It is all about quality, said Cookman, regarding the requirements for artists to be chosen to be part of the conference, "to be good, to write great songs, to be honest about what they do and it does not matter if you are on a major or indie label - we have both."
Every summer, LAMC selects a Discovery Winner. "Kinky for example, was our first "Discovery" winner," said Cookman, "it's sort of like a battle of the bands, but a little bit more a quest for an artist each year that should be identified and brought to more people's attention. This year's selected artist is Carla Morrison. In the past, in addition to Kinky, we have had artists like Pacha Massive, Los Rakas and others."
So, if you are a new artist, getting your music on Cookman's radar could be a good start. For now, there is a lot to see and discover at LAMC this week: a mix of Mexican rhythms with Los Angeles' La Santa Cecilia; electro pop and 80's-influenced dance music from Chile, Alex Anwandter; Uruguayan pop musician Martin Buscaglia; Venezuelan disco punk La Vida Boheme; electro 'regional mexicano' 3Ball MTY; electronic hip-hop Ritmo Machine formed by Chilean Latin Bitman and Eric Bobo (ex Cypress Hill); Mexican pop rock singer Carla Morrison; NYC based electro-acoustic songwriter Monica Lionheart; Chilean electro pop singer Javiera Mena; Brooklyn based Caribbean/soul/punk beat music by Xenia Rubinos; Chilean singer-songwriter Gepe; Chilean electro dance artist Adrianigual and many more.]]>Charly García: A Resurrected Charly Celebrates His Careertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14604752012-04-27T18:14:34-04:002012-06-27T05:12:02-04:00Mariela Murdoccohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariela-murdocco/
It was time for the songwriter to come back to New York City. His return to the Big Apple after ten years is part of the 60x60 tour and launch of his latest masterpiece '60 x 60', a 3 CD/3 DVD box collection that showcases three performances at the prestigious Gran Rex theatre in his native Buenos Aires.
This new production contains 60 meticulously remixed songs, a fine remake of his old tunes, and a trip through his spectacular forty-year career. After decades of drug addiction, Charly is now clean and proud of hisnew release, which not-so-coincidentally celebrates his 60th birthday.
Gifted with perfect pitch - an innate ability that not even most musicians have - there is no doubt that Charly is one of the most influential 'rock en español' musicians and composers in Latino
America.
For years Charly was an unfettered drug abuser and has been in and out of psychiatric clinics. It is almost a miracle that he is still alive. Once he even jumped from the ninth floor of a building: "I was on the balcony... like in trance, thinking, thinking, thinking and then all of a sudden, oops!, I was in the air. The funny part was that it did not hurt," he recalled recently on Univision.
The new Charly is now a complete different version of the rebellious rock and roll wild-child he was during his previous life. Famous for his constant scandals; his controversial comments; not showing up for his own concerts and leaving stadium crowds waiting; drugs; or for - literally - destroying hotels. Now, after several rehab treatments, he seems to be at peace with himself.
Charly García and The Prostitution, his band, took over the stage in the heart of Times Square, pleasing followers of all generations singing old hits like "Rezo por Vos" (I Pray for You), "Cerca de La Revolución" (Close to The Revolution), "Dinosaurio" (Dinosaur) and "Yendo de la Cama al Living" (Going from Bed to the Living Room). The audience, visibly charged with emotion, soared with excitement singing along.
"No Llores por Mi Argentina" (an original - not a cover) was one of the last songs of the night that drove the audience into a frenzy before he said goodbye: "it was a pleasure to play for you, thank you very much, we got to the end of the list, goodbye Buenos Aires, New York and the rest of the world, music has no language."
Although his voice lacks the power it had years ago, it still retains the emotion, you could see people with tears in their eyes. It is a love affair: his music and his fans all over Latin America have a connection and a reverence for each other. So, it does not matter if Charly is thin or fat, messed up or clean, young or old, his music is so pure, and so unique that it keeps enthralling his devotees as he sings, plays the piano and keyboards.
In spite of all his controversies, his shows are always sold out. At the Best Buy Theater, the legend performed with fellow Argentine and singer Hilda Lizarazu and a nine-member orchestra playing various instruments: two powerful guitars, two keyboards, a bass, two violins, a xylophone, a modern cello, drums and a bandoneon to reproduce his original versions.
This was nothing like one of his last New York performances that I covered at Club New York in 2002, where his erratic behavior had left fans wanting for more. He stealthily would do a line on stage and then he would sink his head into an ice bucket to get refreshed. Yet with only two musicians at the time, Charly still managed to deliver a few acclaimed hits, jumping back and forth from his keyboard to guitar.
No more crazed lifestyle, make-up or painted nails. However, on stage this mythical rock hero is still a true showman with his two-color moustache who engages the crowd with his typical sense of humor. The 60 x 60 tour is a deep look into his past and will continue with performances in Miami, Chile, Perú and three concerts at famed Luna Park in Buenos Aires.
When he was three years old, Charly started experimenting with a toy piano and did not take long to surprise his mother with his ability to compose. At the age of twelve he received the degree of music teacher. Deeply influenced by The Beatles (as well as Chopin and Beethoven), Charly has talked about the British quartet all his life: "when I heard The Beatles it blew my mind," he said on Argentine TV, "it was like classical music, they were young and composed their own songs. That is why I am here today and not in a conservatory teaching music."
So, Charly if you want to keep trashing hotels (as happened numerous times during his periods of withdrawal and psychosis) it is ok, we forgive you. After all, how many Charlies are there in this world?]]>
