Puerto Rican Foundation

Fundación Puertorriqueña

Category Archives: Music

CAMARADAS el barrio – A True Puerto Rican Experience

C A M A R A D A S el barrio is a worker’s public house where camaraderie is built atop of a fine selection of wine, great beers from around the world, excellent music, gallery space and an innovative blend of the tapas tradition with Puerto Rican cuisine.

This uniquely styled space (designed by Daniel Gonzales/ Blue Collar Worker and owners Raúl Rivera, Orlando Plaza and Jay Zhao), reflects an industrial and rustic feel in its wood and metal design and decor. True to its working-class roots, C A M A R A D A S el Barrio celebrates the spirit of the unsung heroes; the factory workers and laborers whose hard work and sweat help make New York City one of the industrial and financial centers of the world. This legacy of our working-class parents and grandparents has become a bright star in the Spanish Harlem bar, restaurant and entertainment scene.

Led by a creative and innovative kitchen staff, C A M A R A D A S has gained instant fame for redefining through quality and freshness traditional nuevo Puerto Rican and Latino cuisine in Upper Manhattan. The “entremeses” include alcapurrias, a tasty mofongo, an array of salads, skewed satay chicken and shrimp, spicy calamari, our own Barrio burger, chocolate empanadas and many other mouth-watering delights.

C A M A R A D A S el barrio has become a destination for those seeking quality entertainment in Upper Manhattan. Join us for a pint, intelligent conversation and great entertainment. On Thursday come and experience the sounds of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora led by Yerbabuena and other Afro-Caribbean groups from Cuba, the Dominican Republic/Haiti and Colombia. Saturdays check our website to see which ground breaking fusion band is scheduled to play. Our entertainment, food, drink and hospitality is sure to draw you in, thank you and we hope to see you soon.

El Gran Combo Rewrites Salsa Classic

On August 15, 2011 Banco Popular (BPPR), Puerto Rico’s largest bank, convinced the most famous salsa band in the world, El Gran Combo to rewrite the lyrics to their 1962 hit “No Hago Más Ná”, or “I Don’t Do Anything Else” that sang in satire about the day of a lazy person. The effort led to a more positive updated version called “Echar Pa’lante” or “Moving Forward” which sang about the virtues of going to work. To break the news about this important joint effort, on August 15th Puerto Rico’s news waves and OOH buzzed with the announcement that El Gran Combo had an important message for the island.

 

 

Speculation about a break-up of the band after 50 years of history, dominated the media. The next day, in a simultaneous announcement unveiled on every important TV and radio station and OOH locations in the country, El Gran Combo delivered an inspirational address and relaunched the song, THIS TIME WITH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MESSAGE. Until this moment Banco
Popular remained behind the scenes, orchestrating the launch, without branding the effort.

One day after the song’s release, Banco Popular launched a multimedia campaign asking consumers to help make the new track, THE COUNTRY’S MOST POPULAR SONG. A toll free phone number was posted on billboards around the Island and on the Facebook application allowing everybody to request the song from the island’s main radio stations. iSpots were created where a live counter kept track of song requests and announced progress around the clock.

As a gesture of gratitude, Popular organized a massive free con cert to galvanize public support toward the much needed change in attitude. More than 50,000 people gathered to enjoy live music performed by 10 of the Island’s most renowned artists. This effort has had an amazing result for Popular and for the people of Puerto Rico, since what it started as a compromise, ended in the congregation of ambassadors telling the world we are ready to “Echar pa’lante.”

Source:  www.oaapr.org