RAULIN ROSENDO

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BiographyRaul Martinez (a.k.a. Raulin Rosendo) was born on August 30th, 1957 in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. He was raised around Afro-Antilles rhythms which are native of his country. He also fell in love with the tambora and conga instruments of percussions, synonymous with the Dominican Republic culture. A slim child, playful and full of charm he was given the nickname Raulin. At the age of 12 during the 70s he entered for the first time in the world of music with the legendary merengue group, El Chivo y su Banda. The group enjoyed tremendous popularity at neighborhood parties and in showcases and theater presentations famous in that decade.Raulin ,the child, started to develop his natural gift for singing even though his parents opposed it. His teaching was supervised by the maestro El Chivo, which was highly experienced in this field. The small musical groups at that time depended on the ability of the singer to give energy and enlightenment to the popular parties.At the age of 13 while attending school he was invited to participate in a prestigious show which was televised by Rahintel channel 7 in Santo Domingo. He was then given a contract to join the musical group of the maestro Cuco Valoy, a group very famous at the time with the maestro. He recorded his first long play titled A Miguel Matamoros. The following year, and for five more consecutive years, Raulin next to the legendary Fernandito Villalona, became the co-leader of the most prestigious musical group of the decade ,Los Hijos del Rey. Interpreting Salsa and Merengue and enjoying presentations at the famous Madison Square Garden of New York City and the Olympic Stadium in France. Also debuting in showcases at Central and South America.Years later Raulin recorded two productions, El Conjunto de Los Conjuntos. (Conjunto Clasico, which took him next to El Gallo, Tito Rojas., where he shared the front of the orchestra of Roberto Roena and his Apollo Sound. Pressured by the price of fame, Raulin briefly retired from the music scene. Returning only a few months later with the orchestra of Milly, Jocelyn y Los Vecinos, where he stayed for a year, later becoming exclusive recording artist for Kubaney. With Kubaney he recorded five productions so successful that it made him one of the best singers of all times in the musical gender known as Salsa.In 1981, Raulin formed his own orchestra with his first production as a soloist El que te Guia. The recording is still to this day an inspiration and of great influence to a generation of young singers. Raulin leaves the music scene this time for a long period of time due to health, economic and family problems. Returning in 1990 and saddened with the death of his mother he records one of his now most classic productions Mama Vieja, dedicated to his mother and then later continued with another great hit recorded in 1991 with Day Dance Recordstitled Cuiden Los Soneros.His new production Dominicano Para El Mundo (Dominican For The World) for which Raulin the next years of recording werent very productive. Very saddened by the death of the person close to him, his mother, he enters a crisis of depression which affects his brilliant artistic career and affects his health tremendously. In 1993 Raulin in collaboration with Ramon Rodriguez and Alfonso Noyola , creates the most ambitious project of his artistic career, the orchestra La Sinfonica de la Salsa with the participation of the most famous musicians in the salsa scene. For the summer of 1993, he releases his first production titled Raulin Lo Maximo, a real treasure for the salsa music fans.The following months of this year and till this day he has successful presentations in New York night clubs again demonstrating a dynamic vocal ability and with professionalism following the mission which destiny has handed him; being acclaimed by his follower as the last living legend of a group of natural singers of our production. Probably the most popular in his career is the one titled El Sonero Que El Pueblo Prefiere which contains in the list of the song Uno Se Cura (One Is Healed, the record most sold in 1995. In this same year he won the nomination for the A.C.E. Awards in New York.He was also nominated for The Cassandra Award 1995. He was presented at Madison Square Garden for three occasions in the same year. For the year 1996 hes presentations have been a widely successful hit in America and Europe, which occupied first place in the hit parades. Now 1997, he brings his new productions: Simplemente Controlate (Simply Control Yourself). All these years of success Mr. Raulin Rosendo has been under the seal of A & E Latin Music for which Mr. Carlos A. Noyola presides.'Hey man what do you think of Raulin Rosendo? Nah he is ok.' That used to be my reply for quite sometime. You see, I knew Tempo Alomar & Raulin Rosendo from back with the Johnny (bongocero for Tito Puente) Rodriguez days. There Raulin Rosendo was really in top form not to mention Tempo. Then, I don't know what happened, the Johnny Rodriguez Orch. disappeared - Tempo moved to Puerto Rico and Raulin (I guess ) left to Santo Domingo. There he recorded two or three productions that, I'm sorry to say, were quite disappointing. Later in 1993, he records a CD in NYC under the musical direction of Ricky Gonzalez out of which "Amor En Secreto" & "Santo Domingo" become huge hits. I did not buy it. The following year Raulin, again under the musical direction of Ricky Gonzalez, coughs up "Uno Se Cura", "Lady Laura" & "Rondando Tu Esquina". Add to the equation Nelson Hernandez & Isidro Infante - Ok this time I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe, just maybe, Raulin Rosendo is on to something. Nah forget it! The public will buy anything they hear on radio over and over. I am not buying it", boy was I stubborn! The following year and a half Raulin & Ricky are at it again by bringing to the table "Malas Y Buenas", "Dominicano Soy" & "Mi Mundo". In fact the entire CD is very very good!By this point I realized that all of the Raulin Rosendo recordings on A&E Records were more than your average run-of-the-mill salsa. They are all agressive and full of energy! Why didn't I review his work sooner? Who knows?! All I know is the I am not going to miss the boat on Raulin Rosendo's latest: "Controlate". "Controlate" under the musical direction of Nelson Hernandez picked up where Ricky Gonzalez left off. Whatever turned you off about Raulin was removed, and whatever you liked about Raulin was improved. Raulin for quite some time has been a sonero. Not much of a singer per se, however he has been a tremendously humorous sonero. Sort of a crossover between a Marvin Santiago & Piro Mantilla. Aside from the already popular 'Frente A Una Copa De Vino', Raulin's latest production is loaded with danceable tracks that include two Luis Miguel remakes and a song the has quickly become my favorite song on the CD. 'Deseo' a song written by Alicia Varoni and arranged by Ricky Gonzalez is just smooth. I love it! So there, Raulin is much more than just 'ok'. Enough said! Raulin Rosendo Llego La Ley LABEL: A&E DISTRIBUTED BY: BMG 1998 RATING: **** 1/2Please ignore what has to be one of the worst CD covers in salsa's history. With that out of the way, let's talk about the music. This CD is Raulin Rosendo's best! It is similar to Miles Pe¤a's CD in terms of energy and force, but it's 100% Raulin in regards to it's aloofness. Raulin's singing and soneo style is so unique and different from anything that is out there. It reminds me of soneros of the caliber of Chamaco Ramirez, Marvin Santiago, and Pupy Torres. Listen to track number 3, "Llego La Ley". Wow the band smokes here! With guys like Luisito Quintero, Papo Pepin, Rey Colon on percussion; Leopoldo Pineda, Luis Lopez and Pablo Santaella on trombones; Lucho Cueto & Lizandro Arias on piano. You can do no wrong with these cats! Don't get me wrong now, not every song here is a straight-out street song. Raulin also has standard mellow salsa. Then again, with personnel like the one mentioned above and Raulin on vocals, you have to seriously ask yourself "how mellow can these songs be?" Although the order of the songs could've been different, this is a very well balanced recording, and without any shadow of doubt it's Raulin's best. Raulin Rosendo, grande figura salsera nativo de la Republica Dominicana y residente en Nueva York, es uno de las más reconocidas figuras salseras. Raulin empezó su carrera con Los Hijos Del Rey, donde destaco su gran talento artístico. Con el tiempo decidió formar su propia agrupación, esta ves con salsa y no con merengue como usaba hacer con la agrupación de Los Hijos Del Rey. Hoy en día Raulin Rosendo es uno de los mas altos exponentes del genero salsa.