The New York Band is one of the most important meringue groups in the Dominican diaspora based in the city from which it is named.
A space and a time in which they shared with other groups such as Milly & Los Vecinos or La Gran Manzana.
There were many songs that led to the peak of popular taste, from “Cole” to “Dancing Mood” to “If You’re My Man” or “Heart of Sugar” in the second half of the eighties.
Formed by Wilfrido Vargas and Chery Jiménez, they wanted to make a musical group that would expose the stories of the Dominicans in New York and the youthful aspect of the meringue at that time.
Today, with 35 years of musical journey, they catch up and prepare “The New York Band for the world”, their first virtual concert.
The detail according to which it will be a show that can be enjoyed from a distance, which implies that we have no interactions with the audience.
This will be a little strange for them, according to singer Irisneyda, who along with Franklin Rivers (conductor, singer and trombonist of the orchestra), Johnny Contreras, Rubén Ariel, Tony Swing and Maité, the last, most recent come to the band. “Everything is very positive, each contributing to our interest, to our art in every independent exhibition we do,” Irisneyda comments to LISTÍN DIARIO.
RESIDENCE
The fact that this group continues to be in the public eye after more than three decades, attributes it to the vision that Chery Jiménez has always had. “The songs we recorded years ago today sound updated,” he says.
Another detail that he remembers and that gave the band a different note from the others of that time and that gave them a modern and current air, was the vision of the former leader of La Tercera Brigada and Los Beduinos, who sent them to look for them, his special style of wardrobe, closer to the exponents of the rock of that time than to the meringue.
Performer of songs such as “Sin”, is a sample of the democracy that this orchestra had from the beginning when it came to give its place to female voices. “I can say in particular that they offered us our space, there were moments when the voices of women and men were projected,” explains Irisneyda.
Remember that when she started with The New York Band, it was much more difficult for a woman to dedicate herself to making meringue, but she understands that because of the doors that Milly and Fefita opened for us, the work it was a little easier.
Without Cherito
Although it will not be his first performance since Cherito’s death, he understands that this performance will be a challenge for everyone. “We are not emotionally prepared, it’s the only thing I can tell you. But we will all defend that legacy “, says the artist.
The leader of the New York band, José Bienvenido Jiménez Sosa, the full name of Cherito, the son of Chery Jiménez, passed away in July 2019 at the age of 50.
Among the guests at the concert is the singer Alexandra Taveras, who was an icon of the band and who played an important role between 1987 and 1991.
The production, transmission and administration of this show are the responsibility of mediaXtreme LLC, a company created by the Dominicans and formed by a large team working from New York, the United States, as well as the Dominican Republic.
Artistic entrepreneurs from different countries, such as Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, the Canary Islands, Costa Rica, Panama, work in coordination with the mediaXtreme company, responsible for managing The New York Band, in its new stage.