Dancers / Stars

Web site address: www.jimmybosch.com

www.Myspace.com/jimmyboschmusic

www.Myspace.com/jimmybosch

In demand sideman, moñero extraordinaire, and passionate enjoyer of life are phrases that have accurately described trombonist Jimmy Bosch. Jimmy has made records or performed with the most impressive names in the business: Ruben Blades, Marc Anthony, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, La India, Ray Barretto, Israel Cachao Lopez, and Son del Solar, Willie Colon, Manny Oquendo, Paquito D'Rivera, Oscar De Leon, Jose Alberto "El Canario," , FANIA Allstar, Charlie Palmieri, Steve Turre, Incognito, and the list goes on. The song "Lluvia Viento y Caña" was written for Bosch by Israel "Cachao" Lopez.

An expressive playing style, marked by flaring melodies and soulful rhythms, has made Jimmy Bosch one of the leading trombone players in contemporary Latin music. Bosch has led his own group, the Masters, since 1996.

Bosch, one of 9 children raised in a poor family with Puerto Rican Parents in 1959, began playing trombone in school at age 11. He was given the opportunity to learn an instrument in the fifth grade in grammar school in Hoboken. He asked for a saxophone, thinking it would be cool, but was offered a trombone instead and soon fell in love with it. He quickly found that he had a talent for improvisation which remains his forte.

By 13 years of age Jimmy was playing with local Latin bands, first a merengue band called Arcoires, then a salsa group named La Caliente. Jimmy also perormed in La Sonica, a two trombone group from Elizabeth, New Jersey, which included two other future Libre members, sonero Herman Olivera (who sings on Soneando Trombón ) and conguero Roberto Carrero.

In 1978 Jimmy started visiting New York's Latin clubs to see bands play and began fantasising that one day he'd be up there on stage performing with them. Meanwhile, Jimmy's older sister, living in the Bronx, had been persistently boasting about Jimmy's musical prowess to her sister-in-law's husband, bandleader Dave Aleon. Dave finally relented and allowed Jimmy to attend a rehearsal of his group Conjunto Aleon. Jimmy's solos thrilled Dave so much that he invited him to join the band.

At the Aleon session Jimmy met respected trombonist Eddie Hernández (aka Eddie Iglesias) and bassist Toti Negrón from Bobby Rodríguez y La Compañia. Eddie invited Jimmy to sit in and jam with La Compañia at clubs. An invitation he quickly took up.

He got into the habit of taking his trombone along to clubs, standing in front of the band and asking permission to come up on stage and take a solo, hoping to be accepted into a major salsa band. In 1978, his dream came true when he was hired by Andy Gonzalez to work with Conjunto Libre kick-starting his exceptional career and prolific discography.

Meanwhile Jimmy did a stint with the band of Puerto Rican tres guitarist Charlie Rodríguez and augmented Orquesta Novel, a swinging charanga (flute and strings band) founded in the '60s. With Orquesta Novel Jimmy recorded A Mi Me Gustó (1981) and Prestige (1984) on Fania.

He made his professional debut with a Hoboken-based merengue band, Arcoires. In 1978, Bosch enrolled in the classical music department at Rutgers University and became a member of the influential Salsa band Manny Oquendo Y Libre. Bosch's debut album as a bandleader, Soneando Trombon, features guest appearances by Cuban trumpet legend Chocolate Armenteros and vocalist Pete Rodriguez. Salsa Dura followed in 1999.

Jimmy worked as salsa romántica superstar Marc Anthony's musical director, adding the creole fire, just prior to his bandleading project. Once established as musical director, Jimmy began to harden and stretch the boundaries of Anthony's soft romantic style. "So little by little, we started to open up numbers for some riffs or moñas and for some trombone solos like in 'Nadie Como Ella' and 'Se Me Sigue Olvidando' (both tracks originally from Anthony's Grammy nominated triple platinum chart-topper Todo A Su Tiempo on Soho Latino, 1995), which the band was not doing up to that point. At the same time he remained committed to his personal vision, the salsa dura movement, and was still able to show up powerfully and responsibly for Marc Anthony on all levels.

Jimmy turned next to his mid-'90s stint with salsa romántica diva La India: where he brought the element of aggressive playing in the brass section to that party also. Jimmy also launched a solo project at Greenwich Village's preeminent world beat club S.O.B.'s in 1996. After gaining the opportunity to play there he went to work, starting to put music together and for the first time in his life wrote songs and wrote arrangements, which he'd never done before which became a vision come true for him.

This connection eventually turned into a recording contract with RykoLatino. From the mid-'80s to the early '90s, Jimmy was a sideman with the vibrant young band of veteran conguero Ray Barretto. He also played with the Brooklyn-based Lebrón Brothers among others.

Soneando Trombon, his debut album, was released in 1998 and featured a big band, including well-known Latin musicians: trumpeter Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, bassist Andy Gonzalez and vocalists Jimmy Sabater and Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez; playing a mix of Latin styles, including the "salsa dura" ("hard salsa"), of which Bosch is a leading exponent. Bosch not only plays a virtuoso trombone but is bandleader on the recording. His follow up album, Salsa Dura featured guests Steve Turre and Chucho Valdes and was as diverse and hard driving as the debut album.

Jimmy has been featured as a soloist and/or with the Jimmy Bosch band throughout the world in major venues and festivals including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, North Sea Jazz (Holland), Tempo Latino (France), Heineken Jazz Festival (Puerto Rico), Montreal Jazz (Canada), Madison Square Garden, Continental Arena, Sidney Festival (Australia), Barranquijazz (Columbia). Bosch is and shall continue to be hailed by international audiences and critics for his magical ability to impart his contagious passion and spirit to the masses both live and in his recordings. His new production is no exception as "El Avión De La Salsa" amasses rave reviews.

"El Avión De La Salsa" demonstrates and solidifies his commitment to keeping it raw and telling it like it is. Bosch's autobiographical song lyrics masterfully portrayed on the 11 tracks, addresses ever day situations and social issues with a frankness that makes him a role model to fans. Co-produced with long time musician and friend, Angel Fernandez, this is a dancer's dream, with hard driving rhythms combining Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Descarga, Plena, Guaguanco and more. The title track immediately stimulates a physical reaction to move and dance. Songs with social content include "Barreras Ningua" which covers the subject of Cancer, "Medicina No!" which covers the refusal of medicine to treat depression first off and the subject of New York pride, and "Mama Y Papa" which acts as a voice for children speaking out about unconditional love and child abuse. Bosch's music is inspirational. He has a special talent for getting his message across through great arrangements, hard driving rhythms, emphatic solos, swinging montunos and expressive inspirations.

CDs: El Avión de la Salsa; Salsa Dura; Soneando Trombon