Many fans came out to
support the Colombian
concert "Grupo Niche:.
According to some people
the concert was sold out.
The music was
provided by On The Curve's
own DJ Kruz.
Grupo Niche played two
sets about half an hour
each. The atmosphere was
good and the music was
great.
Grupo Niche was
possibly the last Latin
Concert at Palazzo.
There has been rumors
going around that this
Nightclub will be sold
and demolished by the
end November. Press the
play button on the video
player to see clips of
the concert.
Grupo
Niche is a salsa
group founded in 1978
in Bogota, Colombia.
Currently based in Cali,
Colombia, it
enjoys great popularity
throughout Latin America.
It was founded by Jairo
Varela and Alexis Lozano.
Jairo Varela has stayed
with the group becoming
producer, director, songwriter,
vocalist and guiro player.
Alexis Lozano, trumbone
player, later left to
form Orquesta Guayacan.
It also included Nicolas
Cristanelo, on the piano;
Francisco Garcia, on the
bass; Luis Pacheco, on
the congas; as well as
vocalists Jorge Bassam
and Hector Viveros.
Grupo
Niche's first album: "Al
Pasito"
was released in 1980,
did little to challenge
the dominating salsa band
of Colombia at the time,
Fruko y sus Tesos. The
following year, however,
the group found success
with their second album,
"Querer Es Poder",
particularly with the
single "Buenaventura
y Caney.
The
group relocated in 1982
to Cali where they have
been based since. After
recording two more albums,
Grupo Niche released "No
Hay Quinto Malo"
in 1984, which featured
their signature song,
"Cali Pachanguero".
The tribute hit single
to the "world salsa
capital" catapulted
Niche as one of the top
salsa bands of Colombia.
In
1986, the band incorporated
Puerto Rican vocalist
Tito Gomez, who had previously
worked with the famous
Puerto Rican salsa group,
la Sonora Poncena, and
Ray Barretto, the Godfather
of Latin Jazz. Later that
year, Grupo Niche released
"Me Huele
A Matrimonio".
Afterward, yet another
Puerto Rican joined, the
pianist Israel Tanenbaum,
who would eventually leave
the group to join a Niche
spin-off band: Orquesta
Guayacan.
Grupo
Niche is known for both
its vigorous, uptempo
dance music as well as
slower-paced romantic
numbers. Among its best
known hits are "Cali
Pachanguero", "Del
Puente Pa'lla", "Sin
Sentimientos", "Una
Aventura", "Etnia",
"Gotas de Lluvia",
"Han Cogido la Cosa",
"Mi Pueblo Natal",
Hagamos Lo Que Diga Corazon,
"Duele Mas",
"Nuestro Sueno",
and the famous cumbia
"Canoa Rancha".
Their most famous song
is "Cali Aji"
Some
of the most famous singers
from Niche throughout
its history include Alvaro
del Castillo, Tito Gomez,
Moncho Santana, Charlie
Cardona as well as Willy
Garcia and Javier Vasquez,
now members of the group
'Son de Cali'. They have
been very successful,
and some of their songs
are considered Classics
of Salsa Music. The group
still enjoys some of its
past successes, and, as
of 2006, is on tour, making
worldwide presentations,
and singing their most
memorable songs.
Musician
Tito Gomez, who fronted
the group for 8 and half
years (1985-1993), died
on June 14th 2007. Gomez
lived in Cali, the city
of the Grupo Niche.
Discography
Al
Pasito (1980)
Querer Es Poder (1981)
Preparate... (1982)
Directo Desde New
York! (1983)
No Hay Quinto Malo
(1984)
Triunfo (1985)
Me Huele A Matrimonio
(1987)
Historia Musical (1988)
Sutil y Contundente
(1989)
Cielo de Tambores
(1990)
Llegando al 100% (1991)
Un
Alto en el Camino
(1993)
Huellas del Pasado
(1995)
Etnia (1996)
A Prueba de Fuego
(1997)
Senales de Humo (1998)
A Golpe de Folklore
(1999)
Propuesta (2000)
La danza de la chancaca
(2001)
Control absoluto (2002)
Imaginacion (2004)
Alive (2005)
