Biography
Cali Aleman stands out as an award-winning salsa singer who helped shape the Spanglish sound through his distinctive approach. His vocals appear on major successes such as "Macarena," "I Like It Like That," "Swing en Espanol," and "Torero." Three gold albums and two platinum albums stand to his credit, while singles he recorded with multiple groups reached the charts. Historic ensembles including la Sonora Mantancera, Fania All-Stars, and Tito Puente number among his collaborators, alongside Eddie Palmieri, the Original Latin All-Stars, and further acts.
Born and raised in Nicaragua through the late 1960s and 1970s, Aleman began performing with the popular band los Kramers, later moved to los Juniors, and then co-founded Bwana. He subsequently joined the Cuban group Klimax in the lead vocalist role.
Eager to reach New York and its active salsa circuit in the late 1970s, Aleman first settled in San Francisco. There he teamed with leading local producers and contributed to sessions such as Santana's Festival, Gato Barbieri's Tropico, Patti Labelle's Tasty, and additional projects. After finally relocating to New York, la Sonora Mantancera hired him to sing beside Celia Cruz. He also fronted the Javier Vazquez Orchestra for the celebrated Ritmo y Sabor.
That position ended quickly once Aleman's larger ambitions surfaced. Johnny Pacheco befriended him and brought him in to sing with the Fania All-Stars at times. Ray Barretto then employed him as lead vocalist for two years, after which Aleman approached Eddie Palmieri about joining his orchestra; the pianist accepted and placed him in the band full time. Aleman served as lead vocalist on Masterpiece and La Verdad. With Palmieri he appeared at Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Montreux Jazz Festival while continuing to perform occasionally with Barretto's group as well. As a leader he recruited Javier Vasquez's orchestra for the celebrated Ritmo y Sabor, issued in 1981 on Barbaro.
Once salsa's popularity declined in New York City, Aleman returned to California. Tito Puente learned he was in Los Angeles and brought him on for a European tour; he also performed at the 1989 Olympic Games in Spain next to Oscar de Leon, Celia Cruz, and Cheo Feliciano. He next joined Colombia's Orquesta Guayacán, which yielded the 1993 single "Torrero" b/w "Victoria," both tracks written by Grammy-winning songwriter and arranger Nino Caicedo and together selling over 800,000 copies worldwide. Aleman then moved to Tito Puente, Jr. in the Original Latin All-Stars, the group behind the hits "I Like It Like That," "Macarena," and "Oye Como Va." Although based in Miami, he spends much of each year touring in Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Mexico. In 2005 he reunited with the Original Latin All-Stars to re-record many of his hits for the album La Victoria. In July 2017 he joined former Barretto trumpeter and musical director Luiz Gonsalez for a festival tribute to their late boss in Puerto Rico. Essential Media Mod released a compilation of many of Aleman's singles titled Amor Torero in September.
Born and raised in Nicaragua through the late 1960s and 1970s, Aleman began performing with the popular band los Kramers, later moved to los Juniors, and then co-founded Bwana. He subsequently joined the Cuban group Klimax in the lead vocalist role.
Eager to reach New York and its active salsa circuit in the late 1970s, Aleman first settled in San Francisco. There he teamed with leading local producers and contributed to sessions such as Santana's Festival, Gato Barbieri's Tropico, Patti Labelle's Tasty, and additional projects. After finally relocating to New York, la Sonora Mantancera hired him to sing beside Celia Cruz. He also fronted the Javier Vazquez Orchestra for the celebrated Ritmo y Sabor.
That position ended quickly once Aleman's larger ambitions surfaced. Johnny Pacheco befriended him and brought him in to sing with the Fania All-Stars at times. Ray Barretto then employed him as lead vocalist for two years, after which Aleman approached Eddie Palmieri about joining his orchestra; the pianist accepted and placed him in the band full time. Aleman served as lead vocalist on Masterpiece and La Verdad. With Palmieri he appeared at Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Montreux Jazz Festival while continuing to perform occasionally with Barretto's group as well. As a leader he recruited Javier Vasquez's orchestra for the celebrated Ritmo y Sabor, issued in 1981 on Barbaro.
Once salsa's popularity declined in New York City, Aleman returned to California. Tito Puente learned he was in Los Angeles and brought him on for a European tour; he also performed at the 1989 Olympic Games in Spain next to Oscar de Leon, Celia Cruz, and Cheo Feliciano. He next joined Colombia's Orquesta Guayacán, which yielded the 1993 single "Torrero" b/w "Victoria," both tracks written by Grammy-winning songwriter and arranger Nino Caicedo and together selling over 800,000 copies worldwide. Aleman then moved to Tito Puente, Jr. in the Original Latin All-Stars, the group behind the hits "I Like It Like That," "Macarena," and "Oye Como Va." Although based in Miami, he spends much of each year touring in Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Mexico. In 2005 he reunited with the Original Latin All-Stars to re-record many of his hits for the album La Victoria. In July 2017 he joined former Barretto trumpeter and musical director Luiz Gonsalez for a festival tribute to their late boss in Puerto Rico. Essential Media Mod released a compilation of many of Aleman's singles titled Amor Torero in September.
Albums
