Salsa producer and percussionist Willy Calderon dreams of winning a Grammy. The Los Angeles-born and raised musician just submitted his latest record The L.A. Impromptu to the Recording Academy for consideration in the Best Tropical Latin Album category.
The independently produced album is the first record by Willy Calderon & the L.A. Impromptu Orchestra, a band that brings together Southern California-based tropical talent like Grammy Award winner Luis Conte, Brigido “Macondo” Chaverra and Alberto Salas. The ensemble mixes salsa with jazz, son and other popular genres.
“L.A. Impromptu was born from my heart, my home, my passion,” says the 31-year-old, L.A.-based percussionist. “I was inspired to create a band that would showcase all the talented artists on the west coast.” He adds, “I wanted this album to represent the best of Los Angeles and to remain a legacy of this period of time in music, of L.A, and of quality production and passion.”
Calderon recruited many other salseros from L.A., the U.S. and around the world, such as the also-Grammy Award winners Alex Acuña, Tony Succar and Luisito Quintero and Grammy Award-nominated artist Alberto Salas.
The album consists of 12 tracks including “Mister Magic,” “Ifa,” “Gimme Some Money,” “Fiesta en Shibuya” and “La Tiene Que Pagar” and “Why? Why Not!”
The more than 30 featured musicians on the record include Roberto Quintero, Eliel Lazo, Adonis Panter Calderon, Oscar Ivan Lozano, John Egizi, Diego Camacho, Green Grizz, Hugo Motta, Ostual Serna, Kiwzo Fumero, Lito Hernandez, Jonathan Pintoff, Joe Motter, Luis Manuel Vadel, Anthony Ambriz, Luis Eric Gonzalez, Edgar Cruz, David Gomez Herrera, Pedro Ramirez, Jaime Andres “Gato” Salazar, Edwin Blas, Carlos Centeno, Andres De Cali, Mahesh Balasooriya and Steve Giraldo “Mofongo.”
Calderon also features a Hollywood star lending his voice to the record. An introduction to L.A. Impromptu is narrated by actor Bill Pullman, who co-starred in the blockbuster film Independence Day as the United States president and also appeared in the BBC series Torchwood.
Calderon will find out if he nabs a Grammy nod for L.A. Impromptu when the Academy announces nominations for the 64th edition of the coveted award on Nov. 23.
In addition to being available as a CD, L.A. Impromptu can be streamed on Spotify and Amazon Music.
(Don’t miss Latin Heat’s exclusive interview with Willy Calderon later this week.)
Featured Photo: Willy Calderon (Credit: The Herrera Agency)
