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Authentic Latin Music Catalog for SYNC - TV & Film Music
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Maraca

Home Base Established Albums Charts
Havana, Cuba 1988 2 0
This artist has albums available.
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Album Name Preview Style Price
Lo Que Quiero Es Fiesta
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Tropical $13.99 Buy_now_audio
Soy Yo
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Tropical $12.99 Buy_now_audio
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Flutist and Composer Orlando "Maraca" Valle represents the new generation of cuban musicians, equally versed in jazz and indigenous Cuban styles.

Cuba’s Premier flutist and fine composer « MARACA » has been described as “The most influential Afro-Cuban band of the emerging century” (HOWARD REICH – THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, USA), meanwhile Cuba’s national newspapers claim him to be “An essential personality in the actual panorama of Cuban music” (OMAR VAZQUEZ – GRANMA).


Considered as “one the hottest names in Afro-Cuban music” by The Los Angeles Times, Orlando “MARACA” Valle is highly appreciated for his spontaneously celebratory, rhythmically complex, lyrically clever, instrumentally thrilling music; his brilliant fusions embrace from Latin jazz to the most danceable tropical rhythms, and his spectacular live performances as well as his multi-awarded recordings has made him famous all over the world. His nomination as “Best salsa Album” at the US Grammy’s Awards in 2003 made him the youngest Cuban artist ever nominated by the US National Recording Academy.

Maraca is a child prodigy born to a musical family, who started his musical career at the age of 16 as flute player in the world famous Irakere, led by Chucho Valdez, where he departed at the ripe age of 24 to embark on his own career. One of his first tasks as a solo artist was writing and arranging several hit songs on the first Cubanismo album, which in turn led him to create his own group in 1996, Maraca & Otra Vision. Throughout the years he has produced many projects, one of which was nominated for a Grammy and toured all over the owrld sharing the stage with musical luminaries such as Oscar De Leon, Jose Alberto "El Canario", Cesaria Evora and many more. Maraca & Otra Vision have performed in the most prestigious festival and venues around the world, and are currently embarking on another world wide tour.

MARACA’s AWARDS
2006 – CUBADISCO AWARD – Category Best Recording (Maraca/SOY YO)
2003 – 45th GRAMMY NOMINEE - BEST SALSA ALBUM (Maraca/Tremenda Rumba)
2003 – CUBADISCO AWARD - ´BEST RECORDING (Maraca/Tremenda Rumba)
2002 – BILLBOARD TOP LATIN ALBUM BEST SELLER (Maraca/Tremenda Rumba)
2001 – CUBADISCO AWARD - BEST FUSION ALBUM IN CUBA(Maraca/Descarga Total)
1999 – CUBADISCO AWARD - BEST FUSION ALBUM IN CUBA (Maraca/ ‘Sonando!’)
1999 – LUCAS AWARD – BEST INSTRUMENTAL VIDEOCLIP – (Maraca/‘Sonando!’)
1998 - LATIN BEAT MAGAZINE TOP TEN ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Maraca/ ‘Sonando!’)
1997 - LATIN BEAT MAGAZINE TOP-TEN ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN THE USA (Maraca/ ‘Havana Calling’)
1995 – EGREM AWARD - BEST LATIN-JAZZ ALBUM IN CUBA (Maraca/‘Formula Uno’)
1994 – EGREM AWARD - CD OF THE YEAR IN CUBA (‘Pasaporte’)


Press Highlights for Orlando 'MARACA' Valle "The hottest band of the entire festival."
Bill SCHOEMAKER for the 2000 Vancouver Jazz Festival - JAZZTIMES (2000/10)

“Maraca’s band’s dynamic performance at Sagebrush Cantina displayed all the elements that make genuine Afro-Cuban music so addicting. It was spontaneously celebratory, rhythmically complex, lyrically clever, instrumentally thrilling...”
The Los Angeles Times (USA), August 19th, 2002

"One of the most incredible bands in the world, a spectacular performance of new music from Cuba."
Tony MONTAGUE - THE GIORGIA STRAIGHT – Vancouver - CANADA (2000/06)

"One of the few groups in the Latin jazz idiom that aspires to greatness."
Peter Watrous - The New York Times – USA (98/09/06)

“Valle infuses his selections with flute solos and the rapidly changing patterns that have won him his fame. That he does so in an uncomplicated way perhaps explains why he is one of the few Cubans who sell records in the United States. It also speaks to Valle’s ability to reach audiences with a multifaceted approach that relies on danceable numbers and innovation.”
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (USA), June 7th, 2002

“Tremenda Rumba, his latest album with the fiery ensemble Otra Vision, has managed to make the Billboard Tropical/Salsa charts while also inspiring cyber gush from folks who claim to have followed the onetime Chucho Valdes sideman every step of the way. A bodacious salsa album that dazzles where a lesser one would alienate.”
Time Out New York (USA), August 15th, 2002

"Listen to Orlando 'Maraca' Valle and ask yourself whether any other flute player on earth could match him for speed, invention, articulation and total control of tone and time."
Jack Hassarick - London Evening Standard- ENGLAND (94)

"Valle’s display contained as much raw invention, musicality and, by the end, jokish chutzpah as any string of choruses by his sax contemporary James Carter, and the audience stayed with him every step of the way."
K. Leander WILLIAMS - TIME OUT NEW YORK - USA (08/03/00)

"Cuban flute virtuoso Orlando Maraca Valle has the force and ability to rise above the mix, blowing tasty improvisations."
The Beat volume 17 N°4 – USA (1998)

“Maraca is not only a great improvisator on the flute, but he’s also an excellent composer and arranger. ”
Le Monde (France), July 22nd, , 2002