Juan Francisco Ordóñez
Encyclopedia
Juan Francisco Ordóñez is a guitarist from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
. He is considered an innovator of bachata guitar language, through a fusion of blues, rock and jazz with his particular style.
.
.
He began his guitar studies with teacher Blas Carrasco and later continued on his own. He learned formal music composition from Sonia de Piña, at the Dominican National Conservatory.
From 1976-1977, he took part in the folk group Convite, a very important force in the rescue and transformation of Dominican folklore in the seventies.
In the early eighties, he formed with Luis Días
the rock group Transporte Urbano
,. Ordóñez was Transporte Urbano's lead guitarist for almost 25 years. In 1985, Ordóñez traveled to Moscow, in the old U. S.S.R., performing several concerts with Patricia Pereira and Luís Días.
By this time, Ordóñez began some fusion projects such as the influential guitar/bass/drums trio OFS, alongside Transporte Urbano drummer Guy Frómeta, and former Transporte Urbano bassist Héctor Santana. This lineup went to Peru, in 1986, with Dominican singer Sonia Silvestre to perform at the Festival de la Nueva Canción Latinoamericana.
In the nineties, he started a Caribbean fusion trio (Trilogia) with Héctor Santana, and percussionist Chichí Peralta
He is currently musical director for La Vellonera, a live outfit which accompanies Dominican singer/songwriter Víctor Víctor live.
, and León Ichaso
´s Bitter Sugar.)
Ordoñez has long been a much sought after studio and live guitarist for artists and groups of the Dominican Republic, Latin America and Spain. He also has participated in jam sessions with such renown jazz musicians as Paquito de Rivera, Don Cherry
and Charlie Haden
. He also has been guitar teacher to several generations of Dominican guitarists.
In 2005 Ordóñez was co-producer, arranger and guitarist on Bachata Entre Amigos, a Víctor Víctor album that also featured songwriters Joaquín Sabina
, Joan Manuel Serrat
, Pedro Guerra
, Silvio Rodríguez
, Pablo Milanés
, Fito Páez
and Víctor Manuel
, among others.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. He is considered an innovator of bachata guitar language, through a fusion of blues, rock and jazz with his particular style.
.
Career
Ordóñez graduated high school from Colegio Dominicano De la Salle and later earned a degree in Economics from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo DomingoUniversidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
The Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo is the public university system in the Dominican Republic with its main campus in Santo Domingo and regional centers across the Republic...
.
He began his guitar studies with teacher Blas Carrasco and later continued on his own. He learned formal music composition from Sonia de Piña, at the Dominican National Conservatory.
From 1976-1977, he took part in the folk group Convite, a very important force in the rescue and transformation of Dominican folklore in the seventies.
In the early eighties, he formed with Luis Días
Luis Días (composer)
Luis Díaz Portorreal best known as Luis Días was a musician, composer and performer of popular music born in the Dominican Republic.He was immersed in the popular music and customs of Dominican folklore...
the rock group Transporte Urbano
Transporte Urbano
- History:Transporte Urbano was founded by the Dominican composer Luis Días, in 1982, after he returned from a temporary stay in New York City.Días, a pioneer of Dominican urban folk music and one of the founders of the folk group Convite, wanted to create Dominican music with a new vision of what...
,. Ordóñez was Transporte Urbano's lead guitarist for almost 25 years. In 1985, Ordóñez traveled to Moscow, in the old U. S.S.R., performing several concerts with Patricia Pereira and Luís Días.
By this time, Ordóñez began some fusion projects such as the influential guitar/bass/drums trio OFS, alongside Transporte Urbano drummer Guy Frómeta, and former Transporte Urbano bassist Héctor Santana. This lineup went to Peru, in 1986, with Dominican singer Sonia Silvestre to perform at the Festival de la Nueva Canción Latinoamericana.
In the nineties, he started a Caribbean fusion trio (Trilogia) with Héctor Santana, and percussionist Chichí Peralta
Chichi Peralta
Chichi Peralta is a Singer, musician, arranger and producer, from the Dominican Republic.-Biography:Chichi Peralta was born on July 9, 1966 in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. His musical career began at the age of four, when he built his first drum...
He is currently musical director for La Vellonera, a live outfit which accompanies Dominican singer/songwriter Víctor Víctor live.
Professional work
Ordóñez has also led a solo career and has worked as an arranger and director of commercial jingles, music for films (as in the short Frente al Mar about a story of the Dominican writer Hilma ContrerasHilma Contreras
Hilma Contreras Castillo was a Dominican writer, born in San Francisco de Macorís.Educated in Paris, where she studied French and English, as well as literature and archaeology. She returned to the Dominican Republic in 1933...
, and León Ichaso
Leon Ichaso
-Early life and education:Leon Ichaso was born in Havana August 3, 1948, into a family of well-known writers, journalists and artists. His father, Justo Rodríguez Santos, was one of Cuba's most respected poets and a pioneer in broadcast TV and radio -and his mother Antonia Ichaso had a radio...
´s Bitter Sugar.)
Ordoñez has long been a much sought after studio and live guitarist for artists and groups of the Dominican Republic, Latin America and Spain. He also has participated in jam sessions with such renown jazz musicians as Paquito de Rivera, Don Cherry
Don Cherry
Don Cherry may refer to:* Don Cherry hockey player, coach, and commentator* Don Cherry , trumpeter* Don Cherry...
and Charlie Haden
Charlie Haden
Charles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
. He also has been guitar teacher to several generations of Dominican guitarists.
Recordings
- Trilogía released in 1988 by Tercer Mundo Tapes and reissued on CD by Patín Bigote Music in 2004.
- Cabaret Azul co-produced with Dominican blues singer Patricia Pereyra; released in 1989 and reissued by TEREKE Productions.
- Radio Recuerdo released in 2001 by the Madora Foundation.
In 2005 Ordóñez was co-producer, arranger and guitarist on Bachata Entre Amigos, a Víctor Víctor album that also featured songwriters Joaquín Sabina
Joaquín Sabina
Joaquín Ramón Martínez Sabina , known artistically as Joaquín Sabina, is a singer, songwriter, and poet. He has released fourteen studio albums, two live albums, and three compilation albums...
, Joan Manuel Serrat
Joan Manuel Serrat
Joan Manuel Serrat i Teresa is a Catalan Spanish singer-songwriter.Serrat is considered one of the most important figures of modern, popular music in both the Spanish and Catalan languages...
, Pedro Guerra
Pedro Guerra
Pedro Manuel Guerra Mansito is a Spanish singer-songwriter.- Biography :Guerra is the son of Pedro Guerra Cabrera the first President of the Canarian parliament....
, Silvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez
Silvio Rodríguez Domínguez is a Cuban musician, and a leader of the nueva trova movement.He is considered Cuba's best known folk singer and known for his highly eloquent and symbolic lyrics. Many of his songs have become classics in Latin American music, such as Ojalá, Playa Girón, Unicornio and...
, Pablo Milanés
Pablo Milanés
Pablo Milanés Arias is a Cuban singer-songwriter and guitar player. He studied at a conservatory in Havana. He is considered one of the founders of the Cuban nueva trova, along with Silvio Rodríguez and Noel Nicola...
, Fito Páez
Fito Páez
Rodolfo "Fito" Páez Ávalos is an Argentine popular rock and roll pianist, lyricist, Spanish language singer and film director.-Early career:...
and Víctor Manuel
Víctor Manuel
Víctor Manuel San José Sánchez is a Spanish singer-songwriter.He has been married to the Spanish singer and actress Ana Belén since 1972. He and his wife are considered symbols of the Spanish Transition, and his songs and albums often feature boldly-titled works with social and political content.-...
, among others.