Musikfest: Hector Tricoche & Michael Stuart

Gates: 6 p.m. | Show: 7 p.m.
*Times subject to change

A DJ from La Mega will kick off the night, followed by urban merengue band Mako Swing. Then, vocalist Michael Stuart will take to the Wind Creek Steel Stage, followed by Hector Tricoche.

Carrying the title of one of the Original Salsa Kings, Hector Tricoche is an international musician of Puerto Rican descent who sings in the genre of Latin pop and salsa. With an impressively high and melodic voice for his physical stature and height, Hector Tricoche has stood out in the sleepy decade of the 1990s salsa scene through his richly textured and versatile musical compilations. Critics have praised him for combining a harmonious voice with the creative snappiness of an improvisation artist.

Hector Tricoche performed alongside the renowned Tommy Olivencia Orchestra for several years before embarking on a solo career. The orchestra, headed by bandleader Tommy Olivencia, was also known as the Tommy Olivencia School because it aided in launching the careers of many notable salsa artists’ careers. The orchestra’s trademark musical style was highly swinging salsa with a strong brass element.

Hector Tricoche first succeeded Carlos Alexis as lead singer, in time for Olivencia’s 1984 album Celebrando Otro Aniversario.” Through their collaboration period, Hector Tricoche sang the hit “Lobo Domesticado” in the 1987 chart-topping album 30 Aniversario, whose release was meant to celebrate Olivencia’s three decade anniversary as a bandleader. The album also included a colorful medley of past hits.

After six years of participation, Hector Tricoche left the Tommy Olivencia Orchestra in 1990. He was replaced by Héctor “Pichy” Pérez, who had left his own band Sonora Ponceña to perform with Olivencia. It was then that Tricoche started performing as a solo artist, frequenting salsa nightclubs and venues like the Calle Ocho/Carnival Miami festivals and Miami Airport Hilton.

Hector Tricoche has been a celebrated artist not only for his impressive vocal talent, but also for his off-stage personality. He has been known to entertain crowds by filling intermissions with joke-tellings. He has also engaged in impromptu salsa dance sessions with clubgoers in the nightclubs.

A highlight of Hector Tricoche’s albums are the intricate and sophisticated horn arrangements. His fans have claimed that he can easily outshine his Latin music contemporaries due to his improvisational confidence. He has released no less than nine albums in the United States, and much more internationally. Besides singles and full albums, his music can also be found in compilations and boxed sets.

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