Tamela was looking for someone to help her add more Latin flavor to some of her new compositions. She called on local musicians who immediately urged her to contact Valerín. After just one meeting, Tamela was convinced that Valerín was perfect for her project. Tamela is currently working on producing new singles which will feature Valerín on trumpet when she returns to the studio. This will be an exciting collaboration for Valerín since it will be his first time working alongside a singer-songwriter who thrives on the fusion of different genres and who has the potential to become a famous pop diva. Valerín has reconnected with the local music scene in Costa Rica and has already played with local sensation Ramses Araya and his traveling salsa act Timbaleo. Ramses is an accomplished percussionist who has recorded with Ruben Blades. His group Timbaleo is known for its complex arrangements and demanding driving beat. Ramses often calls on Valerín to lead his trumpet section. Valerín has also played with Opa Opa, a salsa band from Los Angeles that often includes Costa Rica as a tour destination. In addition to his live performances, Valerín is once again a studio trumpet for hire. He is one of the inhouse studio musicians at SoloHits Recording Studios, a new state-of-the-art studio in San Jose, Costa Rica that was handpicked by Tamela Hedstrom for her next project. One of the most cherished projects Valerín is currently involved in is the reunion of Karibú, the salsa band that took Valerín to New York in the early 1980s. Karibú is wellknown in Costa Rica for having been one of the first bands to introduce salsa to Costa Rican audiences. After their New York tour, Karibú returned home to increased popularity. The band went through some changes over the years until it practically disbanded in the mid 1990s. When Valerín returned home and reconnected with his former bandmates in Karibú, a great idea was formed: Karibú would celebrate the return of its most successful band member with a grand reunion. When the idea was first conceived, it was meant to be a somewhat intimate affair between old band members and old fans who enjoyed Karibú's music during salsa's old guard days in Costa Rica. Due to a
Biography and Media Kit Carlos Alberto Valerín (C) Copyright (2010) All Rights Reserved
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