.:Latin Music Fest - Headliner -
Michael Stuart:. Latin Music Fest ticket includes
Michael Stuart's concert
"Cuentos de la
Vecindad" 1996 |
"Retratos" 1998 |
"Súbeme el
Volumen" 2000 |
"Michael
Stuart" 2002
"Que Nos Pasó" (salsa) "Que Nos Pasó"
(ballad) |
Michael Stuart was just nominiated for a for a Latin
Grammy under "Best Contemporary Tropical Album " for the 2005 awards; click
onto the Grammy.com site at:
www.grammy.com/awards/latin_grammy/6th_Latin_Noms.aspx
Born in New York in 1975 of Puerto Rican parents,
Michael Stuart grew with a love of many different types of music but especially
Latin music. This was due in part to his Puerto Rican roots but mostly to the
influence of his uncle, Israel "Timbalero" Stuart, himself a professional
musician and bandleader. Stuart would play the maracas and congas and sing
during his uncle's rehearsals. His only musical training was playing trumpet
though he continues to enjoy the percussion instruments he played with as a
youth.
His vocal talents formed quite early and although he listened to
hip-hop and rock as a youth, he eventually learned to appreciate salsa by
listening to some of the great salsa artists, such as Hector Lavoe, El Gran
Combo and Andy Montañez. But Stuart was especially influenced by Domingo
Quiñones after hearing him during a live performance in Puerto Rico.
Stuart's own vocal talents brought him to collaborate as backup singer
with several well known salsa artists such as Johnny Rivera, Marc Anthony and
Víctor Manuelle.
In 1996 Stuart started his career as a solo
artist with his album, Cuentos de la Vecindad, released on the RMM label. The
debut album included a collaborative effort with Domingo Quiíones on the
Michael Jackson song, "The Lady of My Life". His success in that effort was
evident, with awards such as Farándula magazine's New Artist of the Year
1996-97, named Tropical New Artist 1997 by the Tu Música Awards and a
nomination for New Artist of the Year at the Lo Nuestro Awards in 1997.
In 1997, Stuart also collaborated with other prominent Puerto Rican
music artists such as Danny Rivera, José Feliciano and Chucho Avellanet
in the annual production honoring Bobby Capó: "Siempre Piel Canela", by
the Banco Popular.
The following year, Stuart released his second
album, Retratos and won New Salsa Artist, and Most Renown Artist of the
prestigeous Paoli Awards in that same year. But Stuart's talents were not
limited to the recording studio or concert stage. He was chosen to play the
part of Judas in the musical play Jesus Christ Superstrar along with Olga
Tañón, Domingo Quiñones and Tito Auger, at the Performing
Arts Center of Puerto Rico in 1998. Stuart received the Best New Actor Award
from the Theater Actors Circle of Puerto Rico for his successful effort that
year. He also joined with another group of talented artists such as Ricky
Martin and Gilberto Santa Rosa in Banco Popular's 1998 production of "Romance
del Cumbanchero", honoring the reknown Puerto Rican artist: Rafael Hernandez.
Stuart was awarded the People's Choice award in the Tropical category
at the Tu Música Awards in 1999. But even off stage, Stuart has been
recognized for other fine qualities, such as the accolades he received from the
Puerto Rico House of Representatives in 1999 and being singled out as an
example to Puerto Rican youth by the Puerto Rico Department of Families and
chosen as chairperson of the antidrug organization: "Alianza para un Puerto
Rico Sin Drogas".
Stuart released his third album: Súbeme el
Volumen in 2000, directed by Cucco Peña. The very successful album mixed
rock, R&B, pop, hip-hop and electronic music with salsa and helped bring
international attention to Stuart from countries inclding Spain, Italy and
Japan.
That year he also collaborated in the soundtrack for the film
"Under Suspicion", singing "Algo En Ella". The album featured other prominent
Puerto Rican artists including: Carlos Ponce, Olga Tañón and
Ednita Nazario. But that year was marked by an especially fulfilling event: his
collaboration on "Obra Maestra" by Eddie Palmieri and the legendary Tito
Puente, in which Stuart sang two songs.
Stuart's most recent album was
the self-titled Michael Stuart, released in 2002 on the RMM label. The record
again featured a mix of salsa, such as one song in two versions sung together
with Gisselle: Que Nos Pasó in a salsa version and the same song, Que
Nos Pasó as a ballad. The album has more in what will likely be another
successful production.
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