Conjunto Primavera
whodat
wed 9/17/2008
Conjunto Primavera may not be as "hardcore" as fellow Norteño combo Los Tigres del Norte, but over the last 30 years the Chihuahua band's romantic ballads have made them one of most loved and respected conjuntos in the genre.
Hailing from the bordertown of Ojinaga near Presidio, Texas, Conjunto Primavera was founded by saxophone player Juan Domínguez on the first day of Spring in 1978 – hence the name "Primavera." Dominguez was joined by Tony Melendez (vocals), Félix Contreras (accordion and keyboards), Oscar Ochoa (bass), Rolando Pérez (double bass) and Daniel Martínez (drums) and the group soon distinguished itself with a jazzy, saxophone-driven sound and, at the time, slick matching suits.
After nearly two decades with indies, the band struck a deal with Fonovisa in the mid '90s and quickly grew their fan base and discography. The Latin Grammy-nominated Conjunto Primavera has released over 35 albums (including compilations and live albums) in a little over a decade. The band's latest, Que Ganas De Volver (What Do You Get From Coming Back), includes the hit single Te Lloré (I Cried For You), a dreamy lament about lost love which includes the lines: "Fuiste el alma de mi vida, mi tormenta y mi guarida, mi pecado y mi rosario, fuiste más que un milagro."
When asked how they stay on top of the Norteño scene, the band insists its just giving the people what they want: "We base our sound on what our fans want to hear, the music our public has supported. It's an easy way of knowing which type of songs we'll do and what themes we include in our music. Up to this moment, I think, we haven't faltered."
Diana Reyes vs. Ana Bárbara
versus
fri 4/27/2007
| name | Diana Polanco Reyes. | Altagracia Ugalde Mota. |
| hometown | La Paz, Baja California Sur, México. | Río Verde, San Luis Potosí, México. |
| birthdate | "We'd rather not say." | January 10, 1971. |
| style | Duranguense all the way. | Ranchera, Norteña and Grupera. |
| early start | Began singing at school festivals and talent shows at age eight. | Represented San Luis Potosí in 1988's Miss Mexico beauty pageant. |
| honorary title | Queen of Pasito Duranguense. | Ambassador of Ranchera Music. |
| influences | Lola Beltrán and Selena. | Los Tigres Del Norte and Vicente Fernández. |
| the look | Bootylicious, blinged out cowgirl. | Coqueta y sexapilosa vaquerita, ajuaa! |
| brave young woman | Traveled to Mexico City and signed with Azteca Music three days later. | Traveled to the Vatican and interrupted mass to sing to Pope John Paul II. |
| most recent release | Te Voy a Mostrar (I'm Gonna Show You). | No Es Brujería (It's Not Witchcraft). |
| awards | 2006 Latin Billboard Award for Mexican Regional Album Of The Year. | 2005 Latin Grammy Award for Best Grupero Album. |
| the critics | Billboard.com says: "Duranguense is generally a man's world, with very few female voices. Diana Reyes appears perfectly comfortable staking her claim nonetheless." | Allmusic.com says: "She not only dominated the grupero movement, but she was one of the driving forces behind the style's realization." |
| webprops | 148 friends on official MySpace. | 431 friends on fan-made MySpace. |
| best video moment | Doing el pasito Durenguense in El Sol No Regresa video. | Boxed in and floating on air in Deja. |