Encuentro By Banco Popular.

As part of the ongoing 40th Anniversary in the United States, Banco Popular announced the theme of this year’s musical production Encuentro (Encounter) dedicated to three renowned contemporary Hispanic songwriters: salsa music legend Rubén Blades, merengue troubadour Juan Luis Guerra and rocker Robi “Dräco” Rosa.

The much-awaited production will air Sunday, December 1, 2002 on Telemundo Ch. 47, New York/New Jersey, from 7 to 9 p.m., without commercial interruptions. The show will also air in Chicago, Orlando, Tampa and Miami the same night on Telemundo from 7 to 9 p.m. local time. The Encuentro music CD, cassette, VHS and DVD formats will be available for sale at local Banco Popular branches, at selected music retail stores, and through Banco Popular’s toll free sales number 1-877-460-2001. Online sales are available through www.bancopopular.com.

Encuentro, which marks Banco Popular’s tenth annual musical production of its kind, was filmed in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Panama, and features hits such as Blades’ Pedro Navaja and Sin tu cariño; Juan Luis Guerra’s Ojalá que llueva café, La Bilirrubina and Visa para un sueño; and Robi Rosa’s Mama and Cruzando puertas.

Richard L. Carrión, Chairman of Popular, Inc. and Banco Popular, said: “Encuentro is an intimate look at the lives of these three world-class performers, narrated through the musical chronology of their remarkably successful careers, and translated into those universal experiences that touch us all and to which we all can relate.”

Encuentro sets yet a new standard for the already traditional Banco Popular musical special with a two-hour concert-like production that also results in a winning music anthology and joint performances by these three popular composers. One of this year’s joint performances features Qué bonita luna, written by Puerto Rican songwriter Antonio Cabán Vale.

Panamanian-born Blades became known for his hit song Pedro Navaja over 20 years ago. This song – featured in Encuentro – is part of the 1978 album Siembra, the best-selling salsa album of all time, with over one million copies sold. Blades, who has won three Grammy Awards, has also starred in a number of films, including All the Pretty Horses, Dead Man Out and Gideon’s Crossing, to name a few.

Two-time Grammy Award recipient Juan Luis Guerra is considered a superstar in his native Dominican Republic. Guerra is known as a poet and the ‘musician of the people.’ He is credited for taking the merengue musical genre to international stages. With his music combining folkloric elements and poetic descriptions of contemporary Dominican life, he has become one of the new wave of artists responsible for revitalizing the tropical music that had been languishing during the late ’80s from overplay and lack of innovation.

Robi “Dräco” Rosa, a New Yorker born to Puerto Rican parents, was a member of the popular teen group “Menudo” before striking out on his own in 1987. Since then this multiple Grammy Award nominee has developed a very successful career as a songwriter and vocalist. A number of his lyrics have become solid international hits, such as Ricky Martin’s Livin’ la Vida Loca and María.

With nearly 100 branches located in six states, Banco Popular is the largest Hispanic-owned bank in the U.S. mainland, as well as Puerto Rico’s leading financial institution. As in previous years, proceeds from music sales will be donated to Fundación Banco Popular (Banco Popular Foundation), the philanthropic arm of the financial institution that funds various community and educational projects.

Music Specials Produced by Banco Popular

2001 Raíces.
2000 Guitarra mía: Un tributo a José Feliciano.
1999 Con la música por dentro:100 años de música en nuestra historia.
1998 Romance del cumbanchero: La música de Rafael Hernández.
1997 Siempre piel canela: La música de Bobby Capó.
1996 Al compás de un sentimiento: La música de Pedro Flores.
1995 Somos un solo pueblo.
1994 El espíritu de un pueblo.
1993 Un pueblo que canta.
1965 La música de Rafael Hernández.