Lucio Fernandez Announces AMERICAN MAMBO Release
By: BWW News Desk May. 30, 2013
MeLu Communications Group announces the release of "American Mambo"... the exciting new CD by Lucio Fernandez a.k.a. "The Cuban Kid". A feel good production... from dance tracks, to boleros, to hard driving ballads... this is "American Mambo".
The CD is available at the following sites: www.iTunes.com; www.CDBaby.com, www.AmericanMambo.com, and at www.LucioFernandez.com. Watch the new music video: "American Mambo" Remix: American Mambo Remix.
Lucio Fernandez has had a varied and successful career working extensively as an actor, singer, director, and producer. He recently starred and produced the Off Broadway play "Cuba: Punto X" to great critical acclaim, and which garnered him an ATI Award as Best Actor. He recently performed his one-man show entitled "Lucio... Less Cuban Than Ever" at The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, which received rave reviews. His previous one-man show "The Cuban Kid in concert" played in NYC and received stellar reviews as well as several awards, including a MAC Award nomination. As a vocalist, he has recorded the music CD's entitled "Enamorado" and "Volver a Ti", as well as a poetry CD featuring his own poetry entitled "Lucio Fernandez, Poetry". His newest CD, "American Mambo" is an exciting mixture of Cuban rhythms with influences of rock, disco, show tunes, and dance.
Lucio has traveled the world with several Broadway shows including "West Side Story", "Guys And Dolls", "A Chorus Line", "Jesus Christ Superstar", and "On The Town". He has worked with many of Broadway's leading directors and choreographers, including Jerome Robbins, Jerry Zaks, Michael Peters, Robert Longbottom, and Alan Johnson. For three and a half years, he was a principal actor with Repertorio Español in NYC where he performed in such plays as "Strawberry and Chocolate", "Vieques", "Luminaria", "El Publico" by Federico Garcia Lorca, "El Cano", "Te Juro Juana Que Tengo Ganas", and "The Next Stop". Lucio also starred in the Off Broadway play "Speedo & The Straight Man" at the Kraine Theater in NYC for which he received much critical acclaim. Broadway Workshops include "Tropicana" (Chita Rivera, Artistic Director), "Strides" (Michele Assaf, Choreographer), and "El Shaddai".
He has performed alongside many great artists including Marc Anthony, Shirley MacLaine, Gene Kelly, The Pointer Sisters, Tommy Tune, Susan Lucci, Shirley Verrett, Lupita Ferrer, and Lorna Luft. Recently he has appeared in concert alongside such notable Latin recording artists as Jon Secada, Jose Luis Rodriguez "El Puma", Sophy de Puerto Rico, Elio Roca, Malena Burke, and Roberto Ledesma. He has performed at many of the world's finest theatres including Lincoln Center in New York City, the Chatelet in Paris, and the Berlin Opera House. Recently he was invited by the Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra in Guayaquil, Ecuador to perform a solo concert ; as well as performed multiple concerts throughout Mexico.
Lucio has made appearances on many television shows including a recurring role as an "orderly" on the daytime series "All My Children". Most recently he was seen on the Emmy Award winning show "30 Rock" on NBC, "Louie" on FX, and "The Jimmy Fallon Show" on NBC. Presently, he is the host of the television show "Live On Stage" airing on Cablevision, ComCast, Time Warner Cable, RCN, and Verizon FiOS. Lucio has appeared in many television and radio commercials for products such as Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Sprite, Panasonic, Kudos, Verizon, etc. He has worked extensively as a voice-over artist, and did the looping for the role of "Lazaro" in the award winning feature film "Before Night Falls", and on the feature film "Che" starring Benicio Del Toro.
He is the author of "Union City in Pictures", two poetry books, two children's books, and a dozen plays. He has directed, choreographed, and produced many shows, from big musicals to one-character plays, from children's performances to benefit concerts. His comedy "Till Death Do Us Part" premiered at The Grace Theatre in 2001, and then played at Newark Symphony Hall, followed by a run at The Gramercy Arts Theatre in NYC. His family musical "Friend Wanted" also premiered at The Grace Theatre before touring through many of New Jersey's best theatres. His original production, "Havana Moon, The Musical" played to a sold-out audience at Newark Symphony Hall, then at the Park Performing Arts Center.
As an artist, he has exhibited his work at many galleries and museums, including Queens Museum of Art, Union City Museum of Art, Pace University, and MasterCard World Headquarters.
Lucio is founder of MeLu Communications Group, a production and public relations company. The company has produced several films including "Vampire in Union City", "Massacre in the Woods", "Under a City Tree", "Blink" and "Cubanoson: The Story".
He was co-founder and Artistic Director of The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc., the premiere presenter of bilingual and Spanish language theatre in the State of New Jersey. He has taught dance, drama, and playwriting, as well as participated in many school career days, and lectured at many organizations.
Lucio has received many awards including the ARTE Award, the ITRA Award, the STAR Award, a State Proclamation from Governor Chris Christie, and many other other proclamations, citations, and awards for his artistic achievements and contributions to the community.
Lucio is presently Commissioner of the City of Union City. He has served as Chairman of the Union City Redevelopment Board, Trustee of the Union City Board of Education, Commissioner for the Union City Housing Authority, President of the Union City Public Library Friends, Inc., and President of the Union City Day Care Program. Lucio is a graduate of Rutgers University, and studied acting in New York City with the legendary acting teacher Bobby Lewis. He is an advocate for the arts and is always trying to promote and support artists and the arts in general, as well as stress the importance of the arts in every community.
Production Credits for "American Mambo":
Lucio Fernandez, Producer
Megan Fernandez, Producer
Mark Goodman, Instrumental & Vocal Arrangements, Musical Director
Lucio Fernandez, Lyrics
Mark Goodman, Music "Cuban Boogaloo", "American Mambo", "Café Au Lait"
Mark Goodman & Constanza Palavecino, Music "I Miss You"
Amy Smith, Music "Night Blue", "Can We Watch The Stars Tonight"
Amy Smith with Lucio Fernandez, Music "Volver A Ti"
Leonel "Papo" Ortega & Orlando Espinosa, Additional improv lyrics "Volver A Ti"
Silvio Cebrian, Lyrics & Music "Dime Que Si"
Carlos Doñan, Music "Para Mi Tierra"
Jorge Chiquillo, Music "For You"
Lucio & Megan Fernandez, Lyrics "For You"
Gustavo "Chacho" Schartz, Arrangement "For You"
Mark Goodman, Vocal Arrangement "For You"
George Mena for Menakeys Studio, Music, additional production remix for "Café Au Lait - Remix", "Cuban Boogaloo - Remix", "American Mambo - Remix"
Recorded at Kaleidoscope Sound & Digital Boulevard Audio;
Sound Engineers: Luis Damian Güell, Kyle Cassel, Ian Cassel, Ian Lindsay; Mixed & Mastered by Luis Damian Güell @ Digital Boulevard Audio
Lucio Fernandez (MeLu Communications Group), Publisher - ASCAP
Musicians:
Lucio Fernandez
Lead Vocals
Piano & Keyboards
Drums & Percussion
Kenny Lavender
Trumpet & Flugel Horn
Alto Sax, Flute, & Clarinet
Takashi Otsuka
Upright & Electric Bass
Jorge Leyva
Latin Percussion
Acoustic & Electric Guitars
Alexander Diaz
Background Vocals
Background Vocals
Guitar, "I Miss You"
Videos