Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

HARVEY, Kike

(b José Harbey Caicedo, Buenaventura, Colombia) Sonero (improvising salsa singer) with an impressive husky voice. Started his singing career '75 with Los Exclusivos in Cali (self-styled 'Salsa Capital of the World') followed by work with Joe Madrid y Adolfo Castro y sus Afrocosta (with whom he made his recording debut), El Chelo y su Combo Moderno and La Identidad, also writing songs for the latter. He went solo backed by his own band, Orquesta Concepción, on El Kike Harbey y la Orquesta Concepción '87, co-arranging and writing all the tunes; also writing all the songs on his '88 follow-up Homenaje, including a tribute to the celebrated Puerto Rican sonero Ismael Rivera. Both albums distinguished themselves from Colombia's increasingly mechanical mainstream salsa of the period by being impeccable examples of 'salsa y control' (a swinging yet restrained style). Kike rejoined La Identidad for Un Toque de Misterio '90, writing and singing the hit 'Quiéreme', arranged (along with four other tracks) by the album's �producer, Venezuelan trombonist/ arranger/ composer/ �chorus singer César Monge 'Albóndiga' (Meatball), who formerly led Dimensión Latina (see Oscar D'León). Monge next produced, directed and arranged and played all the trombone parts on Harvey's splendid '91 solo hit Salsa, Pachanga y Amor, imparting a smooth swinging feel reminiscent of '70s Dimensión Latina. Kike won 'Best Vocalist' award at the XI Festival of Orchestras in Cali '92. The Harvey/Monge partnership continued on '92's Sonero Para El Mundo, but they failed to reproduce the magic of their previous collaboration. Retaining the trombone sound, Kike teamed up with a new music director and producer, Dorancé Lorza (see his entry) on Diferente '93, and Pincelades de Amor '94, which deliciously combined baritone sax and three 'bones to create an album of comparable quality to Salsa, Pachanga y Amor.