( By Julio Enriquez )

Uh oh. The parasite known as Corporate Sponsorship has now infiltrated Spanish music.

A nauseating Sprint lightshow bled into a Ford commercial spot, thus starting things out at Juanes’ sold-out performance at Magness Arena on Friday night. Ford is the official sponsor of the Juanes tour, and their ad spot was as enjoyable to me as vegetables to a surly toddler.

What a pallid introduction, especially for an artist of Juanes’ magnitude. But, it is Juanes we’re talking about, the Bono of the Spanish-speaking world. My ill feelings were short-lived when the Columbian megastar sucker-punched the unassuming crowd right in the mouth with his second-biggest hit, “A Dios le Pido.”

The suave-Latin-male shtick so often associated with Juanes couldn’t be further from the truth. The goodwill this man spreads has his karma bank account in the trillions. The message he preaches is one of love, peace and happiness.

Juanes used his time wisely during song breaks, advocating for the indigenous people, “campesinos,” and the rest of us — both in his native Columbia and throughout the world. Juanes incited social responsibility and human unity so that someday we can live in a world without boundaries, united under a flag of peace. To further establish his point, Juanes used a slide show from a renowned Spanish photographer depicting the many injuries sustained by children working in the dangerous mines in Columbia to accompany a new song, “Minas Piedras.” The horrific pictures were tough to digest, but they drove home an important lesson to the capacity crowd.

Juanes’ catalog contains no English songs, and he intends to keep it that way. The Latin heartthrob stated, “I have done no English recordings because my guitar can’t be played in English.”

Le sigh.

The predominantly female crowd (80 percent female, 20 percent male, ish) clamored for more of the charismatic performer. Adding fuel to the fire, a large majority of the crowd was of Mexican descent — and they were wildly vocal about their passion for the performer. Juanes revealed that, as a child, his parents sung him songs from famed Mexican artist Pedro Infante … and the ladies’ tongues were wagging.

Several times during the show, these same ladies rushed the stage to get themselves a piece of Juanes. Like a moth to a flame, these ladies had their short-lived fame on stage with the world’s biggest Latin entertainer. To my surprise he obliged with a simple hug and kiss. The highlight for interaction with the crowd came when Juanes picked up a young gal (four years old, to be exact), Columbian flag in hand, and serenaded her with “Para Tu Amor.” Eat your hearts out, ladies.

Juanes’ ability to combine an impressive amount of inspirations — including Puerto Rican salsa star Willie Colon, Argentinean rock en Espanol group Soda Stereo, Metallica and the late, great Celia Cruz — sets him apart from his contemporaries.

The nearly two-hour set was sprinkled with hits from the Columbian hunk’s entire catalog. My only qualm with the show was that my favorite song, “Sueno,” was switched up from a rapid rock number to a piano ballad. He closed things up crowd favorite, “Camisa Negra.”

Julio Enriquez is a Denver blogger and the editor of Cause=Time, a music blog.

(By Mario Tarradell / The Dallas Morning News )

Juanes wasted no time Friday night at American Airlines Center. He immediately launched into "A Dios Le Pido," a rhythmic staple that succinctly showcases his infectious mix of rock, pop, reggae and Colombia's vallenato. The celebrated singer-songwriter continued with "No Creo En El Jamas," a propulsive rock-reggae cut from his latest CD, La Vida...Es Un Ratico, and "Mala Gente," a jamming tune that took him into the platform's center runway.

In 15 minutes Juanes had already displayed the kind of energy and commitment it takes some performers an hour to achieve. He doesn't need to warm up. He emerges fully formed, armed with the impetus and dedication to charm an audience.

No surprise. When Juanes popped onto the Latin music scene eight years ago with the Latin Grammy-winning Fijate Bien he made heads spin so profoundly that it prompted the question, "Where did this guy come from?"

He only got better. The Colombian star has that rare combination of raw musical talent, mass appeal and socially conscious drive. His activism includes work to rid Colombia of land mines, educate the poor and promote peace in Latin America.

To that end he offered "Minas Piedras," a ranchera-styled ballad about the land mines, and "Bandera de Manos," a plea for tranquility among neighboring countries. He mentioned the recent Peace Without Borders concert held between Colombia and Venezuela.

Juanes was in strong voice throughout the gig, which was scheduled to run two hours but deadlines only allowed us to see the first 90 minutes. He frequently spoke to the adoring audience about dreams, life and love. The heartfelt ballad "La Vida...Es Un Ratico" was introduced as a song about the pure, clean love of family.

But lest he get too serious, Juanes plays music for the sheer joy. "Me Enamora," a recent chart-topper, hooked everybody in with its wicked melody, rhythm and chorus. You can't get that song out of your head. "La Paga," a rural yet amped-up merging of vallenato and reggae, had the arena moving.

He can throw a party.

(By Julio Cortez / Houston Chronicle)

One by one, he ran through various Spanish-speaking countries -- Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, Puerto Rico, his native Colombia -- and waited for the cavalcade of demographic screams. They came loud and forceful, each group fully engaged in a bout of friendly competition.

"I propose something," Juanes said once the energy settled. "Only one flag. Only one flag. Everyone united."

With that declaration, he launched into Bandera de Manos, a heartfelt call for peace and understanding.

Just as quickly, he was dancing to the frenetic, Afro-Colombian rhythm of Báilala, strutting to the kiss-off strains of Mala Gente and swooning with the romantic, '70s vibe of Es Por Ti.

That's the beauty of a Juanes concert. He switches effortlessly between powerful socio-political statements and passionate love songs. Every moment is equally important, every lyric deserving of its time in the spotlight.

Juanes' vocals also project a pleading earnestness that makes everything sound heartfelt and true. He projected loud and clear for two hours' worth of energy and emotion.

The Colombian icon appeared amid smoke and shadows, framed by lights and an impressive scaffolding contraption that jutted out from the floor like a metal sun. The stage was also flanked by two large video screens.

Colombian flags waved throughout the crowd, which probably hit about 5,000 at peak level. Juanes opened with the slick, yearning guitar of A Dios Le Pido, his 2002 breakout hit. He wore a form-fitting black button down and slacks on his taut frame and sported a short, spiky haircut.

He strutted onto a short walkway that reached into the crowd during Mala Gente, the first of his many chart-toppers to anchor the set. But every song, even non-singles, bristled with the same urgency.

He ran through several cuts from last year's excellent La Vida ... Es Un Ratico (Life ... Is A Moment), including Hoy Me Voy and Clase de Amor.

Juanes stopped between songs to repeatedly thank the crowd for "illuminating this night with your energy." He was playful and flirty, much more than he's been in the past. Girls squealed every time he offered a hug. Guys sang along at the top of their lungs. Parents and kids danced in the aisles.

Things took a romantic turn during the lovely Un Dia Normal and Fotografia (originally a dreamy duet with Nelly Furtado), which turned into a lyrical give-and-take with the crowd.

"You're all hired as backup singers," Juanes quipped. "Let's go on tour."

And again, the mood and tempo deftly changed. The Beatles-esque keyboards of Volverte a Ver shifted into a chugging cumbia groove and back again. And recent single Gotas de Agua Dulce had an even quirkier charm live than on record.

He spoke of life and peace, the importance of dreams and the complexities of immigration. But it wasn't preachy or condescending. It felt effortless, sincere and held most of the crowd's attention.

The graceful Minas Piedras touched on the issue perhaps closest to Juanes' heart -- the horror of land mines in Colombia. The song was accompanied by stark, black-and-white images of land mine victims, most of whom were missing limbs. The moment swelled with emotion.

Less serious drama erupted during lilting ballad Para Tu Amor. Juanes stepped offstage and was instantly surrounded by a mob of sweaty, pawing girls with digital cameras. One left a perfect lipstick kiss near his right ear that remained there for the rest of the show.

The show's final stretch was anchored by Juanes' biggest hits. Me Enamora, the monster that topped Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for three months, was a stellar showcase for his sly, assured guitar work. La Paga, a tune inspired by traditional Colombian music and Bob Marley, was stretched into a teasing, sweaty standout.

La Vida... Es Un Ratico hasn't made it to radio, but it's a gorgeous ballad that could be Juanes' defining hit. The insanely catchy La Camisa Negra gave way to future single Tres, a stirring vallenato. And Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor was a driving, head-bopping moment of rock-star sparkle.

Juanes has earned comparisons to Bono and Bruce Springsteen, but he's much more than an easy-to-file, Spanish-language version of someone else. His heart, soul and spirit make him an original -- in any language

(By Mario Tarradell / Dallas Morning News)

Colombia's Juanes continues to pull off the seemingly impossible. The singer-songwriter with the penchant for merging rock, pop, reggae and his country's vallenato keeps crafting albums with commercial appeal, artistic integrity and socially conscious relevance. The latest is La Vida ... Es un Ratico, another creative milestone that has already spawned two No. 1 Latin radio hits, "Me Enamora" and "Gotas de Agua Dulce." The man born Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez performs Friday at American Airlines Center.

"What I feel is on those records," he says by phone from Miami about Ratico as well as 2000's Fijate Bien, 2002's Un Día Normal and 2004's Mi Sangre. "I feel songs as commercial as 'Me Enamora' and as artistic and different as 'Minas Piedras.' I am not writing these songs because I want them to be played on the radio. It is more important to me to be a creative artist than to be popular. I'm lucky that I can have both."

Ratico includes "Minas Piedras," a ranchera-styled song about land mines dotting Colombia's countryside, and "Bandera de Manos," a plea for unity among races, nationalities and economic classes.

"It's been a constant in the music that I write," says Juanes, the 35-year-old former member of metal band Ekhymosis, about his need to address issues. "When I became a solo artist I realized that in life there's more than love and relationships. There's also a love for air, the ecology, the future. Those things worry me. They affect our lives, the people of my country. You're not always in love. I want to use the music in that form. It's another part of me."

Juanes commands attention. He's got a dozen Latin Grammy Awards on his mantel, an impressive industry feat considering his solo debut was released only eight years ago. He emerged fully formed, a rarity in any musical genre. While Fijate Bien remains his most stylistically unadorned disc, he always made sure to never compromise substance for slicker production.

On Ratico he toiled with co-producer Gustavo Santaolalla to rid the CD of excessively programmed loops and other studio technology that polishes the proceedings.

"I wanted this to sound like a live concert," he says. "I wanted something more organic, less loops ... more basic. Sometimes popular music is too mixed."

In the midst of the music, Juanes has been busy with activism. He's a part of ALAS, a foundation dedicated to strengthening and expanding public- and private-sector support for early childhood development in Latin America. He's also involved with the Yo Amo America Campaign, along with Latin artists Ricky Martin and Juan Luis Guerra, which aims to fight poverty and its ripple effects in Latin America. He'll do that through his Fundación Mi Sangre, his own charitable organization.

And last month he was part of the Concierto Paz Sin Fronteras, the Peace Without Borders Concert, which was staged at the Colombia-Venezuela border in an effort to promote political and social tranquility between the governments of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

"It's a complement to my songs," he says of his social consciousness. "It's a positive way for me to reach out to the people. I feel this. I love this. It's from my heart. The music and the causes go hand in hand for me".

(By Leila Cobo / Reuters/Billboard)

MIAMI (Billboard) - When Colombian rocker Juanes wrote the track "Fijate Bien" in 1999, he spoke about the dangers of land mines as a metaphor for life.

But the reality of his own country, the place with the highest incidence of land-mine accidents on the planet, according to the World Mine Monitor, led him to take an even closer look. In 2005, Juanes created his Mi Sangre foundation, with the purpose of rehabilitating and educating land mine victims and their families and reintegrating them socially and economically.

Today, the foundation's reach has expanded to major educational concerns, such as providing free preschool education in Colombia. Juanes has also become a symbol of social consciousness, having recently staged a massive free concert to promote peace among Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

WHY A LAND MINE FOUNDATION?

I wrote the song "Fijate Bien" (Take a Good Look) in 1999 with no pretensions. It was just a song on the album. And when it became the single, all these people started to show up--the victims, the soldiers, the foundations -- wanting to do things, and I realized that there was much to be done with music.

DID IT CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION ABOUT COLOMBIA'S POLITICAL SITUATION?

Yes. Up until a couple of years ago, I worked in many different directions, until I understood that what was most important for me was education. We handle two aspects. One, of course, is education for the victims, of which 65% are soldiers, and 35% are civilians, half of them children. So we take retired soldiers, for example, who want to study but have yet to finish elementary school or high school, and give them a scholarship. Or we provide labor rehabilitation. If someone wants to farm their land, we send them to get appropriate training. The other aspect is (universal) preschool education, which doesn't exist in Colombia.

ISN'T PRESCHOOL EDUCATION A BIT REMOVED FROM THE ORIGINAL NOTION OF THE FOUNDATION?

No, because it's a way to invest in that seed that in 15 years will become a kid who can either take up arms or adopt a different mentality.

HOW IS YOUR FOUNDATION FINANCED?

Initially through me. I would donate money from concerts, for example. Now, we have a board of directors, private donations and we have our own little company that makes shirts and other products with messages of peace.

AS A PUBLIC FIGURE WITH A FOUNDATION, PEOPLE MUST ASSUME YOU HAVE A CERTAIN POLITICAL STANCE. DO YOU LIKE THAT ROLE?

It's not about that. What I've realized is you can truly do significant things with music. You can mobilize people, in the good sense of the world, even if only to expose a message or put something on the public agenda. For example, I didn't know preschool education wasn't mandatory in Colombia. So, we need to speak out. That (massive demonstration march for peace last year in Colombia) was unprecedented, and those actions are very important.

Photo:Courtesy IADB/ Arlette Marie Pedraglio

4 de abril a las 12 p.m. en la Sala D-128 del Centro de Convenciones de Miami Beach

MIAMI – El Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo lanzará la Campaña Yo Amo América durante su Asamblea Anual, una iniciativa de promoción de políticas y mercadotecnia social, donde se presentará a varios artistas como agentes de cambio en áreas estratégicas del desarrollo. Los artistas de renombre internacional Ricky Martin, Juanes y Juan Luis Guerra participarán en el evento de lanzamiento que tendrá lugar el 4 de abril en la Sala D-128 del Centro de Convenciones de Miami Beach desde las 12:00 p.m. hasta la 1:00 p.m.

Cada artista se convertirá en vocero de un área estratégica en la lucha contra la pobreza, incluyendo el registro de nacimiento, la atención integral a la infancia, el acceso a los servicios financieros, la vivienda y el agua potable.

El objetivo de la campaña es crear conciencia entre la clase política sobre la necesidad de desarrollar políticas e inversiones en estas áreas prioritarias, así como promover información y servicios específicos entre grupos de bajos ingresos. Cerca de 360 millones de personas en América Latina y el Caribe – 70 por ciento de la población — viven con un ingreso menor de 300 dólares mensuales, sin acceso a los beneficios del progreso.

Ricky Martin, Presidente de la Fundación Ricky Martin, se encargará de promover el registro universal de nacimientos como un medio de garantizar el acceso a la educación, salud y otros servicios públicos. Aproximadamente 8.5 millones de niños en la región carecen de documentos de identidad. Promover el registro infantil es una de las estrategias para combatir la trata de menores y un pilar central del compromiso de Ricky Martin con este sector vulnerable de la población.

En concordancia con su trabajo como Presidente de la Fundación Mi Sangre, Juanes estará a cargo de promover la necesidad de impulsar en la región la educación universal preescolar, como base fundamental para garantizar el desarrollo infantil. Sólo diez países en la región tienen educación preescolar obligatoria. Juan Luis Guerra, Presidente de la Fundación Juan Luis Guerra, promoverá un mayor acceso a los servicios financieros por parte de los pobres, como una manera de desarrollar una historia de crédito y el fomento de las microempresas. En América Latinay el Caribe, se satisface sólo el 8% de la demanda de crédito. Entre otras actividades, los artistas formarán parte de una campaña gratuita en los medios de comunicación y emprenderán visitas de apoyo a algunos países específicos, donde tendrán la oportunidad de reunirse con funcionarios gubernamentales y visitar proyectos específicos.

El BID es el mayor banco de desarrollo de la región y también el más antiguo. Es la fuente principal de financiamiento multilateral para impulsar el desarrollo económico y social de América Latina y el Caribe.

Weblink: www.youtube.com/yoamoamerica

CONCERT REVIEW | Socially conscious message lands on receptive ears

( By LAURA EMERICK - Chicago Sun-Times )

There are roads and roads, sings Latin pop star Juanes on his latest disc, "La Vida ... Es Un Ratico," and that sentiment also symbolizes his own artistic mission.

He could have gone the easy route and become a standard-issue pop deity, selling out stadiums, moving lots of merch and living the good life. From the start, Juanes chose a different path. A native of war-torn Colombia, the singer-songwriter has dedicated himself to promoting a socially conscious agenda. In signature hits such as "A Dios Le Pido" and "Mi Sangre," he spells out his commitment to creating a better world through music.

That message came through in his emotionally charged yet captivating concert Wednesday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

Many other Latin stars have charitable pursuits: Shakira with her Pies Descalzos Foundation, Mana with its environmental group Selva Negra and so forth. But Juanes alone seems to convey the message that social activism remains foremost in his art.

His music, quintessentially Latin, layers cumbia, vallenato, porro and other native Colombian rhythms with a guitar-rock sensibility. When you factor in his spiritual bent with his pan-Latin sound, it all adds up to the gospel according to Juanes.

Maybe that's why his concert seemed like being in church, especially during songs like "Minas Piedras," a rock hymnal that mourns the carnage inflicted by anti-personnel mines (a huge problem in Colombia). While photos of victims flashed overhead on video screens, he sang passionately about the human cost of armed conflict but also the need for hope.

Of course, his music (and the artist himself) appeals to more secular concerns. Backed by his excellent six-piece band, Juanes generated the heat of a thousand suns, especially when he ventured forth on a center-stage runway and serenaded the fans with ballads such as "Volverte a Ver" and "Es Por Ti."

And when he closed out his encore segment with an extra-salsafied cover of Joe Arroyo's joeson classic "Rebelion," he brought the focus back on the power of music to inform and uplift.

( By JESSE SCOTT - THE FREE LANCE-STAR )

Music speaks its own language across a language barrier. It can bring a room of complete strangers with little in common together, and spark a mutual understanding that words fail to ignite.

Such was the case this past Sunday when Colombian rocker Juanes united a Patriot Center crowd that spanned ages, colors and cultures.

The fact that Juanes spoke Spanish the entire time became irrelevant to an amazingly crafted and moving evening. By the end of 21/2 hours, even the confused and arrhythmic gringos had abandoned their misunderstandings and fallen subject to the meaningful fiesta that Juanes had created.

"A Dios le Pido" set the tone for the evening. From the get-go you just couldn't really say anything bad about the guy and his band. He deserves the utmost respect for his humanitarian efforts, as well as for his live performances.

Just a few weeks ago, as tensions between Ecuador and Colombia reached their height, Juanes was there to step in. He turned a divisive bridge separating the two countries into a peace, love and rock 'n' roll fest that drew nearly 300,000 conflict-torn people.

Looking back on that incredible moment for his country, Juanes tiptoed into "Sueños" ("Dreams"), which reflected on dreams of one day being able to walk the streets of war-ravaged Colombia to find true peace. "Liberty," "war' and "love" all flashed in big white letters on a black screen, as Colombian flags waved throughout the arena to create a magical and remarkable moment.

You can easily compare Juanes to the likes of U2's Bono. There are a lot of similarities; however, Juanes is a man with his own mission, his own message and his own unique voice.

Photos of limbless people from around the world brought even more impact to an evening that produced everything from salsa dancing to tears. Senior citizens missing arms and legs flashed on the backdrop, along with photos of young kids and grenades, during Juanes' anti-land-mine song "Minas Piedras."

To send everyone home crying wouldn't have been fair, so he finished off the set with his international smash "La Camisa Negra." If anyone in the audience was left sitting down and not moving in some fashion, they must have sat in some Super Glue before the show.

To the chants of "Otra! Otra!" (the Spanish version of "Encore!"), Juanes came back out and delivered three more morsels, featuring a perfectly cooked version of "Rebelión."

Then, with a final bow, Juanes and crew set sail for their next mission.