jul-aug-sept. agenda

2 AGENDA / September 2011 3AGENDA / September 2011

It is with great pride that I address you

this month as the newly appointed CEO

of the Latin American Agents Association.

This year has been an incredibly exciting

year for the LAAA. It has been a year of

positive change and forward progress as

our leadership team continues to focus on

bringing more value and opportunity to the

group and industry that we have proudly

served for the past 12 years. I want to

publically thank former LAAA CEO Rafael

Hurtado for his many years of hard work

and dedication that he has contributed

to our group. As you may know, Rafael

stepped down from his role as LAAA

CEO in July 2011, deciding to pursue

new opportunities in the industry he has

faithfully served for over 20 years.

I am also happy to announce that my

executive teammate Greg Mckewen will

take over the reins as LAAA President. Greg

and myself care deeply about the LAAA

and we are committed to our cause of

providing our membership and supporters

with valuable training, information,

Committed to our Cause.

By Gustavo Contreras

A message from new LAAA CEO Gustavo Contreras


motivation, new technologies, exciting

and fun events, new idea’s, advocacy,

networking opportunities, and access and

discounts to the products and services that

are vital to growing your business. We have

been working hard on numerous projects

for the association, all with the purpose

of building the LAAA foundation bigger,

better and stronger than ever before.

In addition to bringing you news of our

leadership updates, I would like to remind

all agents and brokers that the LAAA

will be providing FREE PASSES to our

spectacular 12th Annual Trade Show and

Convention taking place December 1-4th

2011 at the luxurious Renaissance Hotel

in Long Beach, CA. The LAAA is the ONLY

trade association to offer free attendance

to our trade show and exhibitor event

and we have done so for the last 3 years

running! Our free attendance offer is

available to agents and brokers only, and is

another example of the LAAA’s dedication

to bringing value and opportunity to our

support base.

If you have not already done so, please go

to our website www.latinagents.com and

PRE-REGISTER. To qualify and obtain your

free Trade Show Pass you must pre-register

NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 30th 2011.

For all of our company and vendor members

and supporters interested in exhibiting at

the Trade Show please get your exhibitor

application and fee’s in ASAP as space is

limited and we are filling up fast!

One of the questions that I have been

asked on occasion is the happening s of

LAAA founder Andre Urena. Andre was

the visionary and driving force behind the

LAAA for its first 11 years, and provided

a level creativity and innovation that has

been rarely seen association industry.

For the past year Andre was living and

working in Latin America on a number of

interesting business ventures, including

the development and launching of a major

call-center for a large law firm. Most

recently, Andre is on living and working in

Austin, Texas after taking on an important

consulting position with a major insurance

firm. Andre will be in charge of opening

20 new retail locations geared toward the

Latino/Hispanic marketplace. He commutes

to Los Angeles frequently, spending time

with his family. In his very limited free time,

Andre will be a contributing author to our

Agenda Magazine publication, providing

informative articles designed to make your

operation more successful and profitable.

Well this should provide a good dose of

updates and information concerning the

LAAA! I want to thank you for your support

and I look forward to bringing you exciting

new developments in the very near future

that is sure to bring value to all!

The opinions expressed by Agenda columnists are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the Latin American Agents Association, its Board of Directors or membership at large.

Magazine Staff:Editor in Chief - Greg Mckewen

Managing Editor - Gustavo ContrerasManaging Editor - Andre Urena

Managing Editor - Don LukenbillCreative Director - Amara Poolswasdi

Art Director - Tanya McClainTechnical Director - Andree Ochoa

Contributing Writers For This Issue:

Greg McKewen Andre UrenaGustavo ContrerasDon LukenbillFrank Meza, MD,

This guy is, he built a whole wooden frame on his car to promote the causes he believes

in. As an insurance professional, you got a captive audience that can help you be

involved politically at the local level, the real question is how committed are you to what

you believe. Community involvement creates “Neighborhood Affinity” which can translate

in referrals. Question is, do you have a plan of action, do you know who your local

organizations are and what they stand for.

Picture of the Month! We encourage you to send us pictures and the story behind them. Send them to [email protected]

Are you committed to your clientele?


Are you a Member yet?1. Market Information.2. Networking3. Education & Seminars.4. Quality Presentations5. Representation6. Tradeshow7. Monthly Meetings8. Industry Recognition9. Qualifi ed Vendors.20. Strong Leadership.11. Meaningful Discounts.12. Preferred Positioning.

LA

AA

Mem

bers

hip

Benefi

ts:

LAAA

Mee

ting

Cale

ndar

L.A.A.A.P.O.Box 4564

Valley Village, CA 91617(818) 635-4848

[email protected]

www.latinagents.com

For up to date meeting info in your area, go to www.latinagents.com/calendar

10.13.11- MeetingLos Angeles Monthly MeetingStevens Steak HouseCommerce, CA

12.01.2011 - 12.04.2011 - ConventionConvention and Christmas GalaLong Beach Reinassance HotelLong Beach, CA

12.06.2011 - 12.09.2011 - ConventionConvention and Christmas GalaLong Beach Reinassance HotelLong Beach, CA

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16247 Tapco Ad - LAAA Agenda, June 2011.pdf 1 5/5/11 3:04 PM

LAAA Q&A – 20 Questions

Many of you reading this will remember

when insurance was strictly a “boy’s

club.” Of course, that’s hardly the case

anymore, with women playing major

roles as agency owners and managers,

insurance company administrators, and

much more. In the LAAA’s Q&A feature,

we have brought our readers profiles on

outstanding insurance professionals,

many of them female. This time around,

we are pleased to speak with Vira

Magallanes from Fasttrak Insurance.

If there was ever a role model for

utilizing the latest technology for

business, it is Vira and Fasttrak. One

look at the Fasttrack Insurance website

(www.fasttrakins.com) is proof of

that. Something else you will notice is

various social media links, as well as a

newsletter sign-up and a blog. So, let’s

meet Vira Magallanes.

Q: Let’s start with a little background.

How did you get connected with a fun

and exciting career like insurance?

A: My family has been in the insurance

business for a very long time. Like many

other second- and third-generation

Vira Magallanes from Fasttrak Insurance, Irvine, CA

By Don Lukenbill

insurance professionals, the “business”

for me started off as a summer thing

during high school, around 1996. After

I graduated from college, it became a

part time thing, inevitably evolving into

a full-time career!

Q: In the Latino market, some perceive

women as having a more difficult time

getting established as an insurance

professional. Is this true? If so, what can

be done to change the playing field?

A: It isn’t true actually. As a female, getting

established as an insurance professional

is the easy part. Being RECOGNIZED as

an insurance professional is the hard

part. A common assumption is that your

spouse/brother is the real professional

and you’re just the “pretty face” of the

agency.

Q: Describe the challenges you have

faced being in an industry dominated

mainly by men and do you see this

gender demographic changing in the

near future?

A: Well, when I first started coming

around the “insurance industry,” I heard

there was a bet amongst a few insurance

guys (I didn’t consider them men at that

point) on who would “get to know me

first.” This only underscores my point

of being just a “pretty face.” So you can

imagine their surprise when I turned out

to be relatively intelligent. This is just a

small example of the type of challenges

women face. It is disheartening to be

thought of that way, but women in this

industry have begun using it in their

favor. The less threatening you appear,

the easier it is to grow your power and

success right in the open.

Q: Would you encourage insurance as a

career track for other Latinas?

A: Of course, it’s a very rewarding

career.

Q: You were a marketing rep with

Access for some time. What did you

learn there? Now that you are in retail,

describe some of the differences.

A: Allow me to point out one thing: I

have never stopped being in retail. That

is, I am forever a Sales Person. There is

only a slight difference between being a

marketing rep and a sales agent if you

are doing it right. The key to remember

is that you are always SELLING.

What Access did for me is teach the

internal side of the insurance industry

and the amount of detail and work

that’s behind running a successful

company Gerry Knowles (who needs no

introduction) taught me a tremendous

amount about management. Access

also taught me not to be afraid to STAND

OUT amongst the insurance crowd.

Q: Your website is outstanding. Tell us

about the genesis of Fasttrak’s web


presence and the impact it has had on

your business.

A: Thank you. I love our website. Believe

it or not, it is still being worked on. We

linked up with an awesome company

that has been able to bring Fasttrak’s

crazy ideas into fruition and create what

I believe is THE BEST WEBSITE IN THE

WORLD! ;)

Q: For those agencies who are still

dragging their feet on developing a

website, any advice?

A: Well, speaking to the generation that

is still intimidated by technology, you all

have a niece, nephew, daughter, son, or

someone in your family that is obsessed

with technology: computers, Facebook,

Twitter, etc. Give them a couple of bucks

to help you develop a website. Costs

can be as low as 30 bucks a month

to maintain a simple, but very useful

website. It is a great start. Our agency

didn’t begin with our current website on

steroids by any means. It took a long

time, money and creativity.

Q: What about those who are late to the

social media party?

A: I guarantee that even your 8 year-

old niece or daughter knows how to

use Facebook or Twitter. It’s a great

way to get the young ones involved in

something productive. Who knows, they

me end up in the business as well.

Q: How much of your business is

Internet-based versus telephone/walk-

in?

A: 30% is Internet; the remainder is

referrals/over the phone.

Q: Let’s talk about community outreach

for a bit. Do you believe the old adage

that most of your business comes

from a ten-mile radius of your agency?

In other words, are you active in your

neighborhood?

A: Yes, I do believe that you should

focus on your backyard, and we are

quite active in our “neighborhood.” Our

staff volunteers at local events, and

we have a definite local presence. We

don’t plug insurance per se, we just try

to integrate into the community and be

good neighbors. People do business

with those they trust.

Q: You are based in Orange County,

definitely a Latino population center. How

are you reaching out to that community?

What other ethnic groups encompass

your book of business?

A: We have a diverse staff, and the

functions we attend reflect that, as does

our book of business.

Q: On your website, you mention that

your agency specializes in the motorcycle

Continues on page 12


and power sports market. In the current

economy, it seems as though that is a

luxury market. Are people cutting down

on motorcycles, jet skis, boats, etc.?

A: People don’t cut down on what they

are passionate about.

Q: For the longest time, the LAAA

has advocated diversification – be a

community service resource: DMV,

notary services, etc. Does Fasttrak

offer non-insurance services to you

customers?

A: Yes.

Q: How have LAAA events (meetings,

convention, etc.) helped Fasttrak’s

business?

A: It gets our name out there while

letting us know what is going on in

the insurance community. Attending

meetings, conventions, etc. is invaluable

for developing ideas through interacting

with colleagues who are in the same

boat as you are.

Q: What is your take on the changes

in leadership, vision, and philosophy of

the new LAAA? Would you encourage

women to join the association to better

their careers and personal goals?

A: I think it has taken a turn for the better.

Revitalization is important every couple

of years. I strongly encourage women to

get involved to find out what is going on

in the industry and to find out what our

“male” competition is doing -- and do it

even better ;) (I joke).

Q: What’s the secret to your success?

A: Loving what I do. I enjoy getting up

and going to “work” every single day. If

your heart isn’t in this, you should get

out now.

Q: If you could go back ten years and

talk to Vira, what would you say to her?

A: Listen to your dad more. He knows

what he’s talking about (he’s the one

that got me into insurance).

Q: Now fast-forward ten years. What

would you like to hear from Vira in

2021?

A: I’d like to hear myself telling my

friends how great living in my Italian villa

is.

Q: What motivates you to succeed,

personally and professionally?

A: ME.

Continued from page 10

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I have to work a double tomorrow.Regardless of what anybody says, one of the reasons I stick with the insurance is because after I became an agency owner, I never had to clock in and out.It’s funny because on labor day weekend I was sitting at a rsetaurant in South Padre, Island, TX enjoying the breeze, the fireworks reflection on the gulf and I heard from a table close to me a lady saying, ohh no more for me, I work a double tomorrow. And it hit me, I have not had to “work a double” since collegeAnd neither have most of you, agency owners, perhaps that is why you hang in there, because the alternative is grim.

However, in order to stay there, you must change for the better, let’s start with your operation, ask yourself this question: Do I have a niche? What makes my agency and the services that I offer different from what my potential customers might be seeking.Is my service what I would expect from a place I would shop at?

If you have no answer for that, you are cooked. Mediocrity will not be tolerated in this competitive enviroment. If you still do not “get it” call your competition listen to the goods and the bads and then call your agency. You will quickly learn what must be addressed first.

I have to work a double tomorrow.By Andre Urena


Honor the past

Celebrate the future During National Hispanic Heritage Month, we join you in celebrating

the vibrant spirit of Latino cultures. You’ll find our commitment to

you reflected in our award-winning approach to culturally appropriate

care—including bilingual caregivers and certified interpreters.

For more information, visit kp.org or contact Carmen Salcido at

[email protected] or 562-833-0197.

kp.org

Take a shot for good health

Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles and West Los Angeles Medical Centers

By Frank Meza, MD, assistant area medical director

With all of the advances in modern medicine, it’s easy to assume that illnesses such as measles, whooping cough, and hepatitis have disappeared. But they still exist-and can lead to hospitalization and serious or fatal complications.Measles is highly contagious and globally is one of the leading causes of death in young children.1 Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can result in pneumonia and seizures. In the United States alone, there were more than 21,000 cases last year alone.2 And Hispanics are twice as likely as

non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with hepatitis A, which causes swelling of the liver.3

But illnesses such as these can easily be prevented with immunizations. Vaccines are safe, effective, and can help employees stay productive and on the job instead of taking take time off to visit the doctor or care for a sick child. Share this information with your clients so they can help protect the health of their employees-and their bottom line. Continues on page 19

19AGENDA / September 2011

How vaccines workVaccines use weakened or inactive versions of the germs that cause preventable illnesses to help the body create antibodies-specialized proteins that fight disease. These antibodies make you immune to the disease, protecting you from infection. Most childhood vaccines produce immunities 90 to 100 percent of the time, making them the most effective tool available for preventing infectious diseases.4

Before it can be approved for use, a vaccine goes through a rigorous and extensive testing process by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once it’s approved, the FDA carefully monitors the vaccine for quality-the manufacturer must test each batch for safety and report their findings. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also keep a close watch for side effects for as long as the vaccine is in use, and work together to address any potential problems. The United States now has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.5

Get help from Kaiser PermanenteYour clients’ employees can find the help they need to protect their families from preventable illnesses with Kaiser Permanente:

• kp.org/immunizations-employees can print screening and immunization schedules for both children and adults, get answers to frequently asked questions, and download informative flyers about different types of immunizations

• Online personal health record-with My Health Manager, members can keep track of

immunizations and test results, email their doctors’ offices with questions, and manage their children’s health needs online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• kp.org/healthytravel-members can learn what shots they need to get and any precautions they should take before traveling abroad on family summer vacations

These services are available to members at no charge. To learn more, contact your Kaiser Permanente representative.

About the authorFrank Meza, MD, earned his degree from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, and has been a Kaiser Permanente physician since 1978. He serves as a member of Kaiser Permanente’s National Diversity Council and has presented and written extensively on the demographics and health issues of Mexican-Americans. To schedule an appearance by Dr. Meza, contact Carmen Salcido at [email protected] or 562-833-0197.

______________________________________

1 “Measles,” World Health Organization, who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs286/en, accessed June 7, 2011.2 “Pertussis (Whooping Cough)-What You Need To Know,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov/features/pertussis, accessed June 7, 2011.3 “Hepatitis and Hispanic Americans,” Office of Minority Health, minorityhealth.h h s . g o v / t e m p l a t e s / c o n t e n t .aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=541&ID=6496, accessed June 7, 2011.4 “Vaccines Are Effective,” Vaccines.gov, vaccines.gov/basics/effectiveness, accessed June 7, 2011.5 “Be Informed,” Vaccines.gov, vaccines.gov/basics/safety/informed, accessed June 7, 2011.

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By Greg McKewenExecutive Director, LAAA

Apple iOS 5 and iCloud to be released this fall.

Insurance & Technology

Revolutionizing mobile computing. Again!

Our “Insurance & Technology” segment this month features APPLE’s soon to be released iOS 5 operating system update which will include over 200 new features PLUS their release of iCLOUD, Apple’s revolutionary solution to storing, updating and synching ALL of your Apple devices WIRELESSLY and AUTOMATICALLY. Either of these new features on their own would take mobile computing years ahead of anything else, and the two of them working together is going to shake up the mobile, tablet and pc computing industry once again! For those of you who using the Andriod, Blackberry or Windows mobile platforms, this article will still be a great read as many of the features being released by Apple will surely be included in software updates by the other big players as well.

iOS 5 & Icloud features: iOS 5 is Apple’s newest operating system update that powers Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad and iPod. This update will released by Apple this fall and will contain a mind-blowing 200+ new features! Notification CenterAll your alerts. All in one place.You get all kinds of notifications on your iOS device: new email, texts, friend requests, and more. With Notification Center, you can keep track of them all in one convenient location. Just swipe down from the top of any screen to enter Notification Center. Choose which notifications you want to see. Even see a stock ticker and the current weather. New notifications appear briefly at the top of

your screen, without interrupting what you’re doing. And the Lock screen displays notifications so you can act on them with just a swipe. Notification Center is the best way to stay on top of your life’s breaking news.

NewsstandA custom newsstand for all your subscriptions.Read all about it. All in one place. iOS 5 organizes your magazine and newspaper app subscriptions in Newsstand: a folder that lets you access your favorite publications quickly and easily. There’s also a new place on the App Store just for newspaper and magazine subscriptions. And you can get to it straight from Newsstand. New purchases go directly to your Newsstand folder. Then, as new issues become available, Newsstand automatically updates them in the background — complete with the latest covers. It’s kind of like having the paper delivered to your front door. Only better.

RemindersA better way to do to-dos.Next time you think to yourself, “Don’t forget to...,” just pull out your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and jot it down. Reminders lets you organize your life in to-do lists — complete with due dates and locations. Say you need to remember to pick up milk during your next grocery trip. Since Reminders can be location based, you’ll get an alert as soon as you pull into the supermarket parking lot. Reminders also works with iCal, Outlook, and iCloud, so changes you make update automatically on all your devices and calendars.

TwitterIntegrated right into iOS 5.iOS 5 makes it even easier to tweet from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Sign in once in Settings, and suddenly you can tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, or Maps. Want to mention or @

reply to a friend? Contacts applies your friends’ Twitter usernames and profile pictures. So you can start typing a name and iOS 5 does the rest. You can even add a location to any tweet, no matter which app you’re tweeting from.

CameraCapture the moment at a moment’s notice.Since your iPhone is always with you, it’s often the best way to capture those unexpected moments. That’s why you’ll love the new camera features in iOS 5. You can open the Camera app right from the Lock screen. Use grid lines, pinch-to-zoom gestures, and single-tap focus and exposure locks to compose a picture on the fly. Then press the volume-up button to snap your photo in the nick of time. If you have Photo Stream enabled in iCloud, your photos automatically download to all your other devices.

PhotosEnhanced photo enhancements.Turn your snapshots into frame-worthy photos in just a few taps. Crop, rotate, enhance, and remove red-eye without leaving the Photos app. Even organize your photos in albums — right on your device. With iCloud, you can push new photos to all your iOS devices. So if you’re taking photos on your iPhone, iCloud automatically sends copies to your iPad, where you can quickly touch them up before showing them off.

SafariEven better site-seeing.iOS 5 brings even more web-browsing features to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Safari Reader displays web articles sans ads or clutter so you can read without distractions. Reading List lets you save interesting articles to peruse later, while iCloud keeps your list updated across all your devices. On iPad, tabbed browsing

Continues on page 24

25AGENDA / September 2011

helps you keep track of multiple web pages and switch between them with ease. And iOS 5 improves Safari performance on all your iOS devices.

PC FreeIndependence for all iOS devices.With iOS 5, you no longer need a computer to own an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Activate and set up your device wirelessly, right out of the box. Download free iOS software updates directly on your device. Do more with your apps — like editing your photos or adding new email folders — on your device, without the need for a Mac or PC. And back up and restore your device automatically using iCloud.

MailYour inbox is about to receive some great new features. Format text using bold, italic, or underlined fonts. Create indents in the text of your message. Drag to rearrange names in address fields. Flag important messages. Even add and delete mailbox folders on the fly. If you’re looking for a

specific email, you can now search in the body of messages. And with iCloud, you get a free email account that stays up to date on all your devices.

CalendarGet more perspective on your schedule with year view on iPad and week view on iPhone and iPod touch. Tap to create an event and drag to adjust the time and duration. Add, rename, and delete calendars directly from your device. And view event attachments without leaving the Calendar app. iCloud lets you share calendars with friends and family, and it keeps your events in sync on all your devices.

There is much more that will be part of these two amazing releases, for further information or to be notified by Apple of the release date just visit: www.apple.com

This is Greg Mckewen signing off for this month’s segment of Insurance & Technology. Have an awesome month and happy computing!



It is no secret that my father passed away. What very few people know is how that affected me.

My father was my sounding board, my advisor, my mentor, my friend, my GPS. Almost a year since his death, I miss him terribly and finally I am coming to terms with living without him requires of me.

His illness was long, my poor mother had to deal with the brunt of it. Over 8 years of not knowing whether he would be at the hospital, at home, or even make it through the night. Over 8 years of watching his physical abilities and his mind go.

Since I was very young, my father made me question everything and always look for alternatives as to how to do things, change and innovation drove him and in turn made me who I am today.

Cherish your closest to you as you may never know when they will be away from you. Make your life mean something, at the end is not what you take with you but what you leave behind that matters most.

We had 2 services for him, one in L.A. and one in our native Costa Rica. Both were celebrations of his life and I appreciate everybody that attended. But it was the one in Costa Rica that impressed me the most, people I had not seen since my childhood showed up and pay homage to his life. Is the stories of how all these people were helped in a meaninful long lasting way by him. From daughters that he secured a job for, to cousins that admired his success and showing them that all is possible in life.

I find myself at peace with his passing now because his biggest contribution to me was that his communication with me was so open that I did not have to make some of the same mistakes he did. And I learned from his triumphs as well. So I am wiser as I live as if I have lived 2 lifes, his and mine. He made me wise when I was young and he made me care for what is important now that I am older.

By Andre Urena

We become our parents parent.

28 AGENDA / September 2011 29AGENDA / September 2011 RELAX & THINKThese quotations are selected each month to offer our readers inspiration to improve their business and personal lives...or at least have a chuckle.

“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” - H. Jackson Browne

“Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.” - Robert Orben

“Executive ability is deciding quickly and getting somebody else to do the work.” - John G. Pollard

“Many people quit looking for work when they find a job.” - Author Unknown

“Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.” - Howard Aiken

“The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play” - Arnold Toynbee

“Researchers at Harvard say that taking a power nap for an hour in the afternoon can totally refresh you. They say that by the time you wake up you’ll feel so good, you’ll be able to start looking for a new job.” - Jay Leno

“Don’t waste time learning the “tricks of the trade. Instead, learn the trade.” - Attributed to James Charlton and H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“There’s no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.” - David Letterman

“What is it that you like doing? If you don’t like it, get out of it, because you’ll be lousy at it.” - Lee Iacocca


Nuestra Musica Vol 52 -“Jarabe de Palo”

Pau Donés born in Aragon, Spain and raised in Barcelona, Spain, worked for various groups before being able to take on his current group, Jarabe de Palo. He began at age 15 with his brother Marc, with whom he formed a group known as J. & Co. Band and later another one named Dentaduras Postizas. During this period he completed his musical tracks in Barcelona with a job at an advertising firm.

I love Jarabe De Palo, because their music is Spanish pop but original enough to stand on its own style. Their lyrics are very contagious. Pau’s greatest success came to him after a trip to Cuba, where he was inspired to write “La flaca” which became the title of his first album in 1996. A year later came the big surprise: millions of albums were sold around the world, and “La flaca” became the song of the summer in 1997. I specially like “La Flaca” song in its acoustic version.

After this great success on his first album, Pau was determined to show that the band would be more than just a one-hit wonder, and with this idea he launched Depende (1998), which was produced by Joe Dworniak in Moody Studios in London over a period of two months. This album featured collaborations with Ketama and continued with Jarabe de Palo’s ironic and ingenious lyrics, which managed to connect with the Hispanic public and even made inroads among Italians.

In 2001 they released De vuelta y vuelta, their most conceptual album. It showed a change in the band with the first music video of the album, in which Pau appears shaving his head, shedding his long-haired features. This album featured collaborations with Antonio Vega, Jovanotti, Vico C and Celia Cruz.

In 2003 the band tried to show a change to more positive songs with their album Bonito, which featured Los Martires del Compas, the singer-songwriter Elena Andujar and their Italian friend Jovanotti.In autumn of 2004 the band announced that they would go on tour with their new album, 1 m2 (Un metro cuadrado, A Square Metre) featuring Jorge Drexler, Lucrecia, Chrissie Hynde from the Pretenders.

Listen to Jarabe de Palo, a great feel good Spanish band. Their album released this year is awesome too, great upbeat driving music that makes you think.

Discography• 1996-LaFlaca• 1998-Depende• 2001-DeVueltayVuelta• 2003-Grandesɸitos• 2003-Bonito• 2004-1m2(UnMetroCuadrado)• 2007-Adelantando• 2009-OrquestaReciclando• 2011-Yahoraquehacemos?

jul-aug-sept. agenda

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