Para leer este artículo en español, clic>>Deejay Carolina

Many know her as Deejay Carolina, but those close to her call her Carol. She wanted to study psychology until she met her now husband and manager, Juanes Altamirano, a.k.a. Deejay Juanes, an established New Orleans Latin nightclub and radio DJ. Dating him made her curious to find out how it all worked. “It’s like when you get on an airplane, and you see a pilot’s control room with all the buttons and stuff… and I would think, ‘How do you do this?!’” She recalls telling Altamirano she wanted to learn how to DJ. “I don’t think he took me seriously at first,” she laughs. He gave her one week to prove she was serious. He soon learned Zavala had an exceptional talent. “Her good memory,” he said. He added that most DJs usually cue a song or two to mix into what’s currently playing; Zavala could cue up to seven songs without forgetting them. ‘Carolina learned in one week what it took me many years to learn,” said Altamirano. 

Zavala made her DJ debut at the House of Blues in New Orleans. She remembers being excited and nervous. “I knew a lot of people were curious to see how I was going to do.” She felt pressure to do well and favorably represent Deejay Juanes, her mentor.

Her popularity kept growing. She DJ’d a set at every notable nightclub in New Orleans and its surrounding areas. In 2014, the NBA sought a female DJ who could mix English and Spanish format for a party after the All-Star Game. Deejay Carolina got the gig. After that, she had bookings in nightclubs and festivals outside Louisiana. In early 2015, Univision announced DJ auditions to compete in the DJ@PJ competition for Premios Juventud (Youth Awards). Even with fans tagging her in the post, she told Altamirano she didn’t think she had a chance. He told her, “Do it anyway because you may have something else that other DJs don’t have,” remembers Zavala. “Ever since that moment, I began to believe in myself.” She competed for six weeks, became a fan favorite, and was the only female in the top three. The national exposure catapulted her to play in almost every U.S. state and presented Zavala with opportunities to open for major music acts such as Daddy Yankee, El Torito, Zacarías Ferreíra, and Bad Bunny, to name a few. 

Since the beginning of her DJ journey, she established El Macaneo (Honduran Slang for Wild Party or Good Time), a virtual DJ concept to entertain her fans on Facebook LIVE and to give exposure to independent musicians. When the nightclubs closed during the pandemic, Zavala strengthened her connection with her audience, turning El Macaneo into a virtual nightclub concept with over 4 Million followers. She took El Macaneo to TikTok LIVE with viewers from all over the world. 

Deejay Carolina’s future goals know no bounds. With a tour spanning 40 U.S. cities plus Latin American and European stops on the horizon, she’s a force to be reckoned with in the music world.

Beyond her DJ prowess, Zavala dreams of expanding her family. She chuckles when asked if she would add a little Deejay Carolina or little Deejay Juanes to the mix. “Only one, boy or girl. Whatever God sends!” She wants to leave a lasting legacy for aspiring female DJs. “I wasn’t the first Latina female DJ, but one of the firsts, and I know I have opened doors for other girls to do what I love,” Zavala says. Through her journey, she’s shattered stereotypes, proving that women can thrive in the male-dominated realm of DJing.

Catch Deejay Carolina in action on El Macaneo, or book her for your next event. Follow her journey on social media as Deejay Carolina for the latest updates and mixes.

Para leer este artículo en español, clic aquí: Rancho Aparte

One of the musical groups invited to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which is part of the celebration of Colombia at the Expedia Cultural Exchange, is Rancho Aparte.

Directly from the Department of Chocó, Rancho Aparte represents the sounds of the Colombian Pacific, such as abozaos, polkas, rebulú, contradances, and jugas through its music. They are the most recognized band of Chirimía, a rhythm that uses brass instruments and rescues the roots and soul of a region where joy is present despite daily difficulties. “The Chirimía has a combination of instruments of European origin with native instruments; it is an ancient musical format to which the voice and lyrics and other instruments were added over time,” says Dino Manuelle, Rancho Aparte’s vocalist.

The group’s energy has made them stand out in Colombia, and they have conquered audiences on stages such as the WOMEX Festival in Budapest and the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. They have been the favorites of the Colombian Pacific music festival, the Petronio Alvarez in Cali, Colombia, where they performed an exciting brass band exchange with the renowned Hot 8 Brass Band from New Orleans.

For Manuelle, the experience of playing with the Hot 8 Brass Band was a great idea. “We connected, and three groups played a Chirimía song together. The energy was tremendous, and we didn’t want to leave the stage,” he said, adding that the similarity between New Orleans brass and the Chirimía is in the percussion and wind instruments, in that it is very urban and street music.

Their performance at Jazz Fest will bring them their first in the United States. They hope to discover more New Orleans rhythms, connect with other bands from around the world who will be present at the festival, and, of course, be ready to make the audience enjoy themselves. “At Rancho Aparte, we do not spare a single drop of sweat. The audience will jump, sing, and get to know the music of our population and our country. They will feel everything from emotion to reflection with the lyrics of our songs,’ says Manuelle.

Don’t miss Rancho Aparte’s performances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. You can discover more about this band through their soc

To read this article in Spanish, click Jazz Fest Celebra a Colombia

Jazz Fest’s 2024 Expedia Cultural Exchange explores Colombia’s vibrant musical and cultural legacy. It marks the largest exchange in the festival’s history, with nearly 200 Colombian artists participating.

Notable Colombian representatives include Bomba Estéreo on April 27, ChocQuibTown’s Goyo with an exceptional performance alongside local band ÌFÉ on April 28, and the iconic Grupo Niche closing the festival on May 5.

Enjoy the Chirimía rhythm with Rancho Apart and the traditional marimba with Agrupación Changó the first weekend. Kombilesa Mi will perform on April 27 and 28, mixing traditional Afro-Caribbean rhythms with rap in Spanish and Palenquero, the language of Palenque, the first town of free blacks in America.

The second weekend brings the winners from the prestigious Petronio Álvarez Festival, Matachindé, and the marimba fusion group Bejuco. The Caribbean fusion arrives with the Creole Group from San Andrés on May 3 and 4.

Don’t miss cumbia, salsa, joropo, and champeta, with performances like salsa clash  from Cali's Jacobo Vélez y la Mambanegra. In addition, the joropo of Cimarrón and the indigenous music with the Millo flute of Joaquín Pérez y su Herencia Ancestral with the rhythms of the Barranquilla Carnival on the first weekend; Lucio Feuillet will represent the city of Pasto’s Black and White Carnival on the second weekend.

The cultural exchange area will showcase Colombian crafts, including backpacks, baskets, jewelry, violins, marimbas, and more, from more than 18 artisans.

We must remember the Colombian flavors! Café Carmo of New Orleans, in collaboration with chef José Blanco of Waska, will serve Colombian street delicacies, such as a refreshing ceviche. On May 3, guest chef Francisco Escalona Forth will present recipes from various regions, such as San Andrés crab stew and Cocoloco. Do not miss the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and its celebration of Colombia!