MIAMI, FL. (Univision Records) - Univision Records' exclusive recording artist
Area 305 will welcome U.S. Army's 478th Civil Affairs Battalion this Sunday, February 6, 2005. The ceremony will take place at the Martinez Army Reserve base, located on 13601 SW 176 St. in Miami at noon.
Area 305 was selected to sing the National Anthem in a welcome ceremony to be held for U.S. troops based out of Miami on Sunday. Honored and excited about this opportunity, the group responsible for smash hits like "Hay Que Cambiar" and "Donde Estaras," will join the welcome reception that will pay tribute to the service people coming home from a long journey overseas in the Middle East conflict.
"This is a great honor for us, and we're delighted to be a part of this wonderful celebration," said Area 305 when they learned of the opportunity. According to band members, they were invited to participate in this ceremony thanks to a relative of band member Tony Choy, who is a military serviceman.
As expected, Area 305 took advantage of the opportunity and signed on immediately to perform the American National Anthem to the service personnel returning home to their Miami base, a place the band calls home and also the heart of the Latin music industry in the U.S.
The 478th Civil Affairs Battalion deployed to Iraq in February 2004 and returned to the United States in October 2004. They spent two months in training for the mission, and once in Iraq, were stationed in Baghdad for the entire course of their mission. Fortunately, they all came home alive, although seven were wounded while in Iraq. Sadly, the battalion lost one soldier in Afghanistan, Sergeant First Class Curtis Mancini, who died in an explosion. The battalion has other soldiers currently in Iraq as well as Afghanistan, Africa and Haiti.
Area 305's most recent album, "Hay Que Cambiar" [Time To Change], is comprised of 10 tracks and two bonus tracks of the title track, which comes in Regional Mexican and Salsa versions. The album sways between romantic ballads, the group's trademark, in tracks like 'Dudas" (Doubts), "Si Pudieras Ver" (If You Could See), "Si Tú Me Faltas" (If You're Not With Me), and "Pienso En Ti" (I Think Of You), and the rhythms of contemporary soft rock in the title track, and also on "En Soledad" (In Solitude), and "Nadie Nada" (Nobody).
Area 305 is defined by its eclectic membership: former Cuban classical prodigy Nelson Cano on vocals, and percussion; Tony Choy, born in Cuba of African and Chinese descent, on vocals and electric bass; U.S.-born and Latin America-reared Jonathan Fuzessy on vocals and guitar; and Ricky Ruiz, raised in Puerto Rico, on keyboards and vocals.
With the uncontainable desire to make optimum quality music and the goal of transmitting messages of love, joy and optimism, Area 305 lines itself up as one of the most internationally appealing and refreshing groups that has something new and valuable to offer in the contemporary Latin pop scene.
