Libre

Libre, aka Manny Oquendo’s Libre, was co-founded in Oct 1974 simply by Manny Oquendo (b. 1931, Brooklyn, NY, USA, of Puerto Rican parentage; head, timbales, bongo, güiro, various other percussion, chorus, plans) and Andy González (b. 1951, Manhattan, NY, USA; bass, claves, additional percussion, chorus, plans). They fulfilled while dealing with Eddie Palmieri’s music group and made a decision to organize Libre after having ‘irreconcilable complications’ using the music group innovator. Their founding basic principle was that Libre (‘free of charge’) ought to be predicated on Afro-Cuban origins, not only copying them, but permitting a freer, jazzier, even more urban audio which broke from what they regarded as the ‘frosty, unemotional and mechanised sound’ of all documented salsa. Libre followed a trombones and flute ‘trombanga’ frontline, a mixture that Oquendo acquired helped Palmieri develop when he was an associate of his group, La Perfecta, in the 60s. Oquendo actually was raised on Latin music. In the 30s his family members resided above Almacenes Hernández, the other from the leading record shops in Un Barrio (Spanish Harlem). As a young child he paid attention to Machito’s primary Afro-Cubans and started collecting 78 rpm discs of Cuban music. He began playing timbales at age 13 and caused various rings, including Charlie Valero (1946), Los Hermanos Mercado and Un Boy. He used the renowned Chano Pozo in 1947 and changed Tito Puente in José Curbelo’s music group in 1948. Through the 50s mambo period, he performed with Tito Rodríguez and Puente. He up to date Eddie Palmieri about the music appearing out of Cuba while these were both accompanists in the Vicentico Valdés music group in the past due 50s, and became a creator person in Palmieri’s Conjunto La Perfecta in 1962, staying using the group until 1967. Soon after he continued to utilize Palmieri until Libre’s development. Furthermore, he caused, amongst others, Pupi Campo, Noro Morales, Miguelito Valdés, Johnny Pacheco’s charanga music group, Charlie Palmieri, Larry Harlow and Israel ‘Cachao’ López. González began violin tuition when he was at quality school. He turned to bass at junior senior high school and structured a Latin jazz quintet along with his old sibling, Jerry González (conga, trumpet, flügelhorn, chorus, music group innovator). He started gigging with dance rings when he was 13-years old. In 1967, he produced his documenting debut using the music group of Monguito Santamaría (Mongo Santamaría’s boy) on AT THE TOP. After 2 yrs and an additional recording with Santamaría, González do a stint with Ray Barretto’s music group between 1969 and 1971, acquiring half a year out to utilize Dizzy Gillespie. From 1971-74, he performed with Eddie Palmieri. González offers sessioned with an extraordinary set of Latin performers, including Justo Betancourt, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Rodríguez, Willie Colón, Machito, Arturo ‘Chico’ O’Farrill, Charlie Palmieri, Roberto Torres, Don Gonzalo Fernández, Virgilio Marti and Rubén Cutting blades. In the jazz and fusion contexts, he spent some time working with Kenny Dorham, Clifford Thornton, Hank Jones, Jazz Composers Orchestra, Kip Hanrahan, Jaco Pastorius, Astor Piazzolla, J.C. Noticed, Paul Simon and sibling Jerry’s Fort Apache Music group, amongst others. González made an appearance using the last mentioned in London in November 1990. Like Oquendo, he provides steeped himself in the Afro-Cuban custom: ‘I’ve examined the whole background of Cuban music through recordings’, he told Larry Birnbaum in 1989, ‘and I’ve spoken to a number of individuals who are proficient in that music and the ones intervals… Afro Cuban music background has a series to it, exactly like jazz… Issues change over time, but I believe you’ve surely got to keep the connect to days gone by.’ Jerry González was a founder person in Libre. He co-founded the Latin Jazz Quintet in 1964; performed with Monguito Santamaría; toured using the Seaside Young boys (playing trumpet), and caused Kenny Dorham, Dizzy Gillespie (half a year), Orquesta Flamboyán (2 yrs), Clifford Thornton Quintet, Tony Williams’ Life time, Eddie Palmieri (playing conga for two-and-a-half years), Jeremy Steig, Larry Adolescent, George Benson, Justo Betancourt, Totico and Kip Hanrahan, amongst others. Jerry produced his single debut using the significant Ya Yo Me Treatment in 1980. He produced his very own Latin jazz clothing, the Fort Apache Music group, and produced his record debut with them over the River Is normally Deep, that was recorded on the Berlin Jazz Celebration in November 1982 (Libre also made an appearance). He still left Libre by the end from the 80s to spend his energies to music group leading. In 1989, he released Obatalá and Rumba Em fun??o de Monk. In November 1990, the Fort Apache Music group produced their UK debut with a superb gig at London’s Empire Ballroom. Oquendo as well as the González brothers all performed using the short-lived Grupo Folklorico Y Experimental Nuevayorquino for the pioneering Ideas In Unity (1975) and Lo Dice Todo (1977), both on Salsoul Information. Soon after the 1st Grupo Folklorico record, Libre authorized with Salsoul and released four albums for the label between 1976 and 1981. On the debut, Con Salsa… Con Ritmo Vol. 1, Libre offered ‘Bamboleate’ and ‘No Critiques’ – two tracks Oquendo got originally documented with Eddie Palmieri in the 60s – a durable and jazzy interpretation. Also presented was a shifting version from the 1929 traditional ‘Lamento Borincano (Un Jibarito)’ by the fantastic Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández (1891-1965). Another traditional, 1928’s ‘Suavecito’ by Cuban Ignacio Piñeiro (1888 -1969; composer and innovator of Septeto Nacional) was presented with a charanga-style treatment for the music group’s follow-up Tiene Calidad – Con Salsa… Con Ritmo Vol. 2 in 1978. Los Lideres De La Salsa in 1979 put together a monitor each from Libre’s 1st two albums, ‘La Salsa’ performed by Grupo Folklorico (with business lead vocals by previous big music group innovator Marcelino Guerra), plus three fresh tracks, two which presented Cuban violinist Alfredo De La Fé. Small and talented vocalist, Herman Olivera, produced his saving debut with Libre, posting business lead vocals with Tony ‘Pupy Cantor’ Torres (a music group member since 1975) on Increible in 1981. Olivera was the alternative to Libre’s additional co-lead vocalist, Héctor ‘Tempo’ Alomar, who also became a member of in 1975 and continued to record with Nestor Torres, Charanga América, Johnny ‘Dandy’ Rodríguez and Grupo ABC. Libre turned towards the Montuno label for Ritmo, Sonido Y Estilo in 1983. The recording presented an outstanding edition from the plena ‘Elena, Elena’ made up by Manuel ‘Canario’ Jiménez (b. 1895, Manatí, Puerto Rico, d. 1975), a get better at of Puerto Rican jibaro (nation) music, and a swinging interpretation from the traditional ‘Que Humanidad’, co-written with the extremely prolific Cuban composer Ñico Saquito. Torres departed and became a co-lead vocalist with Willie Rosario’s music group for a short stint. Olivera still left in 1991 to sing with Cruz Control, a swinging brand-new clothing co-led by percussionist Ray Cruz and pianist Sergio Rivera. He was changed on business lead vocals by Frankie Vásquez (b. 6 January 1958, Guayama, Puerto Rico), who furthermore to carrying out stints with Fuego ’77, Sonido Taibori, Orquesta Calidad, Osvaldo ‘Chi Hua Hua’ Martínez’s Orquesta Metropolitana, Wayne Gorbea (b. 22 Oct 1950, Manhattan, NY, USA; music group innovator, pianist, percussionist, vocalist, composer, maker) and Javier Vázquez, offers performed with Henry Fiol, Junior González, Frankie Morales as well as others. Libre’s trombone section offers included such luminaries as the past due Barry Rogers and Jose Rodrigues (both longstanding Eddie Palmieri accompanists); Angel ‘Papo’ Vásquez, Jimmy Bosch (a long-time Ray Barretto compatriot) and Reinaldo Jorge; and jazz music artists Ed Byrne, Dan Reagan and Steve Turre (who also takes on conch shell). Jazz fusioneer Dave Valentin performed flute on all except one of Libre’s 1st five albums. NY given birth to pianist, Oscar Hernández, performed around the music group’s 1st four produces and guested using one an eye on Ritmo, Sonido Y Estilo (ex-Típica 73 and Los Kimbos member, Joe Mannozzi, performed on the rest). Hernández caused Joey Pastrana, Ismael Miranda, Alfredo ‘Delicious chocolate’ Armenteros, Roberto Torres, Felix ‘Pupi’ Legaretta, Pete ‘Un Conde’ Rodríguez, Ray Barretto and Rubén Cutting blades, amongst others. He proved helpful increasingly being a manufacturer and albums to his credit consist of: Azucar A Granel! (1988) by Camilo Azuquita, DOUBLY Great! (1988) by Rafael de Jesús and Carabalí (1988) and Carabalí II (1991) with the septet from the same name. The influence from the salsa cum Latin jazz formula of Carabalí’s 1st release around the London Latin picture resulted in a five-night residency at London’s Bass Clef golf club accompanied by a nine-date UK tour, time for the Bass Clef for the ultimate gig (all in Apr, 1989). Hernández was with them as key pad participant and musical movie director. Libre still gig regularly, touring the united states, Latin America, Africa and European countries, and made an appearance in Leon Ichaso’s film Crossover Dreams (1985) starring Rubén Cutting blades. IN-MAY 1989, Carlos Agudelo published in his Billboard ‘Latin Notas’ column: ‘The truth that Libre continues to be without a documenting contract for quite some time calls focus on the cleverness and priorities from the Latin documenting business within this nation’. In 1991, the music group returned towards the studio room and Libre’s workers performed on ‘Descarga De Turre’, a monitor on Steve Turre’s THERE.