 |
PLENA LIBRE
 It
has been eleven years since the group Plena Libre has burst
onto the musical scene in Puerto Rico, with a musical offering
that was different, fresh, danceable, and experimental, but
rooted in the traditional one-hundred years old genre–
the Puerto Rican plena. On October 4 th 2005 Times Square
will be releasing their 11 th CD, titled Evolución
(Evolution, TSQ-CD- 9048).
Going against the currents of the Latin commercial music scene,
which was mostly centered on salsa and ballads, this Afro-Rican
group of 13 members presented a different and relatively unknown
genre. Plena Libre created a presence on the scene for itself,
and have since also become ambassadors of the new sounds of
Puerto Rico, taking their updated blend of roots music to
many parts of the world. In the past few years, Plena Libre
was nominated three times for the Grammies, and has received
many awards in their native Puerto Rico.
 |
Evolución,
marks the beginning of a new decade for the “plena
ambassadors”, as they are known in Puerto Rico.
While their previous CD, “Estamos Gozando!”celebrated
their first decade in a tribute to past interpreters
of bomba and plena, Evolución returns to Plena
Libre’s experimental path, with a new and vigorous
perspective.
TSQ9048
Evolución
|
For Plena Libre, Evolución
marks a new level of maturity and quality. The core of the
band’s repertoire remains the danceable plena, the folkloric
form that was born 100 years ago and provided an orally transmitted
newspaper, led by the three panderos (hand held drums playing
interlocking rhythms); and the bomba, a genre that derives
from African traditions brought by slaves to Puerto Rico,
and covers over thirty rhythmic patterns played on barriles
(barrel like drums). But Evolución also presents a
new sonority for the group, amplifying its trombone section
with the profundity of the baritone sax, and incorporating
the flute, classical and electric guitars, vibraphone, the
Puerto-Rican cuatro and the accordion (among other instruments)
for additional color, into the eleven songs included in this
release. The traditional formats of bomba and plena are enhanced
by the rhythm section as well, which infuses these genres
with a variety of rhythms and styles – the Brazilian
samba, the complicated 6/8ths and African touches of the bata
drums, the descarga (jam) style of the Latin jazz tune, and
the updated variations of the two bomba tracks presented on
the record. In short, every track presents both the traditional
essence of plena and bomba as well as the musical liberties
taken by Gary Nuñez, the band’s leader and arranger,
and the members of the group.
 |
Evolución
showcases a Plena Libre that is of a polished, seasoned
quality, a group that went into the recording studio
with a fortified pool of talent. The group’s tremendous
energy was felt throughout the recording, bringing Gary
Nuñez’s intricate arrangements into life.
The band invited two Puerto Rican folklore legends as
guests on this recording.
|
Don Angel Torruellas, is known
as “The Living Legend” for his extensive and prolific
work with bomba and plena. This septuagenarian’s muscular
rendition of his classic “Yenyere” shows that
the plena master is in good a shape as ever. In addition,
he contributed two other compositions he penned for Evolución:
“Me Quisiste” and “Pañuelo Colora’o”.
Andrés Jiménez, “The Jibaro”, is
one of the most a celebrated singers of music from the Puerto
Rican countryside, with a career spanning 30 years. He demonstrates
his mastery of the improvisational art of the Puerto Rican
decima, together with Plena Libre lead singer and composer
of “Canto a Puerto Rico”, Pole Ortiz, on that
song.
It has been more than a decade since Gary Nunez baptized the
group with its name Plena Libre, willing it to break cultural
and musical boundaries. The track “Tumba’o”,
also available as a bonus remix track – is a great example
of his innovative spirit: a happy love union of genres, with
a mélange of rhythms coming from plena, oriza, samba,
rock and reggae.
| Plena
Libre will be embarking on an extensive tour in support
of their album this fall |
|
 |
Back
to Artist Features |
|
