Founded in San Juan by bass player/composer Gary Nuñez Plena Libre is
well into a 15-year voyage that has seen the orchestra re-invent the
sound of Puerto Rico’s plena and bomba traditions.   During that time,
Gary and his group have recorded 12 stellar albums which have
garnered four Grammy nominations.   In taking their unparalleled live
show to the World, the group has spread the gospel of their unique Afro-
Rican sound on international jazz festival stages from Montreal to Milan
and Denmark to Veracruz as well as to Performing Arts venues like the
Kennedy and Lincoln Centers and the Dartmouth College’s prestigious
Hopkins Centre all the way to obscure outposts in the likes of Lake
Okoboji, Iowa. Recent years have seen Gary and the band blend
contemporary cumbia, merengue, salsa and other Afro-Caribbean
sounds into their mix to create a unique sofrito borinqueño that is
pushing the plena and bomba well into the future.  With Gary securing
some of the Island’s top players for his band, Plena Libre has aptly
transcended their humble beginnings – evolving into a powerhouse force
that is undoubtedly one of the elite heavy-weight live orchestras on the
current Latin music scene.

Inspired by the concerts during Plena Libre’s lengthy Summer 2007
North American tour, Nuñez began to ponder how best to capture his
group’s live energy for what would eventually become Plena al Salsero –
Plena Libre’s 13th record overall and the orchestra’s first live outing….
“This idea of a live recording was something that I had been encouraged
to do for years”, says Gary ,  “but in the past year the personnel and the
chemistry in the band had gelled so much that I knew that the timing was
now ripe.  The evolution of the musical sound, excitement, and energy of
Plena Libre’s live show over this past year was something I had never
experienced with the group before.   I knew this sound had to be
captured right now….  But when, and where?.....”

The opportunity arose this past November when Plena Libre was invited
to perform five concerts in Monterrey, Mexico at the World Forum of
Cultures and Education festival organized by UNESCO to promote world
peace and understanding.   “We were absolutely thrilled to be invited to
play Puerto Rican music at such an event”,  recalled Nuñez, “At the back
of my head, I had also been thinking of doing a live recording of this
current band for months, and this seemed to be both the right place and
the right time. Unfortunately, however, we had no time to prepare for a
live recording, so we just left for Mexico, without making any formal
advance arrangements to record.”

Gary continued… “After the first two performances – we were all so
charged! –  I just became convinced that we had to record these shows.
My wife Valerie and I started looking in the Monterrey phone book for
recording studios and, when we came to one called “Cielo”  (“Heaven” in
English) ,  I just felt that this name had to be a sign.   We visited El Cielo
Recording Studios and found this big beautiful studio with an amazing
engineer.   By the grace of God, he had just had another job fall through
so he was available and willing to bring all the remote equipment to
Monterrey’s Parque Fundidora on terribly short notice to record us live at
the final concerts of our Forum Cultural engagement that were taking
place that same,  and the following, nights.   

Unbelievably, the whole experience just fell into place so beautiful and
seamlessly.  The technicians were super and the musicians in Plena
were so “on” for these shows –everyone performing at beyond their own
limits.   After our final concert at The Forum, we were scheduled to fly
home to Puerto Rico on the sunrise flight that very next morning.  The
engineer only managed to bring us the recordings to the hotel at 3 AM -
just moments before our lobby call to leave for the airport. So then, we
left for home not quite knowing what we had down on that tape…   In my
gut, though, I just KNEW it was going to be great!”

“When we finally heard the recordings at the mixing studio back in
Puerto Rico”, says Gary, “…we were simply elated!   It confirmed
everything I’d had been thinking about this band, the current lineup of
Plena Libre. The chemistry and emotions on stage – my God! – It doesn’t
stop to amaze me how we all feel each other musically.   This is what I
trust people can hear on the record – the quality of the live recording,  
how it captures Plena Libre onstage, the overwhelming spirit of the band
– it is the music of Puerto Rico as it should be experienced.  When the
musicians came over to hear the recording for the first time themselves,
they said what I had been thinking myself that whole week in the mixing
studio….   This train will just run you over!”

Nuñez should know what he is talking about.  Alongside his wife (and
band manager) Valerie Cox, he has chartered his band through a career
that reflects a lifelong commitment to the music and culture of Puerto
Rico. “When I was 20 years old,” said Gary, “I met Noel Hernandez, who
is now my compadre.  Noel opened my mind to help me find out what was
Puerto Rican about me, my identity and, my music. That got me into
studying my history and my music and into playing both Puerto Rican
music, and music from other countries. I realized that even though
Puerto Rican musicians are known worldwide in many fields of music,
the music that is truly traditional to Puerto Rico is hardly known. I wanted
to do something about it; devote myself to it. After a few years with a
group that worked with jibaro (mountain music of Puerto Rico) I decided
to go into the Puerto Rican music that is based on our African heritage,
the plena and the bomba. That’s how Plena Libre was born. The rest is
history…”

The sound of Plena Libre is the modern, forward-looking sound of Puerto
Rico, at the same time that it is firmly rooted in Puerto Rico’s musical
traditions. The plena and bomba are at the core of the compositional
structure of the songs and the instrumental lineup, which includes the
panderos – the hand-held drums used in the traditional plena; it is also at
the core of the singing style of Plena Libre’s soneros, who had been
brought up on Afro-Rican sung traditions. The trombone is perhaps the
brass instrument most identified with Puerto Rico; Plena Libre’s
trombone section showcases the island’s proud horn at the same time
that it derives its presence in Plena Libre’s version of Afro-Rican
traditions from the innovative NuYorican salsero Eddie Palmieri and
plena and bomba master, singer, Mon Rivera.  Gary Nuñez has also
added keyboard, bass, timbal, conga, and miscellaneous percussion to
create a formidable rhythm section, combining the traditional bomba and
plena with other Caribbean rhythms, as well as harmonic structures and
improvisations derived from jazz. The resulting sound is muscular,
energetic, and sophisticated, adapting folklore to the contemporary
dance floor, without losing the grit and rawness of the street.  Of his
band’s current line-up Gary said, “It’s really some orchestra that I’m
working with right now!  I am really blessed to be working with some of
the best musicians on the Island at the moment.   … and such great guys
as well.”

Regarding  the quadruple-threat of Plena Libre’s four frontline singers
Nuñez said, “Kali Villanueva has one of cleanest voices that I‘ve heard in
ages, and musically, he’s grown so much over these last couple of
years.  Old-time sonero Pole Ortiz has such a powerful voice and he’s
one of the most versatile singers ever.  Victor Velez just amazes me with
his streetwise knowledge and experience in singing bomba and plena.   

Of the band, Gary relates, “Rafi Falu is one of the top requinto (lead
pandero) players in Puerto Rico, with fast hands and a great technique;  
Luis Gabriel – I’m so proud of him. He’s my son and he’s doing such a
great job on the choro and the panderos.  Plena Al Salsero is his very
first recording – he’s young, but learning fast;  Rolando Lopez on the
keyboards is very knowledgeable and so steady with his sound;  Kachiro,
our conga player, has to be one of the best congueros in the world.  He
has taken this band to new heights, so steady and fluent in his rhythm,
yet not afraid of anything;  Timbal player Raul Rosario is one of the Puerto
Rico’s young talents of percussion, a truly great musician;  In my mind,
Plena Libre’s current horn section has to be the best trombone section in
the business right now.  Cesar Ayala, with his perfect pitch, plays the
most beautiful third trombone I’ve ever heard. His range is just amazing;  
Gamaliel has a very powerful sound and perfect intonation – he really
pushes the band.   Together they create a sound that is professionally
slick, but still so very powerful.   I feel truly blessed to be working with
them all.”

The offerings on this album include extended, live versions of a few of
Plena Libre’s hits from throughout the orchestra’s storied career, as well
as some choice covers and mostly exciting new Nuñez compositions  
seeing their first recorded versions on this release.   It is some of the
liveliest, the punchiest and most joy-filled delivery one can hope to hear
captured on a live recording.

It is the culmination of Gary Nuñez’ lifetime of work; it is the sound of
Puerto Rico, and it is Plena Libre today.
* bio *
Plena Libre


More about Gary Nuñez & Plena Libre
Plena Libre is
...Modern music with
Puerto Rican roots.