* BIO *
Plena Libre
Plena Libre is
...Modern music with
Puerto Rican roots.
...Modern music with
Puerto Rican roots.
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, Dartmouth College’s prestigious
Hopkins Center and 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 the 2008 release,
"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 jelled 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 in November 2007 when Plena Libre was invited to perform five concerts in
Monterrey, Mexico at the World Forum of Cultures and Education Festival. This was 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, “In 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, which were taking place that same and the
following nights.
Unbelievably, the whole experience just fell into place so beautifully 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. 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
that and devote myself to it. After a few years with a group that worked with jibaro (mountain music of
Puerto Rico), I decided to delve 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. They are 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 and at the
same time 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, plus 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.
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, Dartmouth College’s prestigious
Hopkins Center and 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 the 2008 release,
"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 jelled 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 in November 2007 when Plena Libre was invited to perform five concerts in
Monterrey, Mexico at the World Forum of Cultures and Education Festival. This was 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, “In 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, which were taking place that same and the
following nights.
Unbelievably, the whole experience just fell into place so beautifully 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. 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
that and devote myself to it. After a few years with a group that worked with jibaro (mountain music of
Puerto Rico), I decided to delve 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. They are 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 and at the
same time 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, plus 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.
More about Gary Nuñez & Plena Libre
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