* More about Gary Nuñez *
Plena Libre
GARY NUÑEZ, bass player, composer,
arranger, producer and director.
Graduated from the University of
Puerto Rico and then Magna Cum
Laude from the Music Conservatory of
Puerto Rico, nonetheless Gary credits
"la calle" (public performance) and its
fellow musicians for his true musical
knowledge.
Self taught bass player, Gary learned
other instruments, like drums, guitar
and vibraphone, before finding his "true
voice" through the four strings double
bass.
Since his beginnings, Gary has had his
own independent voice and musical
vision. That is why in 1975, while the
latin music world was tuned to "salsa",
he decided to study deeply the history
and styles of the Puerto Rican music,
learned to play the "cuatro
puertorriqueño" (Puerto Rico’s national
string instrument) and developed a
group that would become one of the
most important strongholds for the
development of the "New Song"
movement in Puerto Rico, "Moliendo
Vidrio".
With this group he became involved in
the development of two tendencies that
later would be a part of the musical
industry in Puerto Rico. The
development and projection of musical
groups based on Puerto Rico’s
countryside music and the realization
of independent musical recordings,
outside of the major labels.
In the 80’s, after forming his own
"salsa" orchestra with a typical Puerto
Rican flavor, Gary developed "Caribe
Jazz". A jazz project based on the
fusion of the musical structure of jazz
on top of Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms. A
tendency that would later be developed
by top Puerto Rican jazz performers.
In the 90’s, and as a product of "plena"
jam sessions, Gary Nuñez picks up to
one of the richest, happiest, and dance
to music in the Puerto Rican culture,
the Plena. Except for extraordinary
folklore presentations, the "plena" had
been virtually silent for almost 15
years.
In 1994, Gary creates and designs a
new sound, concept and strategy for
the "plena", and so, Plena Libre was
born.
Gary has been in charge of all the
album productions (13) and musical
arrangements for Plena Libre, that has
lead to four Grammy nominations and
performances in fifteen countries
around the world.He has also,
contributed with over fifty (50) original
musical compositions performed and
recorded by the group, which embody a
new lyrical perspective for the "plena".
His contributions to the development
and promotion of the Puerto Rican
music though his different projects
have been recognized by different
institutions, including the the Puerto
Rican Institute of Culture, the
Commission for the 500th Anniversary
of the Discovery of Puerto Rico and
America, the Senate, and House of
Representatives of Puerto Rico, and
included in different books that trace
the history of Puerto Rico’s popular
music like "Del Bolero a la Nueva
Cancion" (From the "Bolero" to the
New Song), written by Pedro Malavet
Vega, and the "Music Encyclopedia of
Puerto Rico" by Professor Hector
Campos Parsi.
Considered to be a proficient musician,
an innovator and consistent lover and
"worker" of the Puerto Rican music,
Gary Nuñez is always in search for his
own voice and identity inside the music
world.
arranger, producer and director.
Graduated from the University of
Puerto Rico and then Magna Cum
Laude from the Music Conservatory of
Puerto Rico, nonetheless Gary credits
"la calle" (public performance) and its
fellow musicians for his true musical
knowledge.
Self taught bass player, Gary learned
other instruments, like drums, guitar
and vibraphone, before finding his "true
voice" through the four strings double
bass.
Since his beginnings, Gary has had his
own independent voice and musical
vision. That is why in 1975, while the
latin music world was tuned to "salsa",
he decided to study deeply the history
and styles of the Puerto Rican music,
learned to play the "cuatro
puertorriqueño" (Puerto Rico’s national
string instrument) and developed a
group that would become one of the
most important strongholds for the
development of the "New Song"
movement in Puerto Rico, "Moliendo
Vidrio".
With this group he became involved in
the development of two tendencies that
later would be a part of the musical
industry in Puerto Rico. The
development and projection of musical
groups based on Puerto Rico’s
countryside music and the realization
of independent musical recordings,
outside of the major labels.
In the 80’s, after forming his own
"salsa" orchestra with a typical Puerto
Rican flavor, Gary developed "Caribe
Jazz". A jazz project based on the
fusion of the musical structure of jazz
on top of Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms. A
tendency that would later be developed
by top Puerto Rican jazz performers.
In the 90’s, and as a product of "plena"
jam sessions, Gary Nuñez picks up to
one of the richest, happiest, and dance
to music in the Puerto Rican culture,
the Plena. Except for extraordinary
folklore presentations, the "plena" had
been virtually silent for almost 15
years.
In 1994, Gary creates and designs a
new sound, concept and strategy for
the "plena", and so, Plena Libre was
born.
Gary has been in charge of all the
album productions (13) and musical
arrangements for Plena Libre, that has
lead to four Grammy nominations and
performances in fifteen countries
around the world.He has also,
contributed with over fifty (50) original
musical compositions performed and
recorded by the group, which embody a
new lyrical perspective for the "plena".
His contributions to the development
and promotion of the Puerto Rican
music though his different projects
have been recognized by different
institutions, including the the Puerto
Rican Institute of Culture, the
Commission for the 500th Anniversary
of the Discovery of Puerto Rico and
America, the Senate, and House of
Representatives of Puerto Rico, and
included in different books that trace
the history of Puerto Rico’s popular
music like "Del Bolero a la Nueva
Cancion" (From the "Bolero" to the
New Song), written by Pedro Malavet
Vega, and the "Music Encyclopedia of
Puerto Rico" by Professor Hector
Campos Parsi.
Considered to be a proficient musician,
an innovator and consistent lover and
"worker" of the Puerto Rican music,
Gary Nuñez is always in search for his
own voice and identity inside the music
world.
See Gary @ Roskilde Festival in Denmark