In the past year I was introduced to three Puerto Rican recordings including, Puerto Rican folkloric jibara music (Jibaro Hasta el Hueso), the Virginia-based salsa group, Bio-Ritmo rendition of 1970's salsa music and most recently, the Puerto Rican septet, Plena Libre.  While many of us have been grooving on Cuban sons, mambos and salsa, a variety of Dominican, Haitian and Puerto Rican recordings have surfaced recently, reminding us that the Caribbean islands are a hotbed for Afro-Latin music.   Plena Libre's 10th release, Estamos Gozando! marks the group's 10th anniversary and celebrates Puerto Rican plena composers of the Golden Era.

According to band founder and bassist Gary Nuñez, "It is impossible to dilute the character of Puerto Rican people, because we have strong roots.  And plena is an important part of it."  Nuñez has dedicated his music career to preserving this rich musical tradition and taking it beyond its folkloric status and similar to other music of Latin America, plena is steeped in politics of the people and has taken center stage during labor strikes as well as, culture pride parades.  Plena with its driving beat, call & response vocals and horns rallies the hearts of Puerto Ricans and plays a similar role to the Cuban son in that hidden messages are imbedded in the song lyrics.  "For the migrant workers who followed harvest of different crops, the plena was their orally transmitted newspaper, informing people of the latest news, and accompanying every celebration."

Traditionally, the plena uses three different-sized hand drums called panderos with three different pitches and interlocking rhythms.  The guiro (a gourd scaper) also found in jibara music can be heard in plena music.  Over time, accordion and a cuatro (four-string guitar) and eventually orchestral arrangements were added.  Nuñez added bass, keyboards, timbale, congas, trombones and some of the most talented plena vocalists to his group.  The band leader pays homage to the great plena musicians and composers of the past including, Àngel Torruellas, Los Pleneros de Quinto Olivo, Cèsar Concepciòn, master percussionist Rafael Cortijo and Mon Rivera.  You can hear compositions by those musicians on Estamos Gazando.

Plena Libre musicians include, Victor Muñiz (singer, drummer), Carlos Villanueva (singer, percussion), Kayvan Vega (singer, percussion), Israel Vèlez (hand drum), Gina Villanueva (congas, chorus), Kevin Vega (chorus, percussion, quinto drum), Luisito Marìn (piano), Jorge Dìaz (trombone) and William Gonzàlez (timbal).  Special guests include Roberto Rohena (bongos), Alfredo de la Fè (violin), William Cepeda (trombone) and Charlie Sepùlveda (trumpet).  Together these musicians heat up Puerto Rico's dance halls.  Just listening to the interlocking rhythms, delicious horn solos and passionate vocals brings a bit of sunshine to the unseasonably cold day in which I'm currently experiencing.

Que Buena Son Las Mujeres sizzles with shimmering horns, and spirited call & response vocals.  Lluvia Con Nieva takes it up a notch, featuring a trumpet solo by Charlie Sepùlveda, a piano solo by Luìs Marin and violin compliments of Alfredo de la Fè.  Juan Jose brings in trombone player William Cepeda and Lo Que A Ti Te Gusta grooves to delicious beats, Jorge Dìaz' trombone and Juan Castillo's hand accordion.  The song's passionate call & response vocals invite us to steam up the dance floor.   And if you're lucky, Plena Libra might be coming to a venue near you.  Check the Cranky Crow calendar listings and brush off your dancing shoes.