In spite of the often quoted nationalistic blurbage found in liner notes, press releases, the printed press and even so-called scholarly sources, the bomba and plena genres aren't a sure fire formula for musical success, nor are they as popular as they are made to be at times. As it is true of assorted other musical styles in current and past history, the plena and the bomba from Puerto Rico have had to be transmogrified in order to lengthen their market reach. In the case, for example, of the justly celebrated binomial of Rafael Cortijo and Ismael Rivera, there was a conscious effort to assimilate bomba and plena with Cuban son and guaracha. Thus, rather than invest themselves in musical archeology, or producing music for mostly archival purposes—à la Paracumbé—Plena Libre aspires to make plena (to a large extent) and bomba (to a lesser degree) viable contemporary musical forms of entertainment. In other words, although it would be impossible—and unnecessary—to uproot such genres from their past musical types and social functions, this group just wants you to party with 'em. And party they do!

This time, after nearly a decade of accomplishments, Plena Libre is honoring several noteworthy figures associated with the type of music they perform by reinterpreting some standards, as well as repertoire not considered as such albeit penned by important authors in these genres. Hence, the recording should prove as marketable as any of their previous efforts. Reinforced with special guests and a renewed staff, ¡Estamos gozando! is a happily infectious exercise of syncopation that swallows up the listener immediately upon exposure.