Genre: World, Puerto Rican dance. Plena
Newest Release: Evolucion
Since 1994, Plena Libre, led by bassist, arranger, composer and producer Gary Núñez, has become a major force on the Puerto Rican musical scene.With a style that draws on both the traditional and the modern, Plena Libre has taken this rhythmic genre of Puerto Rican origin through new and exciting developments. Plena Libre's unique interpretation of the beloved native Afro-Puerto Rican song form/rhythm, plena is fused with salsa, jazz and other Afro-Caribbean genres to produce a joyous, percussion-driven, vocally rich mixture.
Nominated for a GRAMMY in 2003 and a Latin GRAMMY in 2001, Plena Libre’s new recording; aptly titled Evolución (evolution) is Plena Libre’s new, updated reincarnation, mingling delicacy and power in some of their most voluptuous dance creations to date. The band, at the leadership of its founder – bass player and musical director Gary Núñez has been updating the traditional Afro-Rican plena genre for the past 10 years, adding a swinging horn section, timbal, piano, conga and dance floor arrangements to the panderos (hand drums) of plena. Evolucion pushes the envelope further; the record adds new rhythms, and especially the bomba -- another Afro-Rican genre typically played on barrel like drums – to the Plena Libre repertoire. The plena rhythms are sometimes offset by surprising twists into salsa, Latin jazz, or a Brazilian samba.
This joyous dance music from Puerto Rico has been given new light and form by Plena Libre’s exciting arrangements, that combine traditional plena rhythmic patterns with the styles of contemporary music like songo, samba, pambiche and various dance floor rhythms. Add to that an energetic stage presentation and you have an extraordinary musical experience.
"...chock-full of identity and optimism--and plenty effective to get hips and feet moving as well." -- All About Jazz
For Additional Artist Info: www.plenalibre.com
Official Website: http://www.thetripledoor.net/event.aspx?eid=1693