Plena Libre
About
Plena Libre
The ever-popular Afro-Caribbean music scene got even hotter when the sizzling rhythms of Puerto Rico’s plena danced onto the world beat charts in the person of Plena Libre, a 12-member group, which includes Victor Muñiz and Kayvan Vega vocals, Gary Núñez bass, Gina Villanueva congos/chorus, Isreal Vélez quinto/ chorus, Kalie Villanueva vocals/percussion, Tato González timbal, Richard Trinidad piano and José Cruz, Jorge Diaz and Elliut Cintrón trombone. Plena Libre are at the forefront of modernizing the centuries-old song form, plena, an up tempo folk music genre with its roots in West Africa that is characterized by complex rhythms and call-andresponse vocals. Initially littleheeded by younger Puerto Ricans who found it old-fashioned, plena has had a dramatic revival in the last decade, due to the addition of horns, congas, and updated vocal arrangements in a salsa style. The country’s leading exponent of this potent music is Plena Libre, who right from their inception in 1994 earned radio play and, eventually, Grammy nominations and a world-wide audience. They come with their new CD Mi Ritmo. Be warned: this is infectiously groove-based music that you absolutely must dance to. “Music for the mind, the body and the heart.” - NewsdayUnknown
Past Events
26
Jun
2003
23:30
Market Square
