Background
[edit] Summary
He is a son of the late Rose and Buddy Kahn. His mother was an opera singer with the stage name Rose Sherman in New York. His father was the bandleader at the Latin Quarter (nightclub) in New York under the name Buddy Harlowe. The young Harlow, is affectionately nicknamed el Judio Maravilloso (The Marvelous Jew). Harlow is a noted salsa bandleader and multi-instrumentalist, although he primarily plays piano. He produced over 260 albums for Fania Records. He is the director of the Latin Legends of Fania, among other groups.
[edit] Music skills
Larry Harlow excelled at an early age at various instruments. The music and culture of New York’s Latino community led him to Cuba where he began an intense study of Afro-Cuban music. Harlow, who is known for his innovative blend of Afro-Cuban and Jazz styles of piano playing, studied music in the 1950s in Cuba but was unable to complete his degree before the Cuban Revolution forced him to leave the island. Larry and his orchestra, Orquesta Harlow, was the second orchestra signed to the Fania Label, Harlow also produced over 106 CDs for various artists and over 50 CDs on his own besides the ones he produced for Fania. Among his most popular albums were Abran Paso and Tributo a Arsenio Rodriguez with Ismael Miranda as the lead singer. Larry's opera Hommy, which is credited for getting Celia Cruz out of retirement, was the first Latin musical performance in Carnegie Hall. In other firsts, Larry was the first ever piano player for the legendary salsa group known as the Fania All-Stars, generally regarded as the single-most important Salsa group of all time, and its first record producer. He also appeared with the Fania All-Stars in the movies Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa), Live in Africa, and Salsa.
[edit] Contributions
Larry's further contributions to music was to insist on the creation of the Latin Grammy Award. Harlow’s 1977 salsa suite La Raza Latina, an ambitious history of the Latin music musical genre with Rubén Blades, was nominated for a Grammy Award. Partially in recognition of his early efforts to establish the Latin Grammy as well as for his career contributions to the genre, Larry was presented with the Trustee's Award by the Latin Recording Academy in November 2008.
[edit] El Judio ContraAtaKa
In 1994, he teamed up with Ray Barretto, Adalberto Santiago, and cuatro guitar virtuoso Yomo Toro to found the Latin Legend Band, with the aim of both educating Latino and American youth about Latin music heritage and pioneering new ideas in the music, resulting in Larry Harlow’s Latin Legends of Fania Band 2006.
In 2005 he contributed to The Mars Volta's album Frances the Mute, on which he played a piano solo toward the end of "L'Via L'Viaquez." He also played with the group in some of its live performances.
[edit] Awards
In 2008, Larry Harlow was presented with a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
[edit] Today
Larry Harlow currently resides with his wife in New York, and still regularly performs as Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends of Fania.
[edit] Discography
* Heavy Smokin'
* Bajandote
* El Exigente
* Presenta A Ismael Miranda
* Me and My Monkey
* Electric Harlow
* Abran Paso
* Oportunidad con Ismael Miranda
* Hommy: A Latin Opera
* Tribute to Arsenio Rodriguez
* Salsa
* Live in Quad
* El Judio Maravilloso
* Latin Fever
* La Raza Latina: A Salsa Suite
* El Jardinero del Amor
* Con Mi Viejo Amigo
* Orchestra Harlow con Nestor Sanchez
* Rumbambola
* Yo Soy Latino
* Asi Soy Yo
* Live at Birdland
* The Latin Legends Band
* Our Latin Feeling
* Sofrito
* Romance en Salsa
* Senor Salsa
* El Dulce Aroma Del Exito
[edit] Gallery
Harlow's partial CD collection at Radio Voz WVOZ Puerto Rico (2006)
[edit] References
1. ^ Resto Max La salsificación de Israel, El Nuevo Día, October 31, 2007
[edit] External links
* Larry Harlow Official Web Site
* Harlow on YouTube
* Info on Harlow's Latin Opera - Hommy
* More on Larry Harlow
* Descarga.com interview
* Larry Harlow's interview
* Salsa Central interview
* Larry Harlow on Fania
* Video interview with Larry Harlow
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Harlow_(salsa)"
Categories: 1939 births | Living people | Avant-garde jazz musicians | Jazz fusion musicians | American Jewish people | People from Brooklyn | Jewish American composers and songwriters | Salsa musicians | American record producers | American music industry executives | American football quarterbacks | Seattle Seahawks players | Fania Records artists
Abran paso
Larry Harlow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Caballero abreme paso
Que yo vengo preparado
Y a todo el que necesite
Hoy yo le vengo ayudar.
Abran paso
Cosa buena, abreme paso mamá
Con Santa Barbara a mi lado
Con su cepa y con su espada
Para aliviarle de todo mal.
Abran paso
Ahora, que ahora abreme paso mamá
Mira lo que yo te traigo
Yo traigo yerba buena
Mira que yo traigo altamisa
Yo traigo mejorana, traigo amansa guapo
Y rompe saraguey.
Ahora yo vengo arrollando
Y por eso, y abreme paso mamá
Abran paso. abran paso.
Yo vengo con un coco a cada la'o
Yo vengo bien preparao.
Yo traigo las siete potencias camará
Oye las siete potencias camara´
Ay miren , que aqui adonde quiera
Todo el mundo me hace caso mamá.
Y mira como dice,
Y abreme paso que aqui vengo yo.
Acelerando.
Ahora yo vengo arrollando
Y por eso abreme paso mamá.
Yo traigo todo lo bueno
No traigo todo lo malo, bongó.
Abreme paso, abreme paso, abreme paso cosa buena
Oye china y hazme caso.
Ahora , ahorame voy contento
No te olvides de hacerme caso.
The song "Abran paso" by Larry Harlow is sung in Spanish and begins with the lines "Abran paso, caballero abre me paso". These lines translate to "Make way, gentlemen, make way for me" and set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is entering a space and asking people to move aside and let him through. He is bringing with him goodness and positivity with the help of the deity Santa Barbara and her tools of healing.
As the song progresses, the singer lists the items he is carrying with him - herbs like "yerba buena" and "altamisa", and spiritual objects like the "siete potencias". The use of these herbs and objects suggests that the singer is a healer or shaman of sorts, and is entering into the world to help those in need. The repeated use of the phrase "abreme paso" indicates that the singer is insistent on being allowed to pass through and reach those who need his help.
The overall message of the song is one of hope and positivity. In a world where there is darkness and negativity, the singer is offering a glimmer of light and positivity. The use of imagery and metaphor in the song add to its richness and depth, making it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Abran paso
Make way
Caballero abreme paso
Gentlemen, clear the way for me
Que yo vengo preparado
I come prepared
Y a todo el que necesite hoy yo le vengo ayudar.
And I am here to help anyone who needs it today
Cosa buena, abreme paso mamá Que yo vengo bien caliente Con Santa Barbara a mi lado Con su cepa y con su espada Para aliviarle de todo mal.
Clear the way for the good thing, mama. I come with passion and with Santa Barbara by my side. She brings her cane and sword to relieve us of all evil
Ahora, que ahora abreme paso mamá Mira lo que yo te traigo Yo traigo yerba buena Mira que yo traigo altamisa Yo traigo mejorana, traigo amansa guapo Y rompe saraguey.
Now, clear the way, mom. Look at what I bring you. I bring you good herbs like spearmint, sage, marjoram, calming plants, and powerful plants to break curses.
Ahora yo vengo arrollando Y por eso, y abreme paso mamá
Now I come rolling, and that's why you should clear the way, mom.
Yo vengo con un coco a cada la'o Yo vengo bien preparao.
I come with a coconut on each side, and I am well-prepared
Yo traigo las siete potencias camará Oye las siete potencias camara´
I bring the seven powerful spirits, listen to them
Ay miren , que aqui adonde quiera Todo el mundo me hace caso mamá.
Look, everyone listens to me wherever I go, mom.
Y mira como dice, Y abreme paso que aqui vengo yo. Acelerando.
And listen to what I say, clear the way because I am here. Speeding up.
Yo traigo todo lo bueno No traigo todo lo malo, bongó.
I bring all that is good, I don't bring anything bad, bongo.
Abreme paso, abreme paso, abreme paso cosa buena Oye china y hazme caso.
Clear the way for the good thing, listen to me, lady.
Ahora, ahorame voy contento No te olvides de hacerme caso.
Now, I am leaving happy. Don't forget to listen to me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ISMAEL MIRANDA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pabloorube8987
Un tesoro que no ha tenido el reconocimiento que merece, Larry Harlow "el judío maravilloso". Aquí acompañando a otro grande Ismael Miranda.
@rogerfranciscoperezacarden7784
Grande Ismael dale duro ala salsa dura