Ray Barretto From Wikipedia:
Ray Barretto a.k.a. King of the Hard Hands (April 29, 1929 – February 17, 2006), was a Puerto Rican jazz musician, widely credited as the godfather of Latin jazz. He was also the first Hispanic to record a Latin song which became a "hit" in the American Billboard Charts.
Early years
Barretto (whose surname is really "Barreto"; a mistake at the time Ray's birth certificate was filed gave his last name its formal spelling) was born in New York City. His parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico in the early 1920s, looking for a better life. He was raised in Spanish Harlem and at a very young age was influenced by his mother's love of music and by the jazz music of musicians such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
In 1946, when Barretto was 17 years old, he joined the Army. While stationed in Germany, Barretto met Belgium vibist Fats Sadi, who was working there. However, it was when he heard Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca" with Cuban percussionist, Chano Pozo, that he realized his true calling in life.
Barretto plays for Charlie Parker
In 1949, when Barretto returned home from military service, he started to visit clubs and participated in jam sessions, where he perfected his conga playing. On one occasion Charlie Parker heard Barretto play and invited him to play in his band. Later, he was asked to play for Jose Curbelo and Tito Puente, for whom he played for four years. Barretto developed a unique style of playing the conga and soon he was sought by other jazz band leaders. Latin percussionists started to appear in jazz groups with frequency as a consequence of Barretto's musical influence.
Barretto's first hit "El Watusi"
In 1960, Barretto was a house musician for the Prestige, Blue Note, and Riverside labels. New York had become the center of Latin music in the United States and a style called "Charanga" (not necessarily what Barreto is best known for) was the Latin music craze of the time.
In 1961, Barretto recorded his first hit, "El Watusi", the first Latin song to enter the Billboard charts. He was quite successful with the song and the genre, to the point of being typecasted (something that he disliked). In 1967, he joined the Fania record label where he recorded "Acid", an experiment joining rhythm and blues with Latin music. Just as his salsa group attained a remarkable following most of its members left it to form Tipica 73, a multinational salsa conglomerate. This left Barretto depressed and disappointed with salsa; he then redirected his efforts into Latin jazz, while remaining as musical director of the Fania All Stars. Barretto's 1968 album Acid contained the song "Deeper Shade of Soul", which was sampled for the 1991 US (#21) hit of the same name by Dutch band Urban Dance Squad.
Barretto played the conga in recording sessions for the Rolling Stones and the Bee Gees. In 1975 he was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song "Barretto". From 1976 to 1978, Barretto recorded three records for Atlantic Records, including "La Cuna", and was nominated for a Grammy for "Barretto Live...Tomorrow". In 1979, he produced a salsa record for Fania, titled "Ricanstruction", which was named 1980 "Best Album" by Latin N.Y. Magazine, with Barretto crowned as Conga Player of the Year.
Later years
In 1990, Barretto finally won a Grammy for the album "Ritmo en el Corazon" (Rhythm in the Heart), which featured the vocals of Celia Cruz. In 1999, Barretto was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
Barretto lived in New York and was an active musical producer, as well as the leader of a touring band which has embarked in tours of the United States, Europe, Israel and Latin America. Barreto died 17 February 2006 at the Hackensack University Hospital of heart failure and multiple health complications. His body was flown to Puerto Rico, where Barretto was given formal honors by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture; his remains were eventually cremated.
Discography
Solo
* Barretto para bailar (Riverside, 1961)
* Charanga moderna (Tico, 1962)
* Cocinando suave (Riverside, 1962)
* La moderna & El watusi (Tico, 1962)
* Pachanga (Saludos Amigos, 1962)
* Latino! (Riverside, 1963)
* On Fire Again (Encendido otra vez) (Tico, 1963)
* The Big Hits Latin Style (Tico, 1963)
* Guajira y guaguancó (Tico, 1964)
* Swing la moderna & Los cueros (Tico, 1964)
* Viva Viva Watusi! (Polydor, 1965)
* Señor 007 (United Artists, 1966)
* Alma alegre (Jazzland, 1967)
* Soul Drummer (Fania, 1967)
* Acid (Fania, 1968)
* Fiesta en el barrio (Polydor, 1968)
* Hard Hands (Fania, 1968)
* Together (Fania, 1970)
* From the Beginning (Fania, 1971)
* Carnaval (1972)
* Barretto Power (Fania, 1972)
* Cocinando (Fania, 1972)
* Head Sounds (Fania, 1972)
* The Message (Fania, 1972)
* El Ray criollo (Polydor, 1972)
* Que viva la música (Salsa, 1972)
* Indestructible (Fania, 1973)
* The Other Road (Fania, 1973)
* Barretto (Fania, 1975)
* Tomorrow: Barretto Live (Atlantic, 1976)
* Energy to Burn (Fania, 1977)
* Eye of the Beholder (Atlantic, 1977)
* Can You Feel It? (Atlantic, 1978)
* Gracias (FNA, 1978)
* La cuna (CTI, 1979)
* Rican/Struction (Fania, 1979)
* Giant Force (Fania, 1980)
* Rhythm of Life (Fania, 1982)
* Todo se va poder (FNA, 1984)
* Aquí se puede (Fania, 1987)
* Irresistible (Fania, 1989)
* Ray Barretto (T.H. Rodven, 1990)
* Handprints (Concord Picante, 1991)
* Soy Dichoso (Fania, 1992)
* Live in New York (Messidor, 1992)
* Latino con Soul (Polygram, 1994)
* Moderna de Siempre (Tico, 1995)
* Descarga criolla (Palladium, 1995)
* Salsa Caliente de Nu York (Universe, 2001)
* Fuerza Gigante: Live in Puerto Rico April 27, 2001 (Universe, 2004)
* Standards Rican-ditioned (Zoho Music, 2006) Letzte CD, ASIN B000GETWAO (Vertrieb D,CH: LeiCom)
With Guarare
* Guarare (1977)
* Guarare (1979)
* La onda típica (1981)
With Celia Cruz
* Tremendo trío! (Fania, 1983)
* Ritmo en el corazón (Off-Beat, 1988)
With New World Spirit
* Ancestral Messages (Concord Picante, 1992)
* Taboo (Concord Picante, 1994)
* My Summertime (Owl, 1995)
* Contact! (Blue Note, 1997)
* Portraits in Jazz and Clave (RCA, 2000)
* Trancedance (Circular Moves, 2001)
* Homage to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers (Sunnyside, 2003)
* Time Was - Time Is (O+ Music, 2005)
* "Grammy-winning Latin-jazz drummer Ray Barretto dies at 76", Houston Chronicle, 17 February 2006
Trucutu
Ray Barreto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eli bele, eli bele, eli bele, bela bala... na nia
Ajá...
Trucutru que sabe trucos asi le dijo a su tia
se me acaba la energia pa' levantar el matruco (Ay Dios)
Un sabio que estaba oyendo, de esos sabios bien pelu'os
le dijo no traigas trucos no es el matruco que eres tu
Ahi
Eli bele, eli bele, eli bele, bela bala... na nia
Ajá...
Trucutru que sabe trucos asi le dijo a su tia
se me acaba la energia pa' levantar el matruco (Ay Dios)
Un sabio que estaba oyendo, de esos sabios bien pelu'os
le dijo no traigas trucos no es el matruco que eres tu
Trucutu cu tu cu cu tu cu tu
(No es el matruco que eres tu)
- Salta la verja perico, brincala tu
- Yo traigo un tumbao moderno pa' trucutu
- Para que bailes tu y lo vacile tu mama
- Cutrucu cutrucu cutrucu tu cu tu cu tu
(No es el matruco que eres tu)
Eeh...
Bembem que eres tu.
Zavadan zavadan zavadan zavadabadeva que eres tu
(No es el matruco que eres tu)
- Ven a bailar la rumba de trucutu mamá
- Cuidao que alla viene marumba con Juan Calalu
- Eh prende la vela y apaga la luz
- Ave maría que me dicen que se fue para la guerra mambrú
- Cutrucu cutrucu cutrucu tu cu tu cu tu
- Ven para que bailes timbero y vaciles tu
- Eh eh, eh eh eh eh ah pa' que bailes tu
(No es el matruco que eres tu)
- Bembembem vacilalo tu
(No es el matruco que eres tu)
- Siento un bongo mamita me esta llamando a gozar
- Para gozar candela Carmela te voy a dar
- No te me salgas pa' fuera, vacilalo tu
- Eh que tu te parece' a Fumanchu Mafu
- Ya se va
Ah la la la, ah la la... ven, ven, berembembembem
Eli bele, eli bele, eli bele, bela bala...
na nia
The lyrics to Ray Barreto's "Trucutu" describe a man named Trucutu who is seeking advice from his aunt and a wise man about his lack of energy to lift a heavy object called a matruco. Trucutu is known for his tricks, but the wise man tells him that it is not the tricks that define him, it is who he is as a person. The song then transitions to various calls and responses, urging listeners to dance and enjoy the rhythm of the music.
The song is a testament to the power of music and dance to bring people together and lift their spirits. It celebrates the Afro-Cuban roots of music and highlights the importance of community and connection. The lyrics also suggest a deeper meaning, encouraging listeners to look beyond surface-level appearances and focus on who they are as individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah la la la, ah la la... ven, ven, berembembembem
Let's dance and have fun
Eli bele, eli bele, eli bele, bela bala... na nia
Nonsense words to express excitement
Ajá...
Expressing agreement or acknowledgement
Trucutru que sabe trucos asi le dijo a su tia
Trucutu, who knows tricks, said to his aunt
se me acaba la energia pa' levantar el matruco (Ay Dios)
I'm tired and can't lift the weight (Oh God)
Un sabio que estaba oyendo, de esos sabios bien pelu'os
A wise man with lots of hair who was listening
le dijo no traigas trucos no es el matruco que eres tu
He said to Trucutu, 'Don't use tricks, it's not the weight that's the problem, it's you'
Trucutu cu tu cu cu tu cu tu
Silly sounds to express excitement
Salta la verja perico, brincala tu
Jump over the fence, you little parrot
Yo traigo un tumbao moderno pa' trucutu
I have a modern rhythm for Trucutu
Para que bailes tu y lo vacile tu mama
So you and your mom can dance and have fun
Cutrucu cutrucu cutrucu tu cu tu cu tu
More silly sounds to express excitement
Eeh...
Exclamation of surprise or excitement
Bembem que eres tu.
More nonsense words to express excitement
Zavadan zavadan zavadan zavadabadeva que eres tu
Even more nonsensical words to express excitement
Ven a bailar la rumba de trucutu mamá
Come and dance the Trucutu rumba, mama
Cuidao que alla viene marumba con Juan Calalu
Be careful, here comes Marumba with Juan Calalu
Eh prende la vela y apaga la luz
Light the candle and turn off the lamp
Ave maría que me dicen que se fue para la guerra mambrú
Oh my, they say Mambru has gone off to war
Ven para que bailes timbero y vaciles tu
Come and dance with a playful style
Eh eh, eh eh eh eh ah pa' que bailes tu
More encouragement to dance
Bembembem vacilalo tu
Even more encouragement to have fun
Siento un bongo mamita me esta llamando a gozar
I feel the bongo calling me to enjoy myself, mama
Para gozar candela Carmela te voy a dar
To enjoy myself I will give you some fire, Carmela
No te me salgas pa' fuera, vacilalo tu
Don't leave, have fun
Eh que tu te parece' a Fumanchu Mafu
You look like Fumanchu Mafu
Ya se va
It's over
Ah la la la, ah la la... ven, ven, berembembembem
Let's dance and have fun once more
Eli bele, eli bele, eli bele, bela bala...
More nonsense words to express excitement
na nia
Even more nonsense words to express excitement
Contributed by Peyton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lucianoqueiroz244
Que coisa linda! Metais, piano e percussão... Perfeito!! Um abraço do Brasil! 🇧🇷
@jhairtm2958
tengo 14 años y me encanta esta música la escuche por mi abuelo ...
@cronoforo
Pense que era otra version que no habia escuchado, esta salsa es bravisima muy dificil de superar... a los que les gusta cantar se daran cuenta que no es nada facil sonear como este maestro...
@abelardocaveroalvarez7992
Chamaco Ramirez uno de los mejores soneros.
@williamarlexfernande
el mejor compositor d e salsa en el mundo
@jba1506
Una de las mejores en la historia de la Salsa Boricua. Este cancion esta Brutal🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷 Viva la Salsa. Viva Latino America
@TheHectoralan
Trucutú, una canción compuesta y cantada por Chamaco Ramírez en la orquesta de Tommy Olivencia para 1975. Está canción sale en el disco Planté bandera además es la segunda version porque ya Chamaco la había grabado con Tommy Olivencia en la década de los 60.
@miguelangelgonzalesarango1574
Temón señores...para bailadores de verdad... aquí Lima-Perú en el barrio de La Victoria conocedor de la Salsa Dura
@morenitamargarita1
Arriba los salseros Dominicanos uepa a bailar salsa de la buena uepa!!!!!!!!!!!!
@michelletabaresvasquez1808
Ishhh esto si es vidaaa escuchar esta clase de salsita uff