Ray Barretto (April 29, 1929 – February 17, 2006) was a Grammy Award-winnin… Read Full Bio ↴Ray Barretto (April 29, 1929 – February 17, 2006) was a Grammy Award-winning Latin/Latin jazz musician of Puerto Rican ancestry.
Ray Barretto, a percussionist extraordinaire and legend in the Salsa & latin Jazz music community has left the music scene with his death in February 2006 at age 76.
Born of Puerto Rican descendence in Brooklyn during the depression, he lived with his mother in East Harlem, The South Bronx and other "boricua" districts before he joined the army, where in the latter 1940's he heard Dizzy Gillespie's hard bebop. The young man was transfixed by Dizzy Gillespie - Manteca," which featured conguero Chano Pozo.
He started sitting in at a Munich jazz club, and after his discharge, by the early 50's he had bought his own Cuban Cnga drum and was playing regularly at clubs like The Bucket of Blood. Soon Mambo was the rage, and Barretto eventually started playing with Tito Puente in 1957, replacing the famed Mongo Santamaria. He became a band leader on his own by 1961, and had a big hit with his group Charanga Moderna and their boogaloo dance craze single called "el Watusi" in 1963 that was the first Latin record to hit the Billboard top 20, and went Gold.
Barretto is credited by some for bringing the African Conga drum into popular music, and had a crossover appeal that transcended the genre boundries of mainstream music categories. He gained recognition beyond the Puerto Rican music scene, ex. played on many Blue Note albums. He beacme associated with the Latin label Fania in the 1960's and played for three decades in the popular ensemble called the Fania All Stars alongsde Willie Colon, Ruben Blades and others. His 1972 album, "Carnaval", is considered a masterpiece amongst latin Jazz afficianados with the songs "Cocinando Suave" and his interpretation of Gershwin's "Summertime".
Highlights of Barretto's run with the Fania All Stars were their tours of spots like Panama, Puerto Rico and Zaire where they played to 80,000 in Kinshasa before the Ali-Foremen fight. Undoubtedly their sell out concerts at N.Y's Yankee Stadium in 1973 & 1975 would have to be included as well.
In 1975 and 1976, Barretto earned back-to-back Grammy nominations for his solo albums "Barretto" (with the prize-winning song "Guarere") and his double "Barretto Live...Tomorrow". By 1976, although he had stopped performing & touring with his live salsa orchestra, he was regularly voted Best Conga Player in music magazine annual polls. He became interested in jazz fusion forms, and pursued this musical passion despite it's lack of commercial appeal. Barretto felt restricted by the Salsa scene, it's conventions and strict danceable format, and did not like the tag Latin Jazz either.
He teamed with singer Celia Cruz in 1983 for the first of several albums, finally winning a 1990 Grammy with her for their 1989 song "Ritmo En El Corazon". In 1992, he formed the ensemble New World Spirit, and was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
He had recently been named best drummer in the 2005 DownBeat poll, and received the NEA's 2006 Jazz Masters Fellowship before his health declined. His recent albums "Taboo" (1994), "My Summertime" (1998) and his final album 2005's "Time Was - Time Is" all received Grammy nominations for best Latin jazz performance.
Over the years he is said to have recorded more than 70 albums for numerous labels including Riverside, Atlantic, EMI, CTI, Fania, Tico, RCA Victor, Concord Picante, Prestige, Blue Note, Circular Moves, Sunnyside and his last for O+ Music. Amongst his many musical collaborators included Cannonball Adderly, Joe Farrell, Wes Montgomery, Cal Tjader, Charlie Palmieri, George Benson, Lou Donaldson, Dizzy Gillespie, José Curbelo , Adalberto Santiago, Steve Gadd, Hector Lavoe, Yusef Lateef, Gene Ammons, Red Garland, Ray Vega, Oscar Hernandez, Tito Gomez, and even Little Miami Steven Van Zant's Sun City project. At the time of his death in a New Jersey hospital, he was in his late 70's, and had recently had several health setbacks including suffering asthma, compounded by heart attack, bypass surgery, pneumonia , a tracheotomy and just enough damned ailments to take Fuerza Gigante down.
More Barretto Links & Sample MP3'z & Interviews available at
http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/2006/02/conga-king-ray-barretto-rip.html
Ray Barretto, a percussionist extraordinaire and legend in the Salsa & latin Jazz music community has left the music scene with his death in February 2006 at age 76.
Born of Puerto Rican descendence in Brooklyn during the depression, he lived with his mother in East Harlem, The South Bronx and other "boricua" districts before he joined the army, where in the latter 1940's he heard Dizzy Gillespie's hard bebop. The young man was transfixed by Dizzy Gillespie - Manteca," which featured conguero Chano Pozo.
He started sitting in at a Munich jazz club, and after his discharge, by the early 50's he had bought his own Cuban Cnga drum and was playing regularly at clubs like The Bucket of Blood. Soon Mambo was the rage, and Barretto eventually started playing with Tito Puente in 1957, replacing the famed Mongo Santamaria. He became a band leader on his own by 1961, and had a big hit with his group Charanga Moderna and their boogaloo dance craze single called "el Watusi" in 1963 that was the first Latin record to hit the Billboard top 20, and went Gold.
Barretto is credited by some for bringing the African Conga drum into popular music, and had a crossover appeal that transcended the genre boundries of mainstream music categories. He gained recognition beyond the Puerto Rican music scene, ex. played on many Blue Note albums. He beacme associated with the Latin label Fania in the 1960's and played for three decades in the popular ensemble called the Fania All Stars alongsde Willie Colon, Ruben Blades and others. His 1972 album, "Carnaval", is considered a masterpiece amongst latin Jazz afficianados with the songs "Cocinando Suave" and his interpretation of Gershwin's "Summertime".
Highlights of Barretto's run with the Fania All Stars were their tours of spots like Panama, Puerto Rico and Zaire where they played to 80,000 in Kinshasa before the Ali-Foremen fight. Undoubtedly their sell out concerts at N.Y's Yankee Stadium in 1973 & 1975 would have to be included as well.
In 1975 and 1976, Barretto earned back-to-back Grammy nominations for his solo albums "Barretto" (with the prize-winning song "Guarere") and his double "Barretto Live...Tomorrow". By 1976, although he had stopped performing & touring with his live salsa orchestra, he was regularly voted Best Conga Player in music magazine annual polls. He became interested in jazz fusion forms, and pursued this musical passion despite it's lack of commercial appeal. Barretto felt restricted by the Salsa scene, it's conventions and strict danceable format, and did not like the tag Latin Jazz either.
He teamed with singer Celia Cruz in 1983 for the first of several albums, finally winning a 1990 Grammy with her for their 1989 song "Ritmo En El Corazon". In 1992, he formed the ensemble New World Spirit, and was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
He had recently been named best drummer in the 2005 DownBeat poll, and received the NEA's 2006 Jazz Masters Fellowship before his health declined. His recent albums "Taboo" (1994), "My Summertime" (1998) and his final album 2005's "Time Was - Time Is" all received Grammy nominations for best Latin jazz performance.
Over the years he is said to have recorded more than 70 albums for numerous labels including Riverside, Atlantic, EMI, CTI, Fania, Tico, RCA Victor, Concord Picante, Prestige, Blue Note, Circular Moves, Sunnyside and his last for O+ Music. Amongst his many musical collaborators included Cannonball Adderly, Joe Farrell, Wes Montgomery, Cal Tjader, Charlie Palmieri, George Benson, Lou Donaldson, Dizzy Gillespie, José Curbelo , Adalberto Santiago, Steve Gadd, Hector Lavoe, Yusef Lateef, Gene Ammons, Red Garland, Ray Vega, Oscar Hernandez, Tito Gomez, and even Little Miami Steven Van Zant's Sun City project. At the time of his death in a New Jersey hospital, he was in his late 70's, and had recently had several health setbacks including suffering asthma, compounded by heart attack, bypass surgery, pneumonia , a tracheotomy and just enough damned ailments to take Fuerza Gigante down.
More Barretto Links & Sample MP3'z & Interviews available at
http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/2006/02/conga-king-ray-barretto-rip.html
Cocinando
Ray Barretto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
Cocinando cocinando
These lyrics are in Spanish and they are repetitive, emphasizing the act of "cooking" or "cookin'". The repetition of the phrase "Cocinando suave puchunga" can be interpreted as creating a rhythmic and lively atmosphere, as if the song is inviting the listener to join in the cooking process. The word "cocinando" means "cooking" in English. The phrase "suave puchunga" doesn't have a clear meaning and appears to be a nonsensical expression, possibly used for its rhythmic quality.
The repetition of the phrase and the upbeat tempo of the music suggest a celebratory and joyful atmosphere. It's as if the act of cooking is being portrayed as a festive and exciting event. The repetition also adds emphasis and serves as a form of musical punctuation.
The lack of further lyrics or storytelling elements in the song can be interpreted as the focus being on the rhythm and energy of the music itself. It's a song meant to get people moving and dancing, with the repetitive lyrics serving as a chant or mantra to enhance the overall groove of the track.
Overall, "Cocinando" can be seen as a lively and upbeat celebration of the act of cooking, with its repetitive lyrics and energetic music encouraging listeners to join in the festive atmosphere and dance along.
Line by Line Meaning
Cocinando suave puchunga cocinando
Preparing something gently, gradually, and skillfully
Cocinando cocinando
Continuously cooking, creating, and perfecting
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@luckylouie522
ROBERTO RODDIGUEZ 🎺
RENE LOPEZ 🎺
JOSEPH ROMAN 🎺
ORESTES VILATO 🥁
JOHN RODRIGUEZ 🟤🟤 🪘
DAVID PEREZ 🎸
LUIS CRUZ 🎹
ADALBERTO SANTIAGO VOCALS - GUIRO
RAY BARRETTO 🪘 - COMPOSER
ALBUM ART IZZY SANABRIA + WALTER VELEZ
ARRANGED BY LUIS CRUZ + RAY BARRETTO
1972 LP "QUE VIVA LA MUSICA" FANIA RECORDS
@luckylouie522
ROBERTO RODDIGUEZ 🎺
RENE LOPEZ 🎺
JOSEPH ROMAN 🎺
ORESTES VILATO 🥁
JOHN RODRIGUEZ 🟤🟤 🪘
DAVID PEREZ 🎸
LUIS CRUZ 🎹
ADALBERTO SANTIAGO VOCALS - GUIRO
RAY BARRETTO 🪘 - COMPOSER
ALBUM ART IZZY SANABRIA + WALTER VELEZ
ARRANGED BY LUIS CRUZ + RAY BARRETTO
1972 LP "QUE VIVA LA MUSICA" FANIA RECORDS
@urielelgozon1970
Socio excelente aporte de saludoss louieeee🤙🤙🤙👏
@kennyvalentin4331
Exquisita pieza musical de maestro barretto y su vigencia hoy por hoy música de primer orden.....m
@urielelgozon1970
Señor louieeee salsaa excelente ....melodia💯💯💯💯💯
@user-ew2dl2tl2t
El dandy Rodríguez,Oreste y Barretto q trio
@edwinb9276
ESE SONIDO DE DANDY EN EL BONGO, ESTA BIEN PESAO. PARA LOS QUE SABEN, DE QUE HABLO.
@walteraylas8044
En los 70's, melodía del inicio de la película: Nuestra cosa Latina, ..los cines repletos, aplaudiendo desde antes del inicio del film, ..la clave. Época dorada, que dichosos los que tuvimos la oportunidad de gozar. Saludos mi hermano, gratitud eterna por compartir éstas joyas en la Salsa. Callao-Perú
@luckylouie522
Saludos Walter PERU SIEMPRE PRESENTE !
@wagnercp6302
El Gigante de las Congas.
Ésto me fascina.
Demasiado sabor y caché en un solo tema.
@ranny65
This is Ray's masterpiece!