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
Fuerza gigante
Ray Barretto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo le traigo un mensaje de unificacion sentimiento desde el corazon
Han pasado años de lucha y triunfo y nos falta, muchos, muchos mas
Pero unidos y pa'lante la Fuerza Gigante tenemos para progresar
Han pasado años de lucha y triunfo y nos falta muchos, muchos mas
Pero unidos y pa'lante la Fuerza Gigante tenemos para progresar
"Hay que tener fuerza gigante para siempre poder hechar pa'lante"
Usa bien la cabeza no te me quedes atras!
"Hay que tener fuerza gigante para siempre poder hechar pa'lante"
Yo, yo, yo quiziera ver el dia dichoso sera el momento de ver mi gente unida,
Eso sera un monumento!
"Hay que tener fuerza gigante para siempre poder hechar para alante"
A mi que nadie me diga que no vamos a llegar
Con esta fuerza gigante, nadie nos puede aguantar!
No dejes que te aguanten! "Tener fuerza gigante"
Sea grande, o pequeno! "Tener Fuerza gigante"
Que lograremos tus suenos! "Tener Fuerza Gigante"
Podemos siempre unidos! "Tener Fuerza Giante!"
The lyrics to Ray Barretto's song "Fuerza Gigante" are a message of unity and pride for those who feel proud of their strong and brave race. The song acknowledges the struggles and triumphs of the past and reminds us that there are many more to come. However, with the power of a united force, we have the ability to progress and move forward. The singer encourages his brothers and sisters to use their heads wisely and not fall behind. There is a call to action to always push forward with a strong and unstoppable force, no matter the obstacles in our way.
Overall, the song is a powerful message of hope and unity, reminding listeners to never give up even in the face of adversity. It speaks to the importance of banding together as a strong and united force to achieve our collective dreams and goals.
Line by Line Meaning
Para la gente que siente orgullo de ser de una raza de fuerza y valor
This is a message of unification and pride for those who are proud of belonging to a strong and brave race.
Yo le traigo un mensaje de unificacion sentimiento desde el corazon
This message comes from the heart and is meant to unify us all.
Han pasado años de lucha y triunfo y nos falta, muchos, muchos mas
We have fought and succeeded for many years, but we still have a long way to go.
Pero unidos y pa'lante la Fuerza Gigante tenemos para progresar
But if we stay united and move forward, we have the strength to make progress.
"Hay que tener fuerza gigante para siempre poder hechar pa'lante"
We must have immense strength to keep moving forward.
Yo te lo dije mi hermano que te pongas a estudiar
I told you, my brother, to study hard and use your mind.
Usa bien la cabeza no te me quedes atras!
Use your head and don't fall behind!
"Yo, yo, yo quisiera ver el dia dichoso sera el momento de ver mi gente unida, Eso sera un monumento!"
I want to see the day when my people are united; that will be a monumental moment!
"A mi que nadie me diga que no vamos a llegar Con esta fuerza gigante, nadie nos puede aguantar!"
No one can tell me that we won't succeed. With our immense strength, no one can stop us!
No dejes que te aguanten! "Tener fuerza gigante"
Don't let anyone hold you down! You must have immense strength!
Sea grande, o pequeño! "Tener Fuerza gigante"
It doesn't matter whether you're big or small! You need immense strength!
Que lograremos tus suenos! "Tener Fuerza Gigante"
With immense strength, we can achieve our dreams!
Podemos siempre unidos! "Tener Fuerza Giante!"
As long as we stay united, we will always have immense strength!
Writer(s): GILBERT LOPEZ, RAYMOND BARRETTO
Contributed by Brody A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jaimesantiagogonzalez2349
El REY INDISCUTIBLE DE LA SALSA , EL MÁS RECIO Y GRANDE TUMBADOR DE LA SALSA , el número 1: EL REY DE LAS MANOS DURAS #RAY_BARRETTO !!!!!!!.
@carlosmcanino3826
de Aguadilla Puerto Rico
@rosamendoza-fu2uh
Mi preferida fuerza gigante❤
@duberalejo
la salsa poderosa y sincera de los años 80...decada en la cual la musica salsa entraba en una crisis y se pasaba al genero romantico y monotono.....aqui Ray De la paz cantando con el hombre de las manos duras...siempre con su mensaje positivo y de levantando la moral del latino.....con su sonido....que viva la salsa
@jesusbrux6292
Gran tema de Barretto, Ray de la Paz vocal, Oscar Hernandez piano, Ralph Irizarri timbales tremendisimos
@jaimesantiagogonzalez2349
El REY DE LAS MANOS DURAS y de la salsa y número 1 en la percusión RAY BARRETTO.
@pepurrodj4787
Ray de la paz en la voz
@jaimesantiagogonzalez2349
El Rey de las manos duras: RAY BARRETTO !!!!!!!!.
@jaimesantiagogonzalez2349
EL CAMPEÓN INDISCUTIBLE Y ÚNICO DE LA SALSA RAY BARRETTO !!!.
@gerardobeltranperez8279
El disco que con mas firmeza se ah tocado mucha fuerza y sincronizacion es un album exquisito