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
Indestructible
Ray Barretto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Porque se pierde sangre querida
En ese momento coge el destino
En tu mano echa pa' lante mi hermano
Con la ayuda de nueva sangre
Cuando en el alma se siente un dolor
Por la traición que te brinde un amigo
Que con la sangre nueva esta la fuerza indestructible
Que con la sangre nueva esta la fuerza indestructible
Cuando en el alma se sienta una herida
Porque se pierde sangre querida
Con sangre nueva, indestructible
Ay, unidos venceremos y yo se que llegaremos
Con sangre nueva, indestructible
Yo traigo la fuerza de mil camiones
A mí me llaman el invencible
Con sangre nueva indestructible
Aunque no tengo guille de Superman
Métanme mano y ya verán
Con sangre nueva indestructible
Indestructible
Ay, no podrán destruirme
Indestructible
Hecha palla, hecha palla y déjame en paz
Indestructible
Indestructible y indestructible ese soy yo
Indestructible
Algunas veces me asombro
Indestructible
Pero se hace lo que pongo
Indestructible
Eee no pare no que esto si esta sabroso
Indestructible
Indestructible yo indestructible seré
Indestructible
He salte del medio mulato que te llevare
Indestructible
Aquí la salda que traigo si es sabrosita
Indestructible
Eee barriendo en la carretera
Indestructible
Barriendo, barriendo con sangre
The lyrics to Ray Barretto's song "Indestructible" carry a message of resilience in the face of adversity. The song speaks to the struggles of life and the pain that comes with loss and betrayal. The opening verse refers to physical wounds and the loss of loved ones, with destiny holding one's future in its hands. The following verse speaks to emotional pain from betrayal, and the power of new blood to provide an indestructible strength to overcome any obstacle.
The recurring refrain of "con sangre nueva, indestructible" (with new blood, indestructible) highlights the idea of regeneration and renewal through the infusion of new life. Barretto uses metaphors of strength and power, comparing himself to a truck with the force of a thousand, and declaring himself "indestructible" in the face of any challenge.
The lyrics of "Indestructible" speak to the human experience, reminding listeners that pain can be overcome through resilience and the infusion of new energy. The message is delivered over a joyful Latin rhythm, making the song an uplifting anthem inspiring hope and courage.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuando en la vida se sufre una herida
When you suffer a wound in your life
Porque se pierde sangre querida
Because you lose someone or something dear to you
En ese momento coge el destino
At that moment, fate takes over
En tu mano echa pa' lante mi hermano
Take control and move forward, my brother
Con la ayuda de nueva sangre
With the help of new blood
Cuando en el alma se siente un dolor
When you feel pain in your soul
Por la traición que te brinde un amigo
Because a friend betrays you
En ese momento piensa que todo es posible
At that moment, remember that anything is possible
Que con la sangre nueva esta la fuerza indestructible
That new blood brings indestructible strength
Que con la sangre nueva esta la fuerza indestructible
That new blood brings indestructible strength
Cuando en el alma se sienta una herida
When you feel a wound in your soul
Con sangre nueva, indestructible
With new blood, you become indestructible
Ay, unidos venceremos y yo se que llegaremos
Together, we will overcome and reach our goals
Con sangre nueva, indestructible
With new blood, you become indestructible
Yo traigo la fuerza de mil camiones
I bring the strength of a thousand trucks
A mí me llaman el invencible
They call me the invincible one
Con sangre nueva indestructible
With new blood, you become indestructible
Aunque no tengo guille de Superman
Even though I'm not like Superman
Métanme mano y ya verán
Try me and you'll see
Con sangre nueva indestructible
With new blood, you become indestructible
Indestructible
Indestructible
Ay, no podrán destruirme
They can't destroy me
Indestructible
Indestructible
Hecha palla, hecha palla y déjame en paz
Stay away from me, don't bother me
Indestructible
Indestructible
Indestructible y indestructible ese soy yo
Indestructible, that's who I am
Indestructible
Indestructible
Algunas veces me asombro
Sometimes I am amazed
Indestructible
Indestructible
Pero se hace lo que pongo
But I do what I put my mind to
Indestructible
Indestructible
Eee no pare no que esto si esta sabroso
Don't stop, this is getting good
Indestructible
Indestructible
Indestructible yo indestructible seré
I will be indestructible
Indestructible
Indestructible
He salte del medio mulato que te llevare
Move out of my way, I'll take you with me
Indestructible
Indestructible
Aquí la salda que traigo si es sabrosita
The flavor I bring is delicious
Indestructible
Indestructible
Eee barriendo en la carretera
Sweeping the road
Indestructible
Indestructible
Barriendo, barriendo con sangre
Sweeping with blood
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Michelle Lena Poole, Terence Martin, Karen Ann Poole
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danielbuitrago5253
Esta canción me salvó la vida, cuando pensé que no podía más, llegó y me levanto como nada lo había podido hacer ❤️
@nelsonnunez4153
🙏👍🏼
@rajendrajagdeo2830
May GOD 🙏🇱🇷 Jesus Christ be Always in Your ❤️
@TheAdrianayuni
A mi me la mando Jesucristo y me dijo: conoz o tu corazón LAZARA LEVANTATE Y ANDA. Y LA REINA DEL CIELO ME ACOMPAÑÓ Y ME Acompaña. DIOS PADRE SABE LO QUE NECESITAS SIN PEDIRLO. Le agradezco mucho a la iglesia...para mi la misa fe cada 8 dias era esperar al helado de despuès Y ahora mi Padre me dijo....toma una dosis de lo que quiero de ti
@angelbautista4892
@nelson nunez 00000+00⁰0⁰⁰11°1
@JeterSwisherFan88
Que Dios te bendiga.
@ramonpayamps8622
1973 luego que de la orquesta de Ray Barreto, se les fueron varios músicos y el cantante principal Adaberto Santiago y se forma la Típica 72 y que al comenzar a funcionar en Diciembre de ese año y comenzar 1973 se le llamó la Típica 73, entra Tito Allen y indestructible
@angelluisroman4424
These songs always remind me of growing up in NYC during the 1970s. Mami was a new-found single woman and she would have house parties all the time--friends, her siblings, and I would watch in amazement. RIP Barretto...one of a kind.
@nybornFunk
Same as Jamican Households ... !!!! Thats was the generacion.
@jorgenazario611
A Newyorican of real Salsa and Jazz . R. I . P. 🇵🇷