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
Seguire Sin Soñar
Ray Barretto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y que quieres volver a ser como antes
Si tuviera la fe que me quitaste tu
Soñaría aquel mundo ahora mismo.
No quiero, sentirme ilusionado
Ni pensar en los besos que me diste
Sin volverte a besar
La vida, lo quiere así.
Oye...
Yo seguiré sin soñar
Sin volverte a acariciar
La vida lo quiere así.
(Seguiré "seguiré" seguiré "seguiré"
Sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Amada, prenda querida, no pude vivir sin verte
Y aunque estas arrepentida
No quiero volver a verte mas.
(Seguiré "seguiré" seguiré "seguiré"
Sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Soñando vives tu, soñando vivo yo
Yo no quiero ilusionarme, con tu falso corazón.
(Seguiré "seguiré" seguiré "seguiré"
Sin soñar, sin volverte a besar).
Ayayayai!
Ay!
(Ey!)(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Oye, oye mulata
La vida, la vida, lo quiere así.
(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Aunque estas arrepentida eh!...
Yo no quiero volver a verte mas.
(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Eh...!
Mi negra es un embolate, para volver a empezar.
(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Y si mucho me querías
Porque con otro te fuiste ah!
(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Orgulloso de paquete
Mulata, mulata arranque pa′ aya.
(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Que seguiré, que seguiré, que seguiré
Que seguiré, que seguiré, que seguiré
Seguiré sin soñar.
(Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar)
Lo tuyo solo es paquete
Eh...!
Yo sigo gozando por ahí na' ma.
The lyrics of Ray Barretto's song "Seguire Sin Soñar" delve into the emotions of heartbreak and resilience in the face of a failed relationship. The singer is told by their former partner that they regret their actions and want to go back to how things were before. However, the singer expresses their skepticism, stating that if they were to have the faith they once had, they would still dream of a world with their former love in it. This sets the tone for the internal conflict the singer is facing, torn between holding onto hope and letting go of the past.
The lyrics then highlight the singer's decision to resist falling back into illusions and reminiscing about the tender moments shared with their former partner. They vow to continue their journey without dreaming, without kissing their ex-lover again, accepting that this is how life has unfolded for them. The repetition of the lines "Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar" reinforces the singer's determination and resignation to move forward without clinging to false hopes.
The song further explores the complex feelings of love and regret as the singer acknowledges the deep connection they shared with their ex-partner, emphasizing the pain of living without them. Despite their former lover's remorse, the singer decides to cut ties and resist the temptation to reunite, expressing their desire to avoid being deceived by their ex-partner's insincere affections.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the discrepancy between the dreamlike state their ex-lover is living in and their own grounded reality. They reject the idea of being enchanted by their ex's false emotions, asserting their independence and strength in moving forward without succumbing to illusions. The repeated refrain "Seguiré sin soñar, sin volverte a besar" encapsulates the resolve and finality in the singer's decision to continue on their path without looking back or being swayed by the past. Ultimately, the song conveys a message of self-preservation and empowerment in the face of heartbreak and deceit, emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself and valuing one's own well-being above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
Me dices que estas arrepentida
You tell me that you regret
Y que quieres volver a ser como antes
And that you want to go back to how we were before
Si tuviera la fe que me quitaste tu
If I had the faith you took away from me
Soñaría aquel mundo ahora mismo.
I would dream of that world right now.
No quiero, sentirme ilusionado
I don't want to feel hopeful
Ni pensar en los besos que me diste
Or think about the kisses you gave me
Seguiré sin soñar
I will continue without dreaming
Sin volverte a besar
Without kissing you again
La vida, lo quiere así.
Life wants it that way.
Oye...
Listen...
Yo seguiré sin soñar
I will continue without dreaming
Sin volverte a acariciar
Without caressing you again
La vida lo quiere así.
Life wants it that way.
Amada, prenda querida, no pude vivir sin verte
Beloved, dear treasure, I couldn't live without seeing you
Y aunque estas arrepentida
And even though you regret
No quiero volver a verte mas.
I don't want to see you again.
Soñando vives tu, soñando vivo yo
You live dreaming, I live dreaming
Yo no quiero ilusionarme, con tu falso corazón.
I don't want to get my hopes up with your false heart.
Ayayayai!
Ayayayai!
Ay!
Ay!
Oye, oye mulata
Listen, listen mulata
Aunque estas arrepentida eh!...
Even though you regret!
Mi negra es un embolate, para volver a empezar.
My black woman is a mess to start over.
Y si mucho me querías
And if you loved me a lot
Porque con otro te fuiste ah!
Why did you leave with someone else!
Orgulloso de paquete
Proud of the package
Mulata, mulata arranque pa′ aya.
Mulata, mulata, get going over there.
Lo tuyo solo es paquete
Yours is just a package
Yo sigo gozando por ahí na' ma.
I keep enjoying myself just like that.
Writer(s): Felo Bergaza
Contributed by Evelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@martinjosearaquemejia9602
Por primera vez oigo este tema.Que salsa tan brava😊
@deividcaraballo8880
Este gran tema me da nostalgia, me remonta a aquellos años cuando los 1ero dé enero íbamos en familia a El Valle Bruzual, a la casa de Bartolo, gracias por tanto...
@claudiohinostrozamora4072
Los timbales...El gran Orestes Vilato..el bravo de verdad ..Ray Barreto...Dando Rodríguez...Adalberto....Los Bravos de la salsa...un saludo de un peruano😊
@andrespalacios1570
Esto es una locura ...bravísimo
@dannyhurtado1746
Sublime , vaina linda
@jhonymendoza1003
QUE VIVA LA MUSICA LATINA🤗🇪🇸🇨🇴
@freddyramirez5818
La Mejor Orquesta de Salsa 💃
@juanantoniojuradobone5160
Uno de los más vocalistas de Fania Adalberto Santiago con las manos duras Rey Barreto
@ManuelMartinez-yh6ql
Mucha canción el coro espectacular
@lopz33
¡Tremendo clásico del Rey de las Manos Duras cantando Adalberto Santiago!