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
Together
Ray Barretto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, alright now
This is something that I want
You to pay special attention
Because if we don't make it
We gonna blow ourselves to kingdom come
I know a beautiful truth
I know in my blood I'm Black
And I'm white, and I'm red, yeah
The blood of mankind flows in me
But in every face, in every face I see
I see a part of you and a part of me
Together get together
Before it's too late
Got to do it before it's too late, baby woo
Evеrybody alright, yeah
Got to do it listen becausе it's important
Now there are those who hate
For the love of hate
And there are those who hate
Because they are hated a world destruction
Can only be our fate, yeah
The doom that hate has created
So we got to get together, everybody
Black and white, Puerto Ricans, Cubans
Everybody
Together if we gonna make it, baby
Got to do it together
Yeah woo
Alright
Alright, listen listen with your hearts
Listen with your minds as well as your ears
If you would take my hand
If you would dare to see, yeah
The beauty in this land
That love can set free
A force to lift us all
And it's called humanity for you and for me
Together got to get together, baby
Before, before it's too late, baby uh, yeah
Alright
I'm gon' tell you one more time
And it's about me this is me, Ray Barretto
I know a beautiful truth
And it's made me for free
I know that in my blood
I got Black and white
Red, Puerto Rican, Indian i'm all messed up
But I got soul, I know it
Yeah, the blood of mankind flows in me
And so in every face, in every face I see
I see a part of you and you and you and me
Together i said together
We all have to get together, baby
Before it's too damn late, yeah
Get together, everybody
Got to do it one more time, yeah
I said everybody get together
Got to do it all if we gonna live
Not on the moon, right here on Earth, baby
We got to do it all together
Before it's too goddamn late
The lyrics of Ray Barretto's song "Together" express a call for unity and collective action in order to prevent self-destruction and embrace the beautiful truth of humanity. Right from the beginning, Barretto emphasizes the urgency of getting together and paying special attention, as failure to do so implies blowing themselves to "kingdom come." This sets the tone for the importance of the message conveyed in the song.
Barretto states that he knows a beautiful truth that has helped him find freedom. He recognizes his own identity as a mixture of different races and ethnicities, including Black, white, Puerto Rican, and Indian, acknowledging the diverse blood that flows within him. He extends this realization to everyone, seeing a part of himself in each face he encounters. The chorus repeats the need to come together before it's too late, urging unity among all races and nationalities, including Black and white individuals, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and everybody else.
Further, Barretto criticizes those who hate either out of their own hatred or because they are hated, noting that such hate can lead to the destruction of the world. He emphasizes the importance of unity and the ability of love to set people free. Barretto refers to this force as humanity, a force that can uplift and unite everyone. He concludes by reiterating the urgent message of getting together and embracing unity before it's too late.
Overall, "Together" serves as a powerful anthem promoting unity, love, and acceptance among all races and nationalities. It highlights the beauty in diversity and encourages collective action to avoid self-destruction as a result of hatred and division.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo got to get together, baby
We must unite and come together, my love
Yeah, alright now
Indeed, everything is fine at this moment
This is something that I want
I have a strong desire for this to happen
You to pay special attention
I need you to focus and give careful consideration
Because if we don't make it
If we fail to achieve this
We gonna blow ourselves to kingdom come
We will cause our own destruction
I know a beautiful truth
I am aware of a profound and uplifting reality
And it's helping me free, yeah
It is liberating me, you know
I know in my blood I'm Black
I recognize my African heritage
And I'm white, and I'm red, yeah
I also acknowledge my Caucasian and Indigenous roots
The blood of mankind flows in me
I embody the essence of humanity
But in every face, in every face I see
When I look at anyone's face
I see a part of you and a part of me
I perceive a connection between us, a shared essence
Together get together
Let's join forces
Before it's too late
Prior to reaching a critical point
Got to do it before it's too late, baby woo
We must take action urgently, my love
Everybody alright, yeah
Is everyone fine? Yes
Got to do it listen because it's important
It is crucial to pay attention and take action
Now there are those who hate
Presently, there exist individuals who harbor hate
For the love of hate
They have an affection for hatred itself
And there are those who hate
Additionally, there are those who hate
Because they are hated
Due to being despised
A world destruction
The outcome is the destruction of our world
Can only be our fate, yeah
It is an unavoidable destiny, you know
The doom that hate has created
The disastrous consequences caused by hate
So we got to get together, everybody
It is imperative that we unite, everyone
Black and white, Puerto Ricans, Cubans
Regardless of race or nationality
Together if we gonna make it, baby
Only through unity can we succeed, my love
Got to do it together
We must accomplish this jointly
Alright
Very well, understood
Alright, listen listen with your hearts
Pay close attention, let your hearts guide you
Listen with your minds as well as your ears
Engage your intellect alongside your sense of hearing
If you would take my hand
If you would accept my offer of assistance
If you would dare to see, yeah
If you would be courageous enough to perceive
The beauty in this land
The magnificence present in our surroundings
That love can set free
Love has the power to liberate us
A force to lift us all
An influential strength that can uplift every individual
And it's called humanity for you and for me
It is known as humanity, which applies to all of us
Together got to get together, baby
We must unite, my love
Before, before it's too late, baby uh, yeah
Prior to reaching a critical point, my love, understand?
I'm gon' tell you one more time
Allow me to repeat myself
And it's about me this is me, Ray Barretto
This is a message from me, Ray Barretto
I know a beautiful truth
I am aware of a profound and uplifting reality
And it's made me for free
And it has granted me freedom
I know that in my blood
I am certain that within me
I got Black and white
I possess both African and Caucasian heritage
Red, Puerto Rican, Indian I'm all messed up
Mixed with Native American and Puerto Rican roots, it's complicated
But I got soul, I know it
Nevertheless, I possess an undeniable spirit
Yeah, the blood of mankind flows in me
Yes, I carry the essence of humanity within me
And so in every face, in every face I see
Therefore, in each person's face that I encounter
I see a part of you and you and you and me
I perceive a connection between us all
Together I said together
Once again, I urge for unity
We all have to get together, baby
All of us must come together, my love
Before it's too damn late, yeah
Before it becomes irreversibly late, you know
Get together, everybody
Come together, everyone
Got to do it one more time, yeah
We must do it once again, you know
I said everybody get together
I implore everyone to unite
Got to do it all if we gonna live
We must collectively take action to ensure our survival
Not on the moon, right here on Earth, baby
This applies to Earth, not some faraway place like the moon
We got to do it all together
We must accomplish it jointly, as a unified force
Before it's too goddamn late
Before it becomes excessively late, you know
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FRANGO976
Conozco una hermosa verdad y esto me ayudó a ser libre
Sé que soy negro, blanco y rojo. La sangre de la humanidad fluye en mí.
Y así, en cada cara que veo
veo una parte de ti y yo juntos
Para los que odian por amor al odio
y los que odian porque son odiados
la destrucción solo puede ser su destino
el destino que ha creado el odio
hay que estar juntos antes de que sea demasiado tarde
si tomaras mi mano
si te atrevieras a ver también
La belleza en esta tierra que el amor puede ver libre
Una fuerza para levantarnos a todos se llama humanidad
somos tú y yo juntos
@Fowaz
I know a beautiful truth, and it's helped me be free
I know I'm black and I'm white and I'm red, yeah
The blood of mankind flows through me
And so in every, in every face I see
I see a part, I see a part of you and me
Together.
@noeliajimenezcnv
thank you!
@bobbiedigital
Wepa
@TheCiaMKultra
Cool beans 😎
@nelsonmarquez318
Great Mr Ray
@wdls1
1 of the Kings of Percussion!
@Hector-yg6ps
Wild shit!!
@siamnaturals6460
Buena mezcla del Boogaloo & Jazz, la parte vocal es del propio Barretto.
@patrikawellington1376
I remember those days with Ray....RIP!
@remosa100
I love those percussion played