Whether a concert hall or an outdoor jazz festival, there is no easing you in, they are coming at you full force from start to finish. Their energy on stage, rich sound and musical precision leave audiences mesmerized until the last note is played. With an unwavering respect for the musics rich history, thirteen world-class musicians and vocalists come together to create an unparalleled musical experience.
Now in its fourteenth year, SHO, as they are known to fans, is dedicated to the sounds of the barrio. Their music is characterized by the raw, organic and vintage sound defined by the genre. They are on a mission to keep the musical legacy of salsa dura "hard salsa" alive and expand its audience to those who love great music, not just Latin music. Grounded in the past, while focused on the future, they strive to keep the music relevant, while creating a unique and fresh approach.
With four albums, and as many Grammy nominations, this Latin Jazz powerhouse knows it is crucial to continually push themselves and raise the bar. They recently released their fifth album, featuring two of America's great jazz icons, Chick Corea & saxophonist Joe Lovano. Oscar Hernandez and Spanish Harlem Orchestra continue to raise the bar of excellence in their music.
HISTORY
After two decades of session work, composing, arranging and producing, band leader Oscar Hernández was approached by producer Aaron Levinson in 2000 about the idea of assembling and recording a Latin jazz orchestra. The result was Un Gran Dia en el Barrio, the 2002 debut recording from Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO) that scored a Grammy nomination for Best Salsa Album and a Latin Billboard Award for Salsa Album of the Year. Based on the success of their first CD, Hernández and SHO began touring and wowing audiences all over the world.
Recordings
Their first Grammy win came in 2004 with their follow-up album, Across 110th Street, a reference to Harlem’s southern boundary. Featuring Ruben Blades as guest artist, the combination proved to be explosive and featured Blades singing in the style of Salsa Dura that many of his fans longed to hear.
Released in 2007, United We Swing earned yet another Grammy nomination. The album features Paul Simon as special guest singing a burning rendition of his hit "Late in The Evening" -- SHO style. Their second Grammy winning album, Viva La Tradicion, was released in 2010.
Band Leader
Oscar Hernández is all about tradition. Born into a large Puerto Rican family living in the Bronx, it was the nearby Spanish Harlem neighborhood that shaped his cultural musical sensibilities. The soundtrack to this bustling enclave in the ‘60s, emanating from any given window on any given day, was a mix of Latin Jazz and American pop radio.
Hernandez started playing the trumpet at age twelve; he switched to piano shortly thereafter. By the time he finished his teen years, he was making a living as a professional musician and gigging with some of the most talented Latin Jazz artists of the ‘70s. He spent much of the ‘80s producing, arranging and playing piano for Panamanian vocalist Rubén Blades while simultaneously leading his own band, Seis del Solar. In the 90's Hernandez produced a recording titled "Dance City" which received a rave review in the NY Times and led Paul Simon to call him as arranger/producer & musical director for his Broadway show "The Capeman."
Mama Guela
Spanish Harlem Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me preguntaba si después de tanto años tú y yo
¿No reuniremos? ¿O no?
Dicen que el tiempo cura todo pero no es mi situación
Aló, ¿Puedes oírme?
Sigo soñando en california con lo que solíamos ser
Éramos libres y hoy
Entre nosotros distancia hay como un millón de millas
Estoy desde otro lugar
Debí llamar una vez más
Y decir lo siento por todo lo que hice mal
Cuando llamo entiendo que en casa no estás
Estoy desde otro lugar
Al menos lo quien intentar
Al decir lo siento tú corazón yo quebré
Está claro entiendo pero ya no lo haré nunca más
Aló, ¿Cómo estás?
Es tan típico de mi seguir hablando sin parar
Espero tu bienes estar
¿Algún día te iras de esa ciudad donde nada ocurrirá?
No es un secreto
Porque estábamos quedando sin tiempo
Estoy desde otro lugar
Debí llamar una vez más
Y decir lo siento por todo lo que hice mal
Cuando llamo entiendo que en casa no estás
Estoy desde otro lugar
Al menos lo quien intentar
Al decir lo siento tú corazón yo quebré
Está claro entiendo pero ya no lo haré nunca más
Oooooh, Nunca más
Oooooh, Nunca más
Oooooh, Nunca más
Estoy desde otro lugar
Debí llamar una vez más
Y decir lo siento por todo lo que hice mal
Cuando llamo entiendo que en casa no estás
Estoy desde otro lugar
Al menos lo quien intentar
Al decir lo siento tú corazón yo quebré
Está claro entiendo pero ya no lo haré nunca más
Aló, soy yo
La letra de la canción "Mama Guela" de la Spanish Harlem Orchestra habla sobre el arrepentimiento y la nostalgia de un amor perdido. El cantante se encuentra lejos de su pareja y se pregunta si algún día se reunirán después de tantos años separados. A pesar de que el tiempo ha pasado, él no ha podido olvidar sus sentimientos y la distancia entre ellos se siente como si fuera de millones de millas. Él lamenta haber hecho cosas mal en el pasado que lastimaron a su pareja y desea poder pedir perdón una vez más.
La canción transmite una sensación de tristeza y nostalgia a través de su letra y su música. El suave ritmo de la salsa se mezcla con la voz melancólica del cantante, y los arreglos de instrumentos de viento y percusión le dan un sonido auténtico de la música latina. La letra está escrita en español pero las emociones que transmite son universales, lo que permite que cualquier persona, independientemente de su idioma, pueda conmoverse con la canción.
Line by Line Meaning
Aló, soy yo
The singer is initiating a call, introducing themselves to the person they are calling.
Me preguntaba si después de tanto años tú y yo
¿No reuniremos? ¿O no?
The singer is questioning if they will ever reunite with the person they are calling after so many years apart.
Dicen que el tiempo cura todo pero no es mi situación
Although it is commonly said that time can heal any wound, the singer does not feel that way and is still affected by the past.
Aló, ¿Puedes oírme?
The artist is checking if the person they are calling can hear them.
Sigo soñando en california con lo que solíamos ser
Éramos libres y hoy
Ya olvidé lo que sentía antes de tener todo a mis pies
The artist is reminiscing about the past when they were carefree and living in California. They have forgotten what it was like to feel that way before they had everything they wanted.
Entre nosotros distancia hay como un millón de millas
The singer feels that there is a great distance between themselves and the person they are calling, both physically and emotionally.
Estoy desde otro lugar
Debí llamar una vez más
Y decir lo siento por todo lo que hice mal
Cuando llamo entiendo que en casa no estás
The singer is expressing regret for not having called again sooner and apologizing for any wrongs they have done. They understand that the person they are calling is not at home when they call.
Al menos lo quien intentar
Al decir lo siento tú corazón yo quebré
Está claro entiendo pero ya no lo haré nunca más
The artist acknowledges that they have hurt the person they are calling by expressing remorse. They understand the consequences of their actions and vow to never do it again.
¿Algún día te iras de esa ciudad donde nada ocurrirá?
The artist is questioning if the person they are calling will ever leave the town they are living in, where nothing seems to happen.
No es un secreto
Porque estábamos quedando sin tiempo
The fact that time was running out was not a secret between the artist and the person they are calling.
Oooooh, Nunca más
The repeated phrase signifies the singer's vow to never repeat the mistakes of the past.
Writer(s): Tito Rodriguez
Contributed by Taylor H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.