The debut album of Spanish Harlem Orchestra, under the direction of pianist and arranger Oscar Hernandez, was released in 2002. By that time I had already been producing salsa events and deejaying for only a few years, so I was still a little green with regard to experience.
Salsa had become a passion but I was lacking much understanding of its history; yet I was playing salsa exclusively while committed to honing my skills, developing a diverse collection, and learning as much as possible, given the circumstances. The compass points of early timba, classic Fania anthems, contemporary Colombian salsa, and slightly-old Puerto Rican salsa were my main areas of focus when spinning tunes back in the days of CD players. However, after discovering Spanish Harlem Orchestra, my new interest in contemporary salsa strengthened in the wake of other salsa material released near the turn of the century, such as by Jimmy Bosch, Yuri Buenaventura, Africando, Son Boricua, and Edwin Bonilla.
Un Gran Día En El Barrio, which translates as "a great day in the neighborhood" had the biggest impact. Full of dance tunes, the album quickly went on high rotation at my gigs for several months. Twenty-two years later, it’s tempting to consider it now as nostalgic; but truth be told, it still sounds fresh and not at all dated. I think it has passed the test of time very well.
Album Notes
The liner notes of the CD summarize the great influence that the New York neighborhood of Harlem had on American music, with nods to Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and James Brown in their contributions to the status and development of African-American music in particular. However, a point needing recognition was the "Spanish" area of Harlem, where many Latinos, especially Puerto Ricans, resided, and they too made important contributions to music, specifically to the form which would come to be known as salsa. [1]
Both the journalist Cesar Miguel Rondón and musicologist Andrés Espinoza Agurto point out how salsa -- in its purest form -- was stylized in the barrio. [2] [3]
Un Gran Día En El Barrio comprises ten songs, and together they are a "musical portrait of a tiny neighborhood that changed the sound of the entire world". [4] Ranging from 1947 ("Obsesión" by Pedro Flores) to the early 1970s ("La Banda" by Marty Sheller and Willie Colon) the songs are performed by esteemed musicians paying homage to this history.
Oscar Hernandez, piano / musical director
Ruben Rodriguez, bass
Ray Vega, trumpet
Raul Agraz, trumpet
Jose Davila, trombone
Ozzie Melendez, trombone
Mitch Frohman, baritone sax
Pablo "Chino" Nuñez, timbales
Bobby ALlende, bongo
George Delgado, conga
Ray de la Paz, vocals
Frankie Vasquez, vocals
Herman Olivera, vocals
Jimmy Sabater, guest vocals
Produced by Aaron Luis Levinson / Label: Ropeadope Records, 2002
Musings
Notably, the album was never available on streaming platforms when they came into existence and even now as Spotify continues to update its catalog with many previously unavailable salsa albums, it still remains unlisted. I have always speculated that this had do with copyright issues.
However, the timeless classic of Un Gran Dia En El Barrio was recently released on vinyl by Sal Sound Records (2024). The rear jacket boldly announces it as Spanish Harlem’s answer to Cuba’s Buena Vista Social Club. That sounds about right.
Pictured here are copies of the recently released record and the original CD, both autographed. The CD cover has the signature of Ray de la Paz (vocals). The record jacket that of Oscar Hernandez (piano and band director).
Spotlight:
3 Songs of Un Gran Dia En El Barrio
All the tunes on this amazing album are notable as cover versions from decades before. Three I would like to spotlight.
With Herman Olivera on vocals, "La Música Es Mi Vida" still gives goosebumps as a great rendition of the composition by Sandioval and Guajiro Gonzalez, which I first heard on El Hulk de la Salsa by Sociedad 76 & Johnny Zamot (Fania Records, 1980). The opening lyrics can surely resonate with salsa aficionados.
Spanish:
La música es mi vida, mi compañera y mi amiga
Con ella me he desvelado, para invertir el mundo
Mi vos es la mensajera de la música latina
English:
Music is my life, my partner, and my friend
With her I’ve been sleepless, to invest in the world
My voice is the messenger of the Latin music
The lyrics also express gratitude to the patron saint of music, Saint Cecilia, with the chorus in support: 'Thanks to the gift God gave me, I will always live to sing'.
Simply, "La Música Es Mi Vida" is a very impressionable song and the version by Spanish Harlem Orchestra is unmatched. You don't need to be a singer or a musician for the lyrics to ring true -- any salsa enthusiast can embrace the song as an anthem.
Also included in the album are two compositions by the prolific Puerto Rican composer Tite Curet Alonso: "Vale Mas Un Guaguanco" and "Pueblo Latino". Both can be considered salsa anthems as well.
"Vale Mas Un Guaguanco" is another nod to the role of music in defining one’s life (from an Hispanic/Latino context).
Spanish:
A la la le le la la
Es cuestión de analizar mi querido compañero
Si vale mas un guaguanco
O ponerte a sollozar por un amor que te dejo
...
Ya te vi con el mundo hacia adelante
Y a subir que lo se fue se fue
Que se largue
English:
A la la le le la la
It is a question of analyzing my dear partner
What is worth more, a guaguanco
or to sob for a love that has left you
…
Proceed ahead with the world in front of you
to ascend what has left
Let it go!
Supporting the call to be strong and affirmative is this chorus line: 'Guaguanco is better than a bad love'.
"Pueblo Latino" is the closing track of the album. I knew the song originally from the singer Pete Rodriguez, on his album Este Negro Si Es Sabroso (Fania Records, 1976). Upbeat and inspirational, it is an appeal for unity in Latin neighborhoods everywhere.
Spanish:
Pueblo latino de cualquier ciudad
A llegado la hora de la unidad
A sonado la hora del estrecho de manos
Como protección
Pueblo latino de cualquier barrio
De cualquier ciudad!
Tu hora a sonado, únete!
Únete!
...
Porque la unidad, es que está la fuerza monumental
Que los puede salvar de la infelicidad
English:
Latin town of any city
The time for unity has come
The hour of outstretched hands has come
For Protection
Latin town of any barrio…
Of any city!
Your time has sounded, unite!
Unite!
Because unity, is the monumental strength
That will save us from misery
...
It is fitting that the focus here is on the neighborhood, el barrio; first, in relation to the album title; and second, in underlining the crucial setting from which salsa is said to have emerged (see earlier in this post).
With its ambition, conception, and musical excellence, Un Gran Día En El Barrio earned an Emmy Nomination for best salsa album of the year at the 45th Grammy Awards. [8]
TRACK LIST
Mama Guela
Obsesión
Tambori
Aprende A Querer
La Música Es Mi Vida
La Banda
Pa' Gozar
Somos Iguales
Vale Mas Un Guaguanco
Pueblo Latino
A Standard & A Legacy
In the twenty-two years since the groundbreaking Un Gran Día En El Barrio, Spanish Harlem Orchestra has produced eight more albums, most recently Swing Forever (Ovation Records, 2024), available both in CD and vinyl format. Nominated six times for the Latin Grammys (with three wins) Spanish Harlem Orchestra's discography has set a standard with salsa music that is both widely appreciated (by salsa enthusiasts) and inspiring (for salsa musicians). Oscar Hernandez, the band director and pianist -- himself a native of New York with Puerto Rican heritage -- has produced several solo projects as well, and members from the 2002 band are still active today with careers as highly-respected supporting artists, solo artists, or band directors themselves.
References
Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Un Gran Día En El Barrio - cd notebook. (New York: Reopeadope Music Entertainment, 2002), inside cover.
Cesar Miguel Rondon. The Book of Salsa (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 2008). 18-61.
Andrés Espinoza Agurto. Salsa Consciente (East Lansing: MSU Press, 2022). 56-57, 88.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Un Gran Día En El Barrio - cd notebook, inside cover.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Un Gran Día En El Barrio - cd notebook, 4.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Un Gran Día En El Barrio - cd notebook, 7.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Un Gran Día En El Barrio - cd notebook, 8.
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra page, Grammy Awards. Retrieved November 2024: https://www.grammy.com/artists/spanish-harlem-orchestra/6382
Salsa In Context
This blog post, Un Gran Dia En El Barrio by Spanish Harlem Orchestra -- a timeless classic on vinyl, is part of the Salsa in Context series which examines the background story of salsa songs. The aim is to raise awareness of the music that salsa dancers might be familiar with on the dance floor but in fact know little about due to language barriers.
PRESENTATION
Salsa in Context will be presented at 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival in Taipei, Nov 22-24.
“Salsa in Context - An introduction to develop your appreciation of salsa music as a dancer and listener”
by Angel Figueroa
(Josai International University)
Location: NuZone Exhibition Center, 2F (Salsa Room)
Date & Time: Sunday, Nov 24, 11:30-12:20
The 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival is an international salsa event organized by Calvin Wang and hosted at a spacious venue in Taipei with several invited international instructors, performers, and DJs. Social dancing is provided for both salsa and bachata dancers. Get tickets here.
