Alabanciosa jimmy bosch biography

Libre, aka Manny Oquendo’s Libre, was co-founded in October 1974 by Manny Oquendo (b. 1931, Brooklyn, New York, USA, of Puerto Rican parentage; leader, timbales, bongo, güiro, other percussion, chorus, arrangements) and Andy González (b. 1951, Manhattan, New York, USA; bass, claves, other percussion, chorus, arrangements). They met while working with Eddie Palmieri’s band and decided to organize Libre after having ‘irreconcilable problems’ with the band leader. Their founding principle was that Libre (‘free’) should be based on Afro-Cuban roots, not just copying them, but allowing a freer, jazzier, more urban sound which broke away from what they perceived as the ‘cold, unemotional and mechanical sound’ of most recorded salsa. Libre adopted a trombones and flute ‘trombanga’ frontline, a combination that Oquendo had helped Palmieri develop when he was a member of his group, La Perfecta, in the 60s. Oquendo literally grew up on Latin music. In the 30s his family lived above Almacenes Hernández, then one of the leading record stores in El Barrio (Spanish Harlem). As a youngster he li

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