The 13-member Plena Libre's unique interpretation of the beloved native Afro-Puerto Rican song form/rhythm, plena is fused with salsa, jazz and other Afro-Caribbean genres to produce a joyous, percussion-driven, vocally rich mixture. Highly dynamic and entertaining, this ensemble consistently plays successfully in large concert halls and festivals. Their popularity on the island won them their own weekly TV show in San Juan.

This ensemble's latest CD on RykoLatino, "Más Libre,"(Freer) was released in October 2000. Their eighth recording and third for RykoLatino, came a year after their critically lauded "Juntos y Revueltos". Drawing from an even wider sonic vocabulary - jazz, reggae, salsa, samba, songo, bomba, merengue, and cumbia - the aptly titled album mingles delicacy and power in some of their most voluptuous dance creations to date. The blends are entirely natural with plena- an intoxicating, drum-fueled rhythm born and raised on the orchestra's sunny island home - as the center of gravity and unifying force.

Since their inception, as recently as 1994, Plena Libre, led by bassist, arranger, composer and producer Gary Núñez, has become a strong force on the musical scene of Puerto Rico. And it is in part through Plena Libre’s efforts that plena is beginning to project itself across sea and ocean to the U.S. and the world.

Plena Libre was born out of plena jam sessions in which Gary Núñez participated. In those sessions Gary began to focus on this rhythm, which had been brushed aside by the more popular salsa and merengue. He also decided to break this genre out of its folkloric mold. Since then, this 13-piece band has been expanding the borders of plena music.

 “When I was 20 years old,” remembers Gary,” I met Noel Hernández, who is now my compadre. He opened my eyes to my Puerto Rican heritage, got me into studying my history and my musical roots. I realized then that, as much as Puerto Rican musicians were known worldwide in many fields of music, the music that was truly traditional to Puerto Rico was hardly known. I wanted to change that, to devote myself to the music that is based on our African heritage, the plena and the bomba. Up to then they were relegated to holiday get-togethers and in danger of disappearing entirely. That’s how Plena Libre, or ‘free plena’ was born.”

Because of their talent, energy and effort, Plena Libre has become the main force and showcase for the revival of plena in Puerto Rico. Plena is a traditional Puerto Rican rhythm which emerged from the island’s African heritage. In the early 1920’s the predominant instruments used in Plena were panderetas (frame drums) to which the guitar or the cuatro (six string guitar) were later added as well the güiro (gourd), maracas, congas and timbales. To this basic lineup other instruments were at times added for variety – sometimes an accordion, sometimes a full orchestral arrangement. The band's latest CD, "Más Libre" retains the plena's original function as a vehicle for the people's stories. "Like [folkloric] music in other countries, the plena was a kind of newspaper, telling people what was happening," says Núñez. "We address what's happening today from this generation's perspective. One reason why the plena was forgotten was the lyrics. They talked about a Puerto Rico that no longer was pertinentfor example, about sugar cance fields that were nearly gone, and didn't connect to the young people. We talk about real issues - from cellular phones to Puerto Rican nationalism. In fact, playing the plena is, in itself, a nationalistic act!"

This joyous dance music from Puerto Rico has been given new light and form by Plena Libre’s exciting arrangements, that combine traditional plena rhythmic patterns with the styles of contemporary music like songo, samba, pambiche and various dance floor rhythms. Add to that an energetic stage presentation and you have an extraordinary musical experience.

Since their formation, Plena Libre has performed in thousands of shows in Puerto Rico, and has toured in the U.S., receiving extraordinary reviews for their performances and for their 7 recordings that have generated over 15 hit songs and sold over 150,000 copies in Puerto Rico alone.

Plena Libre became the first group to hit the charts with a plena tune in almost 15 years with “El Party” from their first recording “Juntos y Revueltos” (1994) that has been re-released by RykoLatino (RLCD 1005) for the international market receiving extraordinary reviews. This group has also been the first to present a theatrical show based on plena music. In addition, their achievements include the use of a music video to promote plena, having a weekly TV program on Puerto Rico’s main station Telemundo, and participating in the prestigious Banco Popular Christmas Special.

In May of 1999 Plena Libre became the first plena group to perform at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum with their unique presentation “Puerto Rico Sabe a Plena”. A crowd of over 5,000 and the critics applauded Plena Libre’s performance, which was later transmitted in commercial TV, another “first” for plena and this exciting Puerto Rican group.

Their list of accomplishments includes an award by the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico’s Legislature (1999), “Fundación Rafael Cepeda” (1997), and an award given by Loiza, the town known as the birth place of the bomba y plena, (1995). They all congratulated Plena Libre for their contribution to the development of the plena and Puerto Rico’s music. Other awards include: The “Tu Música Award”(1999, 1997, 1996 and 1995), “Farándula” (1999) for “Best Plena Group”, the “People’s Choice Awards” for “Best Independent Production” for 3 consecutive years (1995, 1996 and 1997), and the “King Momo Award” for “Best New Orchestra” (1995).

www.plenalibre.com

Official Web Site:

Juntos y Revueltos I (1994)

Cógelo que Ahí Te Va (1995)

Plena Pa'Ti (1996)

De parranda (1997)

Plena Libre Mix (1998)

Plena Libre (1999)

Juntos y Revueltos II

Más Libre (RykoLatino, 2000)

Estamos Gozando! (Times Square, 2004)

Evolucion (Times Square, 2005)

Plena Al Salsero (Times Square, 2008)