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Hommy, A Latin Opera (1973)

In 1972, salsa was at its height. Larry Harlow, known as The Marvelous Jew, was
contemplating the idea of a new musical concept for the Afro-Caribbean music scene.
Inspired by the success of the rock opera Tommy, Harlow got ready to unveil a
similar concept, designed for the salsa market.
The idea came to life in 1973 with the opera Hommy, Lyrics penned by Heny lvarez
told the story of a boy who was born deaf and blind, but had an enormous talent for
percussion. Here, the greatest musicians of the time came together: Justo Betancourt,
Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto Santiago, Junior Gonzlez, and Pete el Conde Rodrguez,
not to mention the woman who would later become the Queen of Salsa: Celia Cruz.
This group of artists did their duty with a recording that took a place of honor in the
history of Afro-Caribbean music, with a radiant performance that captured the attention
and imagination of salsa fans around the world.
This production also has the important distinction of being the first recording that
earned Celia Cruz success in the US salsa market.
Almost by accident, Harlow met Celia Cruz in Mexico, and told her he wanted a female
voice for his opera. At the same time, Jerry Masucci was considering Celia as an
alternative to the musical authority of La Lupe, who was at that time considered The
Queen of Latin Soul.
Celia Cruz went to New York to meet with Masucci and discuss the possibility of
recording with the Fania label; when she arrived, she discovered that her meeting was in
the same studio where Hommy was being recorded. Celia told me, I got so angry,
and Im not an angry person. They had me all set up to sing Gracia Divina, which I
had never even heard. But I learned it and I sang it.
Gracia Divina was an enormous hit, and opened the doors of success to Celia Cruz,
who immediately recorded Bemba color with the Fania All Stars. The rest is history.
The musical and rhythmic variation in Hommy offers an amalgam of traditional
Cuban music, in wonderful arrangements by Larry Harlow. This is a veritable
representation of the state of salsa music in the early 1970s. During that time, violins
began appearing in salsa music, and figure prominently in Hommy. This recording
presents salsa at maximum capacity, and is an indisputable achievement of Larry
Harlows musical magic.
The tracks Es un varn, El da de Navidad, Quirinbomboro, Gracia Divina,
Cari-Caridad, and Soy sensacional were undeniable worldwide hits that became
dance numbers and points of discussion among salsa musicians. This was the first time
that a Spanish-language, salsa-themed opera had ever been presented to the masses.
The opera ends with a chorus of pleas to the spiritual forces of the universe to end
suffering on earth and the war in Vietnam through divine grace and charity. At the same
time, there is the resignation of the people, who prefer vacillation, not sermons on
sensible living.

Hommy opened the doors for this kind of performance to the salsa market. The opera
enjoyed great success in Puerto Rico. Through Hommy, salsa took on a sophisticated
air, and this legacy opened the doors for the Afro-Caribbean musical tradition to enter
the most prestigious performance halls in the world.
This is the legacy of Hommy, one of the best recordings of the era. It brought the best
musicians of the genre together in a musical expression that transcended time;
simultaneously, it introduced Celia Cruz to the salsa market and planted her firmly in
the throne that she never left. More importantly, however, Hommy took salsa to a new
level with the public, proving that the genre belonged in the best performance halls in
the world. From that moment on, salsa became dancehall music, and it has this record to
thank for it.

Credits:
Contributing Musicians Orchestra Harlow:
Larry Harlow - Piano
Eddie Guagua Rivera - Bass
Eddie Colon - Timbales
Tony Jimenez - Conga
Pablo Rosario - Bongo
Larry Spencer - Trumpet
Ralph Castrella - Trumpet
Sam Burtis - Trombone
Lewis Kahn - Trombone
Junior Gonzalez - Vocals & Percussion
Carmel Malin, Jesse Tryon, David Gonzalez, Alberto Iznaga, Vincent Liota, Marty
Salyak, Ruben Rivera, Earl Norman, Selwart Clarke, Yoko Matsuo, Kathy Kienke,
Karen Jones,
Gloria Lonzoroni, Norman Forrest - Strings
Doc Herzlin & Damion Sgabbo - French Horn
Lou Soloff & John Gatchell - Trumpets
Dave Taylor - Tuba & Bass Trombone
Harry Smyles - Oboe & English Horn
Paul Fleisher - Soprano Sax
Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Porcelli, Eddie Zervigon - Flutes
Jose Luis Cruz - Piano
Charlie Rodriguez - Tres
Angel Cachete Maldonado, Roy Markowitz, Hershel Dwellingham Sr. - Percussion
Chorus - Yayo El Indio, Adalberto Santiago & Marcelino Guerra
Latin Opera Creative - Larry Harlow
Words & Music - Larry Harlow & Jenaro Heny Alvarez
Interlude Music Composer - Marty Sheller
Orchestra Conduction - Larry Harlow & Marty Sheller
Arrangements - Larry Harlow, Marty Sheller, Jose Luis Cruz, Papo Lucca and Javier

Vazquez
Narration - Jenaro Heny Alvarez
Starring - Orchestra Harlow -1973
Cast:
Celia Cruz - Gracia Divina
Justo Betancourt - El Padre
Cheo Feliciano - El Padrino To Jos
Junior Gonzlez - Hommy Gonzlez
Pete Conde Rodriguez - Elemento Del Bonche
Jenaro Heny Alvarez - El Heladero
Adalberto Santiago - El Doctor
Producer - Larry Harlow
Executive Producer - Jerry Masucci
Original Album Design - We-2 Graphic Designs, Inc., Izzy Sanabria , Walter Velez
Original Cover Photography - Jan Blom
Original Album Inside Illustration - Little Moon
Recorded - Good Vibrations Sound Studio, N.Y.C.
Engineer - Jon Fausty
Orchestra Harlow Management - Chet Holland c/o Alpha Artists of America, N.Y.C.
Orchestra Harlow Road Manager - Willie Gonzalez
Introducing Junior Gonzalez as Hommy
We wish to thanks TICO RECORDS and VAYA RECORDS for their cooperation in
making this recording.
Written by Juan Moreno Velzquez
En el ao 1972 la salsa estaba en todo su apogeo. Larry Harlow, conocido por el
apelativo de el judo maravilloso cavilaba sobre la idea de un novel concepto musical
para el mercado musical afroantillano. Inspirado por el xito de la pera anglosajona,
Tommy, Harlow se preparaba para el lanzamiento de un concepto similar, dirigido al
mercado salsero.
La idea vio frutos en el ao 1973 con la pera Hommy, que utilizando la lrica de Heny
lvarez, cuenta la historia de un nio que aunque ciego y sordo, tena un gran talento
para la percusin. Aqu se unieron los grandes msicos de la poca y soneros como
Justo Betancourt, Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto Santiago, Junior Gonzlez y Pete El
Conde Rodrguez, en adicin a quien se convertira en la reina de la Salsa, Celia
Cruz.
La combinacin de msicos y voces logr su cometido con una grabacin que sent
ctedra en la historia de la msica afrocaribea con una radiante exposicin que captur
las ondas radiales y la imaginacin del pblico salsero.
Esta grabacin tambin denota el importante antecedente de ser la primera grabacin
que marc un verdadero xito para Celia Cruz en el mercado de la salsa en la nacin
americana.

Casi accidentalmente, Harlow se encontr con Celia Cruz en Mxico y le coment sobre
su inters en una voz femenina para cantar en su pera, a su vez Jerry Masucci buscaba
tambin de Celia una alternativa para combatir la hegemona musical que mantena a La
Lupe, como la reina de la cancin latina en aqul momento.
Celia Cruz viaj a Nueva York con la intencin de reunirse con Masucci a discutir las
posibilidades de grabar con el sello disquero Fania y al acudir a la reunin se encontr
que sta era en el estudio donde se estaba grabando Hommy. Celia me cont, me
enoj, y mira que yo no soy enojona. Me tenan todo preparado para que cantara el tema
Gracia Divina el cul yo ni tan slo haba escuchado. Pero bueno me aprend el tema
y lo cant.
Gracia Divina se convirti en un gigantesco xito, en adicin a ser el tema que le
abri las puertas a Celia Cruz, que de inmediato grab Bemba Color con las Estrellas
de Fania y el resto es historia.
La variacin musical y rtmica en la pera Hommy ofrece la combinacin de una
amalgama de la tradicin musical cubana en exitosos arreglos de Larry Harlow en lo
que presenta una verdadera presentacin del estado de la msica salsera en los
comienzos de la dcada de los setenta. En esa poca los violines comenzaban a decorar
la msica salsera y su franca utilizacin se denota en la musicalizacin de Hommy. En
definitiva, la orquestacin en esta grabacin es la presentacin de la salsa a la mxima
potencia y ste es un logro indiscutible de la magia musical de Larry Harlow.
Los temas Es un Varn, El Da De Navidad, Quirinbomboro, Gracia Divina,
Cari-Caridad y Soy Sensacional fueron indudables xitos radiales que se
convirtieron en temas de baile y discusin entre todos los salseros. Era la primera vez
que una pera, de habla hispana, y sta en el gremio salsero, era dirigida al populacho.
La pera termina con un cntico a las fuerzas espirituales para la resolucin de los
problemas en el globo terrqueo, ruegos para terminar la guerra en Vietnam a travs de
la Gracia Divina, la Caridad mientras que presenta la renuncia del pueblo que prefiere el
vaciln y no los sermones sobre el sabio vivir.
Hommy abri las puertas a una presentacin de este tipo y estilo al mercado salsero, y
su presentacin en Puerto Rico fue un gran xito. Con Hommy, la salsa se visti de gala
y ese legado abri las puertas para que la tradicin musical afroantillana ahora visite las
salas de ms prestigio en el mundo.
se es el legado de Hommy, una de las mejores grabaciones de la poca, que uni a
los mejores msicos del momento en una expresin que trascendi el tiempo; y, a su
vez, trajo a Celia Cruz al mercado salsero y la coloc en un sitial de honor el cual nunca
abandon. Pero ms importante an, Hommy llev a la Salsa a un nuevo lugar entre
el pblico demostrando que la expresin musical caba en las mejores salas del mundo.
Desde ese momento, la salsa se convirti en msica de sala, y esa es una gran deuda
para esta grabacin.
Creditos:

Contributing Musicians Orchestra Harlow:


Larry Harlow - Piano
Eddie Guagua Rivera - Bajo
Eddie Colon - Timbales
Tony Jimnez - Conga
Pablo Rosario - Bong
Larry Spencer - Trompeta
Ralph Castrella - Trompeta
Sam Burtis - Trombn
Lewis Kahn - Trombn
Junior Gonzlez - Vocals & Percussion
Carmel Malin, Jesse Tryon, David Gonzlez, Alberto Iznaga, Vincent Liota, Marty
Salyak, Rubn Rivera, Earl Norman, Selwart Clarke, Yoko Matsuo, Kathy Kienke,
Karen Jones,
Gloria Lonzoroni, Norman Forrest - Cuerdas
Doc Herzlin & Damion Sgabbo - French Horn
Lou Soloff & John Gatchell - Trompetas
Dave Taylor - Tuba & Trombn Bajo
Harry Smyles - Oboe & English Horn
Paul Fleisher Saxofn Soprano
Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Porcelli, Eddie Zervigon - Flautas
Jos Luis Cruz - Piano
Charlie Rodriguez - Tres
ngel Cachete Maldonado, Roy Markowitz, Hershel Dwellingham Sr. - Percusin
Coro - Yayo El Indio, Adalberto Santiago & Marcelino Guerra
Creador de la Opera Latina - Larry Harlow
Letra & Musica - Larry Harlow & Jenaro Heny Alvarez
Compositor de Intermedio Musical - Marty Sheller
Conduccin De Orquesta - Larry Harlow & Marty Sheller
Arreglos - Larry Harlow, Marty Sheller, Jose Luis Cruz, Papo Lucca and Javier Vazquez
Narracin - Jenaro Heny Alvarez
Protagonizacin - Orchestra Harlow -1973
Participantes:
Celia Cruz - Gracia Divina
Justo Betancourt - El Padre
Cheo Feliciano - El Padrino Tio Jose
Junior Gonzalez - Hommy Gonzalez
Pete Conde Rodriguez - Elemento Del Bonche
Jenaro Heny Alvarez - El Heladero
Adalberto Santiago - El Doctor
Productor - Larry Harlow
Productor Executivo - Jerry Masucci
Diseo Original del Album - We-2 Graphic Designs, Inc., Izzy Sanabria , Walter Velez
Fotografa Original De La Caratla - Jan Blom
Ilustracin Original De Adentro Del Album - Little Moon

Grabacin - Good Vibrations Sound Studio, N.Y.C.


Ingeniero - Jon Fausty
Orchestra Harlow Management - Chet Holland c/o Alpha Artists of America, N.Y.C.
Orchestra Harlow Road Manager - Willie Gonzalez
Presentando a Junior Gonzalez como Hommy
Gracias a TICO RECORDS y VAYA RECORDS por su cooperacin en hacer esta
grabacin.
Escrito por Juan Moreno Velzquez

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