Since the first three years that cover his initial discovery at a talent show, starting in 1993, he's become a major player in the movement that has taken place in modern Tropical Latin music. Growing, maturing, and gaining a stage presence through out the world, the rumors surrounding DLG's main vocalist finally came true. "Sergio George - A man that can do a salsa record in two weeks, did my record in nine months! That's the longest Sergio has ever taken in recording a record", said the former lead vocalist for the flamboyant group Dark Latin Groove (DLG), Huey Dunbar.
"The process of recording is very tedious, very repetitive. On top of that, through out that time stuff is happening in your personal life. You're traveling all over the world, making good on all your commitments. Then you're spending long hours in the studio, so everybody gets on everybody's nerves, and after a while everybody is dismissing each other with ‘yeah, yeah, yeah', and after a while you become shell shocked from hearing the same song over, and over, and over again. The next day, we're all friends - it's all a crazy process." As you can see, there were many reason's why it took the psychedelic singer nine months to record his debut solo album titled Yo Si Me Enamore.
With the success and name recognition that DLG has earned, due to their three records and five years of booked solid tours, it's surprising to hear about their disbanding. What was the motive? Was it selfish ego? "Not at all. Right from the start, it was understood that I was going to leave DLG and develop into a solo artist. So was James Da Barba and Fragancia. The idea was for all of us to release our records at the same time! But scheduling conflicts got in the way. Sergio George, had an inkling of a great idea in us. He has a way of just staying quiet and not putting out what his intentions are, because if you put out your intentions then, you know...is taboo...Is bad luck to do so."
The beginning of Huey Dunbar's career is by now common knowledge. Producer Sergio George organizes a talent show where as expected hundreds of aspiring artists showed up. Huey, a student at Bayside High School at that time, gets a flyer from a friend attending the high school. He walks in off the street and, as it's said, the rest is history. "I wish I still had that flyer, I would've make copies and put it in an album." From there, Huey did coro and Marc Anthony's part on Vivir Lo Nuestro with India and her band, at the time lead by Sergio George. "He knew what he wanted, otherwise he wouldn't have placed me in her band to gain experience. I trusted him to bring me this far and further." Thus far his trust in Sergio has worked to DLG's and Huey's benefit, for they have toured and packed stadiums to capacity all over the world. "The best experience I've had was in Cuzco Perú. To have around 60 thousand people, an ocean of voices, an ocean of people, singing your song as one - it's a beautiful thing. This has happened to us in other concerts too, but what made this so special was the fact that we were incredibly tired and breathing from oxygen tanks in between songs because the air is very thin there. Under those circumstances, it was such a great feeling to be appreciated that way."
It's expected that the followers of the DLG phenomena, will come out and show support for Huey Dunbar's solo effort. Yo Si Me Enamore
"No, no, no. I would never do that. I will record what I am feeling at that time, mixed with what the people can accept at that point in time. It's always good to be ahead of what the people are willing to accept because they're always a couple of months behind the next big wave in music. But once the people catch up, look out! That's when all the copy cats come out. The public starts to say ‘this guy here sounds like this other guy' and that's when problems begin. Saturation, confusion, and ultimately boredom sets in. Many believe that's the state of the music industry today. I didn't want to sound like anybody. I didn't want to have people say ‘oh he sounds like Marc or Ricky Martin'. Everywhere I traveled with DLG I heard that. Not about us, but about other singers trying to do their thing. Sergio and I had to construct a specific style. I tell you, recording this record wasn't easy. I've stopped tracks in the middle of recording because I felt it sounded like someone else or it reminded me of something else other than me. Right now, I have to solidify my presence, and let people come and see what I got." So far Huey has matured to levels that go beyond the multicolored haired kid that constantly pranced on stage. He has the ability to do different styles of music quite well, unlike many tropical productions that include different styles nowadays.
"I don't believe that one should over extend one's self past something you're not used to doing. I'm used to singing English ballads, slow tempo songs, up tempo songs, I listened to lots, and lots of music. I'm influenced by so many different musical styles"
How about salsa?
"The recording that did it for me was Willie Colón's and Rubén Blades' Siembra. That's a powerful record! I was 4 years old, living in Puerto Rico when that album came out. I didn't understand anything about what they were singing or their message. All I knew is that I loved that record! My mother, my aunts, and uncles were all fighting amongst themselves to hold that record for the week because, they were all too cheap to buy their copy. I have that copy! With the original artwork. The one that opened like a book and had photos from the recording sessions, along with the words to the songs. Willie and Ruben there in T-shirts just chillin'. Everything about that record worked!"
No one can argue or dispute Huey's talent because he is indeed talented. He has a great foundation and a great team of seasoned industry veterans that are there for guidance. However, it's not like there's no room for improvement. "It's all a great team effort. Many times you draw a blank. It happens more often than you think. It all depends on the song and with what's going on outside the studio, on the street, in the clubs, and in all the different markets you want to target. You got to listen to yourself, not as a singer/artists but, as a fan. As an artist, as Huey Dunbar, I work for the people. No one has to go out and buy my record, or any other record for that matter. But when they do it's because they approve of what we as artists have done. Trust me, when we as artists go into a studio to record is, or at least it should be, to put out art that appeals to the public. We work for them and not the other way around. They are the ones that stand in line to spend their hard earned money, in Cds, club gigs, and concerts to see their favorite artists perform. We artists should be indebted to our fans, because they love our art that much. It's because of them that my children don't have to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches morning, noon, and night like I did when I was growing up. That's the key to improvement, keep your fans in mind. Always be true and genuine with your fans." Not since stories I've heard about Rafael Ithier, the leader and founder of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, have I heard an artist be as passionate as Huey, with regards to his fans. "Artist have huge careers stemming off their fan base. What's spending a minute or two with a fan? Taking a picture, signing an autograph, or having a small conversation with them? It's nothing in comparison with what they do for us. That minute we spend with them is something they'll remember for a lifetime. I appreciate that very much."
In recent times many artist have tried their hands at producing, believing it to be an easy task. With so much ground to cover is that something that perhaps Huey would like to try? "I am not in a rush to please my own ego. To produce your own record you really have to know, and be at the top of your game. With very few exceptions, it's extremely hard for an artist to produce his or herself. You have a Babyface, a Quincy Jones, and a few others that have produced records for themselves, by themselves. But those examples are very rare. Producing is not just taking into account one's perspective. That being, what touches your heart. And when you produce yourself, that's what you do. Not always but in most cases, what touches your heart, sounds weird to others. You got to ask yourself this question: Are you producing music for yourself or for people? That's what's lost when artists produce themselves."
One can argue that what's coming out of the music industry is exactly that, weird music. With all these different fusions and experiments, there's no real sound that pleases the people. As a traditionalist I can tell you that people are not exactly packing the nightclubs or dancing to the latest hybrid-tropical salsa song. At least in New York. "Latinos all over the US and abroad. From Central and South America, The Caribbean; love music. We love music, we love good music regardless! Whether it's a traditional salsa song, to rock, to cumbia, to merengue, to reggae, to tejano. We buy a Nas record, the same way we buy a Papa Roach or a Creed record. Not for nothing, but it's impossible in this business to keep the traditionalist. Traditionalist seem to get hemmed up in a time. They seem to forget that the time line moves forward. Some of them need to get their heads out of the sixties, the seventies, and the eighties. Take those memories with you certainly, but move with the times, otherwise time will pass you by. I understand their mentality though, I mean why would I want to listen to some watered-down version of so and so, when I can listen to the real deal? That's why many of us young and new artists, go to the past and get some of our influences. We Latinos are very emotional. We love to be in love, we love to be romantic, we love to be loved. Everything about us is passion. And not for nothing but, art, passion, and love go hand in hand. We are artistically rich people!"
The lines have been drawn in the sand. The battle between old versus new rages on. Traditional versus contemporary. Youth versus experience. "I want people to know me. To let them know who I am! That's why I didn't want to go with the crazy hair and clothes. I'm here to re- introduce myself to an audience, not the ex-vocalist for DLG, but as Huey Dunbar. Sergio told me ‘it doesn't matter what I do as a producer with these songs. Once the day is over, the bottom line will be that you have to sing this songs to the hilt. After all is said and done, fans are the ones that tell you if your music is good or not." And what was old becomes new again. You've heard that before. It's the cycle of life! Everything is a cycle of sorts. Much like bell bottoms were in style back in the seventies, and briefly made a comeback in the late 90's.
"The worst experience in my career is slipping on water that I've spilled by accident on stage. This has happened on more than one occasion, I think those are times when God throws in a monkey wrench to keep me humble." Worst things can happen. "Nothing I've said will be impressive if this album doesn't sell."
© 2001 Nestor A. Louis
counts with 11 tracks that vary in styles. This CD is truly geared for the music fan that really and truly likes all types of music. The single off this CD, which carries the title of the production, is kind of a bolero son, which some might consider a bachata. The same song is re-mixed into a very traditional son montuno version. There are also a couple of pop ballads, one of them features the vocal subtleties of Mexican singer Lucero, as well as what you'll normally expect from DLG's creator and producer, Sergio George. "I owe all the creativity to Sergio. This CD brings him and I out of the tropical arena, and into the pop genre. Now is up to others to see that the man can do all types of music, and do them well. I believe Sergio is a genuine contender." For years, I believed that Sergio's goal was to enter the Anglo American market. And eventhough DLG as group recorded an English record for Columbia Records that hasn't been released, Sergio has flatly denied my belief. Yet I can't help but wonder, what's the direction of this Huey Dunbar album? Is the direction of the album ‘let's see what sticks?'
nestor@palosalsero.com