Luisito Rosario
El Comienzo de un Principio
with
Nestor Louis
It's been years since I've been motivated to interview an artist, much less to write the stupid thing. Is not that I haven't been called. Trust me I've been called. I've been called to interview some of the most uninteresting artists on the planet. Granted, they are perhaps uninteresting only to me because I'm not into merengue. Much less into reggaeton. Its been a painful, yet creative process that I've gone through over the last few years to find new ways to ignore invitations to meet the newest and hottest artists (if you can call some of those thugs that) to burst into the music scene. "It's like you say bro', today's music is bullshit" - So said the sole artist who inspired me to write this piece.
Luisito Rosario is an artist who, after monitoring his development for about five or six years; is finally launching his official second release, but un-official debut record. More on that later. My first encounter with Luisito came at a record release party Mambo City Records held for one of their artists where he was just hanging out. My second encounter came at a Larry Harlow performance at The Copacabana. There, I was floored. For a ‘pretty boy' I didn't know he could throw down like that. "I love the old school stuff man, the hard core stuff... The stuff that many of these record executives don't study, or take to heart, or care to know about. The clave, the dancer, the fan... To be out there and experience the salsa culture ".
Obviously I prejudged and under-estimated his abilities based on his looks. I mean lets be honest, in this fading era of salsa; a guy who looks like male model is normally not a hard core salsero / sonero. ‘Male model' and hardcore ‘salsero' are words that do not go on the same sentence. "A lot people see me as a young pretty boy. I've heard stuff like ‘who the hell he thinks he is. He's just another bonitillo that doesn't know anything' - what many don't know is that I've been with Larry for the past 8 years. I've toured all over Europe with Los Hermanos Moreno, and between the time with Larry and The Moreno's, I was one of Grupo Hechizo's vocalists. In fact, most of Hechizo's musicians have been backing me on gigs for the past 6 years. I'll tell you a story, I remember doing a show with Larry and, due to a booking error, people were expecting Adalberto Santiago as the vocalist. I came on stage and my reception wasn't warm and fuzzy to say the least. But by the end of the first set, I had grown men... Old school cats de la mata coming up to me and saying "coño tu ‘tas cabron!". They shook my hand and offered their support along with their good luck wishes. I've been around bro, and thank God, I've been busy."
Sharing his birthday with The United States of America, Luisito Rosario was born in Hoboken N.J. and today resides in Allentown P.A. but his roots are firmly planted in Puerto Rico. Needless to say that includes his musical roots and influences. From The Fania All-Stars to El Gran Combo and La Sonora Ponceña, Luisito Rosario is well versed in the history of the music. And it shows in the way he commands the stage.
"Larry Harlow told me, ‘kid 10% of the show is the music and the musicians. The remaining 90% is the front men.' I took that to heart, and that's why I try my best - to do the best show I possibly can while on stage."
I'll begin the musical story of Luisito Rosario when the producers for Grupo Hechizo are looking for one more singer for the band. Basically to take pictures and sing a couple of tunes. At that time he was already a part of Larry Harlow's band performing on his Latin Legends tour, sharing the stage with many salsa luminaries such as Junior Gonzalez, Adalberto Santiago, Giovanni Hidalgo, Yomo Toro, and many others.
Grupo Hechizo, who had Hector "bomberito" Zarzuela as their musical director, had a couple of hits. Salsa versions of ageless ballads by Jose Luis Perales and Braulio. Those hits were enough to produce a second record, a record that sadly didn't see the light of day... At least under the Grupo Hechizo name. "The rights of the two Hechizo records were bought and were turned into compilations. I re-recorded the vocals, and today that record is known as my debut solo record, however those are Grupo Hechizo's tracks. I guess you can call it The Best of Hechizo. Today, with the exception of the baritone and two trombone players; the entire band has been backing me for the past 6 years. I have all of the Hechizo arrangements, so whenever an audience is in the mood for the romantic stuff, we can do it. But don't get too comfortable because once the moña kicks in - is on!"
After being involved with folks that pretty much wasted and mismanaged money and talent, it's been kind of a blessing for him that his talent has been wandering around the musical landscape without any active interest by the big multinationals. "Everything happens for a reason and a purpose. In my case, I'm glad things turned out the way the have because I rather be involved with a company that really wants me for who I am... For the way I am... And for what I have to offer." My guess is that Luisito was in one of those situations where no label is into the development and the nurturing of talent. They never have, they never will. Artists are at the mercy of the record labels and distributors. One can chose to believe the rhetoric spewed by them and blame down sales on piracy and internet downloading. Well why not? Artists are not there to monitor what comes in and what goes out. "One has to think, if things for the big labels and multi nationals are so rough that they are losing money, why are they still in the business? Why are they still involved in a business that's losing money? On one hand they're crying poverty, but on the other they're driving BMWs - something's not right. Mind you, I don't know much about the business side of this business, but I do know that is foolish to stay in a business that's losing money. It's a weird conundrum. Granted there are many reasons why a given artist doesn't sell, and again, I don't know much about the business side of this business. But I do know that if an artist is not promoted property or becomes a low priority to a label, that artist will not sell. If a product is good and is marketed to sell - it will sell. I'll tell you another story, my record was shopped to all the known labels and none of them wanted it. They said the record sounded dated, it sounded old, it just doesn't sound like anything currently out there. Not the case with Discos Fuentes in Colombia. They wanted my record. They loved it! They were all over it! They loved it for what it is. It is what that market wants, good hard core salsa... The kind I want to be associated with. I don't have to be the next Marc Anthony, Frankie Negron or Huey Dunbar."
Rumba Del Barrio is the title of his upcoming release, and if it is anything close to what I heard at his pre-launch party at The Copacabana in NYC, it is should easily be the best record of the year. Produced by the man responsible for those high energy records by Edwin Bonilla, Jesus ‘el niño' Alejandro Perez appears to have given his musical all to Luisito Rosario.
"I don't want to sound arrogant, because I'm not. I'm the type of performer that doesn't hide from the public after a set. I'm the type of guy that has regular friends like you or anyone else has. I get together with buddies at a home and watch a game, play dominos, and drinks some beers. But I know what the true salsero wants. I know what people, who are fans of the music want. And they don't want remakes of the classics. That's an issue I faced when I began the process of recording my album. Guys were coming to me, telling me that they got a kick ass arrangement for ‘El Hijo De Obatala', ‘Justicia', or whatever other classic song you can think of. I said straight up no to that idea. If I'm going to make a name for myself as Luisito Rosario; I can't go out a re-record other people's songs. I need to record original stuff. Remakes of salsa classics are fine and dandy but the reality is that when someone hears those remakes, unless their head has been in the sand, they remember the original artists and song who recorded it. Not you. People will immediately compare you, and your work, to that which was done or heard before you. And that's just not cool. It is a lack of creativity at its worst. I mean when I listen to any remake, I immediately think of the original and not the artist that's currently performing the song. A few people threw a bunch of local names, but I wasn't interested. I wanted to get away from the tri-state area and work with someone whose work resembled the vision of what I wanted to do. That's why I wanted to work with El Niño in Canada. His work with Edwin speaks for itself. It doesn't sound like anyone. It's original and full of swing." Luisito was given cart blanche, under the musical guidance of the producer and a lyricist, to do whatever he wanted as long as it was within a budget. From arranging and song writing, to swing and coro development, though he didn't write any of the songs; he takes credit for being involved in every creative aspect to this recording. "Whether is in the way the band sounds, the arranging, or the songs themselves - my idea, and ultimately my goal is to have my style recognized. I want to have elements in my music that remind people of that old school era."
Eventhough he's a huge fan of Domingo Quiñones and has a tremendous respect for today's artists he makes the claim that he doesn't listen to any new music. "Why should I? Most of it sucks anyway. You might find one or two tracks that are good. If you're lucky you might find three! Is like people are piling up songs, piecing 9 to 12 of them together with no clue as to what the music is really about. I don't claim to know that either, but I do know that it is much more than great look and two good melodies. Whether it's a mambo, chachacha, guajira ,or a son; is all about a great band, with a great rhythm... great afinque - just an overall great sound." He does have a great band, one that reminds me of a time where they all were dressed up. No pretty boys in the band, for they all play their instruments extremely well.
If there's a list of budding salsa statesmen, Luisito Rosario should be on it. He is a top quality singer, sonero, and entertainer that, as he puts it; should be along side the likes of a Frankie Vazquez or Herman Olivera. If I had a say on the matter I would put him along side with Gilberto Santa Rosa, and it seems that I'm not alone in this line of thinking. Since performing at the Copa, Coca-Cola is committed to sponsor some of Luisito's summer performances and Univision has committed to showcase him on the July 5th telecast of Despierta America. "I know what I'm doing, I got faith on what I'm doing. I ‘m not going to wait for someone to do it for me. I want to work with people who have as much faith in me as I got on myself. I've been to Europe on my own, on my name, on my strength. Jeff Davis of Mambo City, asked me the day of my release party - how did you feel while having all those people watch you do your thing? I told him - It feels great... It feels great because, it shows me that if you're genuine people will support you all the way. All these years of busting my butt are bearing fruits."
© 2005 Nestor A. Louis
nestor@palosalsero.com
Home Page | CD Reviews | Artist Interviews | Opinions & Editorials | Events | Favorite Sites
