Ray Barretto in Concert
Puerto Rico Salsa Congress
Quicktime Movie
posted January 3, 2003

While in Puerto Rico, I luckily ran into Kleyber of Picante Express who told me he had an extra ticket to see Ray Barretto and if I was interested in attending? Well, it happened to be Saturday night and the last great night of shows... and I had been to so many Congresses and seen so many shows that I couldn't pass up one of the golden opportunities to see one of the legends of Salsa from the Fania All Stars.

While I was walking to the hotel restaurant to meet Kleyber, I ran into Henry Knowles (New York DJ), who was totally amazed at the fact I was going to miss the dance shows... but I was totally shocked that he believed that the shows (which I will always have a chance to see), were more important than a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Ray Barretto LIVE in concert in a beautiful open concert setting in beautiful Puerto Rico...

We were lucky enough to be able to go backstage to talk to the artists and I was able to film from the side mostly so we wouldn't interrupt the concert. To get some of the close-up shots, I had to shoot footage between the legs of the singers. Therefore, for those of you who never get to see the coordination of various syncopations between the conga drums, cow bell, and the timbales -- then you're in for a treat...

As info, I looked up some bios on Ray Barretto on the internet and he was 73 years old last summer... Also, in the background near the beginning of the tape, the man playing the timbales in the background is Nicky Marrero, another Fania All Star legend.



Click here for more videoclips

Video Credit:
Rose Knows and her new toys...