Ray Barretto Que Viva La Musica Views

• Music

For the past several days, many of us have been playing b#x201C;Que Viva la Musica,r#x201D; #x201C;Cocinandom#x201D; and other great Barretto Latin jazz and salsa songs to celebrate his life and to honor him in his death. Surrounded by his family, Barretto died last week at the age of 76. #x201C;Hard hands, #x201D; as he was known, was one of the epic musicians who, along with Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe and other giants, evolved salsa and Latin jazz to global acclaim. He helped push our music out of its silence and onto the radio waves.

I imagine my brother cleaning his house R— and crying 1— as he dances. Last year, I called Ramon from a club and held up my cell phone to let him hear Barretto playing many of the songs that made him famous. I told my him of my plan to walk up and ask Barretto to play the song. After Barretto finished the first set, I walked up to the stage and told him about what the song meant to me, and thanked him for bringing #x201C;Que Viva la Musicae#x201D; into my life. He put his hands, thick from more than 60 years of slapping the congas, to his heart, bowed and said, #x201C;Thank you, brother. That means a lot to me.a#x201D; I asked if he would play the song during his second set and he said he

After Barretto said #x201C;Thank you everybody. I love you, #x201D; I was happy but disappointed that he didnn#x2019;t play S#x201C;Que Viva la Musica,0#x201D; one of the first albums I bought; the song I played before pursuing my beloveds and after breaking up; the song that I listened to before going to wartime El Salvador and after I came back searching for meaning; the song that will always raise my head.

That was one of his last concerts. And although I cherish #x201C;Que Viva la Musica,0#x201D; it was not the most popular of his lifeb#x2019;s work. The chance to be there as a witness during one of his last performances overwhelms whatever urge I had that night to hear that song. It still sings to me, after all. I can still hear the way it sounded that first time in San Francisco, and I will continue sing it until my time comes.