Oscar D'Leon The Pride of Venezuala - Artículo Breve

Latin Beat Magazine, Dec, 2001

One of the true superstars of salsa music is the bandleader/sonero/bassist/showman/multi-percussionist Oscar D'Leon. Born Oscar Emilio de León in the Caracas neighborhood of Antimano, Venezuela, he shined--even as a young child--as a percussionist and singer, performing for local social activities. Soon thereafter, his capacity to improvise (a basic quality in a true sonero), the timbre of his voice, excellent musicianship, and his passion for tropical music, made D'León a force to reckon with. Besides being the most recognized ambassador of Venezuela, D'León has earned many aliases from his fans and the press throughout his career, including "Mr. Salsa," "El León de la Salsa," "El Tigre de la Salsa," "El Mas Grande de la Salsa," "El Salsero Mayor," "El Bajo Danzante," El Rey de los Soneros" and "El Sonero Del Mundo," among others.

D'León's professional musical journey started in 1972, asa member of the popular Venezuelan band Dimensión Latina. Four years later he would form his own band, La Salsa Mayor, and continue leading his own orchestra for over thirty years and counting. To witness his performances on stage is to observe a true master at work. No one on this planet swings like Oscar D'Leon on stage! His musical influences embrace the music of Cuban masters such as Benny Moré and La Sonora Matancera, as well as the sounds of Puerto Rico's El Gran Combo and "El Sonero Mayor," Ismael Rivera. On the other hand, the styles of the 1960s and the Fania movement of the 1970s may have motivated the powerful sound and unique showmanship that today sets him apart from the rest in the business.

Although his professional career as vocalist spans 28 years, D'Leon's most successful years were those when he included Cuban compositions in his recordings. Researching his impressive career was a pleasure, since I have known him personally for many years. Oscar D'León would talk to me in the '80s about how he would emulate the bass riffs of La Sonora Matancera or how he would exchange chords with Eddie Palmieri's trombonists, Barry Rogers and José Rodríguez of La Perfecta. He would sing, word for word, Benny Moré's music, all leading to the infamous contract he signed to perform on March 15, 1973, without having a band. It was an opportunity he could not pass up, and he jumped on it and by nightfall had put together what later became La Dimensión Latina with César Monge and José Rodríguez. César Monge was the first notable arranger of D'León's ideas. While his knowledge of music was very limited at the time, he was always a man of keen instincts and execution.

Oscar D'León's love affair with Cuban music has led him to record many successful guarachas, boleros, son montunos, etc. The list is endless, but some standouts are Monta Mi Caballo, Juramento and El Que Siembra Su Maíz (Miguel Matamoros); Los Tamalitos de Olga (José Fajardo); El Baile del Suavecito (Ignacio Piñeiro); Calculadora (Rosendo Rosell); Mis Hijos and Amor No Se Llama (Enildo Padrón); Quédate Negra (Facundo Rivero); El Panquelero (Abelardo Barroso); El Manisero (Moisés Simons); Rumba Rumbero (Miguelito Valdés); Pregones de San Cristóbal (Senén Suárez); En el Tronco de un Arbol (Eliseo Grenet); Longina (Manuel Corona); El Son de Adalberto and Sobre Un Tema Triste (Adalberto Alvarez); Mata Siguaraya (Lino Frías); Contéstame and Con Un Amor Se Borra Otra Amor (Arsenio Rodríguez); Sandunguera and Lucía (Marcelino Guerra); Mírala Como Se Menea (Candido Fabré); Mi Mujer Es Una Bomba (Moisés "Yumurí" Valle); and his most requested medley by Benny Moré, Bonito y Sabroso, Francisco Guayabal (Pio Leiva), Qué Bueno Baila Usted (Benny Moré).

In the late '80s and '90s, D'León steered away from the Cuban compositions and leaned more towards Puerto Rico, with the labels TH Records and later RMM Records, looking for something fresh and new.

It is interesting to note here that his last record for TH Records carne about when his friends helped convince D'León to cease recording in Puerto Rico and complete the project, known as Auténtico, in Venezuela. Since 1986, D'León's recordings were being produced in Puerto Rico with arrangers from the island, and somehow, along the way, his "mojo" had been lost. His romantic salsa flair was not selling. Performances never suffered, due to his immense repertoire and stage savvy, but the radio hits struggled. He needed to return to his roots. Against the label's wishes, D'León did record the LP in Venezuela and followed a suggestion to add a non-stop club-type medley to the production reminiscent of his performances; the result was the Benny Moré Medley that went on for over 10 minutes on the recording and over 20 minutes live. Oscar D'León had proven to the label that he was still a viable act if he had more control over his projects, but the relationship with TH had made it impossible for him to stay.

During his RMM days, he only recorded a few modern Cuban compositions, including Yumurí's Mi Mujer Es Una Bomba and Cándido Fabré's Mírala Como Se Menea. The Yumurí tune could have been a huge hit, but for fear of Willie Rosario's version in Puerto Rico, it wasn't promoted properly.