Richport es: Puerto Rico - Artículo Breve

Latin Beat Magazine, August, 2002 by Rudy Mangual

One of Puerto Rico's newest orchestras carving out a name for itself and rapidly gaining popularity on the island and abroad is Richport, which in Spanish translates to Puerto Rico. Conceived by Puerto Rican reed master Wilfredo de la Torre, following in the tradition and trajectory of the early legendary orchestras of the island, Richport defines what a true tropical music orchestra is.

Wilfredo de la Torre was introduced to the saxophone as a child and by age ten had already earned a chair in his school band. Like a toy to a child, he quickly fell in love with the instrument and with music in general. He started playing the soprano sax because of its size, but as he continued to grow, so did the saxophones in his life. Always focused and clear about his chosen path in life, Wilfredo practiced continuously to achieve perfection in the execution of his instrument. His professional career began in 1956, when he joined the orchestra of Tommy Olivencia, with whom he played for over three years. In 1960, he joined the very popular singer Felipe Rodríguez, who decided to integrate at the time a saxophone to his accompanying trio. Soon thereafter came many opportunities to work, tour and record with the top bands and orchestras on the island: Cortijo y su Combo, Mario Ortiz, La Orquesta Panamericana, and the orchestra of the immortal Tito Rodríguez. De la Torre recalls clearly the day he got the call from Tito Rodríguez to join his orchestra. At first he thought it was a joke from a musician friend. In actuality, it was a dream come true, especially during a musical period when Tito Rodríguez and Tito Puente were the two top tropical bandleaders in the business. De la Torre's musical career also witnessed and endured many trends and styles, but as a true musician, he learned to evolve with the music. He not only loves the music of the past four decades, but also loves the music he is doing today.

Richport is de la Torre's latest musical endeavor; a tropical dance music orchestra that is able to play all forms and styles, from an upbeat guaguancó to a romantic bolero to a tasty merengue or bomba and plena--an orchestra with top-rated musicians capable of handling all possible working conditions, even those beyond the Latin music genre, and with vocalists able to perform in both English and Spanish. Richport is a true dance orchestra.

Sigue Pa'lante-Salseando Pa'l Bailador is the title of their release on the Puerto Rican label Flor de Rumba Productions. The disc includes a repertoire of eight tracks of danceable compositions, which include tropical arrangements of the top hits Last Dance, by Donna Summers, and Carlos Santana's Europa, both done in merengue style, as well as a fiery adaptation of the popular Puerto Rican plena Mañana Por La Mañana from Mañengue Hidalgo. Richport swings with the intensity of a Palladium era big band, while grooving like a top-notch salsa band. Joining Wilfredo de la Torre on this recording are local luminaries Vicente "Cusi" Castillo, Juancito Torres, Jorge Díaz, Tito de Gracia, Luis Quevedo, Freddy Méndez, Héctor "Pichie" Pérez, and vocalists Honey Kale, Omy Cardona and Ricky Berríos.

Established in 1999 by retired USAF pilot and bass player Peter Polanco, Flor de Rumba Records & Productions is fairly new to the music scene in Puerto Rico. Polanco created the label with the mission of helping promote and document some of the elite exponents of Puerto Rican music. The label's first release was a CD by piano virtuoso Domingo García, followed by a Charlie Sepúlveda production titled Charlie Sepúlveda Live at the Heineken Jazz Festival. Upcoming productions from Flor de Rumba Records & Productions include a release from bassist/bandleader Gabriel Rodríguez.