Willie Moreno

Latin Beat Magazine, Nov, 2003 by Rudy Mangual

Born and raised in the state of New Jersey, Puerto Rican Willie Moreno was exposed to music as a child in his home and by a neighborhood band that rehearsed next door. By the time he entered high school, he was already playing the congas, playing at casual gigs with a group called Orquesta Borinquen. Throughout his high school years, he performed with several bands including La Caliente and Orquesta Nueva, that later became Conjunto Constanza.

In 1977, Moreno (on bongó) recorded professionally for the first time with Conjunto Constanza. Throughout the next ten years, Moreno continued to grow as a percussionist, inspired by Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, Roberto Roena, the Mangual dynasty Pablo Rosario and Victor Cruz, as he performed and was a part of many busy salsa and merengue bands in the Tri-State area.

In 1989, Willie and younger brother, trombonist Nelson Moreno, formed "Los Hermanos Moreno." With the help of salsa icon Papo Lucca (Sonora Ponceña's bandleader/pianist) Los Hermanos Moreno released its debut album No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar in 1991 (Top Ten Hits). Featuring Lucca as special guest artist and co-producer, the album was a success, climbing the Latin charts with the bit song Sopa de Pichón. Los Hermanos Moreno recorded a total of five albums throughout ten years. Their last recording was Una Miradita, in 1999. They also achieved the title of "Best International Orchestra" (mid-nineties) after participating in a Colombian festival during a world tour.

This year, Willie Moreno released the disc Moreno Soy, his first solo effort as bandleader under his own label. The new recording spotlights the veteran percussionist in his familiar environment of salsa clásica (classic salsa), a style that was nostalgically missing from the last recording of Los Hermanos Moreno. Leading his new band with bongó and cowbell in hand, Willie is more confident professionally, and in his own words, "happier than ever." Bassist Mike Rivera leads the musical direction, with Luisito Quintero and Willie Torres joining Moreno on percussion. Angel Rios and Greg Jiménez are the band's vocalists. Several tracks from the CD have already made their way into the Billboard charts as well as the Latin Beat Magazine Hit Parades.