Defiendan Lo Suyo
by Nestor Louis

The night of July 28, 2000 was a salsero’s dream-come-true at the Copa. Andy Montañez and sons alternated with Bobby Valentin and his orchestra from Puerto Rico, featuring Elliot Cintron, Edgardo Morales, William Thompson, Jr. aka K-chiro, Charlie Sepulveda, and Jose Lugo. Hector Ivan, Johnny Vazquez, Frankie Hernandez, and Luigi Texidor were the vocalists. And the best part of all was that admission was free before 10 pm. This wasn't some over-crowded outdoor event filled with corny local acts yelling, “QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO!” Personally, I am not a fan of those. It was The Copacabana! Simply put, you either show up and be counted as a true salsero that loves this music and its legends, or forfeit your right to bitch and moan about how everything regarding the music sucks.

In my twenty-plus years of being a fan of the music, I've seen Andy Montañez live maybe about five times. I've never seen Bobby Valentin, much less any of his vocalists. This event was a no-brainer.

Backed by a local band featuring Papo Pepin, Andy Montañez took to the stage at 10:55 pm and things got off to an exciting start. Singing a medley of old Gran Combo hits, Andy got everyone, including the folks that were in the back of the club, to sing along. What a sight! You see something like that and you can't even conceive the idea of someone disliking this music. Paco Navarro, the MC for the night, made an obvious observation. Well, then again, it was only obvious after we were all made aware of it. Here's a man that has been singing and doing his thing for at least forty years, and his voice is as strong and clear as ever. His agility and energy is as sharp as that of a youngster. "Wow, he's right," I thought to myself. I couldn't help but to remember the late Tito Puente...the man was seventy-six years old when Dancemania ‘99 live at Birdland was recorded. A gray Andy Montañez hit, with clarity, the high notes and the low notes, and led the band’s choreographed dance routines. Edgardo Morales was invited to take a timbal solo, and yet there you were - too tired to show up and witness this at The Copa...for free.

The next act up was "El Rey Del Bajo", Bobby Valentin. I couldn't believe it! Here's the man, the band! The creative mind that along with Johnny Pacheco and the late Louie Ramirez defined the sound of The Fania All Stars. As Bobby proceeded to take the stage I remembered the times my "salsa master" would address Ramirez and Valentin as doctors. "Arrangement by Dr. Louie Ramirez, arrangement by Dr. Bobby Valentin," how right was he? The band takes off with a track from Bobby's latest production titled La Gran Reunion as his vocalists take the stage one by one. Hector Ivan, Johnny Vazquez, Frankie Hernandez, and Luigi Texidor. I'm pleased to inform you that...hay salseros en Nueva York! The place went nuts as soon as Luigi took the stage. This got me thinking. That whole thing about women buying lots of music, the pretty boy image, biggest fans of salsa, is, as my editor, George Rivera puts it, the biggest lie ever concocted by the music industry to justify the strong hold they have on the industry...and the lame salsa that's out there. Luigi Texidor, one of the blackest men that ever graced salsa, received the most admiration from the Copa crowd. Paco Navarro joked with Luigi regarding his gray hair to which Luigi responded, "I don't dye it because if I do the people will start confusing me with Ricky Martin." Along with his band, Bobby Valentin, a man of few words and facial expressions, seemed elated with the size of the crowd and with the amount of young people that knew his material, some of which he recorded over twenty-five years ago. Huracan, Linda Teresa, La Espinita, Cuando Uno Se Enamora, Naci Moreno, Juan Jose, and a few others that I didn't know, but were just as good. Elliot Cintron took a trombone solo, Charlie "Nuggets" Sepulveda did his thing on the trumpet, Edgardo Morales and K-chiro exchanged riffs on the timbales and congas respectively. The woodwinds played guajeo after guajeo, on top of Bobby's bass patterns, and below the trombones and trumpets...that was just a freaking "lio" that everyone enjoyed. Paco Navarro appropriately stated, "Esto si es salsa gorda!" As a bonus, Bobby gave some guy out of the crowd the opportunity to sing with the band. The guy sang Canta Mi Gallo, and he was so good that Bobby and pianist, Jose Lugo, were exchanging looks of approval. Jose Lugo takes a piano solo, and the guy summons Hector, Johnny, and Frankie to say the following, "Con la L…Con la U…Con la G…Con la O...eh!...El abecedario entero...Lugo! Lugo! Lugo!" I almost fell off my feet. Luigi wasn't there. He took a bathroom break. Seriously! It was an incredible night.

During the months of June and July, the Copa has brought to their stage Willie Rosario, Orquesta Mulenze, Cano Estremera, Willie Colon, Sonora Ponceña, Roberto Roena, Los Adolecentes, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Andy Montañez, and Bobby Valentin. While everyone, from individuals, to corporation, to musicians, is trying to keep this thing of ours alive, the Copa is actually doing it, by bringing top-notch talent to New York City, at a significantly small price for their patrons. I tip my hat to the Copa for having such an incredible calendar. It is really embarrassing to see that this type of talent comes to our neck of the woods, and the people that refer to themselves as "salseros" and "music connoisseurs" do not show up. What's the deal? Does the country that these major legends represent need to be involved in some type of embargo for folks to show up? For Christ’s sake, defiendan lo suyo...