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Dateline -- March 7th, 1998.
New York City, NY Wednesday; Feb 25th...We were all to meet at Avianca Airlines at JFK airport at 7:30 am, Of course I always get there early...My driver and I Picked up Trigger (the famous Valet for Fania) at 125th and 3rd Ave with the Limo. We were the second to arrive (JFK), Leopoldo Pineda (trombonist) was ahead of me, probably because he is the band of the group and spent all night fishing and went directly to the airport...I was informed that only half of the NY group were flying on the 25th...Pacheco, Barretto, and others were leaving Thursday... We left on time and I was the only one with a first class ticket...it felt strange (I thought of Jerry Seinfeld like on the episode that he comes in contact with a gorgeous model) being in first class by myself so got lonely hung out with the guys in tourist class... We arrived in Bogota without incident...I was going on to Medellin to play with Adalberto and Ismael Miranda two concerts for the candidate for senate Sra. Cordova...The rest of the Fania group went directly to the hotel La Fontana in Bogota. I waited at national airport for my connecting flight. It left on time...Ismael and Adalberto were already in Medellin rehearsing for the show on Tues...I arrived in Medellin and took a taxi over the hugh mountains from the new airport to the hotel Porton de Oviedo... a beautiful hotel overlooking Medellin... My two friends, Ricardo Sanchez and Francisco Salazar were there to greet me and tell me we were playing at a shopping Plaza in a Mall for the Senator with Orquesta Gale a family kind of salsa band, who have backed us up before in a few concerts... I arrived and was informed the concert started already, so without a shower, a shave, or a meal I quickly changed into my stage clothes and went directly to the concert site...There were over 20,000 real Salseros in the plaza with a huge stage with lighting and two large screen video projections on either side of the stage...The front was filled up with 2000 under privileged by the Senadora. I was escorted by the promoters and one female police woman; who was supposed to protect me from the 20,000+ crowd... I stepped on to the stage Adalberto Santiago was already singing his third song. Orquesta Gale was swinging and Adalberto was in great form... One song later Ismael Miranda climbed on... The Senadora was dancing on the stage with her bright red dress and hair flying in the breeze...I put my small red piano together and linked it to the piano... Then we were announced and off we went on with Seņor Sereno, it felt like Pablo Escobar's spirit was decenting upon us... Ismael was in great voice...He sings much stronger today than before..His voice is has matured but at the same time he sings with the same highs. He took control of the crowd... Then about half way through our set there was a bottle thrown into the crowd by an opposing party member...it was momentary panic, but Ismael calmed the crowd and kept everything OK. Moments later, another bottle... the crowd starting to protect themselves by holding up chairs over their heads and began departing like the Red Sea. The Senadora Cordova and Ismael tried to calm everyone and it took a few minutes to get control back... We played a few more songs and then more bottle throwing and this time it did not stop so the concert was terminated by the Senadora...I immediatly jumped off the stage trying to get to the underground parking where my friends parked. Ricardo held my small piano case in front of us as a shield and I told him to GO GO GO and not to stop for anything...We were surounded by fans who wanted autographs or ask questions, nothing malicious, but when so many people push to get close it gets out of control ...The petite police woman had NO chance to help me...She was overcome in 20 seconds... I finally made it to the car and was whisked away swiftly... Ismael however, did not have the same good fortune as I did... His car was lifted off the ground and he was surrounded by a few thousand (Rodney King Type Situation) fans... They smashed the front window with a rock and rocked the car a 4x4 till it almost turned over. Some of the streets were blocked by baracades of cement and had to be navigated with caution to get around them. Finally, we met at the Hotel. On my own… I went first to a very cool Salsatec/Bar Rumbantana owned by Sergio Santana, a musicologist, collector, and author of several biographies like Ruben Blades and Bob Marley...I did a small interview, played some great old Cuban tunes, and answered some questions that the public wanted to know...I also made a deal with Sergio, the next day to start on my authorized biography. We were supposed to play the next night in Quibdo, a small pueblo on the coast, but was postponed until Sunday... We left for Bogota on Thursday afternoon... arrived at the Bogota airport and mounted a cab to the Hotel La Fontana...As usual the traffic was terrible and it took a hour to reach the hotel in the heavy air of Bogota. Upon arrival at the gorgeous hotel which was built like a castle crossed with a monetary were Botero sculptures and beautiful gardens of flora, surrounded by boutiques and shops of all kinds and a great restaurant with 5 star service.... Celia had been in Bogota for a few days to get used to the altitude. Since the stars was not complete on Thursday evening; the rehearsal was cancelled and we were to rehearse at 11 am at the El Campin Stadium and combine it with a sound check... So it was partytime for Roena and the guys so we did what we do best who went out to jamming at a local club till 3 am. I was exhausted... I woke up early to exercise in the health club and then have a great breakfast... Then we had to face 25 reporters and video cameras in the lobby....Johnny Pacheco arrived Thursday evening as well as Papo Lucca , and the Puerto Rico batch of musicians, Juancito, Ito, Toņito, Cheo and Coco etc etc etc...Not here was Ray Barretto, who had missed 2 flights...but was on the roster due to arrive before showtime Fri Eve....The rehearsal went very well with Fania rehearsing some new (old) songs that they have not played for many years in point "PIANO MAN" a song that Ismael Quintana sings with Papo Lucca on the keyboards...A really great arrangment by the late Jose Febles....Janette Sol rehearsed and we ended our sound check at 3pm. The Gran Combo of Puerto Rico opened the show for Fania, and as we rolled in our vans to the stadium we could hear the show broadcast on the radio LIVE...It seems that the mayor of Bogota would not permit the music to go past 10pm exactly so the Combo opened at 6pm... As we arrived, we could hear the roar of the crowds (I was concerned...its my part of my career...If I die like this its okay with me) and see thousands of fans in the streets... There were tanks and National Guard soldiers on horseback patrolling the streets surrounding this huge soccer stadium...We entered on the side entrance where hundreds of fans were waiting for autographs.....Inside were tents set up with our names on them to change and get refreshments with fruit and sandwiches and soft drinks.....lots of reporters and press and lots of hugging and greetings between old friends....John Sepulveda, the Colombian Empresario who was promoting this event told us there were NO seats or Tickets left and we had SOLD OUT once again...He was to gain over One million US dollars for this evening after expenses..... After the Combo finished their set the Estrellas de Fania once again took over the stage and the crowd.... It was a great view looking up at 70,000 fans in this great stadium... In the States we don't have this kind of support anymore. My good friend Professor Robert Ferris Thompson, of Yale University came on the last flight with Barretto. Both we were on stage for the opening theme, Descarga Fania. The show went smoothly but a little rushed, with solos being cut short Because of the time limit of the venue...When Celia came on stage we had 37 Minutes left....She was great como siempre, but her famous 2 songs, Cucala and Bemba Colora were very LONG and we immediatly did Quitate tu with the shortest Yomo solo ever and our closer Ponte Duro ...the show ended 9:59:39pm with only 21 seconds to spare...Ralph Mercado and John Sepulveda were smiling for they did not get fined or penalized by the city for going overtime... But we did leave out our encore Mi Gente.... All was fun and a good show...Musically not as good as Paris, but good...everyone happy especially the fans.... I returned to the hotel to find out I was to Play in Quibdo on Sunday...I immediatly called home to let my wife know that I would not be returning Sat eve , but Mon eve...I called my Limo driver to change the pickup date and time then took the next flight to Medellin to meet the Orquesta Gale with Adalberto.... Ismael had to play with Andy Montanez in Puerto Rico on Sat eve and return to Quipdo for the show Sunday eve...quite a feat if he can make it on time.....Adalberto and I stayed over in Medellin and left early with Gale for Quibdo. I did not expect a village so small... A pueblo of mostly Colombians of African descendants ... Racks of lamb, beef, pounds of blocks of cheeses with vendors shouting everywhere...Streets covered with broken stones and with sabor of salsa....Salsa music coming out of every shop and vendor in "Downtown Quipdo"....Our hotel was the only one with air conditioning in the town, but was a three floor walkup, with one light bulb in each room, a small bed with one flat pillow and a sheet...It was very HOT and Humid...So much for the first class Fania treatment....Ismael's plane was not permitted to land, for there were No lights at the landing strip...He returned to Medellin with very little Gas to spare... We, on the other hand played in the town square with Gali and Adalberto to a crowd of ten thousand..... old and young dancing and singing to each and every song we played...The locals are very smart when it comes to Musica Nuestra...They wanted to know all the gossip, as well as: Where is Barry Rogers??? Who did the arrangement to No Quiero? When did Larry Spencer die? What is Willie Colon doing these days? Etc,... The concert went well for 2 hours, except for one man, who was screaming at me for wearing clothes with the American flag on them ...He was politically motivated, but was never the less disruptive and verbally abusive to me. What a PRICK! I let it wash off...But the thousands of salsa lovers enjoyed the show and Ismael Miranda was announced for The next night free for the public...I had trouble making connections home and had to buy a new ticket for 11 am to Medellin, then change airports and planes to Bogota at 2pm to catch my flight to New York at 4;30....I had not been paid for the gigs with the Senadora Cordova...and Ismael , who was arriving as I was leaving, guaranteed the money for me in Puerto Rico next week ...I felt somewhat relieved. On the flight to NY was Johnny and Cookie Pacheco ...So I had some company. I arrived in NY at 10pm and got home to my warm wife and bed at 11:15pm. That is how this trip went. The next day I received notification that while Ismael Miranda was on stage and was getting into it…. Somehow he fell of the stage and broke a couple of ribs. Then was hospitalized Shit happens. Este es la vida del Artista....Harlow
Larry Harlow's Latin Legends Band is the leading worldwide Latin music band ready perform the very best of classical salsa to audiences around the globe. We have a long history of producing quality Latin music commonly known as Salsa..