Joaquin Rivera and Los Pleneros del Batey
About the Plena
Listen to Los Pleneros
Joaquin Rivera has been playing since he was a child and
started performing publicly in the late 1970s when he felt
the need to teach his children the traditional music of his
homeland. The group began with his daughter and has grown
to include twelve musicians and dancers.
Rivera feels that sharing the traditional music of Puerto
Rico is an opportunity for the group to share the positive
cultural values of Puerto Ricans. He says of the music, "It
represents my life as a Puerto Rican. I don't want that to
die... The music is the only way for me to express my real
feelings."
Los Pleneros del Batey are Ramona Perez (lead vocals); Joaquin
Rivera, Alberto Mendez, Flor Mendez, Edwin Arocho, and Angel
Hernandez (chorus); Kelvin Toro, Victor Vazquez, Willie Vidal
and Edwin Arocho, panderas (hand drums). Additional musicians
include Reynaldo Gonzaga on congas, William Negron on cuatro,
Israel Perez on guiro, and Joaquin Rivera on guitar. The band
is joined by Eligio Diaz on bass.
© 2001 On Tour Productions
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