Oscar D’Leon
Born Oscar Emilio Leon on July 11, 1943 in the Parroquia Antinamo section of Caracas, Venezuela. Oscar was a self taught salsa singer and bassist admired for his improvisational ability and his stage performances brought together by his rich voice. He was also an accomplished bandleader, composer and arranger. His repertoire included soneos, nuyorican, la gaita, joropo and cuatro. Oscar’s father was a bricklayer and Oscar labored by day in various capacities including driving a taxi and working in a General Motors factory in Caracas. Oscar incorporated this world into his music as he sung about the everyday lives of working men and women of the Caribbean. Oscar utilized soneros and salsa to sing about social issues, issues of resistance as well as ideas regarding cultural reaffirmation. Oscars arrangements were built for dancing while his accompanying lyrics spoke of the relationships between men and women. These themes, coupled with his versatility in rancheras, paso dobles, boleros, meringues, jazz and jazz latino created his universal appeal. Oscar founded La Golden Star orchestra as well as a number of music groups such as Los Psicodelicos. In 1972 with percussionist Jose Rodriquez and trombonists Cesar Monge and Jose Antonio Rojas, Oscar formed the big band Dimension Latin as a cooperative. In 1976 Oscar formed La Salsa Mayor orchestra which became a training ground for young Venezuelan musicians. In 1978 Oscar found La Critica in memory of Cuban rumba legends. Oscar is known as El Sonero del Mundo (“the Son Singer of the World”) On June 13, 2003 he suffered three heart attacks during and following a concert on the island of Martinique.
His extensive discography includes:
Popular Songs:
Lloraras his most famous song
Hay que trabajar (One must Work)
Casas de carton (Cardboard Houses)
Mi Genti (My People)
Popular Albums:
Una dimension de exitos
Inolvidable
Dos colosos en concierto
El mas grande
El rey de los soneros
Toitico tuyo
Sonero del mundo
En Nueva York
Child, John. “Profile: Oscar D’Leon.” www.descarga.com. March 3, 2010
Official website ( http://www.oscardleon.com)
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