Artist:Roberto Roena
Song:Yo Soy de Ley
Album:Greatest Hits
Percussionist Roberto Roena is best known for his many years with the Fania All Stars. But he also led a very successful band in the 70s. And he worked frequently as a sideman. He was born Jan. 30, 1940 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Roena and his brother Cuqui started out doing dance routines in their neighborhood. After the family moved to Santurce, They refined their dance act and appeared on the WKAQ weekly TV show La Taberna India. Percussionist and bandleader Rafael Cortijo taught Roena to play the bongos. Roena was 16 years old when he joined Cortijo's band Cortijo y su Combo. He was in that band for seven years dancing and playing the bongos. After that band's lead singer was arrested for drug possession, Cortijo formed a new band El Gran Combo. After Cortijo moved to New York, Roena joined that band. After two years, Roena started Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound. The name was a tribute to Apollo 11. That band first recorded in 1970. Roena joined the Fania All Stars in 1973. And he has been a long time member of that band. He also signed with Fania Records. So while touring with the Fania All Stars, Roena also recorded and toured with his own band. Yo Soy de Ley is from his 1980 album Que Suerte He Tenido de Nacer.. The lead singer is Carlos Santos who was in other bands before he joined Apollo Sound in 1978. The song was written and arranged by pianist Lenny Prieto. You'll notice in the video that Roena is running around the stage occasionally picking up the bongos or a cowbell. This budget comp is a good intro to Roena's music and it is available as a digital download. Though salsa faded in popularity in the 80s, Roena continued to record and perform. In 1990, he opened for Sting at a concert at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan. After celebrating his band's 25th anniversary in 1994, Roena retired soon after. Here's Roberto Roena performing Yo Soy de Ley on a 1979 Puerto Rican TV show.
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