Oscar D’ Leon will impose his salsa experience

While he boasts of having a repertoire of hundreds of songs, the artist also known as “The Legend of Bass and Salsa”, anticipates that what the public can expect is movement and a very varied musical banquet during the evening, with themes ranging from from ranchera and tango, to Venezuelan and Puerto Rican music.

“When I am on stage, that for me is a delicacy, because there is no artist and audience, we are all fused. In my orchestra it is a constant joy, it is a family and we do everything to enjoy”, He waits excitedly for that moment, while he does not miss the opportunity to sing a verse out loud in the middle of the conversation.

“I always try to ensure that my things, which I support and direct, always have an attractive movement for the public. If there is any detail missing, I’ll add it. I don’t know if the other artists do it, but in the ‘sound check’ I already put on a show because that helps people, the few people who are there, get the commentary on what’s going to happen next.”explained about the expectation that is created, prior to the big night of the concert.

Likewise, he indicates that given the constant trips they make, he always tries to reserve a space to rehearse, a practice that he thoroughly enjoys, as do the members of his orchestra, who accompany him to perform great hits, such as: “ You will cry”, “Truly bravo”, “I would like to”, “My children”, “Divine girl”, “Juancito trucupey”, “El frutero”, “Parampampam”, “La vela”, “Taboga” and “Cowardly pain” “, among many others.

“There are more than 400 songs in my orchestra, which forces me to review all the time and I send the list to all my musicians so that whenever they are at home they review two or three daily, because I surprise. I ask for such a song in the middle of the show, even if I haven’t rehearsed it. I’ll let you know, because it’s already been set up, it’s been that way for many years.”he highlighted.

With his distinctive thick black mustache and wide smile, at just 80 years old, his voice is still impeccable and nothing usually stops him from that distinctive vitality, not even some health-related issues. So much so that two weeks ago he underwent surgery. However, that will not prevent him from reuniting with the Puerto Rican public this coming Friday.

“In these months I have been a little uncomfortable due to health issues. I underwent surgery for an umbilical hernia as a preventive measure, so that later it wouldn’t catch me and I would have to undergo emergency surgery. It’s only been 15 days, I still have the stitches there. When I had surgery, two and three hours later I told the doctor, ‘I feel fine, let’s go home.’ With my little pain, but that doesn’t stop me. I couldn’t sing at that time, but now I can.”specify.

“Me and my bass”

His stage projection as a salsa vocalist was closely related to his indelible bass, whose interpretive vehemence transmitted a singular energy to the audience. However, she tells how that affinity with said instrument has been evolving in terms of her presentations.

“It is not because one wanted to stop playing it, but there are circumstances that have contributed to one having to stop playing it. You can’t mount it on the plane anymore, you have to wear it small and that’s not the most comfortable thing to do for a show either, because it moves a lot. It’s not like the ‘baby bass’, where you can stick it from here (side) and handle it with you. Not the others, they are very small, they stick here and your arm falls off, it’s a mess. It can’t be done like before. So I have limited myself to playing a song like ‘Mi Bajo y Yo,’” he explained about one of his iconic songs.

However, he takes the opportunity to play it when he is at home, to keep practicing it. As she tells it, every time the opportunity to buy a bass appears, she buys it.

“I have 13 already stored at home, of all sizes and time, and from different nations. Right now they are manufacturing them in Colombia, of very good quality and there, there is competition between them there. I have a memory of each instrument, including the flags, others with my name, almost all of them are personalized.”said the musician.

He moves away from politics

While he assures that he has a perfect relationship with his country, he reiterates that he has nothing negative to talk about “neither about one thing nor another,” because he is not a politician. He always goes to his land and does not disconnect from his roots. Even after his show in Puerto Rico, he returns to Venezuela the next day to go and entertain some patron saint festivities.

“What I can say to the other artists who have started talking a lot about politics, who are already screwed, they have already gotten dirty with it, talking about politics. But it must always be avoided. “You are not a politician, you are an artist who owes you to the entire public.”he noted.