Oscar de Leon
| Oscar D'León | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Oscar Emilio León Somoza |
| Born | July 11, 1943 |
| Origin | Caracas, Venezuela |
| Genres | Salsa |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass |
| Website | Official website (Spanish) |
Oscar Emilio León Somoza, known as Oscar D'León (born July 11, 1943 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan musician of salsa music. He is the author of "Llorarás," which he recorded in 1975 with his group La Dimensión Latina. He is also ambassador for Operation Smile.
Oscar D'León was a long-time resident of the Parroquia Antímano section of Caracas (his father was a laborer at the neighborhood cemetery). He had a strong interest in percussion ever since he was a child, improvising bass parts with his throat while playing Latin rhythms with his hands on any available surface. He got in trouble in school early on for doing this constantly. He then took interest in the upright bass (he learned the instrument on his own), and would eventually alternate in jobs as an auto mechanic, assembly line worker or taxi driver (during the day) and bass player (at night) for local conjuntos [literally means an "assembly", but represents a small musical band popularized in Cuba, whereby musicians on bass, guitar, and percussion would all sing local folk songs]. As he acquired a reputation for being a solid bass player, clever improviser (he would improvise entire songs on the spot), humorous entertainer and dynamic singer (he used to dance with a double bass onstage while singing, a not-so-subtle physical feat), he founded orchestras such as La Golden Star and music groups such as Los Psicodélicos. Together with percussionist José Rodríguez and trombone players César Monge and José Antonio Rojas, he formed La Dimensión Latina in 1972.
Four years later, D'León quit the group and created La Salsa Mayor. With La Salsa Mayor he recorded the merengue standard "Juanita Morell", a version that became a huge radio hit in Puerto Rico. He later founded La Crítica in 1978 in memory of the legends of Cuban Rumba, such as Miguelito Valdés. For a while, D'León would alternate singing with both orchestras, giving him enough flexibility to stay working constantly. This also gave him an opportunity of inviting some of his personal musical heroes (such as key members of the Sonora Matancera and Daniel Santos) occasionally onstage during live presentations.
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Wikipedia