A Night of Music and Stories with Luis “Perico” Ortiz

This post is also available in: Español

Last Saturday, I had the privilege of attending with my wife one of the most memorable concerts of my life. It was the “Tocando y Contando Historias” show by Luis “Perico” Ortiz, the legendary trumpet player, arranger, producer, and musical director. The concert took place at the Centro de Bellas Artes in Caguas, Puerto Rico as part of its 20th anniversary celebration.

The show was more than just a musical performance. It was a journey through the life and career of the Puerto Rican maestro, who shared his stories and anecdotes with the audience. He also invited some of his friends and collaborators, who today are icons of the tropical music genre, to join him on stage. Through his stories, Luis Esteban Ortiz highlighted the values of respect, dedication, and spirituality as essential elements for achieving success and fulfillment in life.

Tocando y Contanto – music and stories

The concert began with a young boy playing the trumpet solo, which was a tribute to Perico’s childhood. He then explained how he got the nickname of “Perico” from the great “Sonero Mayor” Ismael Rivera.

One of the most touching moments of the night came when Perico introduced Arianelys Ortiz – a blind and autistic girl who plays timbales. She amazed everyone with her talent and passion and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Perico praised her as an example of overcoming obstacles and pursuing one’s dreams.

Gilberto Santa Rosa graced the stage next singing songs recorded by Tommy Olivencia. The “Caballero de la Salsa” was part of Olivencia’s “La Primerísima” while still in his teens. This segment allowed Perico to share another pivotal moment in his career – being recommended as a producer for Olivencia albums by Ray Barretto despite being a young trumpeter then. “We must always work hard to prepare ourselves so that we can take advantage of the opportunities when they come our way“, was the maestro’s message for the audience.

One of the most anticipated moments of the night was when Rubén Blades took the stage. Rubén sang “Plástico” and “Pedro Navaja”, two of Perico’s arrangements for the hit album “Siembra”. Perico told us how he met Rubén when the Panamanian was with Ray Barretto and Perico with Johnny Pacheco. They would meet and have “intelligent conversations”, because as Perico said, “not all is drinking and drugs.” I would rephrase that as not all is drinking, partying, and “chinchorreo”.

The concert ended with a grand finale, where all the singers joined Perico and his 19-piece big band to sing “Perico lo Tiene”. The audience gave the maestro a long and warm applause to thank him for a wonderful night of music and stories.

Need More High-Value Concerts

I left the concert feeling inspired and grateful for having witnessed such a unique and special show. Perico is not only a master of his instrument but also a storyteller and a teacher. We need more people like Luis “Perico” Ortiz to highlight the importance of rescuing our social values.

During the concert, we saw examples of the deterioration of our social values. A heckler repeatedly tried to interrupt the Caguas Mayor’s opening statement, and another individual yelled while Perico spoke, causing the maestro to ask for “permiso” so he could continue speaking.

The maestro explained how he had been working for three years to put together this concert. He went to several people, but no one took an interest in his project until he went to Caguas and immediately found people willing to help. This demonstrates that dedication and perseverance can pave the way to success.

The best thing about “Tocando y Contando” is that Luis “Perico” Ortiz is already planning to have another one next year. My wife and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.

Note: you can get a full review (in Spanish) of the musical aspect of the concert “Tocando y Contando” from the Fundación Nacional Para la Cultura Popular website.