Plena Libre

{{short description|Puerto Rican folk music group}}

{{promotional tone|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Plena Libre

| image = PLENA LIBRE.jpg

| caption =

| image_size =

| origin = Puerto Rico

| genre = Plena, Bomba

| years_active = 1994–present

| label = Rykodisk

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|http://www.plenalibre.com}}

| current_members =

| past_members =

}}

Plena Libre is a plena and bomba group. Their music follows traditional forms while also drawing on other styles of music. In a biographical summary of the group, Steve Huey of Allmusic observed that the group's blend of "contemporary dance arrangements... (and) the long-ignored Puerto Rican folklore-derived plena style... return(ed) the style to prominence."{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/plena-libre-mn0000289618/biography |title= Artist Biography|last1= Huey |first1= Steve|date= |website= Allmusic|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}} A popular live act over the course of a 20-year, 14-album career, the Puerto Rican ensemble are known for strong musicianship; for example, Chris Nickson of Allmusic, in noting the blending of jazz elements with plena on the Mas Libre CD, described the group's delivery of said as "highly accomplished".{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mas-libre-mw0000620494 |title= Plena Libre: Mas Libre (review)|last1= Nickson |first1= Chris|date= |website= Allmusic|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}}

Plena Libre have toured internationally,{{cite web |url= http://pepperdine-graphic.com/puerto-rican-band-plena-libre-celebrates-culture/ |title= Puerto Rican band Plena Libre celebrates culture|last1= Otero |first1= Gabrielle|date= October 21, 2012 |website= Pepperdine University Graphic|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}} with notable live dates including the Moroccan Fes Festival{{cite web |url= http://www.allaboutjazz.com/fes-jazz-festival-introducing-swinging-sounds-to-moroccans-by-aaj-staff.php?width=1024|title= Fes Jazz Festival: Introducing Swinging Sounds To Moroccans|last1= AAJ Saff|date= January 29, 2009 |website= All About Jazz|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}} in 2008, and the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl that same year. Regarding their performance at the latter event, the LA Times praised the "sizzling Latin jazz and salsa grooves" that both Plena Libre and another act on the bill, Poncho Sanchez, displayed.{{cite news |url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-jazzfest17-2008jun17-story.html|title= Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl|last1= Heckman|first1= John|date= June 17, 2008 |newspaper= LA Times|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}} September 2013 saw the group play World Music Festival Chicago.

{{cite web |url= http://gozamos.com/event/eddie-palmieri-salsa-orchestra-with-plena-libre-africaribe/|title= Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra with Plena Libre & AfriCaribre|last1=|first1= |last2= |first2= |date= September 12, 2012 |website= Gozamos.com|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}}

Plena Libre have received multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations.{{cite news |url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-jazzfest17-2008jun17-story.html|title= Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl|last1= Heckman|first1= John|date= June 17, 2008 |newspaper= LA Times|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}} The group received their first Latin Grammy nomination, in the category “Best Tropical Traditional Album”, for their 2001 recording Mas Libre.{{cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-18-ca-23444-story.html|title= The Full List of Nominations|last1=|first1= |last2= |first2= |date= July 18, 2001 |newspaper= LA Times|publisher= |access-date=August 29, 2014}} The nomination represented the first nomination for a Puerto Rican group in the category.{{Cite magazine |last=Cobo |first=Leila |date=August 18, 2001|title= Latin Notas|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7RMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=2001++grammy+nominations+traditional+tropical+plena+libre+mas+libre&pg=PA32|magazine= Billboard|accessdate= August 28, 2014}} In 2003 the recording Mi Ritmo was Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated, again in the “Best Tropical Traditional Album” category.{{cite web |url= https://www.foxnews.com/story/grammy-nominations-complete-list/

|title= Grammy Nominations: Complete List|last1= Associated Press|date= January 7, 2003 |website= Fox News|publisher= |access-date=August 29, 2014}} The 2006 Latin Grammys saw an additional nomination for Best Tropical Traditional Album for the group, this time for their recording Evolucion.{{cite web |url=http://latingrammyawards.blogspot.com/2009/01/7th-latin-grammy-awards-nominees-2006.html

|title= 7th Latin GRAMMY Awards Nominees 2006|last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= 22 January 2009|website= Latin Grammy Awards|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}}

Among the notable musicians that have recorded with Plena Libre are master pianist Eddie Palmieri{{cite web |url= http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2002/vol6n45/PlenaLibre-en.html|title= Plena Libre Rhythm|last1= VILARIÑO |first1= Janeth|date= October 15, 2002|website= Puerto Rico Herald|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}} and Nestor Torres.{{cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-03-ca-46152-story.html|title= Record Rack|last1= Lechner |first1= Ernesto|date= November 3, 2000|newspaper= LA Times|publisher= |access-date=August 29, 2014}}

National Geographic has recognized Plena Libre as one of four Puerto Rican musical acts, along with Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and Jennifer Lopez, that are "spearheading the Latin invasion of American popular music".{{cite web |url= http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0303/feature2/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071217190203/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0303/feature2/|url-status= dead|archive-date= December 17, 2007|title= True Colors: Divided Loyalties in Puerto Rico|last1= Cockburn |first1= Anfrew|date= March 2003|website= National Geographic|publisher= |accessdate=August 29, 2014}}