Lebron Brothers

The Lebrón Brothers emerged in the mid-1960s as one of New York, USA salsa’s most distinctive and original ensembles. Piano, arranger, composer and lead-and-chorus vocalist José Lebrón and bassist, arranger, composer, lead-and-chorus singer and cuatro player Angel Lebrón guided the group from its inception. Born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, the siblings spent their formative years in Brooklyn, New York City, USA. Their first recordings appeared in 1967, coinciding with the peak popularity of the R&B-infused Latin style known as boogaloo, whose leading exponents at the time included the bands of Ricardo Ray, Joe Cuba, Pete Rodríguez and Johnny Colón. The Lebrón catalog maintained a steady blend of Latin selections and R&B/soul material sung in English. Pablo handled the Spanish lead vocals until a heart attack forced his retirement from the role in 1988. Their debut album, Mala Suerte, featured the successful boogaloos “Summertime Blues” (also known as “Funky Blues”) and “Tall Tale.” Goldner, co-owner of Cotique, supervised the Lebrón Brothers’ first five releases for the label.

In conversation with Max Salazar, Angel observed, “The boogaloo era came to an end when we threatened to rebel against the package deals.” Fellow period artist King Nando (Fernando Rivera) elaborated: “... It was killed off by envious old band leaders, a few dance promoters and a popular Latin music disc jockey. We were the hottest bands and we drew the crowds. But we were never given top billing or top dollar. The boogaloo band leaders were forced to accept package deals which had us hopping all over town... one hour here, one hour there... for small change. When word got out that we were going to unite and no longer accept the package deals, our records were no longer played over the radio. The boogaloo era was over and so were the careers of most of the boogaloo band leaders.” The Lebrón Brothers nevertheless survived the short-lived late-1960s enthusiasm for boogaloo that many Latin musicians recorded only to remain current. Brother, the group’s fourth album, signaled a “promotion in the ranks” for Carlos (bongo, vocals, trap drums, timbales, composer and tres, the six- or nine-string Cuban guitar); he appeared on the cover alongside José and Angel. Venezuelan salsa authority César Miguel Rondon credited the title track of Salsa Y Control, a signature hit, with helping popularize the term “salsa” (sauce) as a label for Latin music. The phrase “salsa y control” also came to describe the Lebrón’s characteristic swinging yet measured approach, although the song itself did not exemplify that manner. José arranged and conducted Pablo’s solo album Pablo, which concentrated on slow romantic material.

After Fania Records acquired Cotique, Larry Harlow—one of Fania’s leading figures at the time—produced the Lebrón Brothers’ 1973 album Asunto De Familia. Conga-playing brother Frank received “promotion” to the cover of that release. Fania co-founder Johnny Pacheco helmed the band’s three subsequent albums issued between 1975 and 1978, among them the acclaimed 10th Anniversary, which included the major hit “Disco Bailable,” reportedly composed by José as a filler track while riding the subway to the studio. Criollo, the Lebrón’s final Cotique recording, stood as another strong effort. Following a three-year hiatus, the group moved to Sergio Bofill and Humberto Corredor’s Caimán Records and returned in 1986 with Salsa Lebrón. Young lead vocalist Frankie Morales (formerly of Los Amigos and The Bad Street Boys) replaced Pablo on that project. The album proved an especially familial undertaking: Adrian and Angel Jnr. contributed trombone and percussion respectively, while Angel’s daughter Nadine performed piano on his composition “La Niña.” Trombonist Jimmy Bosch, known from Libre and Ray Barretto, augmented the horn section, and Bobby Rodríguez, then on the Caimán roster, played flute on “Amores De Ayer.” The title track assembled a medley of earlier Lebrón successes. Morales departed acrimoniously to front his own ensemble; his subsequent releases comprise En Su Punto (1987) on Caimán and Sobresaliendo/Standing Out (1989) on Corredor’s El Abuelo imprint.

Pablo rejoined for a final appearance on El Boso, the inaugural release on the new El Abuelo label in 1988; Bosch returned to the brass section alongside veteran trumpeter Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros. For the second 1988 album, Loco Por Ti, lead vocals were divided among Angel, José, Carlos and Enrique Estupiñan, who also served as one of the record’s four executive producers. In 1990 Estupiñan and former Saoco member José Luis Ayala shared co-lead duties on Salsa En El Paraiso Con Los Lebrón, recorded in Cali, Colombia. Vocalist and composer Ayala, previously associated with Eddie Palmieri and Alfredo Rodríguez, completed the personnel changes for that project.