Orchestra Harlow – Hommy (A Latin Opera) (1973, Puerto Rico/Cuba/US)
Our next spotlight is on number 1039 on The List, submitted by myself (buffyleigh).
Ever wondered what an Afro-Caribbean/salsa version of The Who’s 1969 rock opera Tommy might sound like?
This is a recommendation via a recommendation, as it was found in a book suggested to me on Mastodon. The book: Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever by Will Hermes, which covers 1973 to 1977 and the half-dozen genres that emerged in NYC at that time, including salsa. This album was mentioned in the first few pages and completely stalled me (full disclosure: I started this book in May 2024 and still haven’t finished, because every time I touch it I have another 5 or 10 new-to-me artists/albums to check out).
And, while we’re at it, full disclosure, part B: I heard this album *before* hearing (or seeing) Tommy for the first time. So, I had no expectations or knowledge of how close it was to the original. And, a year and a half later, I’m not sure I can comfortably comment on this. I did listen to Tommy directly after my first spin of Hommy, but, well, was weirded out by the gross stuff in that storyline, and so I’m only getting back to Tommy for a second spin right now, as I’m typing. I think it’s safe to say though that, rather than a faithful adaptation of Tommy by any means, Hommy is more of an ‘inspired by’ work with a similar narrative framework (e.g., the titular character is deaf and blind, and is a fantastic conga player) but all original songs with lyrics by Puerto Rican composer and singer Genaro “Heny” Álvarez (and without, afaik since I don’t speak Spanish, any of Tommy‘s creepy stuff).
And, as you may have guessed from the group name and title, a few more than just a quartet were involved in Hommy. Headed by American bandleader and producer Larry Harlow (aka “El Judío Maravilloso”), over 60 Puerto Rican, Cuban, and American musicians were in this Fania-released production, including the fabulous Cuban singer who would later be known as the “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz (as Gracia Divina, cf. Tommy‘s Acid Queen), José “Cheo” Feliciano, Justo Betancourt, Junior González, Tony Jimenez, Eddie “Guagua” Rivera, Adalberto Santiago, and Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez. With such a number of musicians creating a Latin opera full of spectacular singing, Afro-Caribbean percussion, horns, and strings, you’re sure to enjoy this, whether you know Tommy (or Spanish) or not. The opera also apparently ends with pleas to the forces that be to end suffering on Earth in general and that era’s war (Vietnam) in particular, which I can definitely get behind.
Fwiw, if I had to choose between the two operas, I’d choose Hommy every time.
#1970s #AfroCubanMusic #CeliaCruz #conceptAlbum #Cuba #Fania #LarryHarlow #LatinMusic #ListenToThis #music #musicDiscovery #opera #OrchestraHarlow #OrquestaHarlow #PuertoRico #salsa
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