Music of Puerto Rico - Artists: Carlos Enrique Estremera Colón

Estremera Colón, Carlos Enrique - Plena

Estremera Colón was born on 2 September, 1958 in Santurce, Puerto Rico. An excellent grade school student. Motivated by his god parents to study music, he started by singing religeous hymns.

He started in the professional world as a percussionist with a group of musicians that was formed in the Barrio Obrero section of Santurce. Within a year, he was vocalist with that group and with the folkloric plena group: Los Pleneros del Quinto Olivo. But his greatest opportunity came upon joining the Orchestra Mulenze 76, which had an exclusive contract with Fania Records.

In 1978, Estremera met Bobby Valentín, who invited him to join his band. The first song that he recorded with Valentín's group was "La boda de Ella" which won him widespread acclaim in the world of popular music. He recorded six albums with Valentín, including two as a solist. But by the end of 1984, he decided to leave Valentín to form his own band.

At this new stage, "El Cano", as he was known, dedicated himself to singing all genres of popular music. In 1986 he won the Paoli award as Salsa Vocalist of the Year, and other awards. In 1988, Estremera debuted as producer of his own records with his "Salvaje" album. A year later, he released "Dueño del Soneo" which his new series of recordings.

El Cano, who was born albino, is known in the music industry as one of the best "soneros", or singer of Afro-Caribbean music, at the century. His skills were demonstrated at a now famous concert in Guánica, where he sand 105 consecutive stanzas without repeating a single phrase. Quite an acheivement. In that same year, his improvisation skills were put to the test again and produced 128 unique "soneos" for the concert fans in Yabucoa, while a few weeks later, before 5,000 spectators at a concert in Juana Díaz, he increased that number to 130.

With a honed skill in improvising without par, Estremera has won the epithet of "owner of the soneo"; a title that has virtually replaced the "golden kid" by which he was initially known, and which was used in the title of two of his recordings. His hit album Dueño del Soneo, Vol. 1, included salsa tracks such as partial Real Audio clip Por Si Acaso and more. There was also Dueño del Soneo, Vol. 2 and Exitos del Dueño del Soneo.

Among his musical hits, Estremera is best known for songs such as "Las ingratitudes", "Manuel García", "Si me caso mejoro", "La mujer y la primavera", "Me quedé con las ganas", "La novia automática", "Awilda", "El compromiso", "Nací y así soy", "Aprovecha lo mío" and "Viernes social".