This week, I’ve had “Siéntate Ahí” by Oscar D’ León #OnRepeat. Although I grew up listening to him (my father was and still is a huge fan of his music), this is one of Oscar’s songs that I really can’t get enough of.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Oscar D’ León, he is a salsa singer and bassist from Venezuela who is responsible for setting the performance standard for Cuban dance music, specifically during the 1980’s with his band’s performance in Varadero, Cuba. Google for more information on Oscar D’ León. Some of his more popular songs are “Lloraras,” “Volver a Verte,” and “Esa Mujer.” You are bound to find lots of information and videos because he is a well-known Latin American musician (you can also check out this post for more information, done by a fellow musician and blogger, David Castañeda, on the Musicorum site, here.)
The song, “Siéntate Ahí,” is a song told from the point of view of a man, telling the mother of his son to sit down and look at what she walked out on, and the fact that he’s had to raise their son all on his own. The lyrics are poignant and sad, but as with a lot of Latin music, the music itself is upbeat and grooves hard.
As I’ve said before, Oscar D’ León is the epitome of the performer. His rhythmic timing and melodic improvisation is consistently on-point; his musical charisma practically pulls you to the dance floor. As with most of his songs, I am most impressed with his powerful belt during high notes. I’ve yet to hear his voice crack during his melodic leaps and runs; he makes it sound vocally easier to pull-off than it actually is. It’s no wonder he’s called, “El León de la Salsa.”
Do you have any new songs, musicians, or groups to check out? Let us know in the comments below!