Metiendo Mano Explained

Metiendo Mano!
Type:	studio album
Artist:	Willie Colón and Rubén Blades
Border:	yes
Recorded:	1976–1977
Studio:	La Tierra Sound Studios, New York City
Label:	Fania
Prev Title:	The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Prev Year:	1975
Year:	1977
Next Title:	Siembra
Next Year:	1978

Metiendo Mano! is the debut studio album by Puerto Rican-American trombonist and singer Willie Colón and Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades, released on October 7, 1977, through Fania Records.^[1] The album was produced by Colón and Jerry Masucci and is the second of four collaborative duo albums by Colón and Blades. The record includes the song "Pablo Pueblo", which is considered to be one of the initial forays into "conscious" or "intellectual" salsa^[2] and was the theme song to Blades' unsuccessful Panamanian presidential bid in 1994. Craig Harris wrote in MusicHound World that the album "not only represents a historic meeting of musical minds but remains a dance-inspiring masterpiece."

Personnel

Producer:

• Willie Colón

Executive Producer:

• Jerry Masucci

Musicians:

• Willie Colón – Trombone Solo (“Lluvia De Tu Cielo”), Gong, Percussion
• Ruben Blades – Acoustic Guitar
• Leopoldo Pineda – Trombone Solo (“Fue Varón”)
• Papo Vasquez - Trombone
• Lewis Kahn - Trombone
• Salvador Cuevas - Bass
• Milton Cardona – Conga, Clave, Talking Drum, Quinto (“Pueblo”)
• José Mangual Jr. – Bongos, Maracas, Percussion
• Nicky Marrero – Timbales
• José Torres – Piano
• Sonny Bravo – Piano (“Pablo Pueblo”), (“Según El Color”)
• Tom Malone – Tuba, Harp Synthesizer
• Yomo Toro – Cuatro (“Según El Color”), Lead Acoustic Guitar (“Me Recordarás”)
• Ruben Blades – Lead Vocals
• Chorus – Willie Colón, Ruben Blades, Milton Cardona, José Mangual Jr

Arrangements:

• Willie Colón (“Según El Color”, “La Mora”, “Plantación Adentro”)
• Louie Cruz  (“Pueblo”, “Lluvia De Tu Cielo”)
• Louis Ortíz – (“Pablo Pueblo”, “La Maleta”)
• Louie Ramírez (“ Fue Varón”)

Recorded at – La Tierra Sound Studios, NY

Engineers:

• Jon Fausty
• Irv Greenbaum

Photography – Mark Kozlowiski

Design – Izzy Sanabria

Title Design – Pam Lessero

Notes and References

1. Music in the 20th Century (3 Vol Set) Dave DiMartino - 2016 - Page 70 1317464303 Reubén Blades is a Panamanian-born singer and musician who has helped to revolutionize the salsa sound. Together with Willie Colón and others, he blended the movement called La Nueva Cancion (New Song) with salsa, ... Quintessential Blades works include Metiendo Mano (1977) and the 1978 release Siembra, one of the biggest selling salsa albums ..."
2. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide Nathan Brackett, Christian David Hoard - 2004 - Page 81 0743201698 "It was Colon who took Blades under his wing, collaborating with him on the smoldering, thickly textured Metiendo Mano!"