Bandleader Manny Oquendo is a veteran of the days when Latin bands crowded into a studio to polish off a recording in an all-night session.  He recalls, "you recorded on monoaural, with just a few takes.  You couldn't stop and overdub.  You just played."  This "just played" attitude is central to the Libre sound.  The band tries to duplicate that feeling in the recording studio.  "We don't record in layers; we do everything live.  It takes a lot to prepare mentally for the kind of concentrated work that involves, but the sound is much richer, more real"
    Manny Oquendo grew up on Kelly Street in the Bronx, not far from the great Cuban player, Arsenio Rodriguez.  Colin Power, who'd later became a General and leader, lived on the block too.  Additionally, several artist such as Joe Cuba, Eddie Palmieri, and Little Ray Romero, grew up playing stick ball on Kelly Street.
    For 20 years, Libre has been New York City's best-kept salsa-jazz secret.  Despite a handful of superlative recordings and a list of alumni that includes Steve Turre, Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres, Jerry Gonzalez,and Papo Vasquez, high profile exposure has eluded the Latin Jazz ensemble.  While their 70's Salsoul releases are now collector's items, the band is musically still in rebellion - as witnessed on their new Milestone release "On the Move."  Recorded live in San Francisco, On the Move represents Manny Oquendo and Libre in their element - live and spontaneous.