“Sooner or later, time will prove you right.” Tommy Torres has had this saying on his mind a lot lately. People from his inner circle say it to him and he ponders it. Four years since his last album and eight since his first one, this multi–award-winning Puerto Rican music producer has much to offer; he was just waiting for the right moment to arrive.

Graduated from The Berklee College of Music and with several years of recording engineering experience behind him, at the end of the 90s Tommy began his ascending career as a composer, arranger and producer. His is the masterful hand behind mega hits of artists like Ricky Martin, Ricardo Arjona, Ednita Nazario, Paulina Rubio and Eros Ramazotti, among others. He has received numerous recognitions; Grammys, Latin Grammys, Billboard and Premio Lo Nuestro awards.

“There is something that I’ve learned from the artists with whom I have worked; something that those with long, successful careers have in common. They are not afraid of change, they treat each record as if it was their first and they don’t get stuck on one formula. This has led Tommy to release his own productions: “Tommy Torres” (2001), “Estar De Moda No Está De Moda” (2004) and his current release “Tarde o Temprano” (April 2008).


“TARDE O TEMPRANO” (“SOONER OR LATER”)

When Tommy Torres describes his new album, he does it with three precise words: Honest, Risky and Profound. Because this album is the result of a totally free creative process, from the songwriting to the recording to the final production, Tommy let himself be guided by only one thought: “The only objective of my songs is that they be enjoyed by others. Obviously I enjoy them as well, but I think that if there is something that moves me, the possibilities that others may like it too are very high.” It’s just that kind of internal weather vane-or as he would say, “sensors”-that has always given direction to his work.

“Tarde o Temprano” was co-produced with Dan Warner and Lee Levin, close collaborators Tommy’s for almost a decade and with whom he shares a great musical affinity. Other key participants are mix engineer extraordinaire Bob Clearmountain (Bryan Adams, The Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow), cord arranger David Campbell (Greenday, Aerosmith), mastering engineer Brian Gardner (Dr. Dre, Black Eyed Peas), and Christian Nieves who was responsible the traditional Puerto Rican “cuatro”.

In addition to all of the talents gathered in the studio, Tommy was also supported by the collaboration of Tego Calderon on the track “El Trabajito”, which is interesting experimental fusion of traditional Puerto Rican roots music with the very personal interpretive style of this highly recognized urban artist.

Although “Tarde o Temprano” is classified within the Rock & Pop genre, as were his other two albums, the biggest change has been the great influence of the traditional music of his homeland. “There are many ingredients of the “criolla” music; mountain music and popular roots music such as the “Aguinaldo.” There are other elements of the “Bomba” or the “Plena” that are especially known for their upbeat, danceable side, but in this record I use them at a much slower pace,” explains Tommy. A glimpse at this tendency had been seen a couple of years ago when he did “Tu Recuerdo” by Ricky Martin, which was topped off with R&B and Acoustic Pop touches as well.” On the other hand, this record also contains urban, “chill” and electronic sounds, giving it a certain eclectic touch.

In addition to the musical elements that come together in this record, Tommy also looks for a diversity of lyrical themes, coloring them with the thoughts, ideas and stories that have passed recently through his head. Songs like “Tarde o Temprano” showcase situations, personalities, reflections; they are very visual songs. “I like honest and straightforward lyrics more than looking for the poetic side. I have realized that my songs that people have liked most are those that I wrote without any pressure, nor high expectations.”


‘TARDE O TEMPRANO” TRACK BY TRACK, IN HIS OWN WORDS


POR UN BESO TUYO (FOR A KISS FROM YOU)

“The most interesting thing about this song is the musical combination of “Aguinaldo Jibaro” with elements of electronic and urban music.”

PEGADITO (UP CLOSE)

“This is the first single. It is one of the most simple and honest that I have written. It describes a moment of pure happiness when nothing else matters; precisely one of the most difficult moments to describe.”

INTERLUDIO JIBARO (JIBARO INTERLUDE)

“It was always the intro to “Lamento”, but the more we worked on it, it began taking on its one life and in the end we decided that it should be a track of its own, because it help up on its own. It is an “Aguinaldo Orocoveño”, a kind of troubadour’s improvisation that is done in Puerto Rico.”

LAMENTO (REGRET)

"It's a really intense song that somehow flows easily between electronic and something more organic. It's a contemporary composition that at each climax point then flows into a native "criollo" vibe. The lesson here is that no matter how much modern technology we incorporate into our lives, the things that move us most are the most basic ones; what runs deepest in our blood”.

TARDE O TEMPRANO (SOONER OR LATER)

“I composed this because I had been unable to finish a different song I’d been working on, so I decided to start writing something brand new. I didn’t think about it too much and when I came back to listen to it later, I really liked it. It is one of the strongest and has a rock/pop style with roots that are closer to work I have done in the past. It has been placed right in the middle of the record because it performs the function of tying things together and balancing them.

POR AMOR (FOR LOVE)

“So much has been written about love that more than being our muse, it is our excuse,” that is the essence of this track. This song doesn’t speak of romantic love, but of the things that human beings say because of love, positive and negative, like going to war for the love of a flag. It also talks about when religion is used as an excuse for doing certain things.”

CUANDO LAS MUJERES QUIEREN A LOS HOMBRES (WHEN WOMEN LOVE MEN)

“This is a traditional Puerto Rican “Plena” that has been sung for many years. I used the original chorus, but the verses and bridge are new. Before, I used to play it only with a guitar, but later I incorporated DJ scratches and electronic touches, while holding on to the spirit of the “Lamento.” There came a point when the song asked me for the intervention of someone who could come and resolve and balance it, because it was trapped without a way out. We invited Tego Calderon; I love the way he plays with words, that cadence, his relaxed way of performing. We did it in New York without a lot of planning nor predetermined things in mind, letting the song become just what it needed to be.”

MAR ADENTRO (THE SEA INSIDE)

“I wrote this in a Puerto Rican town named Isabela, a lovely place. Speaking with the locals about their legends, an idea came up about having a pirate as a protagonist. The romantic part is seeing that the pirate has something in common with the artist: he lives a very nomadic life and that can be very difficult when trying to stay together as a couple.

IMPARABLE (UNSTOPPABLE)

“This is the song of a very optimistic and self confident person; a man who will stop at nothing to get what he is looking for. It has a rock vibe, but also some electronic music touches. Although it’s slow, it’s a very visual song.

LOS OTROS CINCO (THE OTHER FIVE)

“This is one of my favorite songs. It’s about a criminal who is imprisoned and is counting the days, the passage of time which appears to be endless. It talks about how difficult it can be for someone to lose their freedom and the woman of their life. It is a very visual song.”

FIN DE CAPITULO (CHAPTER’S END)

“I am not the main character of this story, but instead the friend who reaches out to his friend when she is going through a bad time with her relationship. It is something that I would say to my niece, my goddaughter or, one day, to a daughter. When I wrote it, I thought that it would be ideal as the closing track on the record, although at that time it still didn’t have a title, BT the lyrics themselves suggested it to me.”


TOMMY TORRES BEYOND “TARDE O TEMPRANO”

More than a decade of intense work, musical searching and deep artistic and personal reflection have given Tommy a very special perspective about his creative work: “In music the protagonist should be the song, not the artist’s name or image. When I’ve written a song of which I am very proud, I like to think that if I hadn’t written it, someone else would have. What transcend are the songs, not so much the person who wrote them.”

Fame should not be the goal, but the result of what happens when what you do connect with people, this is what you have to try for.” With this thought, Tommy leaves us with his new album, hoping that these songs will find many ears in which to nest.