Mission: Los Pleneros de la 21 (LP21) was founded in 1983 in the South Bronx, New York, by Juan Gutiérrez-Rodriguez. It is a non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the Puerto Rican musical styles of Bomba and Plena.
Bomba and Plena: Lesser known throughout the world than Puerto Rican Latin-based styles, Bomba and Plena are African-based and have flourished among the black communities of Puerto Rico proper and American Puerto Rican neighborhoods. Like many Afro-Caribbean musical styles, Bomba and Plena are the result of the blending of various influences, including West African music, European music and Native Taino music.
Performance Style: LP21 members blur the line between musician and dancer, most of the performers in the group both sing and dance (and clap and yell and jump) during any given performance, giving a highly energetic and interactive performance.
More Than Performance...: LP21 offers more than just performance, they also tour the country giving workshops and presentations to schools and other organizations, to help bring recognition to their specific musical style as well as the black Puerto Rican community as a whole.
Honors: LP21 has performed with such greats as Paul Simon, and performed all over the globe. In 2006, they were honored with a Grammy Award nomination for their album Para Todos Ustedes.
