Family Music History

Where it all started for me and my brothers – This is my Mom dancing at the Hawaiian Room at the Lexington Hotel in 1959 and that’s my Dad behind her as the conductor with the fogged-up glasses checking out her moves. Dad could barley speak English but I guess Mom’s ass-sets spoke volumes! Sorry Mom 🙂

NOW THE REST OF THE GANG

In the late 1890’s the family line of Gutierrez del Barrio musicians started making an impact in the world of music. Pre TV and Film, the family had already won awards in Musical Theater and Opera before composing music for film in the late 1920’s.

Family members Ramón & Conception Requena Gutiérrez del Barrio and Alejandro Gutiérrez del Barrio, were composers and conductors in Argentina. Ramón & Conception Requena Gutiérrez del Barrio also owned and taught at the family music conservatory in Mendoza (still in action today- Instituto Musical  Gutierrez del Barrio).   Conception Requena Gutiérrez del Barrio was regarded as one of Mendoza’s top vocal coaches as she was the vocal coach at the IMGB music conservatory.  Below is a song that Alejandro wrote that was very famous in its day and is still a classic in  Argentina.

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Jorge Gutiérrez del Barrio

Dad (far left) with Xavier Cugat 1960

Starting in the late 50’s in America Jorge del Barrio started as musical director for entertainers such as Xavier Cugat, Abbe Lane, Perry Como, Jimmy Rodgers, Vikki Carr.  Up until 1972, Jorge was mostly on the road and writing arrangements for all the above-mentioned artists as well as arrangements for TV.

As the 70’s came to a close Jorge started his legacy as a string arranger in the pop/mainstream record industry thanks to artists like George Duke and Stanley Clark.

As the years came and went, Jorge, built up a legacy of over 200 string arrangements in various styles for recording artists around the world like Earth Wind and Fire,  Jeffery Osborne, Dennis Williams, Pebo Bryson, The Temptations, Willie BoBo to Michael Jackson, Sinade O’Connor, Alisha’s Attic’s, Toby Keith, Five For Fighting, Shelby Lynn,  Sheryl Crow’s Christmas CD to name a few.

As well as writing string arrangements for recording artists Jorge also orchestrated and conducted compositions on many Hollywood feature films like What’s Love Got To Do With It, Pentagon Wars, Boys In The Hood (string arrangements), She’s So Lovely, First Time Felon and HBO miniseries John Adams and HBO film, Pancho Via Starring Himself.

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Eddie del BarrioHis uncle Eduardo Gutiérrez del Barrio is know in the Latin Jazz Fusion world for the music created in Latin Jazz Band Caldera as well as co-writer of Earth Wind & Fires super hit “Fantasy”.

In 1990 he released one of the most compelling instrumental piano CD’s called Free Play produced by friend Herb Alpert and featured musicians like Peter Erskin, Charley Haden, Abraham Laboriel , Hurbert Laws, Pino Marrone, and Alex Acuña.

In 1991 Eddie also participated with Herb Alpert in the writing and production of Stan Getz last album Appassionato. In 2005 Eduardo Gutiérrez del Barrio was commissioned to write an orchestrated jazz piece that was performed by the LA Philharmonic at the Disney Hall in Los Angeles.  The title of the Jazz Mass was Misa Justa.

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And finally, Gibi is not the only one in his family making landmark moves in the entertainment world.  His brother, Ramon Del Barrio has had a major presence across the U.S. for more than 25 years. Del Barrio did the musical staging and choreography for the 2006 Academy Award-winning film in the Best Live Action Short Film category, West Bank Story.

Ramon was the principal choreographer and co-director for the musical Sisterella, written and directed by Larry Hart and the only musical Executive Produced and presented by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Sisterella won eight N.A.A.C.P. Theater Awards, including Best Musical, Best Director, and Best Musical Staging and Choreography www.sisterella.com Among the many high-profile events and programs to his credit, he directed the tenth anniversary of The American Choreography Awards, and he was the live-show director/choreographer for the first reality show on Prime Time network television, ABC’ reality series, Making the Band.