Don Jibaro Revisited!
by Les Salsarican Rivera
More than a decade ago people approached me with a request to write an article about a very special person. Enjoying freelance writing as a hobby, my contributions to countless publications would normally be a routine assignment. That particular assignment, however, would not just be another story.

Writing the Don Jibaro story, along with him becoming my webmaster for a website I had, literally changed my life. Not only did the interview with him turn out to be a success among millions of visitors to his popular site, but the story also contributed to him becoming my number one rock solid friend in life!

Don Jibaro has been plucking the strings exceptionally for over 45 years

Don Jibaro has a saying: “A Puerto Rican shall not be boring!” He is certainly no understatement to his own philosophy. His entertaining presence makes people happy, laughing, and feeling good everywhere he goes.

Being unofficially called the “Puerto Rican Ambassador to the World”, when Don Jibaro speaks, people listen. Show up with him at any Boricua event and you’ll think you’re being accompanied by a major Hollywood celebrity! Requests for talks, hand shakes, and autographs follow him everywhere. This was particularly evident when he was chosen to represent California in the 2011 New York Puerto Rican Parade as the Godfather, or "El Padrino”.

Don Jibaro flanked by daughter Raquel (r.) and friend Lindsay (l.) at NYC Puerto Rican Parade

Don Jibaro has been unfortunate to suffer from some ailments during the past few years. Being on a regime of medications he is coping as well as he can, with great support from his family, friends, and fans of his website.

One very successful health strategy has been to lose weight. So far he has lost 150 pounds, and he is still on a mission to lose more! Daily exercising, a healthy diet, his faith, and a can-do attitude that only parallels that of a U.S. Marine are producing the desired results!

Perhaps you didn’t know about this young twenty-year-something string-bean thin rock musician, a guitar player, who used to roam the East Coast, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in a popular rock band,. That rock musician was Puerto Rico’s answer to Jimi Hendrix, and his name was Orly, e.g. Orlando. Orlando later became known as Don Jibaro of the very website you are visiting right now!

Chiiling at a Fund Raiser with Promoter Albert Torres, Reb & Reb

Besides still playing a mean tune on his guitar he also plays the cuatro, conga and bongó with a mean deep-rooted rhythmic beat. After his years as a rock musician he frequently entertained at different establishments in California, mostly playing his guitar or cuatro, in front of an enthusiastic crowd, varying from festivals to nightclubs, restaurants and coffee shops.

Don Jibaro is now looking forward to become an active musician again. He is not hoping to be revived as a rock star, but rather, he would like to be playing at occasional smaller gatherings in eating places, home parties, and other places, where he was always loved for his music. If you are interested in some authentic jibaro entertainment in your place, let him know!

Today, the jibaros website has become one of the world’s most popular cultural sites. His visitors are flocking to his site to get the latest scoop of anything Boricua, and a dose of his beloved humor. Don Jibaro loves the visitors and fans coming to his site, and he always strives to deliver frequent updates and new and interesting content to keep them happy.

"The story also contributed to him becoming my number one rock solid friend in life!"
—Les Rivera

Besides being the webmaster for his own website, Don Jibaro occasionally accepts a few selected clients as other their webmaster. His web design is well-known and attractive, and he always performs his webmaster works to perfection.
is son Sammy has just graduated from high school. I must say it’s been amazing to having observed how his son has gone from a playful child to a proud and goal oriented high school graduate. Sammy was always exceptionally skilled with mechanical things, and it appears he wants to become an auto mechanic, which should be right down his alley!

By the way, here are a couple of video clips of Don Jibaro jamming on the bongó at an informal private gathering, along with a couple of cuatro players a few years ago. The second clip features Don Jibaro’s popular “Radio Bongó” announcement, which became popular during his Canto Tropical Radio broadcasts in Southern California, as an occasional guest on the Hector Resendez Show.

To contact Les “Salsarican” Rivera, you can write him at CaptJet@mail.com
www.facebook.com/jetcaptain
http://www.youtube.com/user/WepaNY#p/u/14/NFjv578wrGg
http://www.youtube.com/user/WepaNY?feature=mhum
 

  ¡Ooooye!