Porfolio

Porfolio was a rock band from Puerto Rico. The band enjoyed major success during the late 1990s, but disbanded during the first half of the 2000s. Porfolio was formed during the summer of 1993, by Sara Ríos-Reboyras (bass and vocals), Gabriela Rodríguez-Nielsen (guitar and vocals), Marilú Recurt (lead vocals), and Arnaldo “Pocho” Cepero-Millán (drums and vocals). Porfolio, which gained notoriety playing at different venues throughout the island, offered a fresh and different image, successfully breaking with the stereotype of the all-male rock band.

From its inception the band worked on polishing their sound and writing material for what would be their debut album. During 1998, Porfolio entered the studio and began the recording process. The resulting album, Hablen Ya, was released at the end of 1998, and includes 12 original songs written by the band. The compositions draw inspiration from topics such as love, youth, and everyday social matters. With its most current lineup, Sara (bass and vocals), Gabriela (guitar and vocals), Liz (lead vocals), and Pocho (drums and vocals), complemented each other to bring the public their experiences, feelings and emotions thru their music. The band classified its sound as organic and fundamental.

The first single from the album, “Hablen Ya”, provided the title for the album. This song calls for attention to our conscience, the freedom to express yourself, and taking action against the challenges which society is faced with every day. Themes such as the ever-controversial sexual abuse of minors central to the song “En Silencio”, and the concerns about damage to our ecosystems in “El Mundo” are all part of this production. The 12 arrangements draw influence from alternative rock, but with a Latin flair.

The band performed extensively, and enjoyed great success and acceptance from the public throughout the most exclusive and important venues and events around the island, including the Luis Muñoz Marín Amphitheater, Roberto Clemente Colosseum, Hard Rock Cafe, Las Justas 2000, and other local well-known establishments. The band performed as well at cultural and private events, dance clubs, and at college campuses all over the island.

The energy and charisma which the band exuded during their live shows led them to share the stage with major local and international acts such as Alejandra Guzmán, Fito Paez, Roy Brown, La Secta, La Oreja de Van Gogh, and Bohemia Suburbana. Porfolio appeared in various national publications and in several music compilations, including "Puerto Rock" (1996), and Banco Popular de Puerto Rico’s promotional CD for its ATH@pop (1997). During 1999 and 2000, Porfolio was selected as spokesperson for the El Hogar del Niño National Fundraising Campaign, an institution that provides a safe place for underage girls victims of child abuse. Such evolution on so many levels propelled Porfolio to become a band that is considered and remembered as one of the best in the rock genre in Puerto Rico.