When the Boogaloo Was Big

[mjzee]

In 1966, at the height of rock and soul’s invasion of the pop charts, Latin music in New York underwent its own cultural revolution. Rebelling against years of domination by Cuban rhythms and rigid dance forms like the mambo, young Puerto Rican musicians in East Harlem embarked on a Latin-soul style that would leave its mark on pop before disappearing in the early 1970s.

Known as the Latin boogaloo, the genre featured a loose, eclectic blend of funky polyrhythms, Latin percussion, jazzy horns, bluesy piano lines, soulful vocals, English lyrics and hand clapping, which gave recordings an exciting, club feel. The music fed off the freestyle moves of African-American and Latin dancers as they personalized the twist in the early ’60s.

The Latin boogaloo’s history, impact and short-lived popularity are explored in “We Like It Like That,” a documentary available beginning March 15 as a video-on-demand at iTunes and Amazon along with a soundtrack from Fania Records. Directed by Mathew Ramirez Warren, the film makes spectacular use of archival film as well as recent interviews with Latin boogaloo pioneers.

More here: WSJ

 

[BillF]

Very much today's topic, it would seem!

http://www.jazzwax.com/

[paul secor]

Recent NY Times article on Joe Bataan: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/nyregion/the-return-of-joe-bataan-the-boogaloo-king.html?_r=0