Excellent Article on "Salsa" 1994

J

JaneMas

Excellent Article on "Salsa" 1994

Here are some excerpts with the link provided at the end for the complete article:

"Salsa was born in the 1960s and early 1970s, and embodied the moment's affirmative and sanguine spirit. It depicted creative Latinos confronting their social situation and literally dancing their way through adversity."

"The new social consciousness called for a new musical movement, which could at once embrace Puerto Rican tradition and capture the spirit of the barrio in all its alienated energy and heightened sense of self-awareness. Fania Records, wit a combination of entrepreneurial skill, aggressive marketing, and energetic talent scouting, rode the crest of the socio stylistically musical moment, explicitly linking the fresh, new sound of the New York Latin bands to the buoyant spirit of the barrio. Curiously, perhaps, the chosen musical vehicle was neither stylistically new nor distinctively Puerto Rican; rather, it was essentially Cuban-style dance music a modern version of the son, which had dominated Cuban music since the 1920s. In the early decades of the century, the son had emerged as a medium-tempo urban folk idiom featuring vocals backed by sextets or septets of guitar, the guitar-like tres, trumpet, bass, and light percussion. In the 1940s the son was further Afro-Cubanized by the use of congas and faster tempos, and the incorporation of more horns and sophisticated, jazz-influenced harmonies an arrangements. It was the brassy, sophisticated, mature son of the 1950s that became the stylistic backbone of what came to be called "salsa."

"Salsa may have originated in New York, but it was an international genre from the start. While Puerto Ricans constituted the core, even in New York both performers and audiences were of diverse backgrounds. Aside from older Cubans like Machito and Mario Bauza, one could mention the Dominican Johnny Pacheco, the Panamanian Blades, the Argentine pianist Jorge Dalto, and, for that matter, Jewish-American arrangers Larry Harlow and Marty Sheller. Most importantly, salsa, in connection with the heightened sense of pan-Latino identity, soon spread throughout the Spanish-speaking urban Caribbean Basin. Aside from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, salsa established strong roots in Venezuela and Colombia, with enclaves of fans and performers in Mexico City, Lima, and elsewhere."

ritmolatino.ca/salsa.html
 
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Great information JaneMas! I don't know if you noticed my thread about the origins of salsa. I've always wondered, and this post makes the picture a little clearer. Thanks for posting. :D
 
Your welcome Salsero! Willie Colon said it was ok by him. Although the writer mentioned Pacheco, we all know that Pacheco and Harlow played primarily Cuban Music and not the New York Sound. But we also know that most bands, when they recorded, added a mix of genres. So I took his comment on Pacheco's music in ref. to those tracks that were not 100% Cuban. We know that Bauza and Machito experimented and created here in NYC via exchange with Birdland Musicians. It's an excellent article with facts, which are of course are backed by the recordings as proof.
 
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JaneMas said:
Here are some excerpts with the link provided at the end for the complete article:

"Salsa was born in the 1960s and early 1970s, and embodied the moment's affirmative and sanguine spirit. It depicted creative Latinos confronting their social situation and literally dancing their way through adversity."

."

ritmolatino.ca/salsa.html
Click to expand...

I would agree with 99 % of the article -- the " born " date, however, am not so sure .

I was teaching and dancing Mambo in Latin clubs prior to, and during the 60s, and never re call anyone before the early 70s refering to it as Salsa -- we know the actual word has origin, musically speaking , but in dance terms, a much later date was in evidence .
 
Terence2 said:
JaneMas said:
Here are some excerpts with the link provided at the end for the complete article:

"Salsa was born in the 1960s and early 1970s, and embodied the moment's affirmative and sanguine spirit. It depicted creative Latinos confronting their social situation and literally dancing their way through adversity."

."

ritmolatino.ca/salsa.html
Click to expand...

I would agree with 99 % of the article -- the " born " date, however, am not so sure .

I was teaching and dancing Mambo in Latin clubs prior to, and during the 60s, and never re call anyone before the early 70s refering to it as Salsa -- we know the actual word has origin, musically speaking , but in dance terms, a much later date was in evidence .
Click to expand...

Yeah, according to latindance.com/history_of_salsa.htm 1973 was when the name "salsa" as applied to the music appeared on a TV show. It's thought the use of that name for the dance originated here.

To say salsa started in the 1960s and 1970s seems to be taking a rather NYC-centric view, though the article does go on to credit Cuba for the roots of the music. I'd like to learn more about how Cuban and Puerto-Rican music differed during the '20s thru the '50s to be able to judge for myself what proportions NYC, PR and Cuba contributed to what we have today.
 
Very nice, and as far as my understanding goes, very accurate article.

Thanks, JaneMas! You impress me more and more as I read your very informative posts.
 
sweavo said:
Great stuff! but the link doesn't work for me.

This should be folded into the wikipedia page.
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Unfortunately it's an old post and the link no longer exists. I now regret not saving it as it was an interesting article starting with the evolution of the Cuban son in Cuba as well as in New York and how it spread, but mainly it was about the culture of Salsa.
 
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Re: Excellent Article on "Salsa" 1994

sweavo said:
Terence2 said:
JaneMas said:
Here are some excerpts with the link provided at the end for the complete article:

"Salsa was born in the 1960s and early 1970s, and embodied the moment's affirmative and sanguine spirit. It depicted creative Latinos confronting their social situation and literally dancing their way through adversity."

."

ritmolatino.ca/salsa.html
Click to expand...

I would agree with 99 % of the article -- the " born " date, however, am not so sure .

I was teaching and dancing Mambo in Latin clubs prior to, and during the 60s, and never re call anyone before the early 70s refering to it as Salsa -- we know the actual word has origin, musically speaking , but in dance terms, a much later date was in evidence .
Click to expand...

Yeah, according to latindance.com/history_of_salsa.htm 1973 was when the name "salsa" as applied to the music appeared on a TV show. It's thought the use of that name for the dance originated here.

To say salsa started in the 1960s and 1970s seems to be taking a rather NYC-centric view, though the article does go on to credit Cuba for the roots of the music. I'd like to learn more about how Cuban and Puerto-Rican music differed during the '20s thru the '50s to be able to judge for myself what proportions NYC, PR and Cuba contributed to what we have today.
Click to expand...

As a child during the 60s in New York City I can honestly tell you Salsa was a word expression equivalent to the English word SOUL which was an expressive term to R&B, Ballads, etc. It was an expression that meant hot, swing, cool, and in the English definition SAUCE, as in that is saucy. We even used it to describe someone getting a hot spicy whipping... "Le dieron una Salsa a Tito!" The word Bachata took the same expressive musical path, as did Son and possibly most genres. I clearly remember the word Salsa being used by everyone in the 5 boroughs. The expression was part of the culture as was the word WEPA. At this moment I can't remember which LP it was and once again I didn't save it thinking I'll go back there, but now I'm wondering where was that??? Anyway, this 1967 LP clearly used the word SALSA in reference to a musical expression on the COVER. It might be a Joe Quijano LP but I'm not sure. 1962 Joe Cuba?s Stepping Out LP has a tune written by Jimmy Sabater called Salsa y Bemb?. Unlike Echale Salsita which refers to food, Sabater states in a Max Salazar interview, "The lyrics suggest that there is a request for the dancer to liven up or spice up her performance"; And then there's the radio interview everyone talks about.

IMHO The Golden Era of Latin Music lasted from the late 1930s to the end of the 1970s. Latin Music was not just Salsa. It was Boleros, Guarachas, Sons and Folk music, hit after hit, and musical merges taking place without a fight of ownership. It was a beautiful union of Hispanic America coming together sharing their love in notes and steps. Everyone had an ear for music, partly in due to responsible Radio DJ's deserving of their title LOCUTOR, who did not risk their reputation by airing a recording not worthy of airplay. The other was because of LP's informational back cover which had the appropriate name eg. Son, Guajira, Bolero, Cha Cha Cha, Plena, Bomba, Mambo next to each song title, teaching us the arrangment/style associated with each musical genre. As the style took on more sofisticated arrangments and implemented Pan Sounds (as all musical evolutions do) in NYC, Salsa became more popular. Local latin music stores had music categorized by individual genres, but once the distribution of Latin Music went nationwide it was difficult for non-hispanics to sort through an unknown market and thus Salsa "The Category" was the easiest way to set up this large Umbrella of Latin Music. You'll find a Son under Salsa and a novice will think it's Salsa. They are as different as Bolero and Guajira, and Guajira and Cha Cha Cha, which almost everyone who doesn't know any better think are the same. If the Charanga comes from the Danzon, and Danzon from the French Contredanse, the Contredanse from the Waltz, you'll find all are connect though sharing. Where it takes place deserves recognition but not ownership for music belongs to the world.

Yet, I must stress we must not ignored the Haitian refugees who settled in the Oriente in Cuba in 1791 during the Haitian Revolution who brought their music with them; Danzon, Haitian Son and Haitian Mambo. Out of there came the Danza, Charanga, Cuban Mambo, Cuban Son. And like most new sounds in the early days someone, most of the time already connected, heard it and took it back with him to the city. Everyone had their version of El Son. From Cervantes in Man of La Mancha to the hillybilly's of Appalachia; They too had their SON. "Their SONG", "La CANCION".

We were an educated culture knowing the difference between genres and dancing the appropriate style of dance. I'm not saying everyone could dance but at least they tried. Play a tune for and old man who had the time of his life and ask him what kind of song is that? And if he was a hoofer or a lover of music he'll tell you exactly what your hearing.


Now this is a very confusing distorting comment from the Smithsonian Institute. One reason why not to believe everything you read. Connection and belief that your an expert can help pass misinformation. I'm not saying everything they say is incorrect. I mean, come onnnn this is the Smithsonian! But I was around for the Bugalu/Boogaloo era and it was not danced like that. It was a Boggie Down Soul & NY Latin Style Dance. We even danced the Wobble to it. The 60s Wobble not that new ugly shaking dance that took its name, nor does it sound like Cuban music.

Bugal? ? A fusion of Afro-Cuban dance music with African-American styles developed by Puerto Rican musicians in New York City in the late 1960s.
Click to expand...

Can't they give us whole credit for one, just one?
 
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JaneMas said:
[quote
."

As a child during the 60s in New York City I can honestly tell you Salsa was a word expression equivalent to the English word SOUL which was an expressive term to R&B, Ballads, etc. It was an expression that meant hot, swing, cool, and in the English definition SAUCE, as in that is saucy. of the 1970s.


Latin Music was not just Salsa. It was Boleros, Guarachas, Sons and Folk music, hit after hit, and musical merges taking place without a fight of ownership popular.


.

You'll find a Son under Salsa and a novice will think it's Salsa. They are as different as Bolero and Guajira, and Guajira and Cha Cha Cha, which almost everyone who doesn't know any better think are the same.
Man of La Mancha to the hillybilly's of Appalachia; They too had their SON. "Their SONG", "La CANCION".
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have no doubt what you speak of the internal use of the word in Barrios etc.-- but- -- as to the general usage of the term as applied to dance, it didnt reach the masses till a much later date .I was Dance director for a large chain school, in NYC in the very early sixties, we still were calling it Mambo.

As to the " Golden " era ,I danced and taught, thru all of it ( it was also true of the B/room world ), and am in complete agreement on that .



As to the musical differences-- have been championing that cause for ever !-- I even educate my beginners classes from day 1 , the differences musically and dance wise .

But whats really strange-- 99% of the latinos I taught in the states, hadnt a clue about the music or its origins-- sadly most dont care-- its the day of instant dance !
 
have no doubt what you speak of the internal use of the word in Barrios etc.-- but- -- as to the general usage of the term as applied to dance, it didnt reach the masses till a much later date
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No it wasn't just Barrios, that was our playground. It was all the hispanic households in all the boroughs, including Puerto Rico.

Sometimes in conversation the reference to music and dance can be lost. When I can be referring to music anyone may be thinking I'm referring to dance and visa versa. I stated I heard the term and used it myself during the late 60's as an expression "Give me some salsa, let me hear that salsa". This is a fact. The LP recordings speak for themselves. Whether everyone bought the LP that's another story, but remember Salsa did not hit mainstream America until late 90s, and this is maybe 3 hits on the air... Can't count Gloria Estefan because "Conga" is not Salsa. The general usage of the term was in full bloom when I attended the Fania All Stars at the Cheetah in 1971; It was at least in the Latin Music World.

As to the " Golden " era ,I danced and taught, thru all of it ( it was also true of the B/room world ), and am in complete agreement on that.
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What do you mean in the parenthesis? What was true? Do you find Ballroom more of a sport today then decades ago? This could be interesting. ;)

But whats really strange-- 99% of the latinos I taught in the states, hadnt a clue about the music or its origins-- sadly most dont care-- its the day of instant dance !
Click to expand...

Which Latinos? From what country or ethnic background?
 
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JaneMas said:
Sometimes in conversation the reference to music and dance can be
As to the " Golden " era ,I danced and taught, thru all of it ( it was also true of the B/room world ), and am in complete agreement on that.
Click to expand...


What do you mean in the parenthesis? What was true? Do you find Ballroom more of a sport today then decades ago? This could be interesting. ;)

What you stated to be the Golden era--

The old q of B/room being a sport-- it was NEVER classified as that until TV became " todo mundo " . It has taken on that mantle for the usual reasons - $$$ £££ etc.

But whats really strange-- 99% of the latinos I taught in the states, hadnt a clue about the music or its origins-- sadly most dont care-- its the day of instant dance !
Click to expand...

Which Latinos? From what country or ethnic background?
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Primarily PRs and Cubans-- but have had them from Colombia, Venezuela, DR etc. even Peru ( and I am mean native, not u.s. born-- in many cases i had to learn to teach in Spanish ) as much as background-- the last person I was teaching ,was a top surgeon from Chile and his wife
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They must be a new generation or one that was not involved. Peru is a Salsa supporter. There are as many Salsa afficionados in Peru as there are people who know nothing about Salsa. Most 3rd generational PR's are assimilating and as I said before the LPs and Radio DJ's were instumental as was the abundance of clubs during the 60s and 70s. Besides the music of the 80s was not of high caliber so I don't blame them for not being interested enough to buy! :lol: As for Cubans, Could be because they left NY and Union city for Miami. Seriously not every Cuban or PR or Latin American likes music and dance as a culture.

We used Mambo and Salsa interchangebly. We Mambo to Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Machito. I was too young for Noro Morales and Lito Pena. We Salsa to Joe Cuba, Pete Bonet, Orq Flanboyan, Ray Baretto, Luis Perico Ortiz, Conjunto Classico, and especially to Cortijo y Rivera, Willie Colon and Mon Rivera, and Charanguiar to Jose Fajardo, Tipica 73, Orq Broadway, Pacheco. Bolero all night long to Cheo Feliciano, La Lupe, Vicentico Valdez, Vitin Aviles, Jimmy Sabater. The others played a specific genre or a variety of genres and we danced to it all.
 
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JaneMas said:
They must be a new generation or one that was not involved.

Not always-- the very last place i taught publicly ( a PR rest in a major southern city-- lat. pop 450,000 ) usually had mature adults in my class FROM pr .


Now-- want to hear something I think is funny-- dont normally repeat this, but on this site , dont see a problem-- during Latino national heritage month back in 04, I was invited by the local Hispanic Soc. to the local military base ( in the above mentioned city ) to give a talk and demo on Latin dance . I was asked back again, but was not available









We used Mambo and Salsa interchangebly. We Mambo to Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Machito. I was too young for Noro Morales and Lito Pena. We Salsa to Joe Cuba, Pete Bonet, Orq Flanboyan, Ray Baretto, Luis Perico Ortiz, Conjunto Classico, and especially to Cortijo y Rivera, Willie Colon and Mon Rivera, and Charanguiar to Jose Fajardo, Tipica 73, Orq Broadway, Pacheco. The others played a specific genre or a variety of genres and we danced to it all.
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I danced to "live " presentations to many of those, and use re- mastered T.R and Pacheco among others when I teach -- even play some Pachanga
 
JaneMas said:
The other was because of LP's informational back cover which had the appropriate name eg. Son, Guajira, Bolero, Cha Cha Cha, Plena, Bomba, Mambo next to each song title, teaching us the arrangment/style associated with each musical genre.
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JaneMas, you make some really excellent points. I particularly agree with what you say above about the style of the song being identified on the album. I wish that artists would go back to doing that.

For example, I have in front of me right now the following album:

d0654422053.jpg


Next to each song title, is the appropriate name of the style. It looks like this:

1. PERFUME DE ROSAS (RAFAEL ORTIZ ESCUTE) Ritmo Ganga
2. RAMONA (D.A.R.) Plena
3. CHACHAGUERE (D.A.R.) Son Montuno
4. MAÑANA ES DOMINGO (FLORES CORDOVA) Son Montuno
5. YO SOY DEL CAMPO (PARMENIO SALAZAR) Bomba
6. DIME LA VERDAD (D.A.R.)
7. TUNTUNECO (SARA NIEVES RODRIGUEZ) Son Montuno
8. QUE FEO EL PICHON (D.A.R.) Plena
9. PARECE MENTIRA (PEDRO FLORES) Guaguancó
10. SI YO PUDIERA ANDAR (D.A.R.) Guaracha
11. UN TELEGRAMA (HNOS. GARCIA SEGURA) Guaracha
12. PA' TUMBAR LA CAÑA (ROGELIO (KITO) VELEZ) Bomba
 
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: I feel like my whole salsa life has been simply putting things in place for me to be here and read this thread!
 
Re: Excellent Article on "Salsa" 1994

El Caobo said:
JaneMas said:
The other was because of LP's informational back cover which had the appropriate name eg. Son, Guajira, Bolero, Cha Cha Cha, Plena, Bomba, Mambo next to each song title, teaching us the arrangment/style associated with each musical genre.
Click to expand...

JaneMas, you make some really excellent points. I particularly agree with what you say above about the style of the song being identified on the album. I wish that artists would go back to doing that.

For example, I have in front of me right now the following album:

d0654422053.jpg


Next to each song title, is the appropriate name of the style. It looks like this:

1. PERFUME DE ROSAS (RAFAEL ORTIZ ESCUTE) Ritmo Ganga
2. RAMONA (D.A.R.) Plena
3. CHACHAGUERE (D.A.R.) Son Montuno
4. MA?ANA ES DOMINGO (FLORES CORDOVA) Son Montuno
5. YO SOY DEL CAMPO (PARMENIO SALAZAR) Bomba
6. DIME LA VERDAD (D.A.R.)
7. TUNTUNECO (SARA NIEVES RODRIGUEZ) Son Montuno
8. QUE FEO EL PICHON (D.A.R.) Plena
9. PARECE MENTIRA (PEDRO FLORES) Guaguanc?
10. SI YO PUDIERA ANDAR (D.A.R.) Guaracha
11. UN TELEGRAMA (HNOS. GARCIA SEGURA) Guaracha
12. PA' TUMBAR LA CA?A (ROGELIO (KITO) VELEZ) Bomba
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There you go! That's what I mean. Very few artists demand the genres be added.

We use to love buying LP's... not only the latin ones but the Soul, R&B and Pop ones as well. Those covers were ART. And all of us would enjoy looking over the LP's front and back cover for info. Name's like Tite Curet (composer), Izzy Sanabria (art work), Harvey Averne (Producer), Marty Sheller (Arranger) were as known as the members in the band. We knew who played with whom (sidemen), etc. And if we happened to bump into one of those people at the clubs and they were introduced your average patron would say, "Oh I know who you are" to the delight of the arranger, artist or promoter. Once the LPs went CD the fun was taken away. We no longer had that card board cover to look over. Toward the end of the golden era less information was added to the covers. I'm assuming it had to do with saving money by eliminating most of the letter printing. But once the cd's entered the market all was lost. It didn't feel USER FRIENDLY anymore and had less art.

Caobo I just found this:

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HMU/is_8_30/ai_109905638

With the introduction of the LP in 1948, album cover art took off, and it flourished for three decades, until CDs began to push vinyl into obscurity. "There's definitely a big loss of impact with the reduction in size from 12 by 12 to five by five," said McCormick. "There's a detail in the square foot you just don't see in the smaller format of the CD."
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Dude....you guys really tore it up on this thread......thanks for all the first-hand insight.

And JaneMas........yes!!!! You are so correct about album cover art. I've recently been building myself a collection of old rare LP's with such awesome covers.....so much art....so classy.....and some just so dang funny.

In fact, a while back....alot of Fania albums I had on cd....I went back for the LP, simply b/c you can't appreciate the artwork on a 4 3/4" square piece of paper when it was originally intended for a 12"square.

So many afros, so many psychedelic images, bands in strange outfits, hilarious cartoons, incredible paintings, fascinating renditions of the musicians...... man.....those things were so awesome!!!!

it seemed as if albums before were considered pieces of artwork from every standpoint......

I don't know how to post pictures......but a good example is Johnny Zamot's - La Guerra....................that album sits on my wall and it creeps me out every time I look at that rifle and soldier's helmet in the green grass.........oh my gosh it is so freagin creepy! These guys meant business when they chose that image.....you can almost smell the Napalm by looking at that cover......and as stated - - each song on the back is distinguishable in terms of the kind of song it was....Descarga, guaguanco, Son Montuno, Ballad......


I think there was even an exhibit somewhere in NYC for some time about old Latin music cover art.........argh....I wish I could have seen it!!!!
 
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