Bemba Colora means Big Red Lips?

Gaviota said:
The vinyl labels for Ángela Carrasco's album release of the duet La candela with Celia Cruz (which is a medley including Bemba colorá) credit the song to Santiago/Santos, so the confusion must run deeper than a FIU data entry error.
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Interesting. I've never heard the actual recording with Celia backed by the Generoso Jimenez big band and the rumba ensemble led by Hector Santos that cites H. Santos as the composer to Bemba Colora. The Rumba group's presence leads me to believe that Hector Santos is the "H. Santos" in question and that in that recording they did a 6/8 rendition of Bemba Colora with Hector perhaps chanting different verses than the version by Jose C. Fumero.

But until I or anyone else here on the forum can actually hear it, it's just speculation.
 
Some sources credit it to "Horacio Santos"... Back cover of Celia Cruz & Friends - A Night of Salsa. Eduardo Márceles Daconte, author of ¡Azúcar!: La biografía de Celia Cruz, in this article elespectador.com/entretenimiento/musica/las-estrellas-de-fania-50-anos-de-salsa/
 
Richie Blondet said:
Like today, there were over 1 million Latinxs living in NYC in 1973 (1.3 million. Latinx/Hispanics made up 20% of the total population in NYC throughout the 1970s). With that said the whole "Salsa Explosion" or Salsa Boom" narrative that's been perpetuated since the 1980s has been greatly amplified (exaggerated). It may have seemed that way to observers who were in the thick of it, and why certain U.S. multinational record labels took a shot by signing "Salsa" artists to record deals, who were "projected" to crossover and produce crossover $$$. But those deals fizzled what with the lackluster results in commercial sales. The first bilingual television show "Salsa" (1973) was canceled shortly after its pilot. Neither "Our Latin Thing," "Salsa," "The Last Fight," or "Crossover Dreams," all of which were executive produced by Jerry Masucci, made any box-office splash and were considered bombs (based on the numbers). Salsa promoters Ralph Mercado and Ray Aviles began to produce non-Salsa related concerts. Latin NY Magazine's last edition in 1984 featured the musical group Menudo, since the market for Fania or Salsa product had long shifted elsewhere.

Much of the spin to all of the hype over "Salsa" in the 1970s was more political, than for having a valid argument. In the pursuit of relevance and having leverage to bargain with, Since I was a kid I've been hearing the same line every decade. "Latinxs are the fastest rising minority in the U.S." It's not so much that it isn't true because the numbers don't lie. But that fact hasn't altered U.S. Latinos place in U.S. society. It's just [proven over time to be] an empty talking point. As much as has been garnered in sports, entertainment, politics, education, business, arts and sciences, etc, U.S. Latinxs are invisible in U.S. media. Less than 5% are represented on TV or Film. Even though there are more than 60 million throughout the entire country. Which means Latinxs are not particularly great at rocking the boat or ruffling the feathers of the establishment. But we sure are leaders in assimilation. Not just culturally, but systematically. We defend the very systemic networks that keep us invisible.

"Salsa" has never been a truly mainstream music in the USA with the exception of the 1940s decade. The eras before and after the 1940s paled in comparison to the level that decade achieved. Yet the "Salsa" generation of the 1970s would have everyone think Salsa was born inside of a club in 1971 off 8th Avenue in NYC, and went around the globe for the first time ever as a result. What else are they going to argue? That Pimpinela, Raphael, Los Angeles Negros, Malo, Santana and Julio Iglesias were more popular?

When you see something being dominated by or monopolized by one individual (Jose Curbelo, Jerry Masucci & Ralph Mercado) it's because the market is a niche one. Meaning small. The market for "Salsa" music today has remained the same as in the 1970s. Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Panama, and sprinkles in the Caribbean (D.R. & P.R.). The market for dancing to "Salsa" has always been greater globally. But the music consumption for "Salsa" in North America, Asia, Africa and sub-Saharn Africa (middle east), Australia & Europe is dead.
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Yep, as someone with a label, it's time has run out. It's too bad, but most of the tracks I have sell almost nothing. At least I am not stuck with CD's anymore (I threw them out when I moved).

There is still a small market, but certainly not one that many can make a living from.
 
Gaviota said:
Some sources credit it to "Horacio Santos"... Back cover of Celia Cruz & Friends - A Night of Salsa. Eduardo Márceles Daconte, author of ¡Azúcar!: La biografía de Celia Cruz, in this article elespectador.com/entretenimiento/musica/las-estrellas-de-fania-50-anos-de-salsa/
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I'd go with the Horacio Santos name as the composer. All of the credits I've seen for thev1960s simply state the first initial. I was only assuming it would have been Hector Santos. Maybe Horacio & Hector are the same individual?
 
tresero said:
Yep, as someone with a label, it's time has run out. It's too bad, but most of the tracks I have sell almost nothing. At least I am not stuck with CD's anymore (I threw them out when I moved).

There is still a small market, but certainly not one that many can make a living from.
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What I've found is that the market for Afro Cuban dance music is spread out internationally, only in sprinkles of consumers. Colombia and Peru notwithstanding. You'd think that might be enough. Having small consumer markets in Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, North America, Middle East/Africa, Europe and Australia. The problem is thst everyone's tastes are diverse. If you're a retailer you're screwed because you want to supply the varied demands that exist for the music. For example if you go to Colombia, they're nuts for Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz ("Jala Jala"), as well as The LeBron Brothers. Yet they couldn't get arrested in NYC. While their recordings are given even less exposure on non-commercial radio.

A retailer making any modicum of bread strictly from music recording sales might be to drop-ship orders. But it would be a logistical improbability. They'd have to network with local record shops all over the world. Or get their hands-on a recording and pay the shipping cost. Which would then increase the overall retail cost, this paying it to the customer. You would lose them by default if you sold a CD for $12, plus whatever the shipping cost winds up being. And why bother when the public can just download it online. Yeah I think the LP/CD is for a very small minority.

It would have to be something people found worth investing in. And something unique. And not just XYZ Artist releasing a new album.
 
Richie Blondet said:
What I've found is that the market for Afro Cuban dance music is spread out internationally, only in sprinkles of consumers. Colombia and Peru notwithstanding. You'd think that might be enough. Having small consumer markets in Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, North America, Middle East/Africa, Europe and Australia. The problem is thst everyone's tastes are diverse. If you're a retailer you're screwed because you want to supply the varied demands that exist for the music. For example if you go to Colombia, they're nuts for Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz ("Jala Jala"), as well as The LeBron Brothers. Yet they couldn't get arrested in NYC. While their recordings are given even less exposure on non-commercial radio.

A retailer making any modicum of bread strictly from music recording sales might be to drop-ship orders. But it would be a logistical improbability. They'd have to network with local record shops all over the world. Or get their hands-on a recording and pay the shipping cost. Which would then increase the overall retail cost, this paying it to the customer. You would lose them by default if you sold a CD for $12, plus whatever the shipping cost winds up being. And why bother when the public can just download it online. Yeah I think the LP/CD is for a very small minority.

It would have to be something people found worth investing in. And something unique. And not just XYZ Artist releasing a new album.
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It needs to be regaton :mad:
 
9/27/2025
You're all wrong. Im Puerto Rican AND Cuban & been a fan of La Mama Celia's since 1972 (age 18). "Bemba colorá" serves as a powerful statement of pride in African heritage, especially Afro Latino heritage! ✊The song was written in 1966 – at the height of the Civil Rights Era – which reached Puerto Rico (American citizens) & Cubans. It was written by Cuban musician José Claro Fumero in the guaracha tradition. I do not know if Fumero was Afro Cuban, Criollo or Mulato. The net sadly contains nothing about him but 1 photo & his connection to this song. Fumero's lyrics uses the (abbreviated) Cuban slang word for "big or full lips" — bemba — & the abbreviated adjective for "red" — colora'. We Latinos y Hispanos come in ALL "colors", but even amongts us, sadly, those with dark skin & larger lips were often the target of racism & criticism up until the 90s! This song proudly celebrates the features & beauty of those of African descent. ESPECIALLY UP TO 1989 THE SONG WAS A BOLD & POWERFUL ANTHEM OF RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM, PREJUDICE & STEREOTYPING & ENCOURAGED AFRO LATINOS Y CRIOLLOS Y MULATOS TO DEFY DISCRIMINATION WITHOUT FEAR. Bembas coloradas (unabbreviated form) is a declaration of self-worth for all Afro Latinos & an affirmation of identity. It encourages ALL with "full lips" (bembas) to embrace their unique features & express, without fear, PRIDE in their West African heritage. ¡Viva la raza! Black Lives Matter! ¡Abakua! ¡Lukumí! ¡Yoruba!

(Im a proud CaliRican & Cubangelina, & a proud native California Latina. We are a minority within a minority out West here!)

PR FLAG GOES HERE X CUBAN FLAG GOES HERE (they keep being deleted why?)
 
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Gaviota said:
Do you have any references for this? (That the song was written in 1966.)
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Just to follow up on this. LauraMilagros' claims are fabricated. The song was written and recorded far earlier. secondhandsongs lists a copyright date of 1947 https://secondhandsongs.com/work/199102, which tracks with that recording by El Diablo Rojo and his conjunto, which is probably from around 1950. (He played piano for Conjunto Casino until 1945, when he was replaced because he couldn't read music, per the Díaz-Ayala encyclopedia https://latinpop.fiu.edu/downloadfiles.html. It stands to reason that his solo recordings ocurred not too long after.)
 
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