A Haitian Version of "Bang Bang"

Came across a Haitian jazzy version of the boogaloo classic, "Bang Bang." Who would've thought Haitian musicians were listening to Puerto Rican and other Latino boogaloo from New York in the 1960s? I guess it was too good to pass over and not pay attention to. Joe Cuba would be proud, I imagine. 

Joe Bataan's So Fine

 

Though my favorite song by Joe Bataan remains "Gypsy Woman," sampled by The Fugees, "So Fine," which sounds very similar, also shows off his vocal chops and Latino soul de Nueva York. The only flaw is the lack of extended group improvisation, which could've incorporated more jazz-like piano riffing and percussion. Oh well, the song remains beautiful and Bataan's voice is quite smooth. "Now that you have taken all the love I can give, you're still not satisfied, you don't want me to live." As someone with a recent interest in Afro-Asian studies and encounters, the life and music of someone of African and Filipino descent such as Bataan, who socialized with Spanish Harlem Nuyoricans and Latinos, illustrates a case of Afro-Asian-Latino interactions and musical exchange. Beautiful! "Day by day, my life falls apart, beyond repair is my broken heart. Set me free, don't make a fool of me. You're driving me right out of my mind."

Amazing World of "World" Music

An incomplete playlist of Jamaican rocksteady, reggae, and ska music with some Jamaican-influenced songs from the US and UK. Worth listening to here.

A West African music playlist including Afrobeat, highlife, folk music, mbalax, and other genres from Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, Gambia, and Mali. Enjoy!

An Art Blakey playlist, also incomplete, but a good start. Listen!

Rough start on a John Coltrane playlist here.

Brazilian playlists galore! I have 3 different playlists encompassing MPB, samba, bossa nova, jazz, and a few other genres, such as baiao.
Check them out here, here, here, and here.

A Blues playlist here

A playlist including Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, and other Chicago soul artists here

A Soul/R&B playlist also worth checking out

Congolese rumba 

Latin Jazz

Boogaloo/Latin Soul including many of the best Nuyorican artists of the genre's zenith in the 1960s

Miriam Makeba, South African kwela, marabi, and jazz included here

Hip-hop playlist as well

Joe Cuba's El Pito (I'll Never Go Back to Georgia)

Joe Cuba, el alcalde del barrio when it comes to boogaloo in 1960s New York, used the melody of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo's "Manteca" for his song, "El Pito (I"ll Never Go Back to Georgia)." Pito means whistle, and there is a lot of whistling in this track, as well as the repetition of "I'll never go back to Georgia," a chant used by Dizzy Gillespie in some of his recordings of "Manteca" decades before Cuba's "El Pito." "Manteca" is one of the "first" Latin jazz songs, fusing Afro-Cuban rhythms provided by Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie's swing/bop background, bringing both bebop and Latin jazz to America. Here is Joe Cuba's song, which is 5 minutes of Latin boogaloo and jamming. Since it's not meant to recreate the more improvisational bebop sounds of Gillespie's original, "El Pito" does not shift between Latin rhythms and more conventional swing like a lot of Dizzy Gillespie's early Latin jazz recordings, so it lacks the bridge where the Cuban percussion was abandoned during part of the song. The chant of never returning to Georgia referred to racial tensions and Jim Crow in the US South, which is why Dizzy Gillespie, an African-American, added that to the song. Perhaps he was inspired by Chano Pozo's Abakua chants he added when the band performed the song in the distant

Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo

Here is Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo in 1947. As you can hear, the song shifts away from the 3-2 son clave rhythm although Pozo does play the ostinato throughout the song, even as the horn section shifts to swing/bebop. Clearly, in 1947 Pozo and Gillespie did not understand each others music (Afro-Cuban and jazz) to create a truly seamless unity. However, the song is still a fine attempt and transcends those technical limits and contradictions as a beautiful song articulating a black Atlantic transnational consciousness and, perhaps to a limited degree, black nationalist outlook on African diasporic music and cultures. The incorporation of rhythms of African origin as well as Afro-Cuban music styles by Gillespie, an African-American from South Carolina, likely represents this transnational, black pride and cultural dialectics characteristic of the Afro-Atlantic world.

Dizzy Gillespie at Birdland

This version of the tune also shifts from the Latin rhythm to swing in the bridge, but is a little longer and features Mongo Santamaria on congas instead. Santamaria even gets a little solo and Gillespie's trumpet solo plays with Santamaria alone. Priceless moment of African-American and Afro-Cuban sonic harmony and unity. Check out this for a "Manteca Suite" that explores the song's structure in different ways as well as using different rhythms.

Boogaloo Avenue, New York, New York

A list of my favorite boogaloo songs. Boogaloo mixed Latin and African American R&B together and was a brief craze among blacks, Latinos, and whites. They rubbed shoulders (and other things) at the dance clubs with these hot numbers! The genre is also the first truly Nuyorican music, largely created by Puerto Rican and other Latino musicians in New York during the 1960s. Moreover, the genre also influenced jazz in the late 1960s since many funky cuts recorded by cats like Lee Morgan (check out "The Sidewinder") and Lou Donaldson reflected this funky, Latin-influenced music. The genre is similar to Latin soul, or brown-eyed soul, but boogaloo refers to Puerto-Rican (and Cuban) folks in New York in the 1960s. Brown-eyed soul or Latin soul could refer to any R&B-styled music by Latino musicians, such as Mexican-American soul in southern California. Though it's great dancing music, it is also very repetitive and too formulaic, which may have been part of the reason it fell out of favor for salsa, which was more 'traditionally' Latin and had the institutional support of Latin radio and record labels such as Fania in New York.


1. Joe Cuba's "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back to Georgia) is a classic. The English part of the title comes from a chant in Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo's "Manteca." "I"ll never go back to Georgia!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdHu26Hb9Co&feature=related

2. Pete Rodriguez's "I Like It Like That" is a classic that must be heard. Another Puerto-Rican jam everyone back in the late 1960s got down to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIJfdVPACyw&feature=related

3. Joe Cuba's "Bang Bang"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mphaqVoV9RA&feature=related

4. Joe Cuba's "Oh Yeah!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLsSV7sQnG8&feature=related

5. Joe Cuba's "Sock It To Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyVYJo8ztLs

6. Joe Cuba's "Push Push Push"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TClq1ASjIHw&feature=related

7. Joe Cuba's version of "Oye Como Va" is not boogaloo but I like it so much I'm going to put it here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dc_MyPe1vg

8. Joe Bataan, who is not even Puerto-Rican or Latino, but black and filippino, also have several great Latin soul/boogaloo cuts. "Special Girl" is one example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zisYy2a2QQ

9. Bataan's "So Fine"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceMM6jakjnI

10. Bataan's "Gypsy Woman"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxhOIpQP8yY&feature=related

11. Bataan's "Subway Joe"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsVJCS2g3Y&feature=related

12. Bataan's "If I Were King" really is Latin soul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uazOlPW4KA&feature=related

13. Bataan's "Fuego" is really more salsa than boogaloo but quite good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evum7Ob_x6o&feature=related

14. Ray Terrace's "El Cuchy Frito Man" refers to the vendor of fried pork
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb6-GeENG_w
Ray Barreto also did a nice version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFAk7k0C1BE

15. L'African Team's "Africa Boogaloo" is a Latin jazz fusion group composed of African musicians, including Manu Dibango. Interesting to hear the funk guitar in this. The singer was in African Jazz, as was Dibango, which was Franco's OK Jazz's biggest rival in the Congolese music scene in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6BwIQ596hw

16. Lee Morgan's "Untitled Boogaloo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2eO6nJkBWk

17. Lee Morgan's "The Rumproller"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQy2Fborfek&feature=related

18. Morgan's "The Sidewinder"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf1Eo-6sDIE&feature=related

19. Mongo Santamaria's "Watermelon Man" is a Herbie Hancock cover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpicRePazIw

20. Santamaria's "Para Ti"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK3VD6Uhnxo

21. Monguito Santamaria's "Groovetime"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Whc5vasFNc

22. Mongo Santamaria's "We Got Latin Soul"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wartkumrJc8&feature=related

23. Pete Terrace's "Shotgun Boogaloo" is a cover of the more famous Motown Jr. Walker's hit.
ww.youtube.com/watch?v=reb3DenS7z8&feature

24. Willie Bobo's "Spanish Grease" influenced Carlos Santana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ENz_yZO4UU

25. Ray Barreto's "Midnight Boogaloo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qE3ypeup0g&feature=related

26. Bobby Valentin's "Use It Before You Lose It" is my jam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VPgAZhXSGA

27. Joe Cuba's "My Man Speedy" has that great "jive-talkin" in the beginning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBAcNx2TxS0

28. The Latin Souls' "The Party's Over"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTpcTg1i6MU

29. Hector Rivera's "At the Party"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMq82nK5fIY

30. Ray Barretto's "El Watusi"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Sp3wgpqP0

31. Pete Rodriguez's "Oh, That's Nice"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o94ONWhKwX4

32. Pete Rodriguez's "Azucar"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGkhl8IEaeY&feature=related

33. Hector Rivera's "Playing It Cool"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIFA6ii5cPs&feature

34. Ray Barretto's "Mercy, Mercy, Baby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guqlhpKgxFs&feature=related

35. Ray Barretto's "Soul Drummers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPWjwWhLdc4&feature=related

36. Ray Barretto's "Deeper Shade of Soul"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT6_iY0QUk0&feature=related

37. Ray Barretto's "New York Soul"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tGLELUSi2c

38. Joe Torres' "Get Out of My Way"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-IrOULxwwY

39. Maravillas de Mali's "Boogaloo Sera Mali" is an interesting Malian band's interpretation of the form
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaqn_gi-dmk

40. Ray Barretto's "Babalu"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKVqlBts_1s

41. Joe Cuba's "Do You Feel It"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjycDQE1vI&feature=related

42. Joe Cuba's "To Be With You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBWgwc7T5PY&feature=related

43. Joe Cuba's "The Talk About Luv"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS-9wLI3zoY&feature=related

44. Joe Cuba's "What a Baby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS-9wLI3zoY&feature=related

45. Joe Cuba's "Gimme Some Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNSTDaITU_c&feature=related

46. Willie Bobo's "I Don't Know"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=Tv3JiOGVemA&NR=1

47. Willie Bobo's "It's Not Unusual"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ijT82WgOs&feature=related

48. Joe Cuba's "Psychedelic Baby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHzY7xlFb5I

49. Cannonball Adderley's "Jive Samba" is based on samba rhythms but is arguably "boogaloo" because of the fusion of Latin and jazz/R&B.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFK4tfQX9Ho

50. Lee Morgan's "Cornbread"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpaBpm3_R-8

51. Art Blakey's "Calling Ms. Khadija" was composed by Lee Morgan and follows the blues/R&B and Latin fusion part of boogaloo although it is jazz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1iYARikFJg

52. Willie Colon's "El Malo" is more proto-salsa but interesting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoNHe8BKc0o

53. Willie Colon's "Skinny Papa" is more of the boogaloo genre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvjCtKwjsXs

54. Tito Puente's "Fat Mama" was the inspiration for the above tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDCJX_RQTC0

55. Willie Colon's "Willie Baby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23m4tSSKndg

56. Willie Colon's "Willie Whopper"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8Vc7f3toNs

57. Lou Donaldson's "Alligator Boogaloo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa5FfnqF24w

58. Ralph Robles' "Come and Get It"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cogVUr8NEk8&feature=related

59. Ralph Robles' "Soul Nitty Gritty"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sNwfQwwRq0

60. Monguito Santamaria's "Hey Sister" may remind people of a Beatles song...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg7gWENUGLM

61. Orlando Marin's "Out of My Mind"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs4rNwQOt9g

62. The Lebron Brothers' "Lets's Get Stoned"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SWmABCfn6Q

63. Charlie Palmieri's "Cab Driver"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smh0mEfd4Kw

64. Johnny Colon's "You Gotta Love Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HesI80NYsKs

65. Pete Rodriguez's "Pete's Boogaloo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBOkoHnSxIY&feature=related

66. The Lebron Brothers' "Boogaloo Lebron"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idHvYIjsDAg

67. Pete Bonet's "Puerto Rican Soul"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SUhVked4BM

68. The Fantastic Johnny C's "Boogaloo Down Broadway"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48FY89F4i6g

69. Monguito Santamaria's "El Dorado"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO4yIkpMsJA

70. Monguito Santamaria's "Mi Guajira"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7YvtvyWhLs

71. Monguito Santamaria's "Work Out"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbcbl-SMujc

72. Monguito Santamaria's "Boogaloo Sabroso"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAXSSMNuToA

73. Monguito Santamaria's "Beans and Greens"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWgGgBPch0Y

74. Mongo Santamaria's cover of "Cold Sweat" is really Latin funk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVOI3HdiqNM&feature=related

75. Joe Bataan's "Mambo de Bataan"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R167uckNyZ0

76. Ismael Rivera's "Ismael Y Monchito"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLXg7FU3mBc

77. Charlie Palmieri's "Boogaloo Mania"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSdvVYWbwtI

78. Bobby Valentin's "Batman's Boogaloo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugbmsbb5aS4

79.  Gilberto Sextet's "Good Lovin"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm-DrBk1umM

80. Joe Bataan's "Under the Streetlamp"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLb3RS77QJM

81. Johnny Colon's "Mira Ven Aca"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WV8RpT5o_w&feature=related

82. Spanglish Fly's "The Popo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkRscmJ9muA

83. Johnny Colon's "Boogaloo Blues"

84. Joe Bataan's "It's a Good Feeling (Riot)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poFXwf25TNo

85. Joe Bataan's "Magic Rose"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEacetKnxcE

86. Johnny Colon's "Boogaloo Blues"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXQm-QzJ7ig

87. Johnny Colon's "Guantanamera"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23BHGZzQdwY

88. Joe Torres' "La Bruja Negra"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_xr8WL3wb4&feature=related

89. Ray Barretto's "Do You Dig It"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pa14-obu1c

90. Joe Torres' "Soul Cha"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOeHEqLGL8Q

Pete Rodriguez's I Like It Like That

A very catchy number. As a friend of mine once said, "This is a toe-stomping number!" A boogaloo hit by a Puerto-Rican New York group.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIJfdVPACyw