Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy: 1930-1980
    Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy: 1930-1980
    Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy: 1930-1980
    Ebook167 pages43 minutes

    Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy: 1930-1980

    By Silvio H. Alava

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Spanish Harlem s musical development thrived between the 1930s and 1980s in New York City. This area was called El Barrio by its inhabitants and Spanish Harlem by all others. It was a neighborhood where musicians from the Caribbean or their descendants organized musical groups, thereby adding to the diaspora that began in Africa and Spain. The music now called salsa had its roots in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo, and it continued developing on
    another island: Manhattan.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateJul 4, 2007
    ISBN9781439634714
    Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy: 1930-1980
    Author

    Silvio H. Alava

    A native of Spanish Harlem, Silvio H. Alava lived and was a part of the musical legacy. From the legendary Palladium days of the 1940s and 1950s, which showcased the music of Machito and His Afro Cubans as well as the musical battles between the two Titos (Puente and Rodriguez), to the birth of Latin jazz, the early days of the Fania Records dynasty and the percussive jam sessions of Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Ray Barretto, Alava has documented decades of Latin history through illuminating, distinctive images he has captured with a discerning eye. He is also one of the founders of Latin Beat magazine.

    Related to Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy

    Related ebooks

    Photography For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Drums, Lies, and Audiotape: When I was invited to drum in Ghana, I gladly accepted. Then something went wrong.

      Nov 5, 2015

      My wife Ingrid and I had been in Aburi, Ghana for just over a week when our host, Kwame Obeng, informed me that I’d be joining the royal drummers for a performance at the chief’s palace the following afternoon, in celebration of an important holy day

      15 min read

    • Article

      The African Tinge

      Oct 3, 2019

      The African Tinge
      7 min read

    • Article

      MEMO IR Of A Gunfighter

      May 8, 2020

      MEMO IR Of A Gunfighter
      11 min read

    • Article

      Remembering John Renbourn

      Aug 28, 2019

      After touring in the south west of England in the early 1960s, John Renbourn first came to prominence when he formed a duo with Bert Jansch, riding the wave of the great English folk revival, but blazing a trail for what became known as ‘folk baroque

      7 min read

    • Article

      ‘It Was A Breaking Down Of Racial Barriers Like Never Before’: Why Brit-funk Matters

      Apr 2, 2021

      In the mid-Seventies, deep in Soho’s sleazy underbelly, down a staircase and into a dodgy basement club called Crackers, London was bouncing to the ridiculously upbeat combination of funk, soul, jazz and hints of reggae and pop. At the time, this ble

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Great Adventurer

      Jun 11, 2020

      The Great Adventurer
      8 min read

    • Article

      Beyond Santana: Malo And The Forgotten Wave Of '70s Latin Rock Bands

      Feb 10, 2020

      For "One-Hit Wonders/Second-Best Songs," Alt.Latino host Felix Contreras recommends "Momotombo" by Malo. The band is known for hit "Suavecito," and often overshadowed by rock peer Santana.

      1 min read

    • Article

      New Music Highlights Show Nuances Of Identity

      Aug 10, 2018

      Last week's Midsummer 2018 New Music Roundup didn't even put a dent in the mail bag full of new music that has arrived here at Alt.Latino World Headquarters. So here we are with Part Two. Again, the theme this week is music that presents an opportuni

      2 min read

    • Article

      Music

      Jul 4, 2022

      On hot and sticky nights when I’m struggling to sleep I’ll often find myself seeking out familiar company – there are several books which are never far from my nightstand, unless I’ve loaned them benevolently to a friend who’s told me they’re curious

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Virtuoso

      Feb 10, 2020

      The Virtuoso
      20 min read

    • Article

      Open to Experiences AN INTERVIEW WITH YO-YO MA

      May 1, 2020

      Open to Experiences AN INTERVIEW WITH YO-YO MA
      4 min read

    • Article

      INTO THE Out World

      Jun 12, 2020

      INTO THE Out World
      11 min read

    • Article

      NPR Music 10: 2008

      Nov 20, 2017

      2008 brought the first Tiny Desk Concert, the arrival (finally) of perhaps the most notoriously delayed album ever and one of the best videos of all time.

      7 min read

    • Article

      Belafonte Le Canta Al Caribe

      Oct 1, 2023

      Belafonte Le Canta Al Caribe
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy

    5/5

    2 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Spanish Harlem's Musical Legacy - Silvio H. Alava

      Magazine

      INTRODUCTION

      Spanish Harlem’s musical legacy started between the 1930s and 1980s, in an area the size of a village in New York City. This area was called El Barrio or Spanish Harlem, where musicians from the Caribbean and their descendants began organizing musical groups, thereby adding to the diaspora that began in Africa and Spain. The music we now call salsa had its roots in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo and continued developing on another island called Manhattan.

      During the early 1930s, bands under the direction of Antonio Machin, Enrique Madriguera, and Xavier Cugat dominated the music scene principally because they were all white men. They played in segregated hotels frequented by the upper class. These talented men did not champion racism; they tried to make a living in the society around them. Cugat employed both Miguelito Valdes and Frank Machito Grillo during their early years in the United States. As I grew up in New York City, I began to attend dances and concerts throughout the city and learned about the early discrimination that occurred in places like the Taft Hotel and the Hotel Diplomat.

      The images shown here are but a small portion of the musicians that shaped the music of this era with their unique styles and personalities. Many artists are omitted here either because I did not have my camera when I went to see them play or because I was too young to enter the venues where they appeared. I am not writing biographical notes on these individuals because the Internet and Google can do a better job than I. I am not writing from the viewpoint of a musicologist because I do not have the knowledge or musical training. I am writing from the viewpoint of an aficionado who followed some of these pioneers around in clubs and concerts with my camera because I loved, felt, and understood the language of the music. In the process, I got to know a few of them personally.

      I purchased my first 35mm rangefinder camera in 1954 for about $50, paying for it $5 a week. A kind distributor in the building where I worked allowed me this privilege. Therefore, none of my images are before this date. I took all these early photographs without a flash using Kodak Tri-X 400 ASA film, hoping to capture a more realistic and moody feeling. I have since upgraded my camera and occasionally use a flash to fill in when I am photographing in low-light areas.

      About that same time I met John Palomo, who became a lifelong friend. We were both recently married and starting to raise families. John was a young percussionist at that time, beginning to learn his craft and working with some of the lesser-known Latin bands in New York City. His wife and mine were related by marriage, thus giving me the opportunity to accompany him on many of his jobs. Because of this I was able to attend many dances and concerts gratis by just carrying his conga drum and, of course, my camera. Through John, I was able to socialize with many of the subjects in the photographs of this book and gain knowledge of the music through informal conversations between breaks or at social gatherings. I also learned that a young musician’s life was full of hard work, disappointments, and meager pay.

      Of special note is a year I spent with a group of percussionists. Together with two other painters, we rented a loft on Sixth Avenue (now known as Avenue of the Americas). On Monday nights, John Palomo, Ray Little Ray Romero, and I hosted jam sessions in the loft. These sessions served as an informal classroom for many of the participants, including this author. It was here that I learned the essence of the Cuban rumba and guaguanco rhythms and the importance of the clave, the very important pulse essential in this music.

      During my lifetime I have lived on both coasts of the United States and have photographed many of these same artists when they appeared in Los Angeles. During the 1960s through the 1980s, Los Angeles became a logical visit for all the bands that went on tour. Many musicians who began their careers in New York moved to Los Angeles because of the abundance of work that became available due to the popularity of salsa music.

      I hope this book will be a historical documentation of some of the musical figures who pioneered this music for the next generation of music

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1