Mongo Santamaría has been acknowledged as one of the true virtuosos of jazz, a musical style he cultivated from his very beginnings in his native Cuba in the 1940s. His collaboration with the legendary Conjunto Matamoros earned him enormous celebrity. Having made a name for himself in his native country, he went to New York to begin a new stage …

If you look up the word “Brujería” in a Spanish/English dictionary the definition in English translates to witchcraft, sorcery and magic. Indeed, magic is the ideal word to describe the enchanting music of Markolino (Mark) Dimond. Just listen to his incredible solos on “Mi Irmita”, “Aguardiente”, “Tiene Sabor”, “Mariquita”, “Yo No Tengo Pena” and “El Barrio”. In the tune, “Tiene …

He is one of the most criminally underrated artists in the landscape of Afro-Caribbean music. A musical genius and mercurial bandleader whom Tito Puente himself called el maestro – the master. Now, this volume in the La Herencia series allows us to rediscover and cherish the legacy of Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo. Everything about Machito was unique and different. He …

Louie Ramirez’s virtuosity and impressive ability to perform as arranger, director, composer, and producer on each and every one of his albums earned him the reputation of being one of the most talented and prominent musicians in the industry. And so it was only natural that Fania Records President Jerry Masucci would discover him and bring him aboard his talented …

In the early 1960s, the combination of traditional African-American music with Latin beats exploded onto the scene and was adopted by such artists as Joe Cuba, Johnny Colón, Ray Barreto, and The Lebron Brothers, who helped to popularize the exciting genre. The Lebron Brothers were unmistakable due to their interpretive style, which they demonstrated on the album “Salsa y control.” …

If anybody could be called a virtuoso, it’s Lawrence Ira Kahn. Born in New York to a North American Jewish family, Kahn grew up with a young brother, Andy (who also became a distinguished musician), in a Jewish and Puerto Rican neighborhood. Ira Kahn, known as Larry Harlow and later dubbed “The Marvelous Jew,” made a name for himself with …

She was a queen in her own right, bringing an innovative spirit to her music, which captured the imagination regardless of the genre: guaracha, bomba, son, or bolero. Only her presence was needed to revolutionize the music scene. She used her trademark “ahí namá” and “ay yi yi yi” to dominate any song she tackled with the intense, irreverent, effortless …

The heir to his family’s solid musical tradition, Justo Betancourt was an unparalleled sonero, possessed of a uniquely personal style. He began his career at a very early age in his native Cuba, where he participated with orchestras and bands. In the 1960s, he arrived in New York, where he launched a new, brilliant stage of his career, singing vocals …

The fusion of Cuban son with pop, Soul, Rhythm & Blues and other African-American formats resulted in the quintessential New York genre known as boogaloo. It was the first original offering created by the musicians from the Latin barrio, most of them of Puerto Rican origin. One of them was pianist, trombonist, singer and composer Johnny Colón. Johnny ventured into …

Once the song “Rumors” made its way into the New York City radio stations, Joey Pastrana knew he had that rarest of hits: The crossover. The melody of “Rumors” was released in the year 1967 and was an instant success with audiences across the city. People didn’t have to be Latin to enjoy or understand this pop music gem. Pastrana’s …