Ask the great pianist Eddie Palmieri who the greatest pianist was and he will tell you it was his brother Charlie.
There’s a good reason for that.
Charlie Palmieri con Machito!
Fireworks start at: 1:32
“Charlie Palmieri plays MARIA CERVANTES which is an inspiration of the BORICUA composer Noro Morales. In this video you will see some of the members of Machito Orchestra who provide the descarga music.”
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It should be called Nuestra HERMOSA Cosa Latina (Our BEAUTIFUL Latin Thing)
Directed by Leon Gast (who went on to make “When We Were Kings”) and produced by Fania Records.
I had the great good fortune to grow up partially in the Bronx in the 1970s and this music and the energy it created was everywhere.
I was too young to go to the clubs, but this great music was the background of my life.
How wonderful that someone captured it. This was one of the greatest flowerings of creative music in New York City’s history – and that’s saying a lot!
Gest says the film was short entirely on the Lower East Side with the exception of the club footage which was shot at Cheetah’s which was located at Broadway and 53rds Street in Manhattan.
The Track List
1. Estrellas de Fania (Practice) – Fania All Stars (4:11)
2. QuÍtate Tú – Fania All Stars (9:40)
3. Anacaona – Fania All Stars (19:08)
4. Ponte Duro – Fania All Stars (31:10)
5. Abran Paso I – Larry Harlow Y Su Orquestra con Ismael Miranda (43:40)
6. Abran Paso II – Larry Harlow Y Su Orquestra con Ismael Miranda (48:07)
7. Lamento De Un Guajiro – Larry Harlow Y Su Orquestra con Ismael Miranda (51:05)
8. Estrellas de Fania – Fania All Stars (1:12:05)
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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More from the wonderful “Conga Borikua” YouTube channel.
Third in a series of what happens when we invest in music education for young people.
Alex Lebron, Manolo Rodriguez, Marcos Lopez
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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On the other hand, fledgling congueros should know what they’re up against.
I don’t have any info about this young player.
The video was posted fourteen years ago on a fascinating YouTube channel called Conga Borkiua.
Is there anything more beautiful than a culture that nurtures its young through music?
Their mission statement:
The purpose of this page is to have a space for Puerto Rican percussionists where they can share their ideas and make contact with other musicians in the world. It is a bond of friendship between all with a common purpose that unites us, EL TAMBOR
One good video deserves another. From the same channel.
David Antonio, 11 years old (posted 2013)
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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We ask every Jazz on the Tube subscriber to do whatever they are able – share these pages, spread the word, contact your Congress people, donate money.
Where to send help
The Hispanic Federation
This organization founded in 1990 has a clearly defined program for bringing and distributing emergency aid throughout Puerto Rico.
They are well organized, committed, focused on Puerto Rico, and in it for the long haul.
Charity Navigator which rates charities on fiscal responsibility and transparency has rated this group 95.47 out of a possible 100 which is the equivalent of AAA+ in the non-profit accountability world.
1. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and have been since 1917.
2. The U.S. government has the material, personnel, transportation, infrastructure and expertise to address this situation on a massive and rapid scale. That it has not done so is a decision based on the assumption by those in control of these public resources that there will be no political consequences for failing to do so.
If you disagree with this deliberate government policy of minimal emergency aid, please contact your political representatives and tell them you want to see meaningful help for the people of Puerto Rico.
Where to send help
The Hispanic Federation
This organization founded in 1990 has a clearly defined program for bringing and distributing emergency aid throughout Puerto Rico.
They are well organized, committed, focused on Puerto Rico, and in it for the long haul.
Charity Navigator which rates charities on fiscal responsibility and transparency has rated this group 95.47 out of a possible 100 which is the equivalent of AAA+ in the non-profit accountability world.
“During the 40s, Little Ray performed with the legendary Xavier Cugat Ochestra before joining the U.S. Army. After his army tour, he played with Noro Morales, Joe Locco, José Curbelo, and Miguelito Valdés. By the 50s, he was performing in Puerto Rico and composed part of the percussion section for Cortijo y su Combo when the great Puerto Rican percussionist Rafael Cortijo organized his first band in the early ’50s.
He went on to become an essential part of the legendary percussion section organized and fronted by Tito Rodríguez. However, he was noticed by Eartha Kitt and recruited to play with her orchestra from 1952 to 1956.
Little Ray Romero went on to back up Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin. By the late 60s and early 70s, Little Ray could be heard with the orchestras of Eddie Palmieri (on the Recorded Live at Sing Singrecording), Frankie Dante and Orchesta Flamboyan, Ray Barretto(on the LPs: Indestructible, Guarare, Other Road, & Barretto Live Tomorrow where he plays the batá drums), and Machito just to name a few.
The 80s saw Little Ray give back to the younger generation through education. He taught at the Drummer’s Collective, the Johnny Colón Music School and Boy’s & Girls Harbor Conservatory for the performing Arts.
An exemplary family man, a good musician and a great percussionist are the three things Little Ray Romero embraced in his long road through life.
He was the recipient of the first Living Legends tribute at The Point CDC in the Bronx under the direction of Angel Rodriguez in New York in 1997. On Thursday, October 2nd, 2003 the community in East Harlem that saw Little Ray grow up honored him with a tribute at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center that was formerly P.S. 107 where Ray went to elementary school. Ray Barretto, René López, Jimmy Delgado and many others were present. Little Ray was presented with a proclamation from the City of New York that recognized “the many important contributions made to the cultural soul of this nation through the music of Little Ray Romero.”
Ray Romero is survived by his wife Lucía Romero, his sister Irma Rosen, his four children Stephanie Soffi, Elaine Romero, Little Ray Romero, Jr., and Isabel Santiago, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.”
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Stan Getz