A Deeper Shade of Soul...
I've been holding out on this for a while now, but now I think I'm ready to let this one out into the world. Not that this album is super-rare or obscure...no, that's not it at all. I've been holding out because I want to do this justice. Let's take it from the top...
During the late 50's and early 60's there was a new kind of music coming out of Spanish Harlem (the portion of New York City's Upper East Side that stretches from E96th st to E116th st). This new kind of Latin music can best be described as a fusion of Afro-Caribbean drums and African American Jazz. This fusion was mainly due to the closeness of the Black Jazz community and the rising Latin Jazz and Latin Soul community (the clubs and venues that Latin Soul artist played at were very close to those of the great Black Jazz musicians and singers).
Eventually, Latin Jazz and Soul brought about newer forms of music distinct to Spanish Harlem; the Boogaloo, Latin Funk, and Descarga. All these art forms fused Afro-Caribbean beats with more modern music. The importance of the use of Afro-Caribbean beats runs deeper than the heavy base and rich drums. It is truly the way for the Latino diasporic community in Manhattan (and the U.S. for that matter) to trace their lineage back to the islands in which they came from, and in many ways even further back to the west coast of Africa where our ancient ancestors were captured into enslavement(this is why often times Afro-Caribbean beats sound much like the Afro-beat of Fela Kuti and other musicians from West Africa). This fusion in music represents the creativity and ingenuity of Latin community; it is the same fusions that were made in other parts of our culture like the religion Santeria.
Now, of all the albums and artist I could have selected for this, I choose Ray Barretto's Acid because it is a good representation of the many different kinds of music that were being coming out of Spanish Harlem during the 60's and early 70's. Also, by the time Barretto put out Acid, he had been already appeared on albums with Dizzy Gillespie, Cal Tjader, and other Jazz musicians. Although it is a funkier album than most (mainly because it was recorded in 1968 when everything was funky), it is a well rounded and solid album from an older and seasoned Ray Barretto. With this album Barretto gives vintage Latin Soul with tracks like "A Deeper Shade of Soul," hits us with some serious Boogaloo with "El Nuevo Barretto," and a solid Latin Jazz track with "Espiritu Libre."
Now to be honest, you cannot appreciate this music without hearing it...and then still you really need to understand the historical and cultural context which it was made. This music was a representation of a peoples, the diasporic Latino community in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and it was a way for Latinos to make their mark culturally on a country that was at first (and in many ways still) hostile, abusive, and unwelcoming to them. The music that was produced in Spanish Harlem during the 50's, 60's, and 70's was also a way for Latinos to link their lives and experiences to those of generations past. More importantly, the music was a offering to future generations, a way culturally carve out a space in NYC, so that future generations would be able to come back to Spanish Harlem and see where it all started.
I'm not one for compilations (mostly because they take tracks out of the their original context and place them in another, and in my opinion something is lost when you do that), but I have to admit that Nuyorica Roots! (Soul Jazz Records) comes correct in the way they explain the history of Latin music in New York City. This is an awesome compilation from two reasons: 1- it gives a good range of Latin music in New York City ranging from Funk, Soul, Jazz, Bogaloo, Descarga, and Mambo and 2-it has an awesome liner note that does places the music and it's artist (such as Barretto, Joe Cuba, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, ect) in the right historical and cultural context. I recommend it as a starting point for those that are interested.
I hope I've done this the right way. Books could be written about the this music and its importance to my community. But for now, we'll start here...and I promise to revisit it in the future. Until then...give Barretto a try and see what you think. I promise you'll be moving you're hips by the end of this record.
Trip off of this
Posted by Hello
During the late 50's and early 60's there was a new kind of music coming out of Spanish Harlem (the portion of New York City's Upper East Side that stretches from E96th st to E116th st). This new kind of Latin music can best be described as a fusion of Afro-Caribbean drums and African American Jazz. This fusion was mainly due to the closeness of the Black Jazz community and the rising Latin Jazz and Latin Soul community (the clubs and venues that Latin Soul artist played at were very close to those of the great Black Jazz musicians and singers).
Eventually, Latin Jazz and Soul brought about newer forms of music distinct to Spanish Harlem; the Boogaloo, Latin Funk, and Descarga. All these art forms fused Afro-Caribbean beats with more modern music. The importance of the use of Afro-Caribbean beats runs deeper than the heavy base and rich drums. It is truly the way for the Latino diasporic community in Manhattan (and the U.S. for that matter) to trace their lineage back to the islands in which they came from, and in many ways even further back to the west coast of Africa where our ancient ancestors were captured into enslavement(this is why often times Afro-Caribbean beats sound much like the Afro-beat of Fela Kuti and other musicians from West Africa). This fusion in music represents the creativity and ingenuity of Latin community; it is the same fusions that were made in other parts of our culture like the religion Santeria.
Now, of all the albums and artist I could have selected for this, I choose Ray Barretto's Acid because it is a good representation of the many different kinds of music that were being coming out of Spanish Harlem during the 60's and early 70's. Also, by the time Barretto put out Acid, he had been already appeared on albums with Dizzy Gillespie, Cal Tjader, and other Jazz musicians. Although it is a funkier album than most (mainly because it was recorded in 1968 when everything was funky), it is a well rounded and solid album from an older and seasoned Ray Barretto. With this album Barretto gives vintage Latin Soul with tracks like "A Deeper Shade of Soul," hits us with some serious Boogaloo with "El Nuevo Barretto," and a solid Latin Jazz track with "Espiritu Libre."
Now to be honest, you cannot appreciate this music without hearing it...and then still you really need to understand the historical and cultural context which it was made. This music was a representation of a peoples, the diasporic Latino community in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and it was a way for Latinos to make their mark culturally on a country that was at first (and in many ways still) hostile, abusive, and unwelcoming to them. The music that was produced in Spanish Harlem during the 50's, 60's, and 70's was also a way for Latinos to link their lives and experiences to those of generations past. More importantly, the music was a offering to future generations, a way culturally carve out a space in NYC, so that future generations would be able to come back to Spanish Harlem and see where it all started.
I'm not one for compilations (mostly because they take tracks out of the their original context and place them in another, and in my opinion something is lost when you do that), but I have to admit that Nuyorica Roots! (Soul Jazz Records) comes correct in the way they explain the history of Latin music in New York City. This is an awesome compilation from two reasons: 1- it gives a good range of Latin music in New York City ranging from Funk, Soul, Jazz, Bogaloo, Descarga, and Mambo and 2-it has an awesome liner note that does places the music and it's artist (such as Barretto, Joe Cuba, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, ect) in the right historical and cultural context. I recommend it as a starting point for those that are interested.
I hope I've done this the right way. Books could be written about the this music and its importance to my community. But for now, we'll start here...and I promise to revisit it in the future. Until then...give Barretto a try and see what you think. I promise you'll be moving you're hips by the end of this record.
Trip off of this
Posted by Hello
