Update (2/17): I wrote a short piece for NPR.com on Cuba’s music, including a five song playlist of some of his key recordings. Check it out here.
Update (2/17): (from Beto) “Joe Cuba will be viewed at the R&G Ortiz Funeral Home.
Wednesday & Thursday, February 18th & 19th from 2 to 10 p.m.
A funeral mass service will be held Friday morning at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s
Church located @ 213 E. 117th Street, between Park & Lexington.”
This one really hurts; Joe Cuba is one of the main reasons I ever developed an interest in Latin boogaloo and now he’s gone.
Cuba had a tremendous career in the New York Latin scene, easily one of the most important figures in the post-mambo era as both one of the pioneers in Latin soul and boogaloo and then transitioning into the salsa era.
I had been meaning to do a post on the “best of” Joe Cuba and I’ll try to get that in gear sometime this week. In the meantime, enjoy this:
Joe Cuba: Hey Joe
From My Man Speedy (Tico, 1967)
chatter