Tito Rodriguez Wins At Life!

[JSngry]

As far as Tito v Tito goes, I've always felt that Tito P brought the New York to salsa whereas Tito R brought the salsa to New York.

Of course, if you talk to the right Cuban cats, they'll tell you that they was both dirty stinkin' thieves...

[JSngry]

And btw, if you're doing the Fania reissue thing, this is not a bad one at all:

[seeline]

You HAVE TO HEAR Tambo! It's KILLER!

OK, I think we need to agree to disagree... It's a good album, but I don't think it's his best.

I think TP overdid the percussion at times, and you already know that I'm not generally critical of "too much" in that department. (Seeing that I play and all...) He was also very flashy, a bit too much of a showoff for me, though his showmanship certainly can't be faulted!

* Jim, I think the clip of a young TR + dancer is probably from NYC local TV, but that's just a guess.

Edited August 15, 2008 by seeline

[Stefan Wood]

Tito Rodriguez lived across the street from my grandmother, back in the 50's. She said he kept running out of the house to shoo the neighborhood kids away from his fancy convertible, parked on the street.

I love Tito Rodriguez. I think comparing him to Tito Puente is comparing apples to oranges. They may have played similar music (esp Mambos), but I find Puente more jazz oriented, and Rodriguez became one heck of a balladeer. If they are still available, I would try to find volumes 1 - 3 of his best of RCA recordings, or the Live in Puerto Rico cd.

[seeline]

Yes, they had really different styles - and somehow, I have a feeling that TP was at his best when he was playing at the Palladium. I'd love to be able to sneak back in time and see/hear both his and T. Rod's live shows there.

I'm admittedly not much of a Machito fan, although i really do like the early charts that Chico O'Farrill did for him, like "Gone City."

And Jim, I think both Titos represent different strains of NYC music, not "PR vs. NYC." But again, that's just my opinion...

Love the story about the car!

Edited August 15, 2008 by seeline

[seeline]

Might be of interest...

There's an interview with Glasser here.

also, there's this -

The biggest revelation we've had lately came as a result of listening to Arhoolie Records' incredible compilation Lamento Borincano. The striking music on the collection was a product of a great migration of Puerto Rican workers to this country. Arhoolie's amazing package compiles a trove of beautiful and unbelievably rare plenas, boleros, sones, danzas, and other traditional musical forms. Hearing these long- ago tunes, with their robust vocals, keening horns, and sprightly string ensembles, one can't help feeling refreshed and enchanted. Just as 'Buena Vista Social Club' awakened an interest in classic Cuban son, Lamento Borincano could excite a taste for impassioned Puerto Rican song of another time. It's worth noting that the Arhoolie set sports unbelievably clean, crisp sound, with restoration performed by George Morrow.

Chris Morris – Billboard Magazine

Edited August 15, 2008 by seeline

[Teasing the Korean]

Seeline, I think you're mixing up "Top Percussion" with "Tambo." The former is a drum album. The latter is BRILLIANT.

[seeline]

Well, yes and no. Tambo is well-made, and there are some nice charts, but it's just not my cuppa. (Not to mention the tune titles!!!)

Candido, Patato Valdés and Tata Güines are some of my favorite congueros; I also really like Ray Barretto (especially his late-career Latin jazz albums).

I think maybe one of the things a lot of Anglo jazz listeners (including me) tend to miss is that Machito, Tito R., Tito P. et. al. had dance bands. TP's jazz records (like those he did for Concord) have never seemed as interesting to me as his albums for the "Latin" market. TR (I think) incorporated jazz into his music without changing things up - in other words, his band always recorded as a dance band.

To me, there's a lot more subtlety to T. Rod.'s music; just personal preference, I guess.

Edited August 17, 2008 by seeline

[JSngry]

TP's jazz records (like those he did for Concord) have never seemed as interesting to me as his albums for the "Latin" market. TR (I think) incorporated jazz into his music without changing things up - in other words, his band always recorded as a dance band.

That's what I was referring to earlier.

[seeline]

Jim, I didn't quite understand what you meant - partly because all of the "Latin" bands in NYC at the time (40s, 50s, 60s) were dance bands. (Including local Nuyorican groups.)

But the overlap - in terms of Cubans, Puerto Ricans (et. al.) playing in jazz bands, and non-Latino musicians playing in - even leading - Latin groups is such that it makes the boundaries pretty blurry at times. Just one example: Mario Bauzá was in Chick Webb's band for a while, and I've read that he's the person who actually "discovered" Ella and brought her to Chick's attention.

[JSngry]

There's a cut of his from the '50s(?) called "Bilongo" that will rock damn near anybody's world. Trust me.

In 2008, YouTube did not have any clips. Now they do..

Another great Rene Hernandez chart, iirc..

[Stefan Wood]

My mom would tell me when she was a kid in the South Bronx in the 50s, Tito Rodriguez would come into the neighborhood (the predominantly Puerto Rican Ft Apache area, before the Cross Bronx Expressway was built and destroyed the neighborhoods) in his shiny brand new car to show off his fame to the locals, who all loved him. He would get his exercise by shooing the young kids away from the car. My grandmother may have known him.

[JSngry]

Up for soulpope and anybody else who's interested.

[JSngry]

Tito STILL winning, and expanding his lead with a full(er) length clip!