We're remembering Willie Colón, the pioneering Nuyorican trombonist who was a key figure in the rise of Fania Records and New York-based salsa. Marisol Negrón, author of Made in NuYoRico: Fania Records, Latin Music, and Salsa’s Nuyorican Meanings, joins Rebecca to discuss Colón's contributions, collaborations with Hector Lavoe, and his complex legacy as an artist whose politics were seemingly at odds with the persona he created, "El Malo," early on in his career.

Songs played:

"El Malo"

"Canto a Borinquen"

"El Cantante"

"El Gran Varón"

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Ethnomusicologist Ben Lapidus joins Rebecca again to discuss the life and legacy of Cuban pianist Lilí Martínez Griñan, a Guantanamero who joined Arsenio Rodriguez's band in the 1940s and quickly became his right-hand man in terms of composition and arranging. Lapidus is the editor of a new anthology in Spanish, El hombre y su música: Lilí Martínez Griñán.

Songs played:

Tumba Palo Cucuyé, Arsenio Rodriguez y Su Conjunto

Mira...Cuidadito, Arsenio Rodriguez y Su Conjunto

Cero Guapos en Yateras, Arsenio Rodriguez y Su Conjunto

Alto Songo, Chappotín y Sus Estrellas

Mi Changüí Son, Estrellas de Chocolate

El Divorcio, Arsenio Rodriguez

La Candela, Los Van Van

Musica Suave, El Niño y La Verdad

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https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Ethnomusicologist Robin Moore joins Rebecca to discuss the subject of his forthcoming book, Violín: Mediating Musical Style and Devotional Practice in 21st-Century Cuba. As music used to accompany ceremonies for the ancestors and orishas, violines have been growing in recent decades in Cuba, and are an example of an increasingly hybrid musical approach to worship in Cuba. 

Songs played (all by Orquesta Estrellas Cubanas except where noted):

Ave Maria

Plegaria a Obbatalá

Two versions of Sea El Santísimo - second one by Ifa Fore & Pepe y Sus Tambores

Danzón Virgen de Regla

Ochímini II

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

The most beloved Cuban musician of all time was born on this day 100 years ago: Celia Cruz. We're honoring her with a brand new episode featuring Delia Poey, a professor at Florida State University who has written extensively about Celia's Career. 

Songs played:

Quimbara

Field recording of Afrocuba de Matanzas' version of Quimbara

Chango Ta' Vení

Que Le Den Candela

Usted Abusó

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Columbia University professor and trombonist Chris Washburne joins Rebecca to pay tribute to "el rumbero del piano," Eddie Palmieri, one of Latin music's most significant pioneers. His music straddled salsa, Latin jazz, and other genres, and he was known for his innovative experimentation in form and harmony.

Songs played:

Azúcar

El día que me quieras

Broken home & If (We had peace today), from the Harlem River Drive project

Puerto Rico

Rebecca's recent piece on Eddie Palmieri:

https://www.grammy.com/news/how-eddie-palmieri-changed-latin-music-obituary

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Cuban journalist Rafa Escalona joins Rebecca to talk about the latest trends in Cuban music, including how hard it is to track this information on the island and how recent out-migration has affected the evolution and definition of "música cubana." While contemporary Cuban music is of course dominated by reparto, the songs shared by Rafa provide a broader look into the latest trends.

Songs played:

Un Momentico + — Melanie Santiler & Dale Pututi

Andala Remix — Wildey, Musteerifa & Raydel El Q Manda

Suite Para Isaac Oviedo — Jorge Iván Martín feat. Juan Carlos Aguilera

Amanacer Sin Ti — Albita & Lenier

Tertuliando — Angel Toirac feat. 

LINKS

Newness Cuba playlist (50 best songs in Cuban music from the past year): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gPyKTGHHQy16z7YO2lhHV

Cuba Tracklist (Instagram account with weekly lists of most popular Cuban tracks): https://www.instagram.com/cubatracklist/

Rafa's Substack: https://divagacionesmusicales.substack.com/

A recent piece Rafa wrote (in Spanish) about reparto and YouTube: https://revistaelestornudo.com/reparto-youtube-dicen-charts-musica-cubana/

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Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Kevin Moore is back to help us pay tribute to one of timba's brightest stars, Paulito FG (EPD), who died tragically on March 1.

Songs played:

El humo o la vida, Dan Den feat. Paulito FG

Y ahora que,

Percussion and vocal track for Entre Dos Amigos

No te lo creas, 

Laura (demo track) 

El punto

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Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Finally, we're back with a brand new episode, inspired by Bad Bunny's love letter to Puerto Rico, Debí Tirar Más Fotos! We get deep into the weeds of the Puerto Rican musical and political traditions that are referenced in Bad Bunny's wide-ranging, exquisitely produced album. Joining Rebecca are Puerto Rican musician and educator Hector Lugo (founder of the Bay Area Latin roots band La Mixta Criolla), and Puerto Rican writer, translator and Bad Bunny scholar Carina del Valle Schorske.

Songs played:

A Guayama, Desde Cero 

Si Yo Fuera Alcalde, Chuíto el de Bayamón

Aires de Navidad, Hector Lavoe & Willie Colón

La Huelga, La Mixta Criolla

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Send us Fan Mail

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You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Cuban journalist Jesús Jank Curbelo joins Rebecca to speak about a range of topics, including the legacy of El Taiger, one of Cuba's most popular artists who was killed recently in Miami. We also talk about Curbelo's career in Cuba reporting on the reparto movement, as well as the pain of leaving Cuba and challenges of building a new life in Texas.
Curbelo has published several pieces at the Texas Observer and Palabra.

Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1El7dqfI2n-eTFs--dNryJI8OBsqXRhePszFu6I1PCzg/edit?usp=sharing


Songs played:

Coronamos (Remix), Taiger & J. Balvin (feat. Cosculluela, Bad Bunny & Bryant Myers) 
Hilito Rojo, El Taiger & DJ Conds

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https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions