Voice of the Waterlily- Our Stories

"Remember that our music is the most exciting and complex, and it puts you to dance, not to sleep!", Mr. Palmieri declared! Last week I had the greatest honor of meeting the incredible Maestro, musical genius and cultural icon, Eddie Palmieri, ahead of his performance at Keystone Korner. Words cannot describe how incredibly honored I was to have the privilege of meeting him. Not only did he share so many precious stories and memories, Mr. Palmieri spoke of how Aristotle influenced his work, the importance of socially conscious music and his studies with Bob Bianco. More than anything, I was truly honored by his kind words of encouragement. This was a truly unforgettable experience for me! Listen to this incredible conversation with a true musical genius! 

Special words of thanks to Aurora Flores and Eddie Palmieri II for making this happen! 

Today, we celebrate women in Latin Music; the stars, the trailblazers and the unheralded gems. Enjoy listening to Paulina Alvarez, Celia Cruz and Xiomara Alfaro as well as Aurora Flores and Zon del Barrio, Victoria Sanabria, Libertad LaMarque and so, so many others. Enjoy! 

Today’s show is honor of the phenomenally talented Cuban vocalist known as ‘El Guapachoso’, Rolando LaSerie. He worked with the likes of Benny Moré, Tito Puente, Cachao and Johnny Pacheco, yet he did not receive recognition of popularity. Listen to his incredible music and hear about his life. 

Today we remember and celebrate the life and work of Tite Curet Alonso on what would have been his 96th birthday. Tite was the composer of more than 2,000 songs, 500 of which became hits. Not only was he writing hits, he was writing songs with a hitorical, political and social conciousness. Tite Curet can be held in the same regard as Rafael Hernandez and Pedro Flores. Listen to his incredible compositions and amazing story. 

https://voiceofthelily.water.blog/2019/12/20/tite-curet-alonso-poet-of-the-people-new-revised-article/

Many don't know his name. He was the president of the Partido Nationalista Puerto Rico. He called for armed revolution, simultaneous uprisings in towns around Puerto Rico, an attack on La Fortaleza and an assassination attempt against US President Truman. But we have to ask, why? Why did he do these things? Was he a psychopath who tried to violently overthrow the United States? Or was this born from a profound need for extreme actions? We cannot fully understand him or his valiant fight for independence without understanding the circumstances from which he evolved. This is the story of Pedro Albizu Campos, known affectionately by many as Don Pedro   

Read my article about Don Pedro here: https://voiceofthelily.water.blog/2022/02/05/don-pedro-albizu-campos-a-genius-revolutionary-revised-version-with-podcast/ Songs:  Pedro Albizu Campos - Andres Jimenez ‘El Jibaro’ 'El Jibaro' Coño Despierta Boricua - Andres Jimenez 'El Jibaro'  Que Bonita Bandera - Ramito La Borinqueña- Danny Rivera   Works Cited:  Works Cited Democracy Now. “War against All Puerto Ricans: Inside the U.S. Crackdown on Pedro Albizu Campos & Nationalist Party.” Www.youtube.com, 21 Apr. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=khkONOYSB8Q. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.  Denis, Nelson A. “King of the Towels: The Torture and Murder of Pedro Albizu Campos.” Latino Rebels, 10 Mar. 2015, www.latinorebels.com/2015/03/10/king-of-the-towels-the-torture-and-murder-of-pedro-albizu-campos/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.  ---. “Pedro Albizu Campos.” WAR against ALL PUERTO RICANS, 25 Feb. 2015, waragainstallpuertoricans.com/pedro-albizu-campos/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.  ---. War against All Puerto Ricans : Revolution and Terror in America’s Colony. New York, Bold Type Books, 2016. “Drew Pearson Interviews Gov Luis Muñoz Marín.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWU9o5xjfKQ&t=543s. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.  Federico Ribes Tovar. Albizu Campos: Puerto Rican Revolutionary. New York] Plus Ultra Educational Publishers, 1971. Fernndez, Johanna. YOUNG LORDS : A Radical History. S.L., Univ Of North Carolina Pr, 2020. González, Juan. Harvest of Empire : A History of Latinos in America. New York, Penguin, 2011. Kaike, Anani. “Don Pedro Albizu Campos, a Genius Freedom Fighter.” Voice of the Water Lily, 30 July 2019, voiceofthelily.water.blog/2019/07/30/don-pedro-albizu-campos-a-genius-freedom-fighter/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022. ---.  “It’s a Colony, Why Does It Matter? Puerto Rico, US Occupation, Uprising and Cornelius Rhoads’s Medical Experiments on My People.” Voice of the Water Lily, 25 Mar. 2019, voiceofthelily.water.blog/2019/03/25/its-a-colony-why-does-it-matter-puerto-rico-us-occupation-uprising-and-cornelius-rhoadss-medical-experiments-on-my-people/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.  “Puerto Rico.” The Eugenics Archives, eugenicsarchive.ca/discover/connections/530ba18176f0db569b00001b. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.

Today's show is in honor of legendary percussionist, bandleader and dancer Roberto Roena, after he would have celebrated his 82nd birthday on January 16. I am so honored to present this show with special guests Tyta Nieves-Roena (Roberto's wife), producer and manger Richie Viera and Aurora Flores. It is a beautiful conversation filled with amazing stories that help the listener really understand who Roberto was and what he was like. 

Feliz Cumpleaños, Roberto Roena.