Nu Yorica

Recorded on location in Spanish Harlem ('El Barrio'), jazz writer and broadcaster Kevin Le Gendre explores the history, art and politics of the Latin music and poetry scene in New York City from the 1950s to the present – the city that gave birth to salsa.

New York's Latino community has long been a source of artistic richness, with lyrical messages of political identity and social struggle never far from the sheer excitement of the music. To be Nu Yorican was to be born in New York City from Puerto Rican descent, drawing on the sounds and rhythms of Cuba as well as the home island, blending them with the sounds of Black Manhattan into a unique set of musical forms and styles that took the world by storm.

The hugely vibrant music scene of 'El Barrio', which produced a wealth of amazing artists in the 1950sand 60s from Tito Puente and Ray Barreto to Eddie Palmieri and Joe Bataan, was followed by the birth of a music that became a worldwide sensation - salsa. Drawing on its limitless musical energy the Fania Records label, founded in New York in 1964 by the Dominican Republic producer Johnny Pacheco and US lawyer Jerry Massuci, quickly became the Motown of US Latin music, reaching huge listening audiences and drawing on an incredible roster of artists. And on the streets of New York, in the jazz clubs and dance-halls, Latino and African American musicians played together and mixed styles – the fusion of Latin music with jazz and soul – to create thrilling hybrids such as Afro-Latin, Afro-Cuban, Latin-Jazz, Sal-Soul – eventually salsa-Disco and Latin house and hip-hop. Fania in particular generated their own coalition of artists, the Fania All-Stars - a 'super-group' of the hottest Latin musicians in New York - whose sessions set the clubs on fire throughout the 1960s and ‘70s.

The Latin community in New York drew from the African American experience politically as well as musically. Both groups were subject to racism, bad housing, poor employment and over-policing. Both groups organised coordinated breakfast and welfare programmes, health centres, libraries and places of cultural learning. Just as 'free' jazz (led by John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and others) fuelled the politics of Black Power, so too the more radical sounds of Nu Yorica reflected the mission of Latino political groups like The Young Lords, founded in 1968, who fought for neighbourhood empowerment and independence for Puerto Rico, and formed alliances with organisations like the Black Panther Party (both groups were subject to the US Government's Counter Intelligence Programme (COINTELPRO)). Political consciousness, spoken word and musicianship offered a route out of the gang culture, which was rife in Spanish Harlem - as we hear from Joe Bataan and Felipe Luciano and others.

Talking to and listening to Latin musicians living and playing in New York, some going back to the origins of salsa, this deeply musical feature showcases the energy and style of NYC Latino music in all its forms and musical hybrids – going inside the music - from mambo and salsa to Latin-soul, boogaloo and Afro-Cuban jazz to NY Latin Hip Hop and spoken word - and (inevitably drawing comparisons with the African-American experience of art informing politics) exploring the very different use of music in animating a narrative of political community, with a special focus on Spanish Harlem and the Bronx in today's music scene.

Contributors include the founder of Latin soul Joe Bataan, former member of the Last Poets and co-founder of the Young Lords Felipe Luciano, spoken word and Latin hip hop artist and director of the iconic Nuyorican Poets Café Caridad de la Luz (aka ‘La Bruja'), Fania Records producer and arranger Harvey Averne, veteran percussionist and Tito Puente's conga player Chembo Corniel, Latin House and Nuyorican Soul producer ‘Little' Louie Vega and British Latin-jazz percussionist Snowboy, Nuyorican composer and salsa bandleader Bobby Sanabria, historian Johanna Fernandez, Latin-Soul afficianado Lenny Thomas and former Young Lord, Mickey Melendez.

Presented by Kevin Le Gendre

Produced by Simon Hollis

A Brook Lapping Production for BBC Radio 3

Exploring the history, art and politics of the Latin music scene of Spanish Harlem, NYC.

Recorded on location in lower Manhattan, the Bronx and Spanish Harlem ('El Barrio'), jazz writer and broadcaster Kevin Le Gendre explores the history, art and politics of the Latin music scene in New York City from the 1950s to the present - the city that gave birth to salsa.

New York's Latino community has always been a source of artistic richness, with messages of political identity and social struggle never far from the sheer excitement of the music. To be Nu Yorican was to be born in New York City from Puerto Rican descent, drawing on the sounds and rhythms of Cuba and blending them with the sounds of jazz and soul into a unique set of musical forms and styles that took the world by storm.

The hugely vibrant music scene of 'El Barrio', which produced a wealth of amazing artists in the 1950s and ‘60s from Tito Puente and Ray Barreto to Eddie Palmieri and Joe Bataan, gave birth to a uniquely Nu Yorican music that became a worldwide sensation - salsa. Drawing on its limitless musical energy, the Fania Records label became the Motown of US Latin music, reaching huge listening audiences and drawing on an incredible roster of artists. On the streets of Harlem and the Bronx, in the jazz clubs and dance-halls, Latino and African American musicians played together and mixed styles - the fusion of Latin music with jazz and soul - to create thrilling hybrids such as Afro-Cuban, Latin-Jazz and Latin Soul as well as salsa itself.

The Latino community in New York drew from the African American experience politically as well as musically. Both groups were subject to racism, poor housing, high unemployment and over-policing. Both groups organised coordinated breakfast and welfare programmes, health centres, libraries and places of cultural learning. Political consciousness, through the medium of poetry and spoken word, offered a route out of the gang culture, which was rife in Spanish Harlem (as we hear from Joe Bataan, Felipe Luciano and others). This feature also tells the story of San Juan Hill, once home to a huge Latino community, demolished by Robert Moses to make way for the Lincoln Centre. The 1961 movie adaptation of West Side Story was filmed in the rubble.

Hearing from musicians living and playing in New York, some going back to the origins of salsa, this deeply musical feature showcases the energy and style of Nu Yorican music in all its forms and musical hybrids as Kevin explores the role of music in building a narrative of community.

Contributors include the founder of Latin soul Joe Bataan, former member of the Last Poets Felipe Luciano, spoken word artist and director of The Nu Yorican Poets Caf退 Caridad de la Luz (aka ‘La Bruja'), Fania Records producer and arranger Harvey Averne, historian Johanna Fernandez, veteran percussionist and Tito Puente's conga player Chembo Corniel, Latin House and Nu Yorican Soul producer ‘Little' Louie Vega and British curator of Fania Records archive Dean Rudland, composer and salsa bandleader Bobby Sanabria and Latin-soul aficionado Lenny Thomas.

Image: Kevin Le Gendre and Caridad de la Luz (aka ‘La Bruja') at The Nu Yorican Poet's Caf退, New York City.

Exploring the history art and politics of the Latin music scene of New York's Spanish Harlem, and the era that created salsa.

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