Salsa Talks: A Musical Heritage Uncovered - Hardcover

Kent, Mary

4.2

5 ratings by Goodreads

9780976499008: Salsa Talks: A Musical Heritage Uncovered

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0976499002 ISBN 13: 9780976499008

Publisher: Digital Domain, 2005

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In Salsa Talks, history is seen through the eyes of the protagonists. Educational, historic, entertaining, touching... a legacy from the musicians to their fans. Learn about the most important unifying element of the Hispanic culture: its music. A veritable Who’s Who in salsa. In their own words, singers, musicians and experts guide us around the spicy world of salsa. They recall events that determined the course of their lives, their musical triumphs and failures; they reveal the social context and the music’s international projection. A departure from the more straight-laced, historical or musicological fare. 300 photographs. Bibliography. Glossary. Index.

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From the Author:

My musical journey took me to many concert venues and nightclubs, into the heart of salsa. And little by little, I retraced the steps and recovered the story of salsa. Salsa Talks is based on interviews I performed with some of salsa’s best and best known salsa artists. In addition to interviewing them, I attended as many of their performances as I could so as to photograph the artists in performance as well as in my photo studio in New York City. My research process, which is ongoing, has involved reading other books on the subject, going to lots of nightclubs and, of course, dancing, and many times getting home at 4 AM.
Dancing has been an important part of my life since I was a child. I am Latina, and not just Latina but Caribbean. I was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. What are the implications of being Caribbean? We share an African ethnic heritage.
To me salsa is a music that celebrates life. It is like sprinkling your life with seasoning. It warms your blood and makes you feel good inside. It makes you forget about your problems. It is full of passion and joy. Salsa is like a rhythmic elixir that penetrates our senses, traveling from our nerve endings to our feet, our hips, our shoulders. It engulfs our very being with a euphoria that some describe as addictive!
But Salsa is a lot more than that. It is a music rich with tradition, innovation and evolution and the creativity of the Afro-Caribbean people.
The African influence is the essence of this music. It cannot be overestimated. The African roots are evident in the rhythm. And the rhythm makes you move. Salsa is dance music. Enjoy!

From the Back Cover:

SALSA TALKS! is a look at Who’s Who in salsa music. For budding fans to full-fledged salsa experts! Read the personal stories of your favorite salsa artists in their own words. Catch the feeling of the Palladium and Cheetah night clubs in their heyday. YOU WILL LEARN... What is salsa? Where was salsa born? Who are salsa’s prominent players? What are salsa’s newest trends? What is a descarga? A sonero? How do musicians define merengue, cha cha cha, danz�n, son, mambo, rumba, boogaloo...? What does it mean to be "in clave?" YOU WILL MEET... the father of Afro-Cuban jazz, the man who invented the mambo, the hardest-working woman in show business. YOU WILL GET THE SCOOP... Who really founded the Buena Vista Social Club? What is the story of the boogaloo? Which salsa personality appeared in a full-page photo in Gentlemen’s Quarterly? Who had a license plate with the name salsa on it? What promoter would line up the Navy barracks to teach them to cha cha? What salsa musician was forced at gunpoint to play the Beer Barrel Polka all night? How did Joe Cuba get his nickname? Which salsa singer is also an attorney and a politician? YOU WILL HEAR... Who formed the Fania All Stars? Which salsa musician gave Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald their first big break? Who first used the word salsa to refer to Afro-Caribbean music? Who composed the first salsa concept album? YOU WILL GO... Backstage at the Palladium, the Cheetah, Madison Square Garden, onstage at Carnegie Hall and Club Broadway. "Salsa Talks is the beginning not the culmination. This music has traveled from Africa to Cuba to the Americas.... this is truly a gift of a book and it allows you to enjoy a look at a beautiful world that's full of passion, sabor and rhythm. A must have for all those that want to understand the future. This is the real deal." Edward James Olmos Actor, Director, Advocate "What a wonderful concept, a refreshing change of pace from the more straight-laced, historical or musicological fare. You have a winner here. Readers will have the intimate encounter with some of salsa music's best, and realize they were (or are) in fact, human!"

Rebeca Maule�n Pianist, Composer, Author "Never before has the story of Latin music’s top performers been more brilliantly presented in words and pictures as they are in this volume. Confucius said that a picture is worth a thousand words. According to that criteria, Mary Kent’s publication of some 400 pages and 150 photographs is worth 150,000 words." Frank M. Figueroa Latin music historian "I'm so excited to see that the story of our music, our struggles and our triumphs will finally be told from the musicians’ point of view." Pedro Knight Musical Director for Celia Cruz "A Treasure trove!" Andy Garcia Actor, Director, Producer Salsa Talks! features candid artist stories told to Mary Kent and photos taken by this "photographer of the stars." This book is a must for any music lover and educator, an entertaining way to learn about the most important unifying element of the Hispanic culture: its music. Whether you are an ardent fan or student or just curious about the fastest growing population in America, you will refer to this book again and again.

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