Joe Cuba born "Gilberto Calderon" in 1931 in the city of New York, was a Pu… Read Full Bio ↴Joe Cuba born "Gilberto Calderon" in 1931 in the city of New York, was a Puerto Rican musician.
Cuba is considered to be the "Father of Latin Boogaloo". His parents emigrated from Puerto Rico in the late 1920s and settled in Spanish Harlem, a Hispanic ghetto located in Manhattan. Cuba was raised in an apartment building where his father had become the owner of a candy store located on the ground floor (street level floor). His father had organized a stickball (ghetto baseball) club called the Devils. Stickball was the main sport activity of the neighborhood. After Cuba broke a leg he took up playing the conga and continued to practice with the conga between school and his free time. Eventually he graduated from high school and joined a band.
In 1950, when he was 19 years old, he played for J. Panama and also for a group called La Alfarona X. The group soon disbanded and Cuba enrolled in college to study law. Whilst at college he attended a concert in which Tito Puente performed "Abaniquito". He went up to Tito and introduced himself as a student and fan and soon they developed what was to become a lifetime friendship. This event motivated Cuba to organize his own band. In 1954, his agent recommended that he change the band's name from the Jose Calderon Sextet to the Joe Cuba Sextet and the newly named Joe Cuba Sextet made their debut at the Stardust Ballroom.
In 1962, Cuba recorded "To Be With You" with the vocals of Cheo Feliciano and Jimmy Sabater. The band became popular in the New York Latin community. The lyrics to Cuba's music used a mixture of Spanish and English, becoming an important part of the Nuyorican Movement. In 1967, his band which included timbales, vibraphones, and the piano among its musical instruments, scored a "hit" in the United States National Hit Parade List with the song "Bang Bang" - a song which ushered in the Latin Boogaloo era. He also had a #1 hit, that year in the Billboards with the song "Sock It To Me Baby".
Then came what is considered to be his "greatest" hit, "El Pito (I Never Go Back To Georgia)". It is said that during the 1960s, while Joe Cuba and his sextet were on tour, they had an engagement in Georgia. He personally suffered the racial discrimination which was rampant in the south at that time. This experience inspired him to write the song which includes his trademark whistle.
Charlie Palmieri was his musical director, when in 1988 he died of a heart attack upon his arrival to New York from Puerto Rico. Joe Cuba and his sextet have sold millions of records over the years.
On April 1999, Joe Cuba was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. In 2004, he was named Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican Day Parade celebrated in Yonkers, New York. He currently is the director of the Museum of La Salsa, located in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York. He is also in the stickball hall of fame.
Joe Cuba died on February 15, 2009 in New York City after being removed from life support. He had been hospitalized for a persistent bacterial infection. Cuba's remains were cremated at Woodhaven Cemetery. He is survived by his 2 adult children from his first wife (Nina, married in 1960), son Mitchell and daughter Lisa, 3 grandchildren Nicole, Alexis and Rebecca; and his second wife Maria (Married in 1994).
Cuba is considered to be the "Father of Latin Boogaloo". His parents emigrated from Puerto Rico in the late 1920s and settled in Spanish Harlem, a Hispanic ghetto located in Manhattan. Cuba was raised in an apartment building where his father had become the owner of a candy store located on the ground floor (street level floor). His father had organized a stickball (ghetto baseball) club called the Devils. Stickball was the main sport activity of the neighborhood. After Cuba broke a leg he took up playing the conga and continued to practice with the conga between school and his free time. Eventually he graduated from high school and joined a band.
In 1950, when he was 19 years old, he played for J. Panama and also for a group called La Alfarona X. The group soon disbanded and Cuba enrolled in college to study law. Whilst at college he attended a concert in which Tito Puente performed "Abaniquito". He went up to Tito and introduced himself as a student and fan and soon they developed what was to become a lifetime friendship. This event motivated Cuba to organize his own band. In 1954, his agent recommended that he change the band's name from the Jose Calderon Sextet to the Joe Cuba Sextet and the newly named Joe Cuba Sextet made their debut at the Stardust Ballroom.
In 1962, Cuba recorded "To Be With You" with the vocals of Cheo Feliciano and Jimmy Sabater. The band became popular in the New York Latin community. The lyrics to Cuba's music used a mixture of Spanish and English, becoming an important part of the Nuyorican Movement. In 1967, his band which included timbales, vibraphones, and the piano among its musical instruments, scored a "hit" in the United States National Hit Parade List with the song "Bang Bang" - a song which ushered in the Latin Boogaloo era. He also had a #1 hit, that year in the Billboards with the song "Sock It To Me Baby".
Then came what is considered to be his "greatest" hit, "El Pito (I Never Go Back To Georgia)". It is said that during the 1960s, while Joe Cuba and his sextet were on tour, they had an engagement in Georgia. He personally suffered the racial discrimination which was rampant in the south at that time. This experience inspired him to write the song which includes his trademark whistle.
Charlie Palmieri was his musical director, when in 1988 he died of a heart attack upon his arrival to New York from Puerto Rico. Joe Cuba and his sextet have sold millions of records over the years.
On April 1999, Joe Cuba was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. In 2004, he was named Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican Day Parade celebrated in Yonkers, New York. He currently is the director of the Museum of La Salsa, located in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York. He is also in the stickball hall of fame.
Joe Cuba died on February 15, 2009 in New York City after being removed from life support. He had been hospitalized for a persistent bacterial infection. Cuba's remains were cremated at Woodhaven Cemetery. He is survived by his 2 adult children from his first wife (Nina, married in 1960), son Mitchell and daughter Lisa, 3 grandchildren Nicole, Alexis and Rebecca; and his second wife Maria (Married in 1994).
El Pito
Joe Cuba Sextet Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'El Pito' by these artists:
Cheo Feliciano Oye!, y ese pito? (Así se goza) Así es que la rumba…
Joe Cuba Oye!, y ese pito? (Así se goza) Así es que la rumba…
Tinyo RD Tinyo rd Metiendome por la red Fiscales me tiran su veredic…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Joe Cuba Sextet:
A Las Seis Nick Cave & The Badseeds Miscellaneous I Had A Dream, Joe …
Bailadores Bailadores, bailadores, Yo quiero que ahora bailen con este …
Bang Bang Bang bang bang Bang bang bang Is it the way that you're…
Cachondea A cuco el bravo me dicen lo dejaron tirao, como efecto…
Confesion De Amor ay mi amor, soy tan feliz, quiero confesar, lo que siento…
Do You Feel It do u feel it? yes i feel it i feel my beloved…
El Raton Mi gato se está quejando que no puede vacilar si donde quier…
I Need You Each time I look at you is like the first…
Lucumi ¡Hey! Pascual yo te estoy llamando Pascual tu no me responde…
Mambo of the Times Listen to our theory Of this crazy fad And we hope our…
Mujer Sabararabaraba bao Sabararabaraba bao La primera noche que …
Oh Yeah We're going to a party Put your red dress on Ain't nothing…
Oye Como Va Oye como va Me ritmo Bueno pa gozar Mulatta…
To Be With You To Be WIth You One hour each lonley day? WIll there be…
Wabble Cha Que todo lo que pide y quiere, Y eso mismo es…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@reginagrimes3873
Cant believe I found this. My father came to Austin Texas from the Bronx in 1955 and this came with him. We played it often in our home at family gatherings. He passed in 2019. We are African American, but this album helped give us an acceptance and appreciation for the music of other cultures and I am grateful to him for this exposure. Thanks for posting.❤
@julianjv7325
What are you talking about, Salsa and Boogaloo are Latin genres born from the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms and American soul, Salsa dura, I am a fan of hard rock from the 70s, but in my house I grew up with this music, the fania, Héctor, Rubén and many more, it reminds me of my childhood.
@jesseayala4619
THIS TRACK IS FIRE !!! I LOVE THIS TRACK .... I FEEL THIS TRACK .... BUMP THIS TRACK FULL BLAST IN MY SOUND SYSTEM , PEOPLE ALWAYS TURNING HEADS , HONK AND GIVE ME A THUMBS UP !!!!!
@risefan2.08
Pito head
@danielarigita6543
opening minds, breaking walks ! saludos desde España a mis hermanos norteamericanos...I never come back jajajajajajajaj
@hipolitogonzalez1506
You are right! The original version of this tune was recorded in the 50's by other boricua, the great vibraphone player Peter Terrace (Dr. Pedro Gutierrez). Pete worked with big names such Machito, Joe Loco, Charlie Palmieri, among others. He got a Masters Degree in Julliard School of Music. Eventually, he traveled to Puerto Rico to work as a Medicine Doctor. He had an awesome and oustanding career in music.
@kermitefrog64
When I have gone to Puerto Rico when my wife was alive, it was common to hear this music playing. This genre of music is still heard often in my community floating through the airwaves as we have people from Puerto Rico, and many of the Central America, South America and Mexico. You just can't help but want to dance. My wife of 32 years would spontaneously break out in dance. How I miss her. She succumbed to cancer 2 years ago.
@nybornFunk
QEPD Sorry !!!
@julianjv7325
I am sorry for your loss, she is in heaven dancing and waiting for you.
@heavnnnsent
So sorry for your loss, your wife you both have great taste in, this music is the best! The fania All-Stars and Latin artists and orchestras from the 1960s is the greatest Latin music of all time. Joe Cuba, Hector lavoe, the list goes on. Check out Marc Anthony's more recent performance of "agua Neely done by Hector lavoe back in the 60smix I going to need a witch Hector lavoe did back in the 60s it's awesome