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).
Mambo of the Times
Joe Cuba Sextet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of this crazy fad
And we hope our theory won't be sad
Soooo
If and when you ever
Feel the cuban beat
Just let the rhythm
Guide your little feet
It takes to build a little nest
Just swing along and we'll supply the rest
You'll need no education
To dance this great sensation
Just wait
Til' the instantation
The moment you feel the beat
Soo, if and when you ever
Feel along these lines
Just dance to the Mambo of the times
Mambo de Fino
The Joe Cuba Sextet's song "Mambo of the Times" is an upbeat and catchy tune that encourages listeners to embrace the "crazy fad" of the mambo dance craze. The lyrics suggest that anyone can participate in this popular trend, regardless of their level of expertise or education in dance. The song emphasizes the importance of the rhythm and encourages listeners to let it guide their movements, without worrying about technical skill or knowledge.
The lyrics of "Mambo of the Times" also convey a sense of enthusiasm and excitement about the mambo dance craze, implying that it is a fun and thrilling experience. The song suggests that the mambo can provide a release from the stresses of daily life, and encourages listeners to let go of their inhibitions and dance along to the beat.
Overall, "Mambo of the Times" is a fun and infectious tune that celebrates the joy of dance and encourages listeners to join in on the fun.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to our theory
We have an explanation to share
Of this crazy fad
About this popular trend
And we hope our theory won't be sad
We hope our explanation won't disappoint
Soooo
So
If and when you ever
Whenever
Feel the cuban beat
Hear the rhythm of Cuban music
Just let the rhythm
Allow the beat
Guide your little feet
Direct your footsteps
It doesn't take the know how
No expertise required
It takes to build a little nest
Just willingness to try something new
Just swing along and we'll supply the rest
Follow our lead and we'll do the rest
You'll need no education
No formal training required
To dance this great sensation
To enjoy this exciting experience of dancing
Just wait
Just be patient
Til' the instantation
Until the moment
The moment you feel the beat
The precise moment you feel the rhythm
Soo, if and when you ever
So whenever
Feel along these lines
Hear another song like this
Just dance to the Mambo of the times
Just enjoy and move to the current Mambo trend
Mambo de Fino
Specify the type of Mambo music being played
Writer(s): Nick Jimenez
Contributed by Aubrey W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maotorres7810
Listen to our theory of this crazy fad
And we hope our story won't be sad
So if you want to mambo feel the Cuban beat
Just let the rhythm guide you with your feet
It doesn't take the know how it takes to build a nest
Just swing along and we'll supply the rest
You'll need no education to dance this great sensation
Just wait til' the instantation, the moment you feel the beat
So, if and when you ever feel along these lines
Just come and dance to the Mambo of the times!
@lopz33
Un día como hoy, 15 de febrero de 2009, falleció en Nueva York, Nueva York, Estados Unidos, el conguero, compositor, arreglista y director de orquesta de ascendencia puertorriqueña Gilberto Miguel Calderón Cardona, mejor conocido como Joe Cuba, El Alma del Barrio. Maestro, lo seguimos extrañando. 🎵🪘✍🎶😢😢😢😢😢
@lopz33
¡Tremendo mambo!
Un día como hoy, 15 de junio de 1929, nació en Santurce, Puerto Rico, el pianista, compositor, arreglista y director de orquesta Nicolás (Nick) Jiménez. Maestro, lo seguimos extrañando.🎵🎹✍🎶😢😢😢😢😢
@juanalvarez-pb2sv
Willie Torres y Nick Jiménez fueron los precursores en el uso de letras en inglés en la música latina (1952) . Este tipo de composiciones se popularizó tanto en las voces de Torres y Sabater con el sexteto de Joe Cuba, sobre todo en los bailes para judíos e italianos. Estos bailes se realizaban en el salón Stardust en el Bronx. Fue tanta la influencia que ejerció este tipo de composiciones en estas colonias, que este sexteto se hizo acreedor a una residencia de dos años en el hotel judío los pinos, que era un reconocido hotel de la época, de allí surge inicialmente el tema Mambo of the pines y que posteriormente con un rotundo éxito se llamaría Mambo of the times.
@LizarazoAlberto
La cosa nostra hizo la salsa desde New York.
@williampadilla662
If you want the Mambo,feel the Cuban beat,just let the rhythm guide you with your feet. It doesn´t take the know how. You need no education. What an awesome Mambo by Cheo Feliciano and Willie Torres. In Cali, Colombia we love this rhythm.
@josemontufardelgado3150
mucha calidad de primera
@amparoospina562
Espectacular
@diegoperez-ci1tt
agosto 17 del 2020 fallece willy torres nacio 30 de octubre 1929 edad actual 91 la mejor vos cantando salsa en ingles paz en su tumba, desde cali colombia
@miguelperezcantillo2757
Joda loco mas mono que mico !!! viva la salsa q nunca muera llave...aqui en mi QUILLA esta mas VIVA que nunca ... TROJA CITY con unas frias vestida de novia....
@orlandocastro7976
magnifica interpretacion con una majestuosa voz de WIllie Torres y rematada con el el maestro Cheo Feliciano