Feel like I need more time to get the Bucky dose together
And today I was showing the site to a Puerto Rican friend, who complained that musica boricua had been given short thrift in this here initiative
I tried to scroll through to find Joe Cotto and Louie Ramirez
But the fact that it was taking a while to locate only underlined the point
One of the issues is that I’m embarrassingly ignorant about the isle’s sounds
Still love them, though
Like any human with a modicum of taste
I’m dumb, not deaf
Accordingly, here’s a jam that cooks up pungent flavor like mofongo
But that I don’t have a ton of backstory on
This is from 1968 on Davila
The label of producer Cesar Davila (imagine an accent on the first a)
Melendez was a singer, arranger, and bandleader
Apparently also played trumpet in Joe Acosta’s band when he was younger
His gran orquesta was doing big things in the late 60s and early 70s
Los Vecinos is a guaracha written, per liner notes, by Carlos Pinto
Willy was called “El hippie” on at least one of his records in the early 70s (“El Tremendo” on Tari Records from 1971 or 72 – a few sites list it as 77, but there’s no way it’s that late)
On the cover, he doesn’t give off strong “hippie” vibes necessarily, but does look pretty tremendous:
That record features arrangements by the great Bobby Valentin, and Guillo Rivera on vocals, who went on to sing for Willie Rosario’s orchestra
It has a song (that was also on the b-side of one of his singles) called “De Umbanda Soy”
https://youtu.be/mZM7_TzZIYA
The music is guanguanco all the way
But the lyrics refer to Chango, the orisha of justice and power
This isn’t odd, but the use of the term Umbanda is, at least to me
In Puerto Rico?
Ifa, spiritism, Santeria, sure
But I’ve never heard references to Umbanda specifically outside Brazil
Indeed, searches for “Puerto Rico Umbanda” only turn up comparisons between Brazilian Umbanda and Puerto Rican espiritismo
What’s the story behind this song and lyrics?
Some Brazil-PR social or musical connection that touched Melendez?
Your guess is as good as mine
In the meantime, enjoy the music, and perhaps we’ll get an overdose with some clarity in the future
