Arsenio Rodríguez and the Transnational Flows of Latin Popular Music (Studies In Latin America & Car)

ARSENIO RODRIGUEZ (1911-70) was one of Cuba’s most important composers and musical innovators of the twentieth century. Since the late 1930s, Arsenio’s music has continued to make an indelible impact on a broad range of musical styles from the Caribbean and Latin America to West and Central Africa and beyond.' In the early 1940s Arsenio created the son montuno genre with his innovative conjunto ensemble, and by the 1950s Benny Moré, Ernest “Tito” Puente, and other Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Latin big band leaders had adopted the son montuno genre into their repertories, bringing it to a broader international audience. Contemporary musicians readily admit to the significant impact the music of Arsenio and his successors has had on their approach to performing Cuban and Latin dance music. In addition to inspiring composers, arrangers, and musicians, Arsenio’s music has been performed and rerecorded by musicians of various musical backgrounds, most recently by the Afro-Cuban All Stars, Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal, and Rubén González of the internationally famous Buena Vista Social Club. In fact, González performed and recorded with Arsenio”s conjunto in Havana from about 1945 to 1946. In the liner notes to his CD Chanchullo (World Circuit/Nonesuch 79503-2), Gonzalez is quoted as saying: ‘‘[Arsenio] taught me many things; to always think about a solo before playing it, never to play the same thing twice and never depart from the rhythm.”’ Experimental jazz guitarist Mark Ribot has recorded two CDs of Arsenio’s music reworked for a jazz combo.” This book is the first scholarly work to document and analyze Arsenio Rodriguez’s career and music. The author is particularly interested in addressing the conflict in his volatile professional career and his music’s long-term significance to Cuban and Latin popular music history. Although Arsenio’s recorded repertory and son montuno style shaped transnational musical trends—from mambo in the 1940s and 1950s to salsa in the 1970s—his own professional viability beyond local music cultures in the Caribbean and the Cuban diaspora remained tenuous throughout his career. Introduction. Feeling Son Montuno : Issues And Theoretical Approach -- I Was Born Of Africa : Black Consciousness And Cubanidad. Formative Years ; Reclaiming Africa ; Adore Her As Martí Did -- Negro Y Macho : Arsenio Rodríguez's Conjunto And Son Montuno Style. The Early Septetos And Conjunto, 1926-44 ; Contratiempo And The Emergence Of The Son Montuno Feel ; Placing The Emergence Of Son Montuno -- Who's Who In Mambo? Migrating To New York City ; I Sell Rhythm! The Political Economy Of Son Montuno And Mambo ; The Pueblo Pueblo Of El Barrio And The Bronx -- Remembering The Past With El Ciego Maravilloso. Arsenio Rodríguez In Chicago, Curaçao, And Los Angeles ; Nostalgia, Exile Politics, And The Presalsa Milieu In New York City ; Final Performances And Death In Los Angeles -- Salsa And Arsenio Rodríguez's Legacy. We Were Disciples Of Arsenio ; Son Montuno And Salsa Aesthetics -- Conclusion : Remembering Arsenio Rodríguez, Remembering Son Montuno. David F. García. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [183]-202), Discography (p. [147]-166), And Index. Arsenio Rodríguez was one of the most important Cuban musicians of the twentieth century. In this first scholarly study, ethnomusicologist David F. García examines Rodríguez's life, including the conjunto musical combo he led and the highly influential son montuno style of music he created in the 1940s. García recounts Rodríguez's battle for recognition at the height of'mambo mania'in New York City and the significance of his music in the development of salsa. With firsthand accounts from relatives and fellow musicians, Arsenio Rodríguez and the Transnational Flows of Latin Popular Music follows Rodríguez's fortunes on several continents, speculating on why he never enjoyed wide commercial success despite the importance of his music. García focuses on the roles that race, identity, and politics played in shaping Rodríguez's music and the trajectory of his musical career. His transnational perspective has important implications for Latin American and popular music studies. Arsenio Rodríguez was one of the most important Cuban musicians of the twentieth century. In this first scholarly study, ethnomusicologist David F. García examines Rodríguez's life, including the conjunto musical combo he led and the highly influential son montuno style of music he created in the 1940s. The author recounts Rodríguez's battle for recognition at the height of "mambo mania" in New York City and the significance of his music in the development of salsa. With firsthand accounts from relatives and fellow musicians, this book follows Rodríguez's fortunes on several continents, speculating on why he never enjoyed wide commercial success despite the importance of his music. The author focuses on the roles that race, identity, and politics played in shaping Rodríguez's music and the trajectory of his musical career. His transnational perspective has important implications for Latin American and popular music studies Feeling son montuno : issues and theoretical approach I was born of Africa : Black consciousness and Cubanidad. Formative years ; Reclaiming Africa ; Adore her as Martí did Negro y macho : Arsenio Rodríguez's conjunto and son montuno style. The early septetos and conjunto, 1926-1944 ; Contratiempo and the emergence of the son montuno feel ; Placing the emergence of son montuno Who is who in mambo? Migrating to New York City ; I sell rhythm! The political economy of son montuno and mambo ; The pueblo pueblo of El Barrio and the Bronx Remembering the past with El Ciego Maravilloso. Arsenio Rodríguez in Chicago, Curaçao, and Los Angeles ; Nostalgia, exile politics, and the pre-salsa melieu in New York City ; Final performances and death Salsa and Arsenio Rodríguez's legacy. We were disciples of Arsenio ; Son montuno and salsa aesthetics Conclusion : remembering Arsenio Rodríguez, remembering son montuno. Arsenio Rodriguez and the Transnational Flows of Latin Popular Music Contents Preface Introduction “I Was Born of Africa”: Black Consciousness and Cubanidad Negro y Macho: Arsenio Rodriguez’s Conjunto and Son Montuno Style Who’s Who in Mambo? Remembering the Past with El Ciego Maravilloso Salsa and Arsenio Rodriguez’s Legacy Conclusion: Remembering Arsenio Rodriguez/ Remembering Son Montuno Discography Notes Bibliography Index Traces Arsenio Rodriguez's early career in Cuba, his influence on Cuban and Latin popular music in the 1940s, his struggle for recognition at the height of mambo-mania in the 1950s, and his importance to Puerto Rican and Cuban communities in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.