Mi Rìtmo Latino: December 2007

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Joe Bataan (also spelled Bataán) (born 1942 in Spanish Harlem, New York City) is an Afro-Filipino American Latin R&B musician from New York. He was born Bataan Nitollano and grew up in the 103rd and Lexington part of East Harlem where he briefly lead the Dragons, a local Puerto Rican street gang before being sent to the Coxsackie Correctional Facility to serve time for a stolen car charge.
Upon his release in 1965, he turned his attention to music and formed his first band, Joe Bataan and the Latin Swingers. Bataan was influenced by two musical styles: the Latin boogaloo and African American doo-wop. Though Bataan was neither the first nor only artist to combine doo-wop-style singing with Latin rhythms, his talent for it drew the attention of Fania Records. After signing with them in 1966, Bataan released "Gypsy Woman," in 1967 (the title track is a Latin dance cover of "Gypsy Woman" by The Impressions.) He would, in full, release eight original titles for Fania which included the gold-selling "Riot!". These Fania albums often mixed energetic Latin dance songs, sung in Spanish, with slower, English-language soul ballads sung by Bataan himself. As a vocalist, Bataan's fame in the Latin music scene at the time was only rivaled by Ralfi Pagan and Harvey Averne READ MORE>>>>

Listen to Joe Bataan's version of Chicago's "MAKE ME SMILE"

Listen to Joe Bataan's version of Deodato's "LATIN STRUT"

Watch Joe Bataan's video lecture session in Red Bull Music Academy (Take Note:This is worth watching...Just click the blue hyperlink please!)

PART 1
The session with Joe Bataan was long, but worth every minute. In this first part of four the giant of the Nuyorican sound recalls his childhood growing up in East Harlem, his days in prison and how he turned from neighbourhood thug to neighbourhood hero. Not that it was easy! He had to go miles out of his way, literally, to convince the parents of his teenage band that he was a reformed character. He also tells us about his first recording session, how the Boogaloo changed things for Latino people and how he was in a unique position to play to all races, before the Latin purists did their best to squeeze it off the radio.

PART 2
In this second part of our Joe Bataan session we learn about the notorious businessmen of the New York music scene and how to avoid the rip offs. Hint: it helps to have a pseudonym and to secure your own publishing rights. We also hear about Joe’s role as a campaigner against exploitation in the industry and a trip he made to the communist East Germany with legendary revolutionary Angela Davis. Back home, Joe went on strike at Fania Records, so obviously learned something there, even if it wasn’t all smiles.

PART 3
In his third session Joe Bataan talks about his dissatisfaction with Fania Records and how he helped shape both the name and the spirit of Salsoul Records, the era’s premier Disco label. We hear the story behind his version of Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘The Bottle’, which introduced the world to a young David Sanborn, as well as Joe’s introduction to Rap, and how he recorded one of the first tracks in ‘Rap-O Clap-O’ and took it onto massive success in Europe, despite the no-show by one of the future major CEO’s of the Hip Hop music scene.

PART 4
In the last quarter of our four part session with Joe Bataan he tells us about his time working in the same prison where he was once incarcerated. He then goes on to tell us about the time he almost died and how it reinforced his faith. But most of this session is given over to music and after playing his ‘Rap-O Clap-O’ hit he gives us a demonstration on the keyboards of the magic that is Joe Bataan.

(On www.youtube.com)Joe Bataan - Rap o Clap O - 4 Aprile 1980
Joe Bataan (mio amico personale) presenta a POP CORN il suo nuovo singolo "Rap O Clap O" è il 4 aprile 1980.
Il Programma è presentato da Sammy Barbot.