Fania All-Stars

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Fania All-Stars
OriginNew York City
Genres
Years active1968–present
LabelsFania
Members
Past members
Websitewww.fania.com

The Fania All-Stars is a musical group formed in 1968 as a showcase for the musicians on Fania Records, the leading salsa music record label of the time.[1]

History[edit]

Beginnings[edit]

In 1964, Fania Records was founded in New York City by Jerry Masucci, an Italian-American lawyer with a love for Cuban music, and Johnny Pacheco, a flutist, percussionist and bandleader born in the Dominican Republic but raised in the South Bronx who had like minded musical tastes.[2] Masucci later bought out his partner Pacheco from Fania Entertainment Group, Ltd. and was the sole owner until his death in December 1997.[3]

Throughout the early years, Fania used to distribute its records around New York. Eventually success from Pacheco's Cañonazo recording would lead the label to develop its roster. Masucci and Pacheco, now executive negotiator and musical director respectively, began acquiring musicians such as Bobby Valentín, Larry Harlow, and Ray Barretto.

Success[edit]

In 1968, Fania Records created a continuously revolving line-up of entertainers known as the Fania All-Stars. They were considered some of the best Latin Music performers in the world at that time. The original lineup consisted of:

They recorded Live At The Red Garter, Volumes 1 and 2 with this original lineup. On August 26, 1971 they recorded Fania All-Stars: Live At The Cheetah, Volumes 1 and 2.[4] It exhibited the entire All-Star family performing before a capacity audience in New York City's Cheetah Lounge.

Following sell-out concerts in Puerto Rico, Chicago, and Panama, the All-Stars embarked on their first appearance at New York's Yankee Stadium on August 24, 1973.[5] The Stars performed before more than 40,000 spectators in a concert that featured Ray Barretto, Willie Colón, Edwin Tito Asencio, Rubén Blades, Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Roberto Roena, Pellín Rodríguez, Bobby Valentín, and Jorge Santana (younger brother of Carlos Santana), Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, Justo Betancourt, Ismael Quintana, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Bobby Cruz and Santos Colón. Live at Yankee Stadium was included in the second set of 50 recordings in the U.S. National Recording Registry, solidifying the All-Stars as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant."[6]

In 1974, the All Stars performed in Zaire, Africa, at the 80,000-seat Stade du 20 mai in Kinshasa. This was captured on film and released as Live in Africa (Salsa Madness in the UK). This Zairean appearance occurred along with James Brown and others at a music festival held in conjunction with the Muhammad Ali/George Foreman heavyweight title fight.[2] Footage of the performance was included in the 2008 documentary Soul Power.[7]

To attain a wider market for salsa music, Fania made a deal with Columbia Records in the US for a series of crossover albums by the All-Stars, beginning with Delicate & Jumpy (1976), in which Steve Winwood united with the All-Stars' Pacheco, Valentin, Barreto, and Roena. During the same year, the Fania All-Stars made their sole UK appearance, at London's Lyceum Ballroom, with Winwood appearing as guest.[8]

In 1978 the All-Stars released Live, recorded in concert on July 11, 1975 at San Juan's Roberto Clemente Coliseum. In 1979, they travelled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the Havana Jam festival that took place between 2–4 March, alongside Rita Coolidge, Kris Kristofferson, Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, Trio of Doom, Billy Swan, Bonnie Bramlett, Weather Report, and Billy Joel, plus Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. Their performance is captured on Ernesto Juan Castellanos's documentary Havana Jam '79. During the same year the All-Stars released Crossover and Havana Jam on Fania, which came from a concert recorded in Havana on March 2.[9]

Legacy[edit]

In 2009, a historical documentary, Latin Music USA, shown on PBS TV, featured an episode on the Fania All-Stars, their evolution, career, and later demise.[10] In 2009 as well, the All-Stars returned to the stage, opening Carlos Santana's world tour in Bogotá, Colombia. The presentation caused mixed feelings inside the salsa circle though, mainly because they were treated as seconds by the concert's organizers.

In March 2011, and subsequently in November 2012, a limited roster of the All-Stars performed in Lima, Peru.[11][12] One thing to note about the 2012 performance is the return of Ruben Blades. Ismael Quintana was not present in the November 2012 performance though, as well as Yomo Toro (Yomo died on June 30, 2012). In October 2013, a new, complete roster of the All-Stars performed in San Juan Puerto Rico, celebrating the 40th anniversary of their first performance in San Juan. This roster included the return of Orestes Vilato and Luigi Texidor, as well as the participation of Andy Montañez, Cita Rodriguez (Pete's daughter) and Willie Colón. This was Cheo Feliciano's last performance with the All-Stars before dying in a car accident in April 2014 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[13] In 2015 the Fania All-Stars were chosen to receive ASCAP's honorary Latin Heritage Award.[14] The All-Stars were set to perform in Central Park, New York City on August 24 as part of the closing of the 50th anniversary celebration of the legendary Fania Records label.

In 2019, many of the classic Fania records were re-issued in vinyl as part of the renewed interest in the vinyl record format.[15]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

  • Tribute to Tito Rodríguez (Fania, 1976)
  • Delicate and Jumpy (Columbia, 1976)
  • Rhythm Machine (Columbia, 1977)
  • Spanish Fever (Columbia, 1978)
  • Cross Over (Columbia, 1979)
  • California Jam (Musica Latina, 1980)
  • Commitment (FNA, 1980)
  • Latin Connection (Fania, 1981)
  • Social Change (Fania, 1981)
  • Lo Que Pide la Gente (StyllaPhone, 1984)
  • Viva la Charanga (Sterns, 1986)
  • Bamboleo (Caliente, 1988)
  • Latin Jazz Fusion (Charly, 1988)
  • Guasasa (Fania, 1989)
  • Bravo 97 (Sony International, 1997)

Live albums[edit]

  • Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 1 (Fania, 1968)
  • Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1969)
  • Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 1 (Fania, 1972)
  • Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1972)
  • Latin-Soul-Rock (Fania, 1974)
  • Fania All-Stars (Island, 1975)
  • Live in Japan 76 (Fania, 1976)
  • Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 1 (Fania, 1976)
  • Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1976)
  • Live (Fania, 1978)
  • Habana Jam (Fania, 1979)
  • Live in Africa (Fania, 1986)

Filmography[edit]

  • Our Latin Thing (Fania 1972)
  • Salsa (Fania, 1974)
  • In Africa (Fania, 1993)
  • Live (Fania, 1995)

References[edit]

  1. ^ César Miguel Rondón The Book of Salsa: A Chronicle of Urban Music from the Caribbean 2008 - Page 42 "In this way, the Fania All Stars were formed as a fusion of the best bandleaders and singers from seven orchestras, complemented by some individual veteran musicians from the New York scene."
  2. ^ a b "Fania Records' Founding Fathers". NPR. 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  3. ^ "Jerry Masucci | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  4. ^ Negron. (2015a). Fania Records Nuyorican and Its New York Imaginary: Representing Salsa as Commodity and Cultural Sign in Our Latin Thing. Journal of Popular Music Studies, 27(3), 274–303.
  5. ^ Gonzalez, Will (2008-09-22). "Yankee Stadium fielded a memorable night of music in 1973". ESPN.
  6. ^ Rohter, Larry (2014-06-12). "Celebrating a Salsa Legacy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  7. ^ Scott, O.A. (2009-07-10). "Music and Musicians Still Echo 35 Years Later". New York Times.
  8. ^ "Fania All-Stars Biography". OLDIES.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  9. ^ Billboard - 17 March 1979 "The Fania All Stars were led by Johnny Pacheco and their efforts will probably produce an LP which will be released on Fania. according 10 Lundvall The intention is to intersperse as much Cuban music as possible Thus Irakere, "
  10. ^ "Latin Music USA: Chapter 5: Our Latin Thing & the Fania All-Stars", Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) TV documentary, October 2009.
  11. ^ Peru.com, Redacción (2012-11-24). "¡La Fania All Stars y Rubén Blades entregan noche de ritmo y sabor en concierto salsero! (VIDEO)". Peru.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  12. ^ "CONCIERTO DE LA "FANIA ALL STARS" EN LIMA - PURO TIP - Artículos y publicaciones - Masters y Cursos". www.purotip.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  13. ^ Notice of death of Cheo Feliciano, cnn.com; accessed April 17, 2014.
  14. ^ "ASCAP Continues 100th Anniversary Celebration at 22nd Annual ASCAP Latin Music Awards:Event to Honor Daddy Yankee and Fania All Stars in New York City on March 18, 2014." ASCAP, February 11, 2014.
  15. ^ Stone, Sam (2019-09-16). "Hermandad Fania: Craft Latino Announces Vinyl Reissues of Classics from Fania Label". The Second Disc. Retrieved 2020-06-11.

External links[edit]

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