Song:Ahora Vengo Yo
Album:Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa)
If you're going to talk about Latin music, it has to start with Fania Records. The company was started in 1964 by New York lawyer Jerry Masucci and bandleader Johnny Pacheco. Masucci bought out Pacheco but Pacheco remained at Fania as music director. As they started to develop their roster, Pacheco decided to form an all star band and send them out on tour to promote the label. They were called The Fania All-Stars. In 1971, Leon Gast directed the concert film Our Latin Thing. It was filmed at the Cheetah club in New York. There is also a film of the Fania All-Stars 1973 Yankee Stadium concert. For years, it was believed that Our Latin Thing was lost. It seems that the master print of the film went into landfill. But an eBay user discovered a theatrical print of the film and that was transferred to digital. And then it was released on DVD in 2011 along with 2CDs of music featured in the film. The print is not perfect but Latin music fans should get it. Ahora Vengo Yo was written by the team of singer Bobby Cruz and pianist Richie Ray who were very popular at the time. The rest of The Fania All-Stars is a who's who of Latin music including Ray Barretto, Justo Betancourt, Willie Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Larry Harlow, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, Johnny Pacheco, Louis Ramirez, Pete Rodriguez, Roberto Roena, Barry Rogers and Bobby Valentin. At the height of their popularity in 1976, Fania signed a deal with Columbia Records for The Fania All-Stars. The recordings were watered down and didn't work. And eventually The Fania All-Stars ended in the 80s. But The Fania All-Stars recordings and DVDs from the early 70s are essential for Latin music fans. Here's The Fania All-Stars performing Ahora Vengo Yo in the 1971 film Our Latin Thing.
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