Manteca
I am Nuyorican. Born to Puerto Rican parents in the greatest city in the world. I speak, read, and write in Spanish, but not as well as I would like. I cannot roll my r's and to the chagrin of my mother I do not eat pasteles. The level of my authenticity would depend on who you ask. My genetic composition could not make me anymore Puerto Rican but geographically speaking I was robbed of my heritage. But the congas tell a different story. I have always found solace in music but salsa (music) speaks to me on a molecular level. That somewhere deep in my dna lies dormant the soul a Taino Indian who comes alive with the sound of the congas. A spiritual connection to my roots by way of the music. Which has become increasingly important given my current geographic location. Living in Los Angeles I am as far away from growing up Puerto Rican as I could possibly get. But when the music plays my heart makes a resounding declaration, "Yo soy Boricua y mi amor es Puerto Rico," as Charlie Aponte did in Pico Pico by El Gran Combo. So I comprised a playlist for those times when I miss growing up Nuyorican. A journey into the mean streets of 1970's New York. Abounding with amazing instrumentals and raw vocals, salsa dura was born. I call it manteca, Spanish for fat, because if New York was a roasted pig then salsa was the manteca that provided all the flavor.
Manteca (listen here on Spotify)
Mikey enters the shooting gallery - Kip Hanrahan
Traición - Roberto Roena
La Piragua - Dimensión Latina
El Paso de Encarnación - Orchestra Harlow
Canto al Amor - Sonora Ponceña
Panameña - Willie Colón
Watergate - Típica 73
Exterior New York Night - Kip Hanrahan
Calle Luna Calle Sol - Willie Colón
Guaguanco del Adiós - Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound
Así Se Compone un Son - Ismael Miranda
El Negro Bembón - Cortijo y su Combo
Nañara Caí - Sonora Ponceña
Arrepiéntete - Ray Barretto
Adonde Vas - Típica 73
La Cartera - Orchestra Harlow
Consolación - Roberto Roena
Tú Lo Sientes? - Joe Cuba
El Guiro de Macorina - Johnny Pacheco
Mi Ritmo te Llama - Ray Barretto
Mi Querida Bomba - Johnny Colón
Vámonos Pa'l Monte - Eddie Palmieri
Anacaona - Cheo Feliciano