King Of Latin Soul

The following article is from a review I wrote a couple of years ago for a certain New York-based weekly.

Born in the early ‘60s, Boogaloo has always been one of the most crucial and underestimated musical genres. A bare-bones mixture of Latin rhythmic instrumentation and doo-wop/soul harmonies, Boogaloo was a musical manifestation of the then ongoing civil rights movement with Latinos and African-Americans merging forces to create a vibrant urban sound with hits like Mongo Santamaria’s “Watermelon Man,” the Jimmy Castor Bunch’s “Hey Leroy, Your Mama’s Callin’ You” and two anthems by the Joe Cuba Sextet: “Bang Bang” and the slow jam “To Be With You.” This driving sound also directly impacted other musical genres like salsa, funk and rock (After all, what would the early work of Sly & the Family Stone, Santana, Chicago and Steely Dan have been without the Boogaloo template already in place?)

One prime back-in-the-day practioner of Boogaloo was East Harlem’s own Joe Bataan. Featuring vocals as visceral as the surrounding instrumentation, albums like Riot and St. Latin’s Day Massacre and songs like “Subway Joe” and “Gipsy Woman,” still sound vital because of the energetic performances by Bataan and bandmates like backup singer/trombonist Ralph “Chubby” Igartua.

As a lead vocalist, Bataan could never be classified as a silky-smooth crooner. Instead, what got him over was the pure primal emotion in his voice. In his late ‘60s heyday, he sounded like a guy on a darkened street corner with his eyes closed, singing his heart out to the melodies in his mind.

So what happened to Bataan? Well, after a ‘70s stint at Salsoul, a word and record label he created, he basically disappeared into the land of reissues.

In 2005, he resurfaced on the Vampisoul label with a rather ragged release Call My Name. It had the feel and sound of a retired fighter trying to get back into the ring. Yes, there were some fine moments but a raspy Bataan just wasn’t in shape yet.

Now he’s back on Vampisoul with a new disc and sobriquet: King Of Latin Soul. This time, backed by Los Fulanos - a terrific Barcelona-based nonet - Bataan might just earn that crown. Guided by the crisp production of the modestly named Miguelito Superstar, a revitalized Bataan romps through his refurbished catalog. “Mestizo” and “The Bottle” become Latin funk workouts while on the lilting “Special Girl,” the driving “Johnny’s No Good” and the poignant “I Wish You Love,” an ebullient Bataan combines the passion of his ‘60s heyday with a modern-day persona of an elder dispensing wisdom.

Not every cut on King Of Latin Soul hits the mark. Both “Latin Soul Square Dance” and the unfortunately titled “Rap-O- Clap-O 2008” are gimmick records best remembered then actually redone But when Bataan cuts loose with such heartfelt material like “The Prayer,” then such musical missteps are easily forgivable. King Of Latin Soul? Maybe not, but this record definitely makes a convincing case for being invited to the royal family ball.