My musical journey took me to many concert venues and nightclubs, into the heart of salsa. And little by little, I retraced the steps and recovered the story of salsa.
Salsa Talks is based on interviews I performed with some of salsa’s best and best known salsa artists. In addition to interviewing them, I attended as many of their performances as I could so as to photograph the artists in performance as well as in my photo studio in New York City. My research process, which is ongoing, has involved reading other books on the subject, going to lots of nightclubs and, of course, dancing, and many times getting home at 4 AM. Dancing has been an important part of my life since I was a child. I am Latina, and not just Latina but Caribbean. I was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. What are the implications of being Caribbean? We share an African ethnic heritage.
To me salsa is a music that celebrates life. It is like sprinkling your life with seasoning. It warms your blood and makes you feel good inside. It makes you forget about your problems. It is full of passion and joy. Salsa is like a rhythmic elixir that penetrates our senses, traveling from our nerve endings to our feet, our hips, our shoulders. It engulfs our very being with a euphoria that some describe as addictive!
But Salsa is a lot more than that. It is a music rich with tradition, innovation and evolution and the creativity of the Afro-Caribbean people.
The African influence is the essence of this music. It cannot be overestimated. The African roots are evident in the rhythm. And the rhythm makes you move. Salsa is dance music. Enjoy!
In 1988, Mary Kent started doing P.R. photography for the largest salsa music management firm in the world. Through her work, she came in contact with many salsa superstars. Her access to the Salsa Festivals and performances placed her in the heartbeat of salsa and provided the perfect spectacle for her photographic eye. The colorful images and her passion for salsa became the driving force behind her salsa book project.
Completely bilingual in English and Spanish, Mary has translated two feature films and has done extensive editing and translating of art critiques and writings. Her informal yet informative articles on fellow photographers have been published in the Advertising Photographers of America Newsletter. Her articles on Latin music have been published in Latin Beat Magazine, Descarga, Ultimate Audio, and New York Latino. Her photographs have been published in Time, Vista Magazine, New York Latino, Latin Beat, San Francisco Chronicle, El Diario La Prensa, Mas Magazine and other newspapers. One of her photos was chosen for Latin Jazz: The Perfect Combination/La Combinación Perfecta, published by Chronicle Books in association with the Smithsonian Institute.
A twelve year stint in Venezuela renewed her passion for Latin America and its cultural heritage. During the seventies, Mary worked in the Education Department at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Caracas for three years and later headed the Audiovisual Department in the same Museum.
In 1991, Mary took up graphic design and computer imaging. Mary was born in the Caribbean coastal city of Barranquilla, Colombia. She also speaks Portuguese and French and earned a B.A. in French at Florida International University in Miami. Mary lives in Orlando, Florida.TOC: Bandleaders, Musicians, Arrangers, Singers/Soneros, Producers, Promoters, Experts Chapter 1 Tite Curet Alonzo - Songwriter, journalist and musicologist Chapter 2 Mario Bauzá - Bandleader, composer, Father of Afro-Cuban Jazz Chapter 3 Rubén Blades - Bandleader, composer, singer, sonero, Fania All Star, Seis del Solar Chapter 4 Richie Bonilla - Promoter and manager, first exposed Orquesta de la Luz, the Japanese salsa band Chapter 5 Celia Cruz - Sonera, Fania All Star, Sonora Matancera Chapter 6 Joe Cuba - Bandleader, conga player, Joe Cuba Sextet Chapter 7 Oscar D’León - Bandleader, sonero, bassist Chapter 8 José Alberto "El Canario"- Bandleader, sonero Chapter 9 Cheo Feliciano - Sonero, Joe Cuba Sextet, Fania All Star Chapter 10 Henry Fiol - Composer, sonero, percussionist, visual artist Chapter 11 Andy González - Musical Director Manny Oquendo’s Libre, bassist Chapter 12 Juan de Marcos González - Composer, arranger, bandleader, guitarist; Afro-Cuban All Stars, Sierra Maestra, Buena Vista Social Club Chapter 13 Larry Harlow - Bandleader, pianist, composer, Fania All Star Chapter 14 Giovanni Hidalgo - Conga virtuoso and percussionist Chapter 15 India - Vocalist, composer Chapter 16 Chucho Valdés - Pianist, composer, arranger, founder of Cuban group Irakere Chapter 17 Israel "Cachao" López - Bandleader, creator of danzón-mambo, bassist Chapter 18 Alexis Lozano - Bandleader of Guayacán, arranger, producer, trombonist, guitarist, tres and güiro player Chapter 19 Papo Lucca - Bandleader of the Sonora Ponceña, pianist, arranger, composer, Fania All Star Chapter 20 Marc Anthony - Singer, songwriter, actor Chapter 21 Eddy Zervigón - Bandleader of Orquesta Broadway, flautist Chapter 22 Canelita Medina - Sonera Chapter 23 Ralph Mercado - Promoter, manager, record exec Chapter 24 Ismael Miranda - Sonero, composer, Fania All Star Chapter 25 Andy Montañez - Bandleader, sonero Chapter 26 Luis "Perico" Ortiz - Bandleader, Virtuoso Trumpet Player, Arranger, Fania All Star Chapter 27 Johnny Pacheco - Bandleader, composer, Co-Founder Fania Records, Bandleader Fania All Stars, flautist, percussionist, backing singer Chapter 28 Tito Puente - Bandleader, arranger, composer, percussionist Chapter 29 Louie Ramírez - Bandleader, composer, arranger, producer, percussionist Chapter 30 Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz - Pianist, arranger, composer & vocalist, composer Chapter 31 Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez - Bandleader, sonero, Fania All Star Chapter 32 Victor Manuelle - Sonero, composer Chapter 33 Jerry Masucci - Co-Founder Fania Records Chapter 34 Eddie Palmieri - Bandleader, pianist, composer, arranger Chapter 35 Al Santiago - Founder Alegre Records, Producer Chapter 36 Gilberto Santa Rosa - Sonero, bandleader Chapter 37 Marty Sheller - Arranger, trumpet player Chapter 38 Carlos "Patato" Valdés - Percussionist, conga artist, dancer Chapter 39 Bobby Valentín - Bassist, arranger, bandleader, Fania All Star, owner Bonco Records Chapter 40 Roberto Roena - Bandleader Apollo Sound, percussionist, dancer, Fania All Star Chapter 41 Rafael Ithier - Bandleader of El Gran Combo, pianist, arranger Chapter 42 Salsagraphers — Irv Greenbaum - Audio engineer, Jack Hooke - Promoter, René López - Producer, historian, Max Salazar - Author, music historian, salsa expert, Izzy Sanabria - Founder, publisher Latin New York magazine, "Mr. Salsa" MC, Robert Farris Thompson - Master, Timothy Dwight College, Yale University, musicologist Chapter 43 Salsa Is Born - Three Concerts from the eyes of the performers. The story of three concerts which were instrumental in spreading salsa all over the world.
