Alfonso Joseph
Encyclopedia
Alfonso "El Panameno" Joseph was born in the Republic of Panama, and immigrated to New York
at 11 years of age, where he studied music and became one of the forefront bassist
s of Cuban legend Arsenio Rodríguez
. Joseph is a featured guest in a major television production about the era of Afro-Cuban music at The Palladium
in New York La Epoca.
Joseph's musical career
began in the mid-1950s, learning and playing guitar with many Puerto Rican groups, "conjunto
s", and playing diverse rhythmic variations of Puerto Rican music. He replaced the guitar strings with electronic strings and used the guitar as a bass, playing only the last four strings. With this convention, he became a bass player. Soon after, he graduated to Fender bass guitar and an Ampeg
bass amplifier. Joseph was one of handful of bass players at that time, who introduced and popularized the bass guitar in the Latin, Jazz
, Latin/Jazz and R&B venue.
Throughout the 1960s, Joseph performed at the Palladium and in the late Sixties and early Seventies, he performed at the Roseland Ballroom
, two of New York City's most famous venues. During the same era, he also played bass at Birdland
, a famous NYC club where all the jazz
and Latin Jazz
greats have performed.
As a bass player and vocalist, Joseph accompanied, recorded and performed with some of the most popular and prominent bandleaders and musicians during the heyday of Latin music and Latin Jazz. Historians and fans of this era as well as the older generation of Latinos, will remember most of these artists such as Arsenio Rodríguez
, Candido
, Celia Cruz
, Tito Puente
, Machito
, Johnny Pacheco
, Yomo Toro
, Cachao, Miguelito Valdez, Doc Cheetham, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armentero, Mauricio Smith, Richie Ray
, Marcelino Guerra and many others.
Arsenio Rodríguez was a tres
guitarist, a renowned master of Afro-Cuban music and in particular is regarded as the originator of a Latin style called the son montuno
. Rodriguez personally taught Joseph the intricate techniques of Cuban bass rhythms and syncopation. Joseph performed with Arsenio at Carnegie Hall
and recorded with Rodriguez on Ansonia Records Arsenio Rodríguez y Su Conjunto, (Vol.2) and Tico Records
(Arsenio Dice... Arsenio Says).
Candido
, the great Cuban Latin-Jazz percussionist, also personally coached and trained Joseph on Cuban bass rhythms and syncopation. Joseph recorded with Candido as vocalist, with Tito Puente conducting and playing vibes and timbales
and he often substituted with Cachao on bass, (Tico Records, Candido's Latin McGuffas Dust).
After the death of his mentor, Arsenio Rodríguez, Joseph partially retreated from performing and relocated to the Litchfield Hills
of northwestern Connecticut
, dedicating most of his time to composing and orchestrating. In this undertaking, he conceived the vision of employing his knowledge, skills and technique as acquired from Latin and Classical music into one form. Joseph has since relocated to Richmond, Virginia and has been a sugject interviewed in the major national television production called "La Epoca," which is about the Palladium-era in New York, and Afro-Cuban music and rhythms, Mambo and Salsa as dances and as music and much more, partly discussed in this "segment trailer" of the movie. The movie is expected to be released in theaters across the nation and in Latin America in September 2008, and later on DVD.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at 11 years of age, where he studied music and became one of the forefront bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
s of Cuban legend Arsenio Rodríguez
Arsenio Rodríguez
Arsenio Rodríguez was a Cuban musician who played the tres , reorganized the conjunto and developed the son montuno, and other Afro-Cuban rhythms in the 1940s and 50s...
. Joseph is a featured guest in a major television production about the era of Afro-Cuban music at The Palladium
Palladium Ballroom
The Palladium Ballroom was a second-floor dancehall on 53rd Street and Broadway in New York City which became famous for its excellent Latin music from 1948 until its closing in 1966.-Opening of Palladium:...
in New York La Epoca.
Joseph's musical career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
began in the mid-1950s, learning and playing guitar with many Puerto Rican groups, "conjunto
Conjunto
Conjunto literally translates as "group," and is regionally accepted in Texas as defining a genre of music that was born out of south Texas at the end of the 19th Century, after German settlers introduced the button accordion. The bajo sexto has come to accompany the button accordion and is...
s", and playing diverse rhythmic variations of Puerto Rican music. He replaced the guitar strings with electronic strings and used the guitar as a bass, playing only the last four strings. With this convention, he became a bass player. Soon after, he graduated to Fender bass guitar and an Ampeg
Ampeg
Ampeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...
bass amplifier. Joseph was one of handful of bass players at that time, who introduced and popularized the bass guitar in the Latin, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Latin/Jazz and R&B venue.
Throughout the 1960s, Joseph performed at the Palladium and in the late Sixties and early Seventies, he performed at the Roseland Ballroom
Roseland Ballroom
The Roseland Ballroom is a multi-purpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theatre district, on West 52nd Street....
, two of New York City's most famous venues. During the same era, he also played bass at Birdland
Birdland (jazz club)
Birdland is a jazz club started in New York City on December 15, 1949. The original Birdland, which was located at 1678 Broadway, just north of West 52nd Street in Manhattan, was closed in 1965 due to increased rents, but it re-opened for one night in 1979...
, a famous NYC club where all the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and Latin Jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
greats have performed.
As a bass player and vocalist, Joseph accompanied, recorded and performed with some of the most popular and prominent bandleaders and musicians during the heyday of Latin music and Latin Jazz. Historians and fans of this era as well as the older generation of Latinos, will remember most of these artists such as Arsenio Rodríguez
Arsenio Rodríguez
Arsenio Rodríguez was a Cuban musician who played the tres , reorganized the conjunto and developed the son montuno, and other Afro-Cuban rhythms in the 1940s and 50s...
, Candido
Candido
Candido may refer to:* Antonio Candido , writer, professor, and literary critic* Candido Amantini , Italian Roman Catholic priest* Candido Camero , Cuban percussionist* Candido Jacuzzi , Italian-American inventor...
, Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
, Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
, Machito
Machito
Machito , born as Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, was an influential Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music...
, Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco is a Dominican producer, musician, bandleader, and one of the most influential figures in American salsa music.-Early life:...
, Yomo Toro
Yomo Toro
Victor Guillermo Toro is a guitarist and one of Puerto Rico's most famous cuatro players...
, Cachao, Miguelito Valdez, Doc Cheetham, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armentero, Mauricio Smith, Richie Ray
Richie Ray
Ricardo "Richie" Ray is a virtuoso pianist, singer, music arranger, composer and religious minister known for his success beginning in 1965 as part of the duo Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz...
, Marcelino Guerra and many others.
Arsenio Rodríguez was a tres
Tres
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.-Cuban tres:In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre...
guitarist, a renowned master of Afro-Cuban music and in particular is regarded as the originator of a Latin style called the son montuno
Son montuno
The son montuno is a style of the Cuban son, but exactly what it means is not an easy question to answer. The son itself is the most important genre of Cuban popular music. In addition, it is perhaps the most flexible of all forms of Latin-American music...
. Rodriguez personally taught Joseph the intricate techniques of Cuban bass rhythms and syncopation. Joseph performed with Arsenio at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
and recorded with Rodriguez on Ansonia Records Arsenio Rodríguez y Su Conjunto, (Vol.2) and Tico Records
Tico Records
Tico Records was a New York record label that was founded in 1948. It was originally owned by George Goldner and later acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. It specialized in Latin music and was significant for introducing artists such as Ray Barretto and Tito Puente...
(Arsenio Dice... Arsenio Says).
Candido
Candido Camero
Candido de Guerra Camero, also known simply as Candido is a Cuban percussionist who backed many Afro-Cuban jazz and straightforward jazz acts since the 1950s...
, the great Cuban Latin-Jazz percussionist, also personally coached and trained Joseph on Cuban bass rhythms and syncopation. Joseph recorded with Candido as vocalist, with Tito Puente conducting and playing vibes and timbales
Timbales
Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
and he often substituted with Cachao on bass, (Tico Records, Candido's Latin McGuffas Dust).
After the death of his mentor, Arsenio Rodríguez, Joseph partially retreated from performing and relocated to the Litchfield Hills
Litchfield Hills
The Litchfield Hills is a geographic region of the U.S. state of Connecticut located in the northwestern corner of the state. It is a term that is roughly coterminous with the boundaries of Litchfield County, for which it is named...
of northwestern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, dedicating most of his time to composing and orchestrating. In this undertaking, he conceived the vision of employing his knowledge, skills and technique as acquired from Latin and Classical music into one form. Joseph has since relocated to Richmond, Virginia and has been a sugject interviewed in the major national television production called "La Epoca," which is about the Palladium-era in New York, and Afro-Cuban music and rhythms, Mambo and Salsa as dances and as music and much more, partly discussed in this "segment trailer" of the movie. The movie is expected to be released in theaters across the nation and in Latin America in September 2008, and later on DVD.