Jala Jala y Boogaloo
Encyclopedia
Jala Jala y Boogaloo is an album released by the salsa music
duet Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz
. Released in 1967, the album is influenced not only by Latin rhythms such as the Puerto Rican
Jala Jala, but also by Beat music
.
Backed by the lead single "Richie's Jala Jala", the album had was an international success, being popular in the United States
, Colombia
, Puerto Rico
and other countries. The album's success led to the release of the follow-up Jala Jala Boogaloo Volume II
with a similar cover and sound.
music scene of the 1960s. Following the success of hit singles such as "El Mulato," the duet received a contract with the Tico and Alegre record companies presided by Moris Levy. Moris Pelsman, Levy's partner, designated the famous Pancho Cristal to produce and supervise the duet's new recordings.
After releasing Se Soltó early on that same year, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz went into the studio with Pancho Cristal and engineers Fred Weinberg and Rodrigo Zavala to record what would be the group's most successful album to that time.
craze was at its highest and the Jala-Jala rhythm had begun to be known outside its native Puerto Rico
. Also, Rock Music
was at its highest with artists such as The Beatles
at the top of the charts. All these ended up influencing the composition and recording of the Jala Jala y Boogaloo album.
"Richie's Jala Jala" is a Jala-Jala song in which Richie's Piano riff is an imitation of the cowbell's sound. The song is notable for the protagonic role of the trumpets, played by Pedro Chaparro y Doc Cheatham, which gave the jala-jala genre a new sound.
"Baby Don't You Cry" is a boogaloo number, with a heavy influence from afro-american Soul music
. The use of english language
lyrics and soul-influenced singing evidence the american influence on the song. "Colombia's Boogaloo", the first of many songs the group will dedicate to the Colombia
n nation, is a mix of Cuban Son montuno
with boogaloo.
"Gentle Rain" is a cover of a Bossa nova
song by Luiz Bonfá
, translated to Spanish by Pancho Cristal and transformed into a bolero
. "3 and 1 Mozambique" is an example of Mozambique Rhythm
and the hit single Bomba Camará is a salsa song in Bomba
style.
Lyrically the album shows both, influences from Caribbean folklore
as well as from American Culture. For instance, "Stop, Look and Listen" lyrics deal with pacifism
, a common theme in the Counterculture of the 1960s
; In Contrast, "Cabo E" references the deity Changó
as well as other gods of the Santería
, a syncretic religion of the Afro-Caribbean culture.
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
duet Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz
Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz
Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz are an American musical duo consisting of Ricardo "Richie" Ray and Roberto "Bobby" Cruz. The duo was formed in 1963 and rose to fame in the mid 1960s. They are one of the most famous interpreters of 'salsa brava' music....
. Released in 1967, the album is influenced not only by Latin rhythms such as the Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
Jala Jala, but also by Beat music
Beat music
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a pop and rock music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. Beat music is a fusion of rock and roll, doo wop, skiffle, R&B and soul...
.
Backed by the lead single "Richie's Jala Jala", the album had was an international success, being popular in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and other countries. The album's success led to the release of the follow-up Jala Jala Boogaloo Volume II
Jala Jala Boogaloo Volume II
Jala Jala Boogaloo Volume II is an album released by the salsa music duet Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz. Released in 1968, the album continues with the sound of its predecessor Jala Jala y Boogaloo, influenced by Latin rhythms such as the Puerto Rican Jala Jala, as well as by soul and Beat music.Backed...
with a similar cover and sound.
Background
With their previous albums, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz had established themselves as prominent artists in the New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
music scene of the 1960s. Following the success of hit singles such as "El Mulato," the duet received a contract with the Tico and Alegre record companies presided by Moris Levy. Moris Pelsman, Levy's partner, designated the famous Pancho Cristal to produce and supervise the duet's new recordings.
After releasing Se Soltó early on that same year, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz went into the studio with Pancho Cristal and engineers Fred Weinberg and Rodrigo Zavala to record what would be the group's most successful album to that time.
Music
Musically, the album is a synthesis of the musical trends that were popular in 1967. The BoogalooBoogaloo
Boogaloo or bugalú is a genre of Latin music and dance that was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City among teenage Cubans, Puerto Ricans and other groups. The style was a fusion of popular African American R&B and soul with mambo and son montuno...
craze was at its highest and the Jala-Jala rhythm had begun to be known outside its native Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Also, Rock Music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
was at its highest with artists such as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
at the top of the charts. All these ended up influencing the composition and recording of the Jala Jala y Boogaloo album.
"Richie's Jala Jala" is a Jala-Jala song in which Richie's Piano riff is an imitation of the cowbell's sound. The song is notable for the protagonic role of the trumpets, played by Pedro Chaparro y Doc Cheatham, which gave the jala-jala genre a new sound.
"Baby Don't You Cry" is a boogaloo number, with a heavy influence from afro-american Soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
. The use of english language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
lyrics and soul-influenced singing evidence the american influence on the song. "Colombia's Boogaloo", the first of many songs the group will dedicate to the Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n nation, is a mix of Cuban 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...
with boogaloo.
"Gentle Rain" is a cover of a Bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
song by Luiz Bonfá
Luiz Bonfá
Luiz Floriano Bonfá was a Brazilian guitarist and composer best known for the compositions he penned for the film Black Orpheus.-Biography:...
, translated to Spanish by Pancho Cristal and transformed into a bolero
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
. "3 and 1 Mozambique" is an example of Mozambique Rhythm
Mozambique (music)
Mozambique is a vigorous style of Cuban music and dance derived, like the conga, from music of Cuban street carnivals or comparsas. It was invented or developed by Pello el Afrokan in 1963...
and the hit single Bomba Camará is a salsa song in Bomba
Bomba
Bomba is one of the traditional musical styles of Puerto Rico. it is a largely African-derived music. The rhythm and beat are played by a set of floor drums, cuá and a maraca. Dance is an integral part of the music: the dancers move their bodies to every beat of the drum, making bomba a very...
style.
Lyrically the album shows both, influences from Caribbean folklore
Caribbean folklore
Many elements of Caribbean folklore are African in origin, given that Slaves brought from Africa's West Coast made up a large majority of those brought to the region....
as well as from American Culture. For instance, "Stop, Look and Listen" lyrics deal with pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
, a common theme in the Counterculture of the 1960s
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
; In Contrast, "Cabo E" references the deity Changó
Shango
In the Yorùbá religion, Sàngó is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder...
as well as other gods of the Santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
, a syncretic religion of the Afro-Caribbean culture.