Formed in New York by a number of musicians from Ray Barretto‘s band, the Cuban charanga and salsa band, Típica 73, enjoyed great success in the 1970s and 1980s. (The term típica refers to the “typical” configuration of a Cuban charanga with violin, and 73 to the year of founding the group).
The legendary band is notable for for its experimental style and being the first US-based salsa orchestra to record in Cuba – the result of which was the album “Típica 73 En Cuba Intercambio Cultural.” At the time, Típica 73 featured several salsa musicians who would go on to become famous as solo artists, including vocalist José “El Canario” Alberto and violinist Alfredo de la Fé.
In the nascent and thriving New York Latin jazz and salsa scene in the early 1970s, the group began with Johnny “Dandy” Rodriguez Jr and four of Ray Barretto‘s original band including Adalberto Santiago (who all left Barretto simultaneously to start Típica 73 in 1972), and, after combining the conjunto percussive style (congas, timbales, and bongos) with a horn section the band became one of the biggest stars of the salsa movement in the US.
However, the band’s lineup ended up with an almost different cast by the start of the following decade, with several of the original members having left after differences in the late 1970s, and Santiago and three others leaving to form Los Kimbos. Rodriguez Jr was the only constant in the band, and he and remaining members would split in 1982, but not without a tribute to the charanga style, the 1980 release “Charangueando con la Tipica 73”, which included standout versions of Tito Puentes’ “A Donde Vas” and Cachao’s “Chanchullo,” In 1995, Típica 73 reunited for a successful concert in Puerto Rico, which led to a series of shows four years later.
The band continues to play in New York and around the country, and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year!
For more info & videos on Típica 73, go to www.sobs.com
Enter for a chance to win tickets to see Típica 73 LIVE at SOB’s Friday, September 27 by emailing your name & contact info to sweepstakes@latintrends.com.
You must be 21+. We’ll be accepting entries for this show until noon Fri, the 27th. But don’t worry if you miss your chance — there’s always next week!
