LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION paying tribute to the life and music of Joe Cuba,
the Father of Boogaloo

WHEREAS, It is with great sorrow and deep regret that this Legislative
Body records the passing of Joe Cuba, who died on February 15, 2009, in
New York City at the age of 78; and
WHEREAS, Joe Cuba was the most popular exponent of the boogaloo, a
fused Latino and R&B rhythm that exploded onto the American top 40
charts during the turbulent 1960s & '70s; and
WHEREAS, Hits such as "Bang Bang," "Push Push," "El Pito," "Arina-
nara," and "Sock It To Me Baby," featuring vibraphones replacing the
traditional brass sound, rocked the hit parades establishing Joe Cuba
and his Sextet as the definitive sound of Latin New York of the era; and
WHEREAS, At the forefront of the Nuyorican movement of New York, where
the children of Puerto Rican emigrants, America's last citizens, took
music, culture, arts and politics into their own hands, Joe Cuba mixed
Spanish and English in his lyrics to become an important part of the
emerging Nuyorican identity; and
WHEREAS, The first musical introduction to Latin rhythms for many
American aficionados, Joe Cuba and his Sextet became popular in the New
York Latino community precisely because it fused a bilingual mix of
Afro-Caribbean genres blended with the popular urban rhythm & blues of
its time creating a musical marriage between the Fania and Motown sound;
and
WHEREAS, Christened Gilberto Miguel Calderon by his Puerto Rican
parents who arrived in New York City in the 20s, Joe Cuba, or Sonny as
he was called by his closest friends, was born in 1931 in the heart of
Spanish Harlem; and
WHEREAS, After breaking a leg playing stickball, Joe Cuba took up
playing the conga and continued to practice between school and his free
time; eventually, he graduated from high school and joined a band; and
WHEREAS, In 1954, the newly named Joe Cuba Sextet made its debut at
the Stardust Ballroom; since that time, the band has been a staple of
concerts and festivals that unite both Latinos, African-Americans and
just plain music lovers in venues all over the world; and
WHEREAS, Joe Cuba is survived by his wife Maria Calderon, sons Mitc-
hell and Cesar, daughter Lisa, grandchildren Nicole and Alexis, and his
legions of fans throughout the world, all of whom felt privileged to be
a part of his life and rejoiced in his many achievements; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of
compassion, and comforted by a loving family, Joe Cuba leaves behind a
legacy which will long endure the passage of time and his memory will
remain in the hearts of all those who had the honor of knowing him; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay
tribute to the life and music of Joe Cuba, the Father of Boogaloo; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Joe Cuba.