Leonard Bernstein definitely deserves credit for writing Latin American rhythms into an orchestral language which had everyone dancing to a Latin beat. Who but Lennie could have the sometimes staid musicians of a symphony orchestra
shouting at the top of their lungs, "Mambo!"
Mambo, in fact, was a dance craze fueled by the Cuban composer and band leader, Demaso Pérez Prado, widely declared the Mambo King. His music is characterized by a count upwards — uno, dos, tres — siete, ocho MAMBO!
In 1948, Pérez Prado moved to Mexico City, where he formed a band which was widely recorded by RCA. Although most of the early hits were across Latin America, Pérez Prado and his band eventually jumped the tracks and crashed across the Mexico-US border. Suddenly, his band and music became popular in mainstream non-Latin venues. "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" was #1 on the US charts in 1955.
As further testament to the wealth of musical creation in Cuba, covered extensively on yesterday's episode, is a reminder which came from a listener email to me, saying: “Don’t forget about Desi Arnaz!" The listener continued, "I LOVE Desi. He is charm personified."
Agreed, and what a team he made on television when he joined forces with Lucille Ball. Their intent was comedic, perhaps never quite as comedic as when Lucy would crash Desi's musical moments.
Desi Arnaz and his orchestra toured far and wide, most often playing to a public which spoke español, yet when they played clubs in New York City, Desi's charm could often beguile with his Cole Porter-like lyrics in the song "You Can in Yucatan."
The same listener, also an old friend, who suggested Desi Arnaz . . . I mean, isn't this so charming . . . had previously reminded me of Leonard Bernstein's Young Person's Concerts. If you're of a certain age, you will remember them almost as well as do I.
Video tapes of the shows would miraculously appear at sixth period band in Victoria, Texas where I grew up. We would watch with rapt attention, learning so much from this maestro whom everybody knew. In particular, the episode “Latin American Spirit” taught us that there was a wealth of music from Latin America waiting to be discovered, perhaps to even become part of a Great Americas Songbook. Bernstein's program that day sought to teach us that we are all Americans.
“The word 'America' means much more than only the United States, that North America, South America and Central America are, or ought to be, a solid united hemisphere,” Bernstein said in that television special.
Lennie opened Latin American Spirit with Batuque, by the Brazilian composer Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez. We will close this episode of Momentos Musicales with that same music.
Get in the spirit with more celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month every weekday afternoon at 2:00 through mid-October on KPAC 88.3 FM.
