Friday, February 17th, 2006

R.I.P. Ray Barretto

Hard Hands Barretto straight from the ghetto…Rest In Power.

Here’s a great profile. What it won’t tell you is how influential he was on all the sounds that flowed into hip-hop. He practically invented bugalu with “El Watusi”. He is the one of the links between mambo and salsa and the breaks. It’s hard to imagine Johnny Griggs’ massive solo on JB’s 1970 version of “Give It Up Turnit A Loose”, or King Errisson period without Hard Hands.

UPDATE (WITH MUSIC): O-Dub and I have collaborated on a tribute to Ray. Go check it out now at Soul Sides.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 7:20 am | 0 Comments

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