This Friday morning , 2-17 after a 5 week bout with heart failure, pneumonia and liver failure, the 2006 NEA Jazz Master recipient, Puerto Rican percussionist Ray Barretto pased away at 76 years of age. In 1963 he had a Top 40 Pop hit that despite being a Cuban cha cha chá with comical lyrics in Spanish about a 7ft tall ugly dude who liked to fight, El Watusi was the song and it peaked on the national Pop charts at #25 and was on the charts for over 15 weeks. It is still a staple of many 1960's oldies stations. This watusi had nothing to do with the popular soul dance of the early 60's with many songs about watusi like the Orlons' (wah wah, wa to wa) Watusi and others. Ray Barretto's Watusi was a reference to the African tribe of Watusi known for their very tall stature. After Watusi Ray was typecast as the records producers expected to score with another Gold Pop record despite being a Latin Dance Music Orchestra leader. He was forced to record many silly songs attempting to capture lightning in the bottle again. One was the sequel Watusi '65(He's Back!)
Okay, here's I believe what they now call the 6 degrees of seperation, Ray's lead singer for 8 years left in the early 70's to join another band, Típica '73, then 3 years later, he formed his owned band-Los Kimbos where he sang a song I have already talked about on a seperate post where he closes the song, with a few perfect sounding Curly nyuk, nyuk, nyuks, hence Ray Barretto's Stooges link and connection.
"Hard Hands"...Ray Barretto RIP 4-29-1929 Brooklyn born of Puerto Rican parents, The Bronx bred, to 2-17-2006, Hackensack NJ Medical University Hospital. Grammy winner, NEA Jazz Master, Most recorded percussionist to date with over 1,000 sessions as a sideman plus over 50 as a leader.
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« Last Edit: February 20, 2006, 12:54:46 AM by Shemoeley Fine »
Los Tres Chiflados son The Three Stooges
Ma'. Lorenzito y Rizzado
