New York's: Latin music landsmarks

Latin Beat Magazine, Dec, 2002 by Frank M. Figueroa

The Bronx had its good share of ballrooms. Perhaps the most important was the Tropicana Ballroom located on Westchester Avenue. Its bandstand featured such groups as Rafael Muñoz, Arsenio Rodríguez, Gilberto Valdés, Conjunto Casino, Vicentico Valdés and Charlie Palmieri. The Hunts Point Palace on Southern Boulevard and 163rd Street was the scene of many musical battles between the top Latin bands in the city. Other ballrooms worthy of mention are the Caravana Club (the home of the pachanga) located at 149th Street and Brook Avenue, and the Tropicoro, operated by boxer Carlos Ortiz on Longwood Avenue.

There were several movie theaters in the Bronx and some of them booked stage shows on special occasions. However, the Teatro Puerto Rico on Brook Avenue was the only one to offer a continuing series of live shows. Chucho Montalbán, who was movie star Ricardo Montalban's older brother, managed the theater. Chucho was able to entice international stars such as Libertad Lamarque, Pedro Vargas, Leo Marini and Bobby Capó to perform at the Teatro Puerto Rico.

As would be expected, the most important Latin music landmarks are to be found in midtown Manhattan. For example, one of the first nightclubs featuring Latin entertainment in New York City was El Chico. Spaniard Benito Collada and his Puerto Rican wife, singer Rosita Berrios, opened the club in 1927 in Greenwich Village, New York. For several decades, El Chico was one of New York's favorite nightspots. From then on, many other future Latin landmarks came into existence. In 1933, the Club Maison Royal in midtown Manhattan made its debut with Antobal's Cubans as the main attraction. Antobal Azpiazú led the band. He had taken over the group originally organized by his brother Don Azpiazú. Cuban pianist and composer Eliseo Grenet in partnership with Roche and Richards opened the cabaret El Yumurí on 52nd Street and Broadway in 1935. One year later, Cubans impresarios Roche and Roldán opened the nightclub La Conga on Broadway between 52nd and 53rd Streets. In 1940, the same Mr. Roche established the Club Cuba in mid-Manhattan, and gave the house band job to Machito and his orchestra. In subsequent years, the Havana-Madrid, the China Doll and other similar nightspots emerged.

In addition to the clubs where only Latin music was played, there were many cabarets featuring two bands, one playing American music and the other a rumba band. That was the policy in such places as the Stork Club, El Morocco, Copacabana, Rio-Bamba, Versailles and many others. The Arcadia and Roseland Ballrooms on Broadway also drew more than their share of Latin dancers. Those who preferred more typical music favored weekend dances at the Hotel Diplomat on West 53rd Street, one block from Times Square, the Audobon Ballroom on the upper West Side, the Manhattan Center on West 34th Street and the old Lincoln Square Center on West 66th Street. Also worthy of mention as landmarks are the Casa Galicia, originally on West 14th Street, the Club Caborrojeño on Broadway and 145th Street, and the Broadway Casino in the area of Washington Heights.