16 re:Discovery The Lebron Brothers Salsa y Control COTIQUE, 1970 Salsa already existed in the lexicon of Latin musicology when the Lebron Brothers released their sixth LP, Salsa y Control. Ignacio Piñero of Cuba’s Sexteto Nacional introduced it in his 1929 song “Echale Salsita” at the World’s Fair in Spain when he demanded the sextet add some spice to their set. Probably fresher in audiences’ minds was Charlie Palmieri’s culinary invocation of the word in “Salsa Na’ Ma’.” But when vocalist José Lebron redressed the son montuno with his cool, Brooklyn swagger on the LP’s title track, “salsa” became the name for the younger Latino generation’s new sounds and attitude. As a whole, Salsa y Control was a masterwork showcas- ing the elegant repertoire of seasoned Latin players. Smooth, soulful baladas like “Tu Llegaste a Mi Vida” and “Estoy Loco” kept the brothers rooted in tradition, while the subtle changes and solos in cha-chas like “Piensa lo Bien” and “Sa- bor Tipico” revealed their jazz sensibilities. But the essence of the album lay in the perfectly timed “Salsa y Control.” The track opens with a deep and buoyant bass line that rolls steadily; it guides swinging horns to a transitioning clave drop, signaling the timbales and transforming the steady- paced son montuno into a dance-floor anthem. Much to Tito Puente’s dismay—he never liked the use of the word salsa—both song and word struck a deep chord within the younger generation of NewYork’s Latin musicians who were eager to etch out their own identity. The Lebron Brothers’ flip of the culinary reference was a fitting universal symbol for all Latinos and would become the catchphrase for the new musical movement. And if the lyrical imagery escaped the rhythmically inclined, Izzy Sanabria was sure to make the point stick with a brilliant cover photo: an arrow shot through a can of salsa marked the spot and foreshad- owed things to come. It’s still unclear who gets the credit (or the blame) for deﬁnitively deciding that “salsa” would name the hot, up- tempo, musical style that erupted out of the Latin music scene in the 1970s, but it’s certain that the Lebron Broth- ers get at least partial thanks for giving us the words to describe nuestra cosa latina. . –Kristofer Ríos

re:Discovery The Lebron Brothers · paced son montuno into a dance-floor anthem. Much to Tito Puente’s dismay—he never liked the use of the word salsa—both song and word struck

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re:Discovery

The Lebron BrothersSalsa y ControlCOTIQUE, 1970

Salsa already existed in the lexicon of Latin musicology when

the Lebron Brothers released their sixth LP, Salsa y Control. Ignacio Piñero of Cuba’s Sexteto Nacional introduced it in

his 1929 song “Echale Salsita” at the World’s Fair in Spain

when he demanded the sextet add some spice to their set.

Probably fresher in audiences’ minds was Charlie Palmieri’s

culinary invocation of the word in “Salsa Na’ Ma’.” But when

vocalist José Lebron redressed the son montuno with his cool, Brooklyn swagger on the LP’s title track, “salsa” became the

name for the younger Latino generation’s new sounds and

attitude.

As a whole, Salsa y Control was a masterwork showcas-ing the elegant repertoire of seasoned Latin players. Smooth,

soulful baladas like “Tu Llegaste a Mi Vida” and “Estoy Loco” kept the brothers rooted in tradition, while the subtle changes and solos in cha-chas like “Piensa lo Bien” and “Sa-bor Tipico” revealed their jazz sensibilities. But the essence of the album lay in the perfectly timed “Salsa y Control.” The track opens with a deep and buoyant bass line that rolls steadily; it guides swinging horns to a transitioning clave

drop, signaling the timbales and transforming the steady-paced son montuno into a dance-floor anthem.

Much to Tito Puente’s dismay—he never liked the use of the word salsa—both song and word struck a deep chord within the younger generation of New York’s Latin musicians who were eager to etch out their own identity. The Lebron Brothers’ flip of the culinary reference was a fitting universal symbol for all Latinos and would become the catchphrase for the new musical movement. And if the lyrical imagery escaped the rhythmically inclined, Izzy Sanabria was sure to make the point stick with a brilliant cover photo: an arrow shot through a can of salsa marked the spot and foreshad-owed things to come.

It’s still unclear who gets the credit (or the blame) for

definitively deciding that “salsa” would name the hot, up-

tempo, musical style that erupted out of the Latin music

scene in the 1970s, but it’s certain that the Lebron Broth-

ers get at least partial thanks for giving us the words to

describe nuestra cosa latina. .–Kristofer Ríos