Joe Cuba Sextet, ‘Vagabundeando! (Hangin’ Out!)’ – Photo: Courtesy of Craft Latino
Craft Latino will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Joe Cuba Sextet’s classic Tico Records debut, Vagabundeando! (Hangin’ Out!), with the album’s first vinyl reissue in nearly 50 years.
Freshly remastered from all-analog sources, the 1964 LP is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a tip-on jacket, replicating the album’s original designs. Vagabundeando! features an all-star line-up of talent, including legendary Puerto Rican vocalists Cheo Feliciano and Jimmy Sabater, plus such fan favorite tracks as “El Ratón,” “Nina Nina,” “I Need You,” and “Oye Bien.”
Set for release on May 10 and available for pre-order today, Vagabundeando! will also make its debut in 192/24 hi-res digital audio. In addition, a Lemon Yellow color vinyl exclusive with a bundle option that includes a commemorative Tico Records T-shirt is available for pre-order at Fania.com.
Celebrated conguero, bandleader, and “Father of Latin Boogaloo,” Joe Cuba (1931—2009) was a foundational figure in New York’s Latin soul scene. A native of Harlem, the Puerto Rican artist (born Gilberto Miguel Calderón) learned to play the congas as a teenager while recovering from a broken leg.
Before long, the young percussionist was booking gigs across the city and, in 1954, founded The Joe Cuba Sextet. Playing alongside such stars as Tito Puente, Machito, and Tito Rodríguez, Cuba and his bandmates quickly gained a following with their swaggering showmanship and stood out from their peers with their unique instrumentation choices—including adding a vibraphonist and doing away with horns (which was unheard of at the time).
The group also found a broad appeal with their blend of Spanish and English lyrics—performed, respectively, by timbalero/singer José “Cheo” Feliciano (who replaced Willie Torres in 1958) and crooner Jimmy Sabater, with backing by vibraphonist Tommy Berrios, bassist Jules Cordero, and pianist Nick Jiménez.
The sextet’s enticing style served as the foundation for salsa music, as well as for boogaloo—a hugely popular movement that would take hold in the mid-late 60s, reflecting the melting pot of New York City with its blend of R&B, soul, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. While Cuba would widely be credited for the creation of boogaloo with his 1966 crossover hit, “Bang Bang,” he was laying the groundwork with Vagabundeando! (Hangin’ Out!), two years earlier.
Pre-order the Vagabundeando! (Hangin’ Out!) vinyl reissue.