Boogaloo was (is) a mix of soul & latin music styles & it first developed in New York area clubs where local black teenagers mixed with the kids of Cuban & Puerto Rican immigrants around 1960. The early exponents of the music included Ray Barreto & Mongo Santamaria. Other Latin guys to make Boogaloo tracks were Willie Rosario, Joe Cuba, Ricardo Ray, Willie Colon, Pucho & Latin Soul Bros, TnT Band, Eddie Palmiera, Cal Tjader, Pete Rodriguez, Bobby Quesada and Johnny Colon.

In the mid 60's, soul artists started to get on the 'bandwagon' with the likes of Tom & Jerrio, Chubby Checker, Alvin Cash, Don Gardner & J J Jackson all cutting related tracks. Tom & Jerrio (cutting in Chicago for Eddie Thomas) hit first for ABC-Paramount with "Boo-Ga-Loo" in April 65. Chubby Checker had "Hey You Little Boogaloo" out in summer 1965 (he was always one to jump onto the back of a dance craze) but Parkway was failing and so the track didn't dent the national charts. Don Gardner started something with his "My Baby Likes to Boogaloo" in late 1966. Although it wasn't a big hit, it garnered covers by the likes of the Emperors in the US and King George in Sweden. Of Puerto Rican parents, musician Pete Terrace was a natural for Boogaloo style cuts & he even titled himself 'King of the Boogaloo'.

There weren't too many National hits by soul artists who cut Boogaloo themed songs. The Flamingos cut "Boogaloo Party" (Phillips) and this got them back into the chart in the spring of 1966s. Jerrio (this time solo) was back on the case with "Karate Boogaloo" in August 67. Johnny C (also out of Philly) hit very big with "Boogaloo Down Broadway" in September 67. . Others who cut Boogaloo themed tracks were), J J Jackson (summer 66), Roy Lee Johnson (late 66), Quovan (66)s, Chicago's Alvin Cash (late 66) and A. C. Reed, ), James Brown (Smash: March 66), Jackie Lee (68), Brenton Wood (67), Brothers Two, Exotics (67), Inclines, Diane & Carole, Bob Philips, Barry Jones (68), Timmy Thomas (Goldwax: 67).

Jazz guys were also quickly on the case. Lou Donaldson, Les McCann, Eddie Harris & John Patton all getting in on the act. Even pop artists such as Sandy Nelson & Paul Revere got involved. The music style spread outside of the US, with Puerto Rican, Mexican, Brazilian & even Jamaican (Toots & Maytals) musicians coming on board. Boogaloo Joe Jones came to prominence in the early 70's & stuck with that name throughout his successful career.

Pete Terrace does a Motown cover & Boogaloo's it up ..........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynZn6syBtlw

Any recommendations for Boogaloo style tracks that get your dancing feet moving ........

Edited August 7, 201212 yr by Roburt

The first (?) Boogaloo soul hit ..... Tom & Jerrio ....

Forgot to mention one of my faves ............. CHECKER 1154 from November 1966 ..........

Tommy & Cleve -- Boo-Ga-Loo Baby (produced by Gene Redd & co-written by Barnes / Morris / Davis).

Edited August 7, 201212 yr by Roburt

The first (?) Boogaloo soul hit ..... Tom & Jerrio ....

Recently discovered to have been nicked from an unissued Motown backing track for the Contours..

Recently discovered to have been nicked from an unissued Motown backing track for the Contours..

So who wrote the music for the original version ??

& how did Jerry get his hands on a copy of the unreleased Motown backing track ?

.............. (guess Jerry wrote all the lyrics --????-- himself).

Edited August 7, 201212 yr by Roburt

Tommy & Cleve give it a go .............

A UK Boogaloo track .............. from Keith Mansfield ....

... the guy who did a few BBC TV sports show themes ........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gQPkVGS4oc

So who wrote the music for the original version ??

& how did Jerry get his hands on a copy of the unreleased Motown backing track ?

.............. (guess Jerry wrote all the lyrics --????-- himself).

Dunno, Ady or Tony will know, it's called Do The See Saw (though actually it might be Boomerang not Boogaloo, though they both sound the same)

This link may work

https://www.acerecords.co.uk/songfiles/cdtop_350_02_0.m3u

Boogaloo was (is) a mix of soul & latin music styles & it first developed in New York area clubs where local black teenagers mixed with the kids of Cuban & Puerto Rican immigrants around 1960. The early exponents of the music included Ray Barreto & Mongo Santamaria. Other Latin guys to make Boogaloo tracks were Willie Rosario, Joe Cuba, Ricardo Ray, Willie Colon, Pucho & Latin Soul Bros, TnT Band, Eddie Palmiera, Cal Tjader, Pete Rodriguez, Bobby Quesada and Johnny Colon.

In the mid 60's, soul artists started to get on the 'bandwagon' with the likes of Tom & Jerrio, Chubby Checker, Alvin Cash, Don Gardner & J J Jackson all cutting related tracks. Tom & Jerrio (cutting in Chicago for Eddie Thomas) hit first for ABC-Paramount with "Boo-Ga-Loo" in April 65. Chubby Checker had "Hey You Little Boogaloo" out in summer 1965 (he was always one to jump onto the back of a dance craze) but Parkway was failing and so the track didn't dent the national charts. Don Gardner started something with his "My Baby Likes to Boogaloo" in late 1966. Although it wasn't a big hit, it garnered covers by the likes of the Emperors in the US and King George in Sweden. Of Puerto Rican parents, musician Pete Terrace was a natural for Boogaloo style cuts & he even titled himself 'King of the Boogaloo'.

There weren't too many National hits by soul artists who cut Boogaloo themed songs. The Flamingos cut "Boogaloo Party" (Phillips) and this got them back into the chart in the spring of 1966s. Jerrio (this time solo) was back on the case with "Karate Boogaloo" in August 67. Johnny C (also out of Philly) hit very big with "Boogaloo Down Broadway" in September 67. Johnny C (also out of Philly) hit very big with "Boogaloo Down Broadway" in September 67. Others who cut Boogaloo themed tracks were), J J Jackson (summer 66), Roy Lee Johnson (late 66), Quovan (66)s, Chicago's Alvin Cash (late 66) and A. C. Reed, ), James Brown (Smash: March 66), Jackie Lee (68), Brenton Wood (67), Brothers Two, Exotics (67), Inclines, Diane & Carole, Bob Philips, Barry Jones (68), Timmy Thomas (Goldwax: 67).

Jazz guys were also quickly on the case. Lou Donaldson, Les McCann, Eddie Harris & John Patton all getting in on the act. Even pop artists such as Sandy Nelson & Paul Revere got involved. The music style spread outside of the US, with Puerto Rican, Mexican, Brazilian & even Jamaican (Toots & Maytals) musicians coming on board. Boogaloo Joe Jones came to prominence in the early 70's & stuck with that name throughout his successful career.

Pete Terrace does a Motown cover & Boogaloo's it up ..........

Any recommendations for Boogaloo style tracks that get your dancing feet moving ........

Lou Courtney.- What About Me And You Doin The Boogalloo on Riverside. and Timmy Thomas.- Have Some Boogalloo on Goldwax Great Boogaloo tunes.Wrighty.

Dunno, Ady or Tony will know, it's called Do The See Saw (though actually it might be Boomerang not Boogaloo, though they both sound the same)

This link may work

https://www.acerecord...op_350_02_0.m3u

Try this one Pete https://www.acerecords.co.uk/dance-with-the-contours

45's from a few Boogaloo artists were doing well in some cities at the end of 1966 .......

I guess it shouldn't be a suprise that Lou Courtney cut a Boogaloo track in 1967, after all he did use Gloria Toote's Town Sound Studios in Englewood, NJ around that time.

Edited August 7, 201212 yr by Roburt

some of the "soul" boogaloo records seem to have little to do with latin boogaloo besides the word boogaloo

i still like them though

cool thread on boogaloo etymolgy here https://www.soulstrut.com/index.php/forums/viewthread/31049/P0/

Kris, thanks for that. Yep, the origins of Boogaloo / Bugaloo is as clear as mud ....

............ a montage of some Boogaloo 45 label scans ....

The track that gave Boogaloo Joe Jones his 'music biz' name ........

He needed it, as there were quite a few Joe Jones in the US music biz (Philly Joe Jones, etc).

The track that gave Boogaloo Joe Jones his 'music biz' name ........

He needed it, as there were quite a few Joe Jones in the US music biz (Philly Joe Jones, etc).

yeah, but where he went wrong was using his middle name Joe in the first place, if he'd stuck with Ivan he would have never had to use "Boogaloo".

yeah, but where he went wrong was using his middle name Joe in the first place, if he'd stuck with Ivan he would have never had to use "Boogaloo".

I agree, but Boogaloo Joe is a lot funkier a name for a jazz / soulman than Ivan !!!.

Perhaps he would have been confused with Elvin Jones ,the drummer ,if just Ivan Jones ?

Edited August 9, 201212 yr by nickp

I do love my Boogaloo!

used to love collecting these type of records years ago, anything by jerry o or similar, indeed anything with a beat whear the vocalist shouts such thing as "umgowa" heres a good one

and another

was going to say this was possibly nicked from a motown track, then i saw who one of the writers was "umgowa"

Some Boogaloo 45's were popular with the teens miles away from their home city ......

Anyone into the real Latin boogaloo sound, there's a great boogaloo inspired band from Brooklyn called Spanglish Fly that plays out here in NYC. They feature a fabulous young Latina singer. They have a couple of 45's out (one of which is a killer Latinized cover of James Brown's Think) and an EP that is CD only. Their records are good but their live shows are incredible! You will not be able to sit still during their set. Check out their web site here... https://www.spanglishfly.com/ Here's a professional video they cut of their 45 version of Think...

Edited August 10, 201212 yr by soulwaxusa

Anyone into the real Latin boogaloo sound, there's a great boogaloo inspired band from Brooklyn called Spanglish Fly that plays out here in NYC. They feature a fabulous young Latina singer. They have a couple of 45's out (one of which is a killer Latinized cover of James Brown's Think) and an EP that is CD only. Their records are good but their live shows are incredible! You will not be able to sit still during their set. Check out their web site here... https://www.spanglishfly.com/ Here's a professional video they cut of their 45 version of Think...

wow love this,great stuff

Bazza

used to love collecting these type of records years ago, anything by jerry o or similar, indeed anything with a beat whear the vocalist shouts such thing as "umgowa" heres a good one

and another

was going to say this was possibly nicked from a motown track, then i saw who one of the writers was "umgowa"

wylie on the credits, that great sax, come on you lot explain, i,m a bit thick here, someone give me some history, also i think a few days ago was the first time id heard that record,

an advance promo clip of a documentary on the NY boogaloo scene in the 60's.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1lLmYumVKYHere's

an advance promo clip of a documentary on the NY boogaloo scene in the 60's.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1lLmYumVKY

That looks like it will make great viewing .... all we need now is to get a UK TV company to pick up the rights to show it here.

Interesting doc, I saw it a while back...

Roburt, are you sure that boogaloo was invented in Latin music and then taken as a specific dance in R&B music? I always thought it was the reverse. What is an example of a latin boogaloo cut before 1965 (the tom and jerry-o record date)? For example, I searched and found Ray Barretto "midnight boogaloo" on United Artists, but it is from 1966. I think Chicago Soul says it's the reverse also. I think it was a specific R&B dance and then a Latin music style.

Also, btw, I think the most important Boogaloo artist by far was Joe Cuba, he really pushed the sound and is known or it. "bang bang" was even a hit in Chicago, but it was from 1967.

Bob, as I wrote in Post 15 .... the actual origins of Boogaloo / Bugaloo is as clear as mud .... it started on the streets & so it took the media / record companies some time to tune into what was happening.... but I tend to go with the assertion that it sprung up first in the NY Latin community.

I obviously wasn't there though, so can't be sure of what came first, the Bugulu or the Boogaloo. It is written though that the earliest exponents of this music form included Ray Barreto & Mongo Santamaria who picked up on the beat popular with the 'kids on the street'. I don't believe that Bugulu was actually mentioned (as an actual word) on the earliest tracks.

Edited August 15, 201212 yr by Roburt

ok thanks, i guess it's clear as mud then, just all evidence has been wiped out.

i still think it was in r&b first, as proven via record titles. i also even gave an example of a latin cut that did not use the word in the title -- Joe Cuba's "bang bang" has to be one of the first and biggest boogaloo hits

...

Edited August 15, 201212 yr by boba

ok I just read the soul strut thread Kris posted. Although it still leaves it unclear, it gives much more evidence of it being an R&B thing first, including a quote from Joe Bataan saying so.

John you are wrong

Edited August 15, 201212 yr by boba

Funnily enough Dean will be putting together a Jerry-O compilation shortly for the Backbeats Artists series. We recently did a deal for the rights to Lovelane Music and, as a result, the Boo-Ga-Loo label. Some info here:-

https://www.lovelanemusic.com/#!__boo-ga-loo-records

Ian D

random insider information -- there were actually two "Tom"s. Tommy Dark actually isn't on the original ABC record, this guy who runs (or at least ran) a photography studio on 87th street was. But he left and Tommy toured on the record and is on all the other records.

Shout certainly had faith in Jerry O's 'Boogaloo' track ........

.. & this paid off as his 45 was on the national US soul chart from September 67 till the end of the year.

Edited September 1, 201212 yr by Roburt

Shout certainly had faith in Jerry O's 'Boogaloo' track ........

.. & this paid off as his 45 was on the national US soul chart from September 67 till the end of the year.

just to clarify, this is "karate boogaloo" (total alvin cash ripoff btw), not the original boogaloo 45 that came out on abc

This will not be to everyone's taste ......

....... BUT ..... The Sugarman 3's new album ('What The World Needs Now') contains a great hammond organ instrumental -- "Witches Boogaloo".

There's also a good instro cover of J J Jackson's "But Its Alright" & a (part) vocal take on "What The World Needs Now".

... ALSO ... there's a free download track available off the LP -- "Rudy's Intervention" which I like a lot (more hammond instro magic) .... what's not to like when its free !!

They may be a modern group (saw em in Bristol live 10+ years back & they were great) BUT they do have that authentic retro sound if you're into 60's style organ / brass led funky instrumentals.

Another tune that they put out back in 1998 was "Sugar's Boogaloo" -- guess Neil likes him some Boogaloo !!!!

Edited September 11, 201212 yr by Roburt

New thread on Pete Terrace on 'Look At Your Box'

There's also a thread on the New York (RCA) / Swedish King George.

Edited September 28, 201212 yr by Roburt

Don't think these guys invented the genre....

... they were just jumping on the bandwagon after the event ....

...

Should have asked this earlier ................

The Flamingoes "Boogaloo Party" was written / recorded less than a year after the first song was cut that included 'Boogaloo' in its title.

So it was one of the early Boogaloo hits (it made the US national charts in March 66, returning the group to hit status for the 1st time in almost 6 years).

But the actual song is credited as being written by 2 members of the group (who probably got their credit for agreeing to cut the song & making minor changes to it during the recording session) and Miami's Willie Clarke.

Willie seemed a long way from 'Boogaloos' home turf (New York or Chicago depending on whichever story you believe about the genre's origins) and a long way from where the Flamingoes based themselves.

Anyone know the story behind the song's composition or how Willie got it to the Flamingoes ??

........ I'd guess they were down in Miami undertaking some gigs there & Willie met up with them.

More Boogaloo info here to further muddy the water (with regards to the origin of bugalu / boogaloo) 

............  https://www.chancellorofsoul.com/jerryo.html

Edited March 26, 201510 yr by Roburt

I found it strange that when I joined the navy and started hearing naval slang, the term "Well Boogaloo" was used to sarcastically mean big deal.

 

Paul