Ray Barretto’s infectious instrumental, “El Watusi,” burst onto the scene in 1963, and for a young music lover, it was a revelation. Amidst the burgeoning sounds of British Invasion bands and the raw energy of early R&B, this track delivered a potent dose of exoticism. Hispanic voices, urgent and rhythmic, traded phrases over a hypnotic Latin piano riff, punctuated by sharp handclaps. Soon, a vibrant tapestry of sound unfolded – violins weaving melodies, a playful flute, the rasp of a guiro, and the shimmering rattle of timbales, all anchored by Barretto’s commanding congas. There were no verses, no chorus, just pure rhythm and raw energy, fading out as it began, leaving you wanting more of this slice of Spanish Harlem street life. For a teenager in England, it was a captivating glimpse into another world, a raw and authentic sound experience.
Released in the UK on Columbia Records, thanks to a deal with Roulette Records (Morris Levy’s infamous label, and its Tico imprint run by George Goldner), “El Watusi” quickly resonated with the Mod scene. Roulette and Tico, despite their owners’ shadowy reputations, were pivotal in shaping the landscape of pre-Beatles New York pop music. Teddy Reig, known for producing jazz icons like Charlie Parker and Count Basie, produced “El Watusi” in October 1962 within the grand ballroom of the Riverside Plaza Hotel, a former Masonic club on West 73rd Street. Now, this iconic track is part of a beautifully remastered CD by Malanga Records, featuring Ray Barretto y su Orquesta’s albums Charanga Moderna and La Moderna de Siempre, both born from the same year and venue.
This reissue prompts a memory of seeing Barretto live at The Corso, a legendary club at 205 East 86th Street, just below Spanish Harlem, or El Barrio. From 1970 to 1985, as salsa music blossomed, The Corso reigned as New York’s premier Latin music venue, succeeding the Palladium of the 1960s. Tony Raimone, a restaurateur, acquired the club in 1968 and, guided by Ray Barretto’s singer Pete Bonet (one of the voices on “El Watusi”), transformed it into a haven for Cuban and Puerto Rican music lovers.
Latin band performing at The Corso club in New York City in the 1970s, showcasing the vibrant energy of live Latin music and dance culture.
The Corso’s formula was a resounding success. By 1974, when I first experienced it, the club, located up a dramatic staircase above a restaurant, pulsated with three bands nightly, five nights a week. The dance floor was a kaleidoscope of movement, filled with dancers from the Latin community, for whom the complex clave rhythms were second nature. You could feel the pulse of the watusi dance in the very air, even if the song “El Watusi” itself wasn’t always playing, its spirit of rhythmic freedom permeated the club’s atmosphere. While not solely a watusi dance club, The Corso embodied the same vibrant, energetic spirit that fueled the watusi dance craze.
I was in New York then, on assignment for Island Records’ Chris Blackwell, exploring opportunities in the burgeoning salsa scene through Fania Records. My week in the city became a nightly pilgrimage to The Corso. Leaning against the long bar, I was immersed in incredible music, mesmerized by the dancers’ effortless grace and improvisational brilliance. Larry Harlow’s band was among the highlights, along with the charanga sounds of Tipica ’73 and Tipica Ideal. One particularly vivid memory is of a specialty act: a statuesque woman in a black lace catsuit performing captivating, sinuous dances with what appeared to be a boa constrictor – a truly unforgettable piece of entertainment.
The vibrant era of The Corso ended abruptly in the spring of 1985. An NYPD sting operation led to the arrest of Tony Raimone, his son, and nephew for heroin trafficking, conducted at another of Raimone’s establishments on 86th Street. The final transaction occurred in the restaurant beneath The Corso. The club closed, leaving the dancers to find a new home for their passion.
I’ve kept a handbill from The Corso as a memento of those incredible nights. We almost recreated that magic in West London the following year when Hector Lavoe and his orchestra played a phenomenal gig at the Nashville Rooms, featuring the exceptional Professor Jose Torres on piano. It was an electric night, followed by Ray Barretto himself arriving with Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, and the Fania All Stars at the Lyceum, a much larger venue, with Steve Winwood as a special guest.
It took another decade for salsa to truly take hold in UK dance culture. But if you stumble upon copies of the Salsa! and Salsa Live! compilations I curated for Island’s HELP label in a second-hand record store, don’t hesitate – grab them. They are a taste of that vibrant era, a time when the spirit of dances like the watusi dance filled New York clubs like The Corso with infectious energy and rhythm.
