Boogaloo (aka bugalú) was a influential dance style popular in New York between 1966 and 1969 that fused Latin with jazz or R&B. Though disagreement exists, Ricardo Ray and Pete Rodríguez (pictured left, dubbed "The King of Boogaloo") are often cited as the originators. Boogaloos mainly featured English lyrics, sometimes risqué, and brash, rough-and-ready music with characteristic use of a trombone frontline influenced by Eddie Palmieri and pivotal Latin percussion, reflecting the experience of second generation Puerto Rican New Yorkers. This helped to cross over to the non-Latin audience. Key singles include Joe Cuba's first million-selling boogaloo hit "Bang Bang" and Héctor Rivera's top 40 hit "At The Party"; notably both were older bandleaders. Established bandleaders like Tito Puente initially resisted the trend, but the strength of its popularity eventually obliged them to record boogaloos. Many boogaloo generation musicians believe that the style's sudden extinction was due to a coalition of jealous established bandleaders, promoters and a Latin DJ orchestrating a blacklist and restricting airplay. The Latin / R&B hybrid known as Latin soul emerged out of the late '60s boogaloo scene in East Harlem and the Bronx. Early examples of the style appeared on Joe Bataan's 1967/8 albums for Fania, the liner notes of which used the expression "Soul" Latin and described him as the number one Latin soul vocalist. Hits from Bataan's first two albums crossed over to R&B radio and led to gigs at African-American dances. Other exponents of Latin soul from the period include Rafi Pagan, Paul Ortiz y La Orquesta Son and Joe Acosta.
- John Child