Tito Rodriguez “Live at the Palladium” 60th Anniversary

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Tito Rodriguez’s “Live at the Palladium” gives you a front seat of a great performance recorded 60 years ago at this palace of Latin music.

In 1960 Tito Rodriguez and his orchestra were still at the top of their game. They decided to record this album in October of that year. This occurred around the time when then-Senator John F. Kennedy was in a tough race for the presidency against incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon. Tito’s career exploded in the ’50s and he wanted to start the ’60s with a bang!

About “Live at the Palladium

Humberto Ramirez behind Tito Rodriguez Live at the Palladium
Humberto Rodriguez holds an original copy of the LP “Tito Rodriguez Live at the Palladium” (1960).

Live at the Palladium” features 10 songs; five of what we would call today Salsa (but the term hadn’t been coined back then) and five Latin Jazz. The latter featured Tito’s great orchestra, which included a young Eddie Palmieri on the piano.

Many of today’s Salsa fans will recognize two emblematic Rodriguez songs; “Mama Güela” and “El Sabio“. Latin Jazz fans can’t miss the popular “Satin and Lace“.

Proof of the album’s popularity was that Tito recorded a similar one, “Tito Rodriguez Returns to the Palladium Live” the following year (1961).

Humberto Ramirez Facebook Program

Humberto Ramirez dedicated one of his weekly Facebook Live music programs to this album. He did a fantastic job, as he normally does. But this program in particular got my attention to the significance of this recording.

I’m sharing the link to the recording of the Humberto Ramirez Facebook Live program below. Hopefully, you’ll have better luck than I did was I was only able to listen to Humberto when he talked, but not when he played the music. Thankfully I was able to pick up some great information about this recording on the comments I could listen to.

Enjoy!

Humberto Ramirez Facebook Live (recorded) program on Tito Rodriguez “Live at the Palladium”.

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2 Comments
  1. Eddie says

    I was nine years old when REAL music ruled in 1960. Tito Rodriguez’s LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM. Tito Puente’s DANCE MANIA. Dave Brubeck’s TIME OUT. Nina Simone’s debut album with “I Loves You, Porgy”. Cortijo y su combo con Ismael Rivera (and Eddie’s trademark “ha! ha! ha!” falsetto yelps during instrumental breaks). I listen to today’s music and quote the as yet unanswered question posed by Cortijo’s group and compai Ismael at the intro to one of their many hits “Oriza”:
    “¿Que lo que pasa aqui? ¿Ah?!”

  2. […] year we celebrate the centenaries of two Mambo Kings; Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez. Berklee professor of Latin rhythms, Eguie Castrillo, played with Tito Puente who became his mentor […]

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