Documentary 'We Like It Like That' Remembers The Peak Of Boogaloo

Boogaloo was the reigning Latin music of 1960's New York City. The distinctive genre combined the sounds of the previous decade's popular Cuban mambo with R&B, jazz, and funk to create distinctive and danceable beats that were popular across ethnic and racial lines. While boogaloo enjoyed an extended heyday in the '70s thanks to the iconic label Fania Records, salsa music eventually eclipsed it and gained a national following that still eludes boogaloo to this day. But now a recent documentary, We Like It Like That, aims to honor and to introduce listeners to the infectious sounds of the genre. The film celebrates the 50th anniversary of Fania and remembers the boogaloo legends that shaped the label and New York's Latin music scene.

In a conversation with Soundcheck host John Schaefer, the film's director Mathew Ramirez Warren talks about discovering boogaloo when sifting through old records, and brings along bandleader Joe Bataan to talk about music industry resistance that some claim was the death of boogaloo.

We Like It Like That releases to New York on Wednesday, August 5, and Joe Bataan headlines the Latin Boogaloo Celebration at Lincoln Center Out of Doors Thursday, August 6. Special guests include boogaloo legends Richie Ray and Pete Rodriguez with Ray Lugo and the Boogaloo Destroyers and latin boogaloo expert DJ Turmix spinning his latin boogaloo vinyl. Get tickets here.