Fania Records: Iconic Latin label’s 60th anniversary commemorated at Jazz Cafe
One of the most significant Latin labels in the world, Fania Records, will celebrate its 60th anniversary later this month.
To commemorate the legendary New York label, Vince Vella All Stars will perform a Fania Records 60th Anniversary show at the Jazz Café in Parkway, Camden Town, on June 29.
In the 1960s, Fania was a pioneer in creating and spreading the sound of salsa music from New York City across the globe.
As well as salsa, Fania was the home for genres like Latin big band, Afro-Cuban jazz, boogaloo and Latin soul.
Its roster of artists includes countless music legends, such as Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Cheo Feliciano and Rubén Blades, among many others.
In 1968, the launch of the international supergroup, known as the Fania All-Stars, established the label’s signature musical style, which became known as the “Fania Sound.”
Today, the labels legacy is just as meaningful to Latin music as Stax and Motown to soul or Prestige and Blue Note to jazz.
In addition to the Jazz Cafe’s show, Craft Latino will celebrate the milestone with plans to release more than a dozen remastered 180-gram vinyl reissues, two dozen remastered digital albums and a programme of live events in London throughout the next year.
Kicking off the year-long celebration and available now is a newly remastered reissue for La Gran Fuga (The Big Break), the 1970 masterpiece from Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe.
The Gold-certified sixth collaboration has been newly remastered with a classic tip-on jacket and, as an added bonus, an insert featuring Izzy Sanabria’s famous cover art—an FBI wanted poster with the bandleader’s mugshot.
Other vinyl reissues coming in 2024 include renowned recordings such as Joe Cuba Sextet’s long-out-of-print debut album on Tico Records, Vagabundeando! Hangin’ Out, and the Fania All-Stars 50th-anniversary edition of the Latin-Soul-Rock album, which features live recordings from the band’s 1973 concerts.
For tickets to the Jazz cafe’s anniversary show visit : https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/fania-records-60th-anniversary-celebration-jazz-cafe-tickets/13518383?pl=JC
Pictured top: Fania All Stars (Picture: Courtesy of Craft Latino)