Jerry Masucci
Gerald "Jerry" Masucci[1] (October 7, 1934 – December 21, 1997) was an American attorney, businessman and salsa music promoter. He was co-founder of Fania Records.
Biography
Masucci was born in Brooklyn, New York.[2] He was a police officer in New York City before, and during, attending law school. In 1960, he graduated from New York Law School as a juris doctor. He then worked for a public relations firm in Cuba, where he became interested in Latin music.[3]
In 1964 in New York City, Masucci, then a divorce attorney, and Johnny Pacheco, a Dominican musician, established Fania Records.[4][5][6][7][8] They started out selling records out of the trunk of cars on the streets of Spanish Harlem, signing up young artists, creating new sounds, and eventually having hit records.[9] Over the next 15 years, Fania Records helped define the sound, culture, and language associated with the salsa genre, a musical movement that arose partly from the unavailability in the United States of music produced in Cuba.[10]
In 1980, he was running Fame, a modeling agency.[11]
Masucci died in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December 1997 at age 63. It was reported that he had three daughters, Darlene, Misty and Corrine.[12][13][14]
Discography
Studio albums
- A Tribute to Tito Rodríguez (Fania, 1976)
- Latin Connection (Fania, 1981)
- Social Change (Fania, 1981)
- Guasasa (Fania, 1989)
- Ray Barretto ACID (Fania 1968)
Live albums
- Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 1 (Fania, 1968)
- Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1969)
- Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 1 (Fania, 1972)
- Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1972)
- Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1973)
- Latin-Soul-Rock (Fania, 1974)
- Fania All-Stars (Island, 1975)
- Live in Japan 76 (Fania, 1976)
- Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 1 (Fania, 1976)
- Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 2 (Fania, 1976)
- Live (Fania, 1978)
- Habana Jam (Fania, 1979)
- Live in Africa (Fania, 1986)
DVDs
- Our Latin Thing (Fania 1972)
- Salsa (Fania, 1974)
- In Africa (Fania, 1993)
- Live (Fania, 1995)
References
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/23/arts/music/23pach.html
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/13/arts/music/celebrating-a-salsa-legacy.html
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/24/business/j-masucci-62-international-salsa-promoter.html
- ↑ "Digital Salsa: The Surprising Rebirth Of Legendary Latin-Music Label Fania Records". Fast Company. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/04/fania-latin-music-powerhouse-dances-to-new-tune-in-digital-era.html
- ↑ "Seminal Latin Label's Music Resurrected". NPR. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ "Various Artists, 'Fania Records 1964-1980: The Original Sound of Latin New York' (Strut)". Spin. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ "Spicing up that beat". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ "Fania All-Stars". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ César Miguel Rondón The Book of Salsa: A Chronicle of Urban Music from the Caribbean 2008 - Page 42
- ↑ "The Fashion World Is Rocked by Model Wars, Part Two: the Ford Empire Strikes Back". People. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ "Jerry Masucci, 63, Salsa Music Promoter". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/24/business/j-masucci-62-international-salsa-promoter.html
- ↑ "CAA Signs Latin Music Label Fania Records". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.