PEREZ PRADO
The most popular Latin music has always been about dancing...the steps, the beat, la pasión. The Tango, a dance designed with couples in mind, came out of Argentina around the turn of the century with movements, perceived by some as suggestive, fueling its popularity. The Samba, a methodical extension of primitive, tribal African dances, developed in Brazil around the same time, reaching its peak during the 1940s and '50s. The Rumba, a musical style compatible with these and other dances, gained favor in Cuba during the '30s and '40s, popularized in the U.S. by Spanish-born, Havana-based bandleader Xavier Cugat. Cuban conga man Desi Arnaz made a name for himself in Miami in the late '30s, later performing with Cugat before starting his own band ... MORE ››
