David F. Garcia is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"An engaging, timely, and thoroughly researched work that explores the accomplishments and legacy of one of Cuba's most important musicians and bandleaders, Arsenio Rodriguez Scull. Garcia's book fills a voice on Cuban and Latin American popular music scholarship, painstakingly outlining the details of Arsenio's strong African playing style, and how his musical creations were deeply tied to race, class, and cubanidad. No other book so skillfully combines biography with a convincing cultural analysis of how music both emerges from and contests specific ideologies of race, class, and national identity. This book promises to be the definitive biography of Arsenio in the English language-comprehensive and unstinting in its attention to detail." -Katherine Hagedorn, Associate Professor of Music at Pomona College, and author of Divine Utterances: The Performance of Afro-Cuban Santeria

• Final Table of Contents List of Illustrations Preface Introduction "Feeling Son Montuno": Issues and Theoretical Approach Outline 1 "I Was Born of Africa": Black Consciousness and Cubanidad Formative Years Reclaiming "Africa" "Adore Her as Marti Did" 2 Negro y Macho: Arsenio Rodriguez's Conjunto and Son Montuno Style The Early Septetos and Conjunto, 1926-1944 Contratiempo and the Emergence of the Son Montuno Feel Placing the Emergence of Son Montuno 3 Who Is Who in Mambo? Migrating to New York City "I Sell Rhythm!" The Political Economy of Son Montuno and Mambo The Pueblo Pueblo of El Barrio and the Bronx 4 Remembering the Past with El Ciego Maravilloso Arsenio Rodriguez in Chicago, Curacao, and Los Angeles Nostalgia, Exile Politics, and the "Pre-salsa" Milieu in New York City Final Performances and Death 5 Salsa and Arsenio Rodriguez's Legacy "We Were Disciples of Arsenio" Son Montuno and Salsa Aesthetics Conclusion: Remembering Arsenio Rodriguez/Remembering Son Montuno Notes Discography Bibliography

David F. Garcia is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"An engaging, timely, and thoroughly researched work that explores the accomplishments and legacy of one of Cuba's most important musicians and bandleaders, Arsenio Rodriguez Scull. Garcia's book fills a voice on Cuban and Latin American popular music scholarship, painstakingly outlining the details of Arsenio's strong African playing style, and how his musical creations were deeply tied to race, class, and cubanidad. No other book so skillfully combines biography with a convincing cultural analysis of how music both emerges from and contests specific ideologies of race, class, and national identity. This book promises to be the definitive biography of Arsenio in the English language-comprehensive and unstinting in its attention to detail." -Katherine Hagedorn, Associate Professor of Music at Pomona College, and author of Divine Utterances: The Performance of Afro-Cuban Santeria

• Final Table of Contents List of Illustrations Preface Introduction "Feeling Son Montuno": Issues and Theoretical Approach Outline 1 "I Was Born of Africa": Black Consciousness and Cubanidad Formative Years Reclaiming "Africa" "Adore Her as Marti Did" 2 Negro y Macho: Arsenio Rodriguez's Conjunto and Son Montuno Style The Early Septetos and Conjunto, 1926-1944 Contratiempo and the Emergence of the Son Montuno Feel Placing the Emergence of Son Montuno 3 Who Is Who in Mambo? Migrating to New York City "I Sell Rhythm!" The Political Economy of Son Montuno and Mambo The Pueblo Pueblo of El Barrio and the Bronx 4 Remembering the Past with El Ciego Maravilloso Arsenio Rodriguez in Chicago, Curacao, and Los Angeles Nostalgia, Exile Politics, and the "Pre-salsa" Milieu in New York City Final Performances and Death 5 Salsa and Arsenio Rodriguez's Legacy "We Were Disciples of Arsenio" Son Montuno and Salsa Aesthetics Conclusion: Remembering Arsenio Rodriguez/Remembering Son Montuno Notes Discography Bibliography

David F. Garcia is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"An engaging, timely, and thoroughly researched work that explores the accomplishments and legacy of one of Cuba's most important musicians and bandleaders, Arsenio Rodriguez Scull. Garcia's book fills a voice on Cuban and Latin American popular music scholarship, painstakingly outlining the details of Arsenio's strong African playing style, and how his musical creations were deeply tied to race, class, and cubanidad. No other book so skillfully combines biography with a convincing cultural analysis of how music both emerges from and contests specific ideologies of race, class, and national identity. This book promises to be the definitive biography of Arsenio in the English language-comprehensive and unstinting in its attention to detail." -Katherine Hagedorn, Associate Professor of Music at Pomona College, and author of Divine Utterances: The Performance of Afro-Cuban Santeria

• Final Table of Contents List of Illustrations Preface Introduction "Feeling Son Montuno": Issues and Theoretical Approach Outline 1 "I Was Born of Africa": Black Consciousness and Cubanidad Formative Years Reclaiming "Africa" "Adore Her as Marti Did" 2 Negro y Macho: Arsenio Rodriguez's Conjunto and Son Montuno Style The Early Septetos and Conjunto, 1926-1944 Contratiempo and the Emergence of the Son Montuno Feel Placing the Emergence of Son Montuno 3 Who Is Who in Mambo? Migrating to New York City "I Sell Rhythm!" The Political Economy of Son Montuno and Mambo The Pueblo Pueblo of El Barrio and the Bronx 4 Remembering the Past with El Ciego Maravilloso Arsenio Rodriguez in Chicago, Curacao, and Los Angeles Nostalgia, Exile Politics, and the "Pre-salsa" Milieu in New York City Final Performances and Death 5 Salsa and Arsenio Rodriguez's Legacy "We Were Disciples of Arsenio" Son Montuno and Salsa Aesthetics Conclusion: Remembering Arsenio Rodriguez/Remembering Son Montuno Notes Discography Bibliography