Joe Bataan
at The Jazz Cafe, London
From £46.50
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From beginnings on Fania Records to co-founding Salsoul, Joe Bataan is the musical pioneer responsible for blending Latin boogaloo and R&B.
Growing up in East Harlem, the Filipino-American musician initially led a local street gang before being incarcerated for a stolen car charge. After his release in 1965, he turned to music, forming Joe Bataan and the Latin Swingers.
Signing with Fania Records in 1966, his debut album Gypsy Woman featured a hit title track, a Latin cover of The Impressions' classic. Over the years, he released eight albums for Fania, including the gold-certified Riot!, merging Latin rhythms with soulful ballads.
In 1973, he co-founded the Salsoul label, pioneering a fusion of salsa and soul, and achieved early hip-hop success with Rap-O Clap-O in 1979. Returning to the stage after retiring in 1981, he now returns to the stage for an incredibly rare live appearance.
Standing tickets are now sold out. There are limited remaining tickets available via the Jazz Cafe restaurant here.
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Joe Bataan
The son of a Filipino mother and African American father, Latin soul pioneer Joe Bataan grew up among Puerto Ricans in East Harlem, New York. Running with a street gang called the Dragons, he was arrested for auto theft and did several years of prison time, but upon his release in 1965 he turned his energy to music. His soulful voice and creative arrangements on songs like Subway Joe (1968), recorded on the Fania record label, appealed to a diverse audience. In the era of the bugalú and Latin soul, he became a leading innovator in the blending of African American and Latin Caribbean styles. Even after Fania Records turned its attention exclusively to salsa music, Bataan continued to promote music that blended diverse styles, founding the Salsoul record label in 1973. His 1979 song, Rap-O-Clap-O, which topped the charts in Europe, was an exuberant mixture of disco beat, Latin percussion, and rap that reflected the intersecting cultural currents of Bataan’s life.
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Joe Bataan image © Siobhan Bradshaw
The Jazz Cafe
5 Parkway
Camden Town
London
NW1 7PG
- Website:
- thejazzcafelondon.com
- Disabled Booking:
- 0844 847 2514
See all events at The Jazz Cafe
Joe Bataan image © Siobhan Bradshaw
The Jazz Cafe
5 Parkway
Camden Town
London
NW1 7PG
- Website:
- thejazzcafelondon.com
- Disabled Booking:
- 0844 847 2514
See all events at The Jazz Cafe
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on Sun 17 August 2025