Happy-Go-Loco - Joe Loco

Let's Go Loco

Happy-Go-Loco
Joe Loco And His Orchestra
Imperial LP 9073
1960

From the back cover: Such has been the case with Latin-American music, especially in the hands of its leading exponent, Joe Loco, who was the first man to introduce both the mambo and cha cha cha to this country. His mambo of "Tenderly," the first mambo record ever released in 1951, was not only one of the biggest selling records of the day (and is still selling), but was a forerunner to adapting Latin rhythms to American pop tunes. Along with the Latin and pop tunes, Loco added another most important ingredient – jazz. This gave his music that extra bit of seasoning that made it distinctive and universally accepted. It appealed to the jazz buff, the melody lover, and the dancer. Two years later, in 1953, when Loco introduced cha cha cha, he handle it the same way for the same mass appeal.

Joe Loco is one of the most talented and versatile musicians in the business. He is a graduate of Juilliard and plays every instrument in the band. He is a fluent writer and excellent arranger. Following four years at Juilliard, Loco took post-graduate work at New York University and then studied the complicated Schlinger system of music under Richard Bender. He was playing piano professionally at sixteen years of age and before that was a hoofer. At seventeen he was playing trombone with Count Basie's band when Basie brought his first band to New York from Kansas City. He has played with dozens of the biggest bands, including Will Bradley, Joe Reisman, and Xavier Cugat, to name a few.

From Billboard - February 1, 1960: Loco is an artist at setting pop standards into Latin rhythms. He does it here with "Glow Worm," "Autumn Leaves," "Sometimes I'm Happy," etc. Inviting instrumental material, good for dancing, and with a jazz feeling.

Also see: Make Mine Mambo

Glow Worm
La Noche De Anoche
Lonnie's Joco
Mujer
Autumn Leaves
Ja Da Cha Cha Cha
Meet Me In Cisco's
Manhattan Spiritual
Let's Go Loco
Tip Toe Through The Tulips With Me
Sometimes I'm Happy
What Is Thing Called Love