Jerry Masucci

Gerald "Jerry" Masucci^[1] (October 7, 1934 – December 21, 1997) was an American attorney, businessman and was co-founder of Fania Records.

Biography

Masucci was born in Brooklyn, New York^[2] to Italian immigrant parents Urbano and Elvira Masucci.^[3] He was a police officer in New York City before attending, and during 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.^[4]

In 1964 in New York City, Masucci, then a divorce attorney, and Johnny Pacheco, a Dominican musician, established Fania Records.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} 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.^[10] 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.^[11]

In 1980, he was running Fame, a modeling agency.^[12]

Masucci died of aortic aneurysm caused by a heart attack in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 21, 1997 at age 63. It was reported that he had three daughters, Darlene, Misty and Corinne.^[13][4][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

1. JON PARELES (2006-10-23). "Johnny Pacheco - music - review - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
2. "Celebrating a Salsa Legacy - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
3. Cabo, Lelia. "Exclusive: Marc Anthony and Other Salsa Legends Share Memories of Legendary Label Fania Records". Billboard. Billboard.
4. PETER WATROUS (1997-12-24). "J. Masucci, 62, International Salsa Promoter - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
5. "Digital Salsa: The Surprising Rebirth Of Legendary Latin-Music Label Fania Records". Fast Company. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
6. Katie Kramer (2015-01-04). "Fania, Latin music powerhouse, dances to new tune in digital era". Cnbc.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
7. "Seminal Latin Label's Music Resurrected". NPR. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
8. "Various Artists, 'Fania Records 1964-1980: The Original Sound of Latin New York' (Strut)". Spin. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
9. "Spicing up that beat". Los Angeles Times. 15 January 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
10. "Fania All-Stars". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
11. César Miguel Rondón The Book of Salsa: A Chronicle of Urban Music from the Caribbean 2008 - Page 42
12. "The Fashion World Is Rocked by Model Wars, Part Two: the Ford Empire Strikes Back". People. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
13. "Jerry Masucci, 63, Salsa Music Promoter". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
14. "CAA Signs Latin Music Label Fania Records". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.