
LA MESA, 1981, Joe Conzo
“I was blessed to be around to document the birth of Hip Hop with my camera as a young Latino growing up in The South Bronx. But when I wasn’t hanging out with my childhood friends, I was hanging on my Dad’s coat tails. You see, my dad, Joe Conzo Sr., is known as the foremost historian of Afro Latin music, and it was with him I documented some of the genre’s great talents and great events. The late 1970’s and early 1980’s were a thrilling high point for Salsa —Tito Puente hated that word!— and I was right there with Dad, a fly on the wall, capturing moments among the giants. Growing up listening to Puente, Celia, Lavoe, Eddie, and Charlie, I was in heaven and in awe that I got the chance to photograph them. I was a teenager with “all access,” and the legends treated me like family: ‘Déjalo. Es el hijo de Conzo, is all good!'”
All photos property of the artist and used by permission. See more at www.joeconzo.com.
Curated in dialogue with Alvan Colón Lespier, Associate Artistic Director, Pregones/PRTT.
Catch our SPOTLIGHT: Creatives at Work episode with Joe Conzo on August 24 at 7:30 pm.