Rediscovering “El Jibarito de Ponce”
| Since revitalizing the label in 2020, we’ve been steadily digitizing the Ansonia catalog, sharing releases online, and producing select vinyl reissues. Many of the albums we’ve reintroduced were already circulating in some form, through unofficial uploads or secondhand vinyl copies found in record shops and collections around the world. |
| But deep in our archives are recordings that hadn’t been heard since the 1950s. These tracks were originally released only as singles and were never reissued on a full Ansonia album or compilation. We’ve begun working our way through this lesser-known corner of the catalog, doing our best to uncover the stories behind the music, a challenging task, as much of this history is undocumented and many of the artists and collaborators are no longer with us. |
| That’s why it felt especially meaningful to revisit these recordings by a young jíbaro singer, Minito Rivera, known as “El Jibarito de Ponce.” Because he was so young at the time, we hoped we might still be able to find him, and remarkably, we did. Minito Rivera is alive and still living in Puerto Rico. |
| With the help of our dear friends and on-the-ground researchers Ramon Cintron and Ramon Vazquez, who located Minito and met with him in person, we were able to piece together his story and his connection to Ansonia. Minito also generously shared photos from that era, which we are excited to share with you here. |
| We feel incredibly fortunate to help bring his music and his story back into the light. |
(Source: Minito Rivera personal archives)
| In late 1957, at only 11 years old, Minito appeared on the famed amateur Puerto Rican radio program Tribuna del Arte hosted by Don Rafael Quiñones Vidal. He took first place, and, more importantly, caught the attention of Juan Morales Ramos “Moralito,” jíbaro singer and brother of Florencio Morales Ramos “Ramito.” Beyond being a singer, Moralito was a talent scout with ties to Ansonia Records in Puerto Rico. Impressed by Minito’s gift, he swiftly arranged for the young singer to record four songs for Ralph Pérez’s Ansonia label that same year. |
| These recordings took place at Ochoa Recording Studios in Santurce, where Minito was backed by Conjunto Los Cialeños (Francisco “Panchón” Ortiz Piñeiro, Apolo “Polo” Ocasio Martínez, Pedro “Piquito” Marcano, and Arturito Avilés). |
| In the above photo, Minito is accompanied not by Los Cialeños, but by Toñito Ferrer, Nieves Quintero, and Pedro “Papi” Andino. |
(Source: Minito Rivera personal archives)
These recordings were originally released as 78 rpm singles in 1957 and 1958. As a result, they remained largely obscure, and Minito’s musical legacy went mostly undocumented. We have now digitized the original tapes and brought all four songs together for the first time in our new digital release, El Jibarito de Ponce.
🎶 Stream/Download 🎶
(Source: Minito Rivera personal archives)
| On January 23, 1958, less than two months after his appearance on Tribuna del Arte and despite the end of the holiday season, “Moralito,” together with producer Víctor Alonso, traveled with him to New York to perform at the Puerto Rico Theater alongside singer Miguelito Poventud and Trío Los Panchos. Between 1958 and 1959, “El Jibarito de Ponce” appeared frequently in Puerto Rico, New York, and New Jersey, sharing the stage with renowned artists such as Ramito, La Calandria, Odilio González, Chuíto el de Bayamón, Fernando Casanova, José Miguel Class “El Gallito de Manatí,” and Toñito Ferrer. |
| During this period, he also recorded six songs in New York for Víctor Alonso’s Embassy label, accompanied by Nieves Quintero, Claudio Ferrer, and Pedro “Papi” Andino. At the same time, he remained active in Puerto Rico, performing at fairs, on radio programs like Toñín Romero’s, and on television, including Myrta Sylva’s Corte Suprema del Arte on WAPA-TV, where he won first prize accompanied by Felipe Rodríguez’s Trio. |
During the 1960s, he shifted his focus toward popular music, performing with various musical groups as both a singer and instrumentalist on cuatro, guitar, and piano. In 1965, he married Ramonita Rodríguez De Jesús, with whom he had three children: Maximino, a musician, Rosa Isabel, and Jerry. He now has nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren and resides in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico.
| Thank you to Ramon Cintron (right) and Ramon Vazquez (left), pictured here with Minito, for helping us connect with El Jibarito de Ponce and making it possible to share his story. |
| Biographical information has been adapted from text written by Ramon Cintron. |
Pachyman is the latest guest DJ on our Timeless Sounds from the Caribbean vinyl set series on YouTube
In case you missed it, we launched a new series where we invite various artists and DJs to dig into our vast catalog. The inaugural video featured DJ Gia Fu. In the most recent installment, LA-based musician and producer Pachyman tapped into his Puerto Rican roots, playing a set filled with jíbaro classics from legends like Chuito and Ramito.
One year since the release of Salsa con Estilo
Our compilation Salsa con Estilo turns 1 today! To celebrate, we’re spotlighting one of the key artists featured: Frankie Figueroa, aka Mister Estilo—the inspiration behind the name of the compilation.
Frankie’s smooth, stylish vocals graced Tito Puente’s orchestra for two decades, alongside his remarkable solo releases with Ansonia. Despite his immense talent, Frankie remains an unsung hero in salsa history, and we’re excited to honor his legacy and the incredible music he’s given us.
The video is directed and edited by David Feinberg and animated by Juan Francisco Peña, with narration from Pablo Yglesias (aka DJ Bongohead) who curated and conceptualized the Salsa con Estilo compilation.
New Release
Luis Kalaff y su Dominicanos / Merengues (1959)
Luis Kalaff, a monumental figure in Dominican music, left an indelible mark on merengue with over 2,000 compositions. His album Merengues with Los Alegres Dominicanos masterfully blends rural and urban styles, bringing a rich, authentic yet contemporary sound that shaped merengue’s evolution.
Second single from our new artist Rita Donte
Rita Donte’s latest single “Paseo de las misiones” from her upcoming album Ritual is an ode to the conga and a love letter to her Cuban roots—honoring the African and Spanish lineage that made her who she is. Driven by the heartbeat of the conga, the song is all about her deep connection to Cuban culture and music. The chorus says it all: “May they bury me with the conga.”
The video is a live recording featuring all the musicians who played on the album. It captures the recording process in an old-school style—everyone playing together in the same room, without a click track. The energy is undeniably infectious.
Introducing Rita Donte and Her Upcoming Album “Ritual”
Ansonia Records is thrilled to welcome Rita Donte, a Cuban singer-songwriter based in Mexico, as the newest artist to join our family.
Rita’s music is a captivating fusion of tradition and innovation, blending Cuban roots with the vibrant influences of Mexican rhythms like son jarocho and beyond.
Her debut album with Ansonia Records, Ritual, will be released on March 28, 2025. This deeply personal collection reflects Rita’s remarkable journey—from the lively streets of Havana to the serene beaches of Baja California. With each song, she invites listeners into a world of rich rhythms, heartfelt storytelling, and sonic exploration.
A key collaborator in bringing Ritual to life is producer and multi-instrumentalist Gustavo Guerrero, widely recognized as his alter ego Augusto Bracho. Known for his work with artists like Natalia Lafourcade, Silvana Estrada, and Laura Itandehui (who contributed backing vocals to Ritual), Gustavo played an integral role in shaping the album, crafting its unique soundscape with care and precision.
The first single, “Zunzun Baba,” is out now, accompanied by a stunning music video filmed in the heart of Havana. This track is a testament to Rita’s ability to honor her heritage while crafting something entirely her own.
🎶 Listen to “Zunzun Baba”
🎥 Watch the Music Video
Miramar join Ansonia Records
Ansonia Records is thrilled to introduce our newest artist: Miramar
Based in Richmond, Virginia, Miramar is fronted by the dynamic vocal duo of Laura Ann Singh and Rei Álvarez—who also serves as the band’s principal songwriter—alongside keyboardist/arranger Marlysse Rose Simmons-Argandoña. Álvarez and Simmons-Argandoña are well-known as leaders of the iconic salsa band Bio Ritmo, and the three previously performed together in the Brazilian band Os Magrelos.
With Miramar, the group revives the bolero-beat sound—a beloved pan-Latin genre from the late 1960s that blends boleros with elements of psychedelic rock, folk, bossa nova, funk, salsa, and more.
Their debut single with Ansonia, Un Astro is a soulful balada about the birth of Álvarez and Simmons-Argandoña’s son, Desi. The accompanying video, directed and edited by Tyler Scheerschmidt, is a tribute to the classic black-and-white studio set videos of the 1960s.
Some Meridian Brothers updates…
Meridian Brothers were profiled in The New Yorker by Daniel Alarcón
KEXP DJ set from Sept. 15 now available to stream
Meridian Brothers cover Tom Petty’s “Yer So Bad” for the Apple TV show “Bad Monkey” starring Vince Vaughan
Stream the latest release from Meridian Brothers “Mi Latinoamérica Sufre” and/or grab the LP
Ansonia HQ visits
Some recent visitors include our dear friend and wonderful journalist Betto Arcos, who brought along fellow Latin music journalists Enrique Blanc (Universidad de Guadalajara), Jaime Andrés Monsalve (Radio Nacional de Colombia), and Juan V. Gama (Tecnológico de Monterrey)
Joe Rodriguez and Javier Nuño from the acclaimed Mexican music supervision team, Índice, stopped by while they were in town for the Imagen Awards, where they won Best Music Supervision for Film and TV for their work on A Million Miles Away. A special shoutout to our dear friend, Camilo Lara, a.k.a. Mexican Institute of Sound, who won the Imagen Award for Best Music Composition on the same project.
| Ansonia sample catalog |
Our catalog is on Tracklib, an awesome service that makes clearing samples super easy. Because of that, we’ve been hearing some cool new tracks with Ansonia samples! One of them is from Dutch producer Juliius, who sampled Cortijo y Kako‘s Chiviriquiton for his latest track, Chiviri.
Speaking of samples…
Carmita Jimenéz‘s Di Que Es Asi was sampled in Tyler Loyal‘s View from the Top, which was featured in the latest Google Pixel ad
We are so excited to announce the release of a new album from Colombian psych tropical group Meridian Brothers!
Mi Latinoamérica Sufre was born from the desire to explore the untapped potential of the guitar, drawing inspiration from the vibrant traditions of African “guitar bands” seen in Colombian styles like champeta and soukous.
| Singles from the album… En el Caribe estoy triste Captivating rhythms of soukous merging seamlessly with coastal Colombian champeta. It features a guitar-driven sound with catchy riffs and lively notes, evoking the vibrant atmosphere of the Afro-Caribbean coast. |
Mandala
A blend of the rhythmic pulse of Afro-Venezuelan “tambor” with funky grooves, reminiscent of the 1970s Colombian music scene, notably from the coastal city of Barranquilla
Sé que estoy cambiando
Infused with elements of calypso intertwined with Colombian and Haitian roots, “Sé que estoy cambiando” exudes an infectious energy and vibrancy. Its spirited rhythm is complemented by the intricate guitar work reminiscent of West African Highlife
New digital releases
“His Piano and Rhythm: The Music Of Rafael Hernández And Agustín Lara” by Joe Loco is a vibrant Latin instrumental album that pays tribute to the legendary composers Rafael Hernández and Agustín Lara.
Featuring energetic piano-led arrangements and a dynamic rhythm section, the album blends mambo, bolero, and jazz influences, showcasing Joe Loco’s masterful interpretation of these timeless Latin classics.
All the albums featuring tracks from our Salsa Con Estilo compilation are now available on all digital streaming platforms. Check out the latest additions below:
Panamanian singer Sylvia De Grasse recorded a captivating album for Ansonia called La Cita. Thanks to Devin’s 7s, two singles from the album (El Chicotazo and Matando Los Chivos) are now available on 7-inch.
We were in NYC for the opening of the Salsa Con Estilo exhibition curated by Pablo E Yglesias aka DJ Bongohead, celebrating our latest compilation Ansonia Records Presents – Salsa Con Estilo – Dance Floor Gems from the Vaults: 1950s – 1980s at La Sala de Pepe y Foto Espacio.
The best part of the reception was catching up with Gerry Glass and his family. His grandfather Ralph Pérez started Ansonia Records in 1949, which means this year marks our 75th anniversary!
The wonderful illustrator behind the vibrant album cover, Marie Watanabe, created trading cards of Myrta Silva, Frankie Figueroa, Arsenio Rodriguez, and Mon Rivera for the exhibition.
The reviews are in…
Salsa Con Estilo was chosen by Bandcamp Daily last month as one of the best Latin releases of 2024! María Barrios of Bandcamp says:
“Ansonia is a crucial archive of the rich exchange between immigrant communities and the sounds of their homelands. This compilation documents a vital part of Latin music history: salsa’s inception and its endless appeal.”
Mark Sampson of Sound and Colours calls it his favorite comp of the year:
“The great strength of this compilation is that the 26 tracks are divided between the twin categories “Roots of Salsa” and “Salsa Boom”, which means that you can listen to the way the genre evolved without getting stuck in a repetitious rut along the way.”
Tune in via your DSP of choice and while supplies last, nab your double LP copy via Bandcamp or Kuroneko (if you’re EU).
Dance trend alert…
En Casa De Estanislao by Belisario López Y Su Charanga, which is featured on Salsa Con Estilo, has gained traction on IG Reels and TikTok with over 1600 dance videos.
If you have TikTok, check out these dance moves by way of Cali, Colombia or catch some of our favorites compiled on our IG.
