Chicago Salsa Flashback of the 70s - Manuel Y Sus Estrellas

It was Saturday on a hot summer night during the mid 1970s. We decided to check out a Latin Club and went to the Tropical Magic Night Club on Fullerton Avenue at Rockwell. The neighborhood was kind of rough back in the day but it didn’t matter because everyone was there for the same thing – Salsa. The Tropical magic was one of the more popular West Side Latin Night Clubs at the time. It was dark inside with bamboo décor, plastic palm trees and a long colorful glass bar. The walls were painted black with green fluorescent paint that lit up with the purple black lights that were strategically placed throughout the club. When you came to the door, the bouncer dressed in a white suit with an open collar and a thick gold chain, patted you down to make sure you had no weapons. The band was on break but the juke was blaring, “Toro Mata Ayi Toro Mata”…the popular Celia Cruz tune. The dance floor was crowded with couples.

After the break, the small group returned to the stage. The group named, “Manuel Y Sus Estrellas” started playing and the dancers quickly came to their feet. The group was comprised of a pianist, baby bass player, a conga player, timbalero, a vocalist, and a vibraphone player, who doubled on flute. They were tight and had a swing that was contagious. They sounded a lot like the Joe Cuba Sextet of the 60s from New York and were the hottest group in the Latin Night Club scene at the time. I remember that the leader’s name was Manuel, who I think played timbales. The conga player I think was Tato, the vibe player Chito and the piano player was Arturo Aguilar, a club regular who always wore dark glasses. Those were the days when the pure Latin rhythms your body craved through live music was the fix everyone looked for on the weekends. Those were the days.

I often wondered what ever happened to this group. I did a little web searching and found that Manuel Y Sus Estrellas had actually recorded a single. I found it on Youtube and attached the link for your listening pleasure. If you remember this group or any of its members or simply want to share your Tropical Magic experience please let us know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAUlGPB85zY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL