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| Courtesy Mike Rivera Myspace page |
Many years ago, and I mean many (1980s), a young salsa band began to make some noise in the salsa circuit in Chicago. The band, “Tipica 78,” was one of the youthful bands that were part of the “Caribe” repertoire of young Chicago salsa groups he (Caribe) managed. They had a very young following mostly because they themselves were kids back then. The leaders of the group, as I recall, were Vida Rivera (conga player) and Mikey Rivera, the bassist. Every so often when you see kids, you recognize one or two who stand out as someone who is destined to go far in life. Back then I predicted this same outcome for the bass player/ co-leader, Mike Rivera. You see, Mike Rivera was not only a good Latin bass player, but he was also a kid that thought things out and seemed to be the voice of reason. He was methodical and had a good business sense at an early age. Over the years, long after Tipica 78, Mike Rivera continued his musical career and delved into the business side of the industry. That is a tough job in today’s climate whre Latin Music is not necessarily the most profitable. His journey took him away from the windy city in order to enhance his experience to places like New York, Los Angeles, and Florida, where he now makes his home. Today Mike Rivera is a well established producer in the salsa scene who has produced and managed many of today’s premier salsa stars. Mike is still playing bass between productions and is one of the most sought after producers in the industry. Mike Rivera has paid his dues in Chicago and is someone you should know about. I have attached a link to his Myspace page so you could see his bio. I would post it but it is kind of lengthy. When we think about Old School Salsa in Chicago, we should definitely remember Mike Rivera and Chicago’s Tipica 78. If anyone has any old photos or stories about this group please let me know and I will post them.
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