Chino Rodriguez

Rodriguez was born James Mui on February 2, 1954 in the Little Italy/Chinatown area of Manhattan, New York City, to a Chinese father, Chueng Mui (Chinese: 梅莊, Méi Zhuāng), who obtained U.S. citizenship by joining the Merchant Marines during World War II, and a third-generation Puerto Rican mother, Gloria Figueroa Rodríguez.

Rodriguez took music at Junior High School 65 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. By his late teens, he had met Orchestra Dee Jay in Brooklyn, who soon allowed him into the fold as a band boy, then later as an occasional coro (chorus) singer. He formed his first band on the Lower East Side, simply called Chino Rodriguez and his Orchestra in 1968-69, playing at weddings, birthdays, and private parties. Through the local musician's union, American Federation of Musicians 802, he found work playing music for the New York City Department of Parks arts program, from 1970-74.

Rodriguez recorded two albums for Ismael Maisonave's label, Salsa Records: Maestro De Kung-Fu,[1] produced by Andy Harlow, and Si Te Vas Mi China,[2][3] produced by Larry Harlow.

Chino onstage with Jose Rodriguez and Lewis Kahn, early 1970s

Maestro de Kung-Fu contained "La Computadora", the first Latin recording using a MOOG synthesizer, played by Larry Harlow. Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez played on "Moonlight Serenade." Chino Rodriguez y La Consagración was nominated for Latin New York Magazine's award for Best New Band.[4] Rodriguez's second album, Si Te Vas Mi China, was recorded in 1976 after a year's worth of daily rehearsals. It produced two hits upon its release in 1977 and, like his debut album, achieved gold status.

Rodriguez began working part-time at Fania Records as a teenager after FANIA was about to purchase Salsa Records on the record label Chino Rodriguez recorded on and started helping with the booking of the Fania All-Stars. Then Rodriguez moved on to working as an independent booking agent representing many of the Fania artists such as Larry Harlow, Ismael Miranda, Junior Gonzalez, Bobby Valentine and many other Fania Greats. Rodriguez returned to working full-time in the business side of the music industry in 1991, becoming Senior Vice President and General Manager of the newly formed Hidden Faces Records. After organizing business operations for Hidden Faces he opened his own artist management company, Chino Rodriguez Management (C.R.M.), and booking agency, OMNI Latino Entertainment (OLE), He opened his offices in Brooklyn, New York. In 2011, Rodriguez represented Latin hip hop artists Proyecto Uno, bachata artist Domenic Marte, reggaetón duo Edgardo y D'niel, and bachata artist Alfred Martinez, Chino presently worked with many reggaetón and rap artists and lived in Florida.

• Maestro De Kung-Fu, SALSA Records, 1976. Re-released on CD 2004 by Mary Lou/SALSA Records.
• Si Te Vas Mi China, SALSA Records, 1977. Re-released on CD 2004 by Mary Lou/SALSA Records.

• Flores, Juan. From Bomba to Hip Hop: Puerto Rican Culture and Latino Identity. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000; ISBN 978-0-231-11077-8
• Leymarie, Isabelle. Cuban Fire: The Story of Salsa and Latin Jazz. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002; ISBN 978-0-8264-6566-5
• Washburne, Christopher. Sounding Salsa: Performing Latin Music in New York City. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2008; ISBN 978-1-59213-316-1

• Review and samples of Maestro de Kung-Fu
• Music of Puerto Rico
• Andy Harlow interview for Descarga
• Latin Music USA PBS documentary
• Chino Rodriguez's Personal Blog