Jose "Pepe" Rivera

Partial Transcript: When my dad migrated here to Lorain back in 1948. My father came to work at the steel mill when the steel was hiring people from Puerto Rico. There was a big migration of Puerto Ricans that came. At that time, there was a lot of the musicians that my dad knew in Puerto Rico that came along with him.

Segment Synopsis: Pepe Rivera's father built a home for 3 families who had recently migrated from Puerto Rico. The house's basement served as a rehearsal room where most of the musicians that Pepe Riveras' dad knew from P.R. would come together to play music. Young Pepe would hang around on his walker and enjoy music. After a few years Pepe's love for music and skills grew to the extent that he and 2 other musicians created a trio called Los Príncipes the first latino recording artist from Lorain.

Keywords: Bands; Construction; Fiestas; Migration; Musicans; Rehearsals; Steel Mill; Trio Puerto Rico; Vine Avenue

Subjects: Dances; Los Principes; Migration; Music Rehearsals; Sammy de Leon

Partial Transcript: Los nombres was bilingual. We did both Spanish and English. Los nombres where Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Dominicanos. We had a little bit of everything.

Segment Synopsis: The city of Lorain which is referred to as the international city is home to many communities of latinos that came together besides their differences. Mr. Rivera describes this as the melting pot. The idea that this small city could contain so many different communities and identities.

Keywords: Band; Bilingual; International

Subjects: Los Nombres; The International City

Partial Transcript: The music developed. They used to do a lot of parrandas and that is how I got introduce o it.

Segment Synopsis: Mr Rivera describes the parrandas which is where he started playing the cuatro constantly. He recalls the music that he grew up with and remembers how important the folkloric music was during the holidays. These folkloric genres developed into so many genres that are still alive in Lorain such as merengue, salsa, and bachata.

Keywords: Boleros; Develop; Salsa

Subjects: Cuatro; Parrandas

Partial Transcript: That was the go to place. It was more family oriented.

Segment Synopsis: The Puerto Rican Home is a two story building where Pepe go to perform and visit many dances. This place was a great mingling and community building center for the latino groups in Lorain. Now, after its lock down, other organizations such as the Mexican Mutual Society still hold similar events and dances.

Keywords: Bands; Barra; Dances; Mingling

Subjects: The Puerto Rican Home

Partial Transcript: Actually, it was a joint venture. As far as my experiences. The Mexican community at that time was the MACC which is the Mexican community society. They used to sponsor a lot of the dances.

Segment Synopsis: The Mexican and Puerto Rican community collaborated and sponsored each other's dances and concerts. There was not as much separation as there is now between communities. Jose Rivera compares these times to a melting pot.

Keywords: Dances; Melting pot; Sponsor; Workers

Subjects: Los Nombres; Mexican Dances; The Puerto Rican Home

Partial Transcript: We had promotors here in Lorain that would contract groups out of Puerto Rico.

Segment Synopsis: During this time, it was more affordable to bring big names such as Hector Lavoe and Ismael Miranda to Lorain. There were a lot of amazing concerts that took place in the city. Jose recalls the time when his first group Los Principes became the main act of these dances. Due to the lack of venues that there is now in Lorain, artists are normally booked in the Cleveland area.

Keywords: Concerts; Dances; Venues

Subjects: Ismael Miranda; Los Principes; Sammy De Leon

Segment Synopsis: Being one of the three cuatro players in Lorain, Jose Rivera would participate in about seventeen parrandas during one season. Because of the demand of parrandas during Christmas time, Jose Rivera put together a group "El Ritmo del Sabor" which would take care of bringing music to different houses during the season.

Keywords: Cuatro

Subjects: Parrandas

Partial Transcript: Im proud to say that today I work for WDRW Radio Sabor Latino. We are now bringing a new format. We call it Café Colao'.

Segment Synopsis: With his new radio show Café Colao', Jose Rivera is hoping to bring back Puerto Rican Music from the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Mr Rivera's friend Albert Aponte loaned a library of Puerto Rican music from those eras. People in Lorain and in Puerto Rico are excited and looking forward to tuning in and enjoying the show. Later on this section Jose Rivera discusses the beginnings of the show and the incorporation of latino music in the radio. Mike, a radio host, developed a show that was dedicated to the latino community on Sundays. He also mentions how today, he dedicates a portion of his Sunday shows to inform the latino community about various topics. He interviews community leaders, keeping them informed of what is going on in Lorain.

Keywords: El Centro; Lorain; Music; Puerto Rico; Tim Carrion; Victor Leandry

Subjects: Cafe Colao'; Radio Show

Partial Transcript: For example with our new councilman, Rey Carrion, he is now with the 6th Ward, in the latino community which is the South Lorain community.

Segment Synopsis: Lorain is growing as a city. New businesses are starting, people are coming together to clean the streets and claim parks. These efforts are making the community stronger while fostering creativity and growth for them.

Keywords: Accesibility; Business; Community; Envolvement

Subjects: Change; Growth; Town Hall Meetings

Partial Transcript: The up and coming musicians... It used to be more like playing by ear. When I grew up it was more playing by ear but I think today the younger musicians have moved ahead where they now read music. By doing that it develops into a whole different atmosphere.

Segment Synopsis: Jose Rivera talks about the new generation of musicians and how Jackie Warren who graduated from Oberlin College is now playing with Sammy de Leon. Jackie and Sammy de Leon did a drive up concert during COVID which was an amazing experience for the Lorain community. Mr. Rivera then explains how the new generation of musicians is being trained to read music which is opening doors into the professional world.

Keywords: Jackie Warren; Oberlin College; Professional; Sammy De Leon

Subjects: Drive-up Concert; New Generation

Partial Transcript: Latin City Soul is a mixture of a mixture of the group of that we were developing when we were growing up back in 1968.

Segment Synopsis: The group Latin City Soul has become a mixture of all of the musicians from Jose Rivera's Childhood as well as the younger generation of musicians in Lorain. They are now performing all sorts of genres like: merengue, salsa, and bachata. It is incredible how these two generations have come together keeping these genres alive.

Keywords: Bachata; Generations; Hit; Merengue; Salsa

Subjects: Latin City Soul

Partial Transcript: The city of Lorain does have a format. They have a place that they developed called The Black River Landing.

Segment Synopsis: The Black River Landing venue at Lorain became a social attraction. Jose Rivera recalls a time where there was an audience of about five thousand people. Now, during the pandemic things have changed.

Keywords: Internet; Pandemic; Social

Subjects: Pandemic; The Black River Landing

Partial Transcript: Cafe Colao' and what is happening today, that is what is developing. We want to give everybody an opportunity.

Segment Synopsis: During this section Jose Rivera connects the radio show Café Colao' with what we are living today in relation to the pandemic. His efforts are aiming towards giving the older generation to experience some sense of normalcy by going back to music and bringing people together by listening to the show. This show also gives Jose Rivera the opportunity of keeping the community informed about what is currently happening.

Keywords: Colador; Community; Radio

Subjects: Cafe Colao'

Partial Transcript: Where I grew up as a kid the homes were close together and there was always music.

Segment Synopsis: Jose Rivera remembers the time in his childhood when he got together with his friends, picked up a broomstick, and used that broomstick as an imaginary guitar for their band in the garage. Because his dad was a musician, his house was always filled with music. His father would hold rehearsals in the basement and the radio would always be playing in his house.

Keywords: Bands; Basement; Radio; Rehearsals

Subjects: Garage Performances; Growing up

Partial Transcript: Unfortunately this country has developed all this racism and the bigotry that is going on.

Segment Synopsis: Jose Rivera talks about the division that has been growing over the years. This is something that affects the community, yet Lorain keeps the community alive and fosters unity. Mr. Rivera ties this to restaurants and diversity and the role of businesses on creating community.

Keywords: Administration; Community; Morality

Subjects: Division; Racism

Partial Transcript: The Nombres wrote a song called, Lady Lorain. Now, Lady Lorain became the official song of the city of Lorain.

Segment Synopsis: The group The Nombres wrote many songs that carried the history of the city of Lorain. These included Lady Lorain, which became the official song of the city, songs about a flea market, as well as a song called "These Colors Don't Run" dedicated to the United States Flag.

Keywords: Lady Lorain; Los Nombres; These Colors Don't Run

Subjects: Lorain; Songs

Partial Transcript: Continue to stay strong. Keep developing your art. Make sure that you develop your craft.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Rivera encourages the younger generations of musicians to stay strong, develop their craft, and to educate themselves.

Keywords: Change; Growth; Pandemic

Subjects: Advice