I Like It Like That is Latin Soul sung by Pete Rodriguez in 1967 and Tito Nieves in 1997, made into a movie by Darnell Martin in 1994, and made into a musical by David Maldonado in 2016.
Mathew Ramirez Warren also made a We Like It Like That documentary in 2014 that covers the same material.
The material is Boogaloo which was a mix of Black and Latin music that came up out of the streets of The Bronx in the 1960s. This Latin Rhythm & Blues, often sung in English, was popular among teenage Puerto Rican New Yorkers.
Early hits include Mongo Santamaría’s cover of Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man and Ray Barretto’s El Watusi both from 1963.
Boogaloo was the top Latin music from 1966 to 1969. It came after Palladium-style Mambo and before the Salsa of the 1970s.
Like early Hip-Hop, Boogaloo really came from the kids. That puts it in the context of the youth movement which exploded around the world in 1966.
I Like it Like That, A Musical
I Like it Like That, A Musical by David Maldonado and Waddys Jaquez opened September 22, 2016 at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater.
Multi-Grammy winner Tito Nieves opened the role of Roberto Rodríguez, a father who is trying to lead his family through the turmoil of life in El Barrio (East Harlem) in New York City in the 1970s. It was a time of great social change and New York City was going bankrupt, but the drum never stopped beating in the neighborhood. Veteran Salsa singer Domingo Quiñones has take over for Nieves.
The show features classic music of the era by Ruben Blades, Hector Casanova, Willie Colón, Pete El Conde, Joe Cuba, El Gran Combo, Hector Lavoe, La Lupe, Ismael Miranda, Johnny Pacheco, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz, Mon Rivera, Ismael Rivera, and Pete Rodríguez.
The musical story is told through original songs by Bobby Allende, Pablo Garcia, Desmar Guevara, Waddys Jáquez, David Maldonado, Adan Perez, Victoria Sanabria and Michael Sotille.
I Like it Like That Cast
The cast is Rossmery Almonte (Tita), Caridad De La Luz (China), Chachi Del Valle (María Luisa, Babilonia and La Lupe), Shadia Fairuz (Carmen), Quique González (Carlos), Ana Isabelle (Paula), Sofia Klimovsky (Understudy/Ensemble), Angel López (Rafa), Domingo Quiñones (Roberto), Yesenia Santiago (Understudy/Ensemble), and Gilbert Velázquez (Juan).
I Like it Like That Band
The band includes Bobby Allende (Percussion), Anthony Carrillo (Percussion), Jorge Castro (Saxophone), Guido Gonzalez(Trumpet), Desmar Guevara (Musical Director/Keyboards), Jerry Madera (Bass), and Hommy Ramos(Trombone).
I Like it Like That Creative Team
The story was written by David Maldonado and Waddys Jaquez, produced by David Maldonado, David Rodríguez and Juan Toro, and directed by Waddys Jaquez. Desmar Guevara is the musical director and arranger.
I Like it Like That Tickets
Showtimes are Tuesday – Friday 8pm, Saturday 5 & 9pm, Sunday 3 & 7pm.
Tickets are $55 – $85 and can be purchased by visiting www.ilikeitlikethat.com or calling 212-581-9859.