Table of Contents
Chapters Pages
Book One
1 Hamilton Heights Is Where It All Started................................................................1
2 Morningside Heights, Amsterdam Ave & 125th St...........................................37
3 Nine New Buildings, with Everything a Kid Like Me Could Want...............88
4 A New Beat for the Neighborhood, Harlem, & NYC......................................123
5 A Thrilling Ride: the 8th Ave. "A" Train................................................................139
6 We Were Known As Orchestra Flamboyan.....................................................151
7 Fun City, Summertime, and the Golden Age of Salsa....................................161
8 Epiphany Better Late Than Never.........................................................................182
9 Orchestra Flamboyan for Your Dancing Pleasure..........................................196
10 The Cuban Flute Is Still Crackin' & Poppin'.....................................................209
Book Two
11 Berkeley California '68 Haste St & Telegraph Ave.......................................215
12 Thank You Santa Ana Mexico; Our Good Neighbors to the South........235
13 Everything Gets Better with Good Food Choices........................................249
14 My Work in Healthcare Was Rewarding, Fulfilling, and Satisfying......253
15 My Two TrueCallings.......................................................................................................................273
16 Linda y Rica Cultura Cubana.................................................................................288
17 Our Name Was Charanga Tumbao y Cuerdas...............................................372
18 The Best Place to Study Music.............................................................................322
19 Eddy Zervigon. Orq. Broadway & More Than 50 Years of Swing...........324
20 Second Thoughts About a Third Trip.................................................................378
Book Three
21 Sometimes Everything Happens When We Least Expect It....................399
22 New Jersey, a Great Day.........................................................................................410
23 Charanga and Danzones Are Exceptional Walls of Sound........................427
24 The Last Straw Was Hardly What I Expected................................................470
25 Rediscovering Venice Beach, Morningside Heights,
& Classical Music.............................................................................................................491
26 Venice Beach & Santa Monica..............................................................................511
27 Green Day, East Bay; Such Good Music to Sing and Play...........................518
28 Father's Day 2006....................................................................................................532
29 The Best Job Ever......................................................................................................552
30 A Wistful Stroll Through Hamilton Heights.................................................................................................................................555
Much like the photos below, the colorful images that come to me when I read and re-read my manuscript made editing easier and that much more enjoyable for me. Though placed in no particular order, the photos indeed capture the details of what I made every effort to communicate with my words. So I am happy, and I feel even lucky to be able to share these photos with you.
If, by chance, you prefer letting your own images form while you read, by all means, read the book first. Then later if you want to compare and contrast your images with mine, the photos will be here for you to see later. Whatever you decide, take a look at a few. I had fun putting them together, and filling in the first thoughts that comes to mind as captions.
My book is now in print and can be found at all the usual book outlets worldwide.