Pachanga

Pachanga on vinyl: the dance of the early sixties

In short: Pachanga emerged in Cuba in the late fifties and became a dance craze in New York in the early sixties. It was mostly played by charanga orchestras with flute and violins – a cheerful, bouncing rhythm; in the mid-sixties the boogaloo wave followed. The Vinyl Room currently has 16 pachanga records.

What is pachanga?

Flute, violins and good spirits: Johnny Pacheco is regarded as one of the most important names of pachanga in New York – here with a single by Pacheco Y Su Charanga. Singer Olguita is represented with “¡Latinsville!” and with Modesto's Charanga Kings on “Pachanga Malanga”.

Plus Tito Rodríguez with “Returns To The Palladium” and – from Venezuela – Ray Pérez and Los Dementes, whose record we have several times over.

What to look for

Many pachanga tracks came out on singles and LPs in New York in the early sixties, some later as reissues; label and country of release help you tell which edition you have – it’s noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

New in

→ Charanga · Salsa · Boogaloo · Latin on vinyl · How to spot a first pressing · Grading explained

FAQ

What is pachanga? A Cuban dance rhythm of the late fifties that became a craze in New York in the early sixties.

Which orchestras played pachanga? Mainly charanga orchestras with flute and violins.

Who stands for pachanga? Here, among others, Johnny Pacheco, Olguita and Tito Rodríguez.

What came after pachanga? Boogaloo, in the mid-sixties.