We have been blessed to be supported by great artists over recent years, but on this very special occasion, we have won the support of music executive, producer, composer, and promoter Alex Masucci, the brother of legendary lawyer, businessman, and co-founder of the Fania All-Stars, Jerry Masucci.
Now, we will talk a little about the story of this great Latin music figure for everyone to know him beyond his family ties.
Who is Alex Masucci, and how were his beginnings?
Alex Masucci was born on November 11, 1949, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, along with his parents, Urbano and Elvira Masucci, and his brother, the renowned music executive Gerald Masucci, better known to all as Jerry Masucci. He worked part-time for Fania Records still in his teens, attended the University of the Americas in Mexico City and graduated in business administration. Years later, along with Ray Aviles, he founded A&R Film Distributors in the early 1970s, the same year they distributed of “Our Latin Thing.”
Participation in Fania Concerts
Continuing with his activities with the Fania All-Stars, he also supported the production of several of their most important live concerts, among which we can mention the one at Yankee Stadium on August 24, 1973, which received more than 45,000 people. Another of the great events in which Masucci participated was a Celia Cruz concert together with the Fania All Stars at the Stade du Hain in Kinshasa, Zaire, which received about 80,000 people who were able to enjoy “La Guarachera de Cuba” and her companions of that night.
Subsequently, he produced a few performances on big stages such as Madison Square Garden and throughout the United States.
Island Records and Boardwalk
Alex also had a very fruitful journey at Island Records, where he was called upon by its founder Chris Blackwell to be part of the special projects division, a time during which he managed to sign and produce successful albums by Invisible Man’s Band, Third World Band, and Bob Marley himself. In fact, the Jamaican artist managed to get his music heard on American urban radio.
As for Boardwalk Records, he was also able to work with the aforementioned record label thanks to music entrepreneur and filmmaker Neil Bogart, who urged Alex to join the company and deal with great artists of the stature of Ringo Starr and Joan Jett.
Return to Latin Music and Newer Projects
After the very pleasant experience of having worked together in previous years, Blackwell contacted Alex again and proposed once more that they join in a new project that he would name Island Miami, to which Alex gladly said yes. Sometime later, Blackwell left Island, which led him and Alex to partner their recently created company Palm Pictures with Masucci Entertainment. Thanks to this alliance, they managed to sign the Cuban orchestra Carlos Manuel Y Su Clan.
Currently, the executive founded his own company Haz-Mat Entertainment, with which he created music and film projects, among which we can include the documentary on the history of Fania Records.
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