Page "Mon Rivera" Paragraph 10

Efraín organized his own orchestra by 1962.

As most Latino orchestras of the time, Efraín's orchestra didn't play plenas exclusively.

Most of Efraín's plena numbers broke into a salsa section in mid-song, and he would sing or play any genre at dances and shows.

This explains his experiments mixing plena with pachanga, boogaloo and Dominican merengue, such as " Qué gente averiguá '" (" What nosey people "), a song where he mocked people who openly criticized that he was a miser, recycling old clothes until they wore thin, keeping his money hidden in a barrel or wearing an old hat from his Mayagüez days down 8th.

Avenue in Manhattan.

Cheo Feliciano admits being Efraín's roadie once around this time.