9/11

Just want to take a moment for all the lives lost on a day that will live in infamy and sorrow in the hearts of so many. Being a New Yorker, at times I have found myself unappreciative of all this great city has had to offer. The WTC was definitely one of them. If I remember correctly in June or July of the same year I had taken a trip with my cousin to see none other than "El Gran Combo" de Puerto Rico perform for free at the base of the towers in the plaza. It was a great show, and one of those lasting memories that I will hold dear and near to my heart for many reasons. To all those that have lost their lives, to those brave souls, cops, firefighters, EMT's, volunteers, regular joe's that went in there risking life and limb and are still feeling the effects till this day, I just want to take a moment to say thanks.

I put in a call to Felix this morning to talk about the late Michael Rodriguez. It had dawned on me that since he passed two weeks after the towers fell his passing may be related directly to this event. According to Felix, at some point after the towers fell, Michael ran all the way from the WTC area to Harlem. A week after Michael gets himself checked out after not feeling to good and turns out that he passed in his sleep a week after that. Now, not much info is known as to the exact cause of death but they say that some kind of heart failure was the cause. I mention this for two reasons, one because Michael Rodriguez was mentioned earlier in our blog and died waaaay to early, and two he was most likely among the many New Yorkers that suffered the latent effects of all the dust and what not that was in the air at the time. I don't like to speculate without the facts but I wanted to put it out there to highlight this particular day and also (with all the respect to his familly and friends) not forget the great up and coming tambolero that was, Michael Rodriguez.

On a side note, Willie told me that tonight on the History Channel they will have a 9/11 special and said special will included footage taken by non other than Alfie Alvarado, I believe it starts at 9pm. Here is a small blurb on Alfie:

Alfie. A videographer and chronicler who has documented some of the most important moments in Latin Jazz and its musicians with a singular passion, Alfie Alvarado has been a longtime fixture in Latin Jazz circles for almost twenty years.

http://www.history.com/minisites/9-11

Ralph