Joe Acosta, is a salsa piano player from the 70's. He was born in Santurce Puerto Rico on Halloween day 1950, migrated to New York City with his mother and twin sister in 1953 to lived in HARLEM USA. Home was on 111 Street between Park and Lexington Avenues what was known then as The Great Salsa Way close to all the music legends living from 110 street to 116 streets and around La Marqueta.
As he grew up, he would listen to Salsa on the radio played by many of the Puerto Rican greats of the days. Enjoying a diciplined Catholic grammar school education, Joe Acosta began his interest in music at the age of 10 banging on tables to tunes on ABC radio with the Motown sound and WADO with spanish sounds of Cortijo and Ismaelo. Upon entering Rice Catholic HS, he learned to play a musical instrument in the school band.
The Saxaphone was the instrument assigned to Joe Acosta early in his musical career, he hated it. Music being a requirement of the school, he learned to play the Saxaphone. Later he switched the Sax for a Trombone which he enjoyed playing for the Senior Band. There he met a young teacher, Horace Donnel who would introduce him to the world of Jazz. Joe play jazz trombone and later the piano as he worked with a bunch of young and talented musicians from the school. Now 17, his interest in Music was more serious and had grown to higher levels. Remembering the first concert he attended starring Eddie Palmieri and Cal Tjader at the Boricua Theatre on 106 Street now sure he wanted to play Salsa his fate was sealed. He needed to play Salsa, his passion and drive let him to start a band.
Joe Acosta started "Thje latinJazz men band while attending High School to compete in the school's talent show. As a matter of fact, most of the musicaians were from the High School's senior band. They won the show that night and remained a band ready to play local weddings and block party gigs and make a few bucks.
In the late 70's Joe Acosta studied music at Manhattan School of Music on 105 St. in Harlem. During his time at MSM he also played with many of the local bands including Johnny Colon's Band on 102 Street playing both Trombone and Piano. The TNT band with Tito Ramos 104 street, The Latinjazzmen 116 street, and Joe Bataan 106 street. While trombone was his instrument he like switching off with Johnny Colon and playing Piano on some tunes when Johnny sang. Piano eventually became his primary instrument.
After a few years later, his success grew as the band was performing 3 to 4 nights a week now managed by Richie Bonilla, Joe Acosta recorded his first LP on Ghetto Records called " The Power of Love". Joe Acosta wrote most of the tunes including the 21 week Billboard Hit parade single " I Need Her". A favorite with the ladies at gigs. The band played in clubs all over NYC like " The Cheetah" " The St George Hotel" " Village Gate" Hunt's Point Palace" " Colgate Gardens and many more.
The band was enjoying much success by the end of the 1970's they had recorded the LP's " Asi Soy Yo" with Joe Cruz and "Encore" with Sammy Ayala where they performed in Puerto Rico, Spain, Columbia and Venezuela. In 1985 Joe Acosta started the "Son 85 Project" again with Joe Cruz. This project included recordings of "Copacabana", "All Night Long" and "Just the Two of Us" arranged with a salsa beat by Joe Acosta and the band. The recordings for this project are being released on Latin Soul Records in 2007. One of Joe's favorite recording was with SMC Pro-Arte records in 1969, the LP a compilation of Ray Rivera tunes including the Hit " Listen to Louie" which had much sucess in Latin America.
Joe Acosta also enjoyed playing "Salsa and Latin Jazz" on many recordings for SMC-Pro Arte records.
During his musical career Joe Acosta has played Piano and recorded for Joe Quijano Orch., Tony Pabon and La Protesta, Bobby Rodriguez y La Compania, Joe Cuba Sextette, Frankie Dante Y Orchestra Flamboyan, Vitin Aviles, Ismael Rivera, Orchestra Broadway, Yomo Toro and Mon Rivera
Joe Acosta has written and arranged songs for many artists. His catalog with BMI and ASCAP is extensive, Duval and Lider Music are his publishers.
In June 2006, he has re-release of his "Power of Love" CD on Latin Soul Records with Andy Padua founder and producer of the Hit Internet Radio Latin Soul Show on The Latin Soul Show Web Site.
Now living in Yonkers New York, after dedicating 30 years to playing music Joe Acosta is now producing with Latin Soul Records.
Andres Padua of LSS has played a major part in the re-release of " The Joe Acosta Band's" musicical catalog beginning with "The Power of Love CD" in the summer of 2006 and "The Best of Joe Acosta CD" in the Summer of 2010: