Harlow grew up in a New York where Jews were among the most ardent fans of the mambo and Latin music that boomed in the 40’s and 50’s, mamboniks who danced hip to hip with Puerto Ricans, Blacks, Cubans and Italians at the Palladium and who embraced another exuberant, outsider culture.

Dubbed “El Judio Maravilloso” (The Marvelous Jew) by the extended family of genre-changing Latin musicians at Fania Records, where he was the only non-Latino, has died at 82. Harlow was a passionate, big-hearted man whose extraordinary talent — as pianist, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer and producer – and love for his adopted culture made him a transformative force in Latin music.

Rest in peace master LARRY HARLOW