A native of Spanish Harlem, Silvio H. Alava lived and was a part of the musical legacy. From the legendary Palladium days of the 1940s and 1950s, which showcased the music of Machito and His Afro Cubans as well as the musical battles between the two Titos (Puente and Rodriguez), to the birth of Latin jazz, the early days of the Fania Records dynasty and the percussive jam sessions of Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Ray Barretto, Alava has documented decades of Latin history through illuminating, distinctive images he has captured with a discerning eye. He is also one of the founders of Latin Beat magazine.