Elis Regina "Elis Especial" 1968

This will be the first post of Brasilian music here at Fidels Eyeglasses.. with more to come.

I own about 32 LP's by the late Elis Regina, this one I had never heard before.
What can I say... simply this recording "Elis Especial" is amazing.
The cover art, a very striking high contrast black and white photo of her sitting with her shoes off on some rocks or on the ground is fabulous!

Elis recorded her first LP "Viva a Brotolandia" in 1961 at the age of 16.... this recording was done in 1968 which makes her 22 years old at the time. (I'm sure you'll correct me if my math is off)

I love Alcione, Elza Soares, Elizeth Cardoso, Leny Andrade and a half dozen others ....
BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE ELIS REGINA!

As a musician, I can say Elis Regina is truly is a "musicians musician"

I downloaded this from one of my favorite Brasilian blogspots: http://umquetenha.blogspot.com/

Merceditas Valdés Aché II 1988 - Cuba

"Aché II"

Merceditas Valdés

Swinging sessions by the late diva.
Ripped from the 1988 Egrem LP.

With musicians:
Merceditas Valdés
Timbales - The late Guillermo "Barretico" Barreto (her husband)
Tumbadoras - The late Tata Güines & the late Luis Abreu (Papines)
Bongoes - Roberto Garcia
Bass - Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez
Piano - Pedro Coto & the late Frank Emilio Flynn
Acoustic guitar - Carlos Emilio Morales (Irakere)
Trumpets - The late Jorge Varona (Irakere)
Flute & Baritone Sax - Jawel Zaiba

Omara Portuondo "Esta es " 1967 with Juanito Marquez

"Esta es"
1967
Areito-Egrem vinyl LP 
Out of print.

6. Ahora He Comprendido

9. Esta Fiebre

With 'Juanito Marquez' director, arranger and on electric and acoustic guitar.
Ripped from the original Cuban vinyl LP.
Cleaned and trimmed with GoldWave v5.23

Doris De La Torre " Tu Dominas" (Cuba 1958-59)

" Tu Dominas" - 1958

'Doris De La Torre'
The original '58-'59 LP cover.

This will be the first of a few posts this weekend by two Cuban "Divas", this first one by Doris De La Torre, the next one by Omara Portuondo ('61).

This Doris De La Torre and her LP "Tu Dominas" from either 1958 or 1959.
'Doris De La Torre' was an important singer within the early part of the Cuban song movement known as Filin' (Feeling).
Doris came from 'Felipes Dulzaide's' group, in which she was the main vocalist.
She also played Vibraphone and guitar.
Unfortunately this is the only LP she ever recorded in the 1950's.
Her unique style is lush, romantic and VERY sensuous.
And is in perfect harmony with the eight core musicians on this LP.
(You can hear one track in the player on this blogs portal page.)

There is also a song Doris De La Torre sings on this LP track #5 "Ada" she sings in a combination of Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and even Yiddish!

The Orchestra Arranged, conducted by Maestro Eddy Gaytán, an Accordionist, Vibraphone player bandleader who was born in 1929 in Argentina, but who moved to Cuba in 1950.

You can watch an old early 1960-62 video from Cuban T.V. with him playing with Rosita Fornes on Youtube: Here

The song in the video is "Noches De Moscu" probably '60-'62 when Russias foot was "in the door" She's wearing what looks like a "Houndstooth" patterned dress.
This is really a great LP, a real example of the early Filin' style.
Eddy Gaytan's Arrangments are lush, romantic and with just the right amount of Vibes and Accordion in spots not to be overbearing. Awesome bass Clarinette and acoustic Bass playing!
Superb "brush work" by De Los Reyes on trap drums, Pablo Cano's electric guitar swings.

1. Tu Dominas

2. En La Duda
3. Una Rara Sensacion
4. Imagenes
5. Ada
6. Asi
7. Amorado Encuentro
8. En La Imaginacion
9. No Me Culpes (Don't Blame Me)
10. Envenename Los Labios
11. Me Recordaras
12. Criatura De Sol
13. Para Que Illusionarme
14. Si Alguien

6. Asi

Musicans / Musicos
Piano - Philipe Yanez
Bajo - Orlando "Papito" Hernández
Drums - Walfredo De Los Reyes Sr.
Saxofon - Jesús Caunedo
Guitar - Pablo Cano
Trumpet - Alejando "El Negro" Vivar
Arpa/Harp - Miriam Sinca
Tumbadoras (Congas) - Antonio Machado

In memoriam: Israel 'Cachao' Lopez - 1918-2008

This is the original "Cuban Panart" Cover
without the bass over his knee

ISRAEL 'CACHAO' LOPEZ 
1918-2008
Died Saturday, March 22nd 2008.
89 years old.Iba ayé ba yé t'orún Maestro!

Raúl Planas y Orq. Kubavana -LP late 50's

"Que Tienes Titina?"
Raúl Planas singing with Carlos Barberias Orq. Kubavana
Panart LP late 1950's

Planas is amazing, at the time of this recording, still a young man.
Barberia's big band "Orq. Kubavana" kills with swinging arrangements! (including the boleros)
The 'Peñalver' brothers in the Sax section.

1. A la quimbamba (Samba-Guaracha)

2. Cosas del alma (Bolero)
3. Nagüe (Rumba-Afro)
4. No lo digas (Bolero)
5. Yo soy cagueiran (Son Montuno)
6. No me pidas (Bolero)
7. Que tienes titina (Guaracha)
8. La cancion de dinero (Bolero)
9. Se acerca la comparsa (Guaracha-Comparsa)
10. Mi corazon tiene derecho (Bolero-Cha-cha-chá)
11. Bayamo y el Cha-cha-chá (Cha-cha-chá)
12. Despierta guajira (Guajiro-Mambo)

The original transfer from vinyl LP was a mess... now it sounds fabulous.
I spent an hour cleaning and trimming this with GoldWave v5.23
Comments? Comentarios? Commentaires? Kommentare? Reacties? Commenti? Комментарии? コメント?

Homage de Richard Egües

Homage de Richard Egües.

Featuring:
Ibrahim Ferrer (the late)
Chucho Valdes
Coco Freeman
Pedrito Calvo
Mayito
Beatriz Marques
Raúl Planas (the late)
Maraca

1. Mi Suegra
2. Mama Ines
3. Extrano Padecer
4. Por Que Tienes Asi?
5. Corazon De Cristal
6. Aguardiente De Cana
7. Locura En Cha-cha-cha
8. El Platanal De Bartolo
9. Conversacion Con Raul Planas
10. A Ti Na' Ma'
11. El Bodeguero
12. Yo Quiero Caramelo
13. Hay Cosas
14. Los Caravales De Oriente

Irakere "Live In Sweden" LP 1980

'Irakere' recorded LIVE in Sweden 1980
vinyl LP

At this point D'Rivera had already defected to the U.S. but the rest of the band remained together. Arturo Sandoval besides playing Trumpet, also takes a solo on valve Trombone.

This still had 'Jorge "El Nino" Alfonso' on 5 Congas. In my opinion, the best Cuban Conguero playing in the "contemporary" style. Several years later he died.

Oscar Valdés Jr. & Diakara 3 songs live/en vivo - Cuba

The former lead singer of Irakere, 'Oscar Valdés Jr.' with his own group "Diakara".
That's Oscar with a shaved head.
The originals were recorded very high, I lowered them down a bit using 'Goldwave' V.5 software.

Three tunes LIVE.
1. La Contenta 7:48
2. La Habana 7:24
3. La rumba y el jazz 3:29

((Three tunes here))

Grupo Clave Y Guaguancó - Rare live '67-'70

Grupo Clave Y Guaguanco
1967

14 songs by the original Grupo Clave Y Guaguancó.
Recorded live/en vivo between 1967 and early 1970's.

With:
Agustín Gutiérrez, Miguel Angel "Aspirina" Mesa
and the others in the above photo.

Puntilla - A Tribute to Gonzalo Asencio "Tio Tom"

I have had this for about a year.
The CD has just been officially released this month. 2008

The compositions of the late street hero "Tío Tom" (Gonzalo Asencio) epitomize the most rooted of Afro-Cuban musics—the rumba. A fusion of African traditions that came together around 1900 in urban Havana and Matanzas province, the rumba is the signature sound of the solar, the creative cauldron of shared space in Afro-Cuban neighborhoods. This singing and all-percussion tribute to Tío Tom boasts the all-star line-up of Conjunto Todo Rumbero, led by renowned drummer Orlando "Puntilla" Ríos. 24-page booklet, 59 minutes.

Produced by Rene Lopez Sr.

Orlando "Puntilla" Rios with a tribute to the legendary "Tio Tom"
Along with members of Yoruba Andabo, Clave Y Guaguanco, Rumberos De Cuba:
Ernesto Gatell "El Gato"
Maximino Duquesne
Mário Jáuregui
Gregorio Hernández "El Goyo"
Miguel Angel Mesa Cruz

The CD is available for free on all the "usual" file sharing sites.
You can download and read the full liner notes here:
http://media.smithsonianglobalsound.org/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40543.pdf

Homenaje Jesus Perez in memoriam - Oba-i-lu (1987)

"Homenaje Jesus Perez"

'Conjunto De Percusion De Danza Nacional De Cuba'
'Grupo Oba-i-LU' de 'Regino Jimenez'  
Areito LP-LD 4246 - 1987

Done in 1987 live at the Teatro Nacional, the Conjunto De Percusion De Danza Nacional De Cuba (Regino Jimenez Y Su Grupo Oba-iLU) performed a tribute to the late master Bata drummer 'Jesus Perez'.

Never reissued on LP or CD.
Out of print and obscure.

1. Rezo Eleggua
2. Rezo Obatala
3. Rezo Ochun
4. Rezo Yemaya
5. Rezo Chango
6. Meta De Chango
7. Rezo Asoano(Arara)
8. Canta Oya Y Ogun(Toque Guiro)
9. Bantu (Rezos Y Cantos de Palo)
10. Bantu (Canto De Palo)
11. Canto De Garabato
12. Canta De Makuta
13. Canto De Yuka
14. Canto Abakua(Efo-Efi)
15. Rumba (Guaguanco)
16. Rumba (Columbia)
17. Congas (La Jardinera-La Bollera-El Carbonero)

Ripped from vinyl LP.

Modesto's Charanga Kings featuring Olguita 1961

Master Cuban Conguero 'Modesto Duran' with his band the "Charanga Kings" with 'Olguita' on vocals. 1961 / "Pachanga, Anyone?" World Pacific 1414

Has been re-issued on CD several years ago..

One of the great conga players, Modesto Duran performed on many key recordings by top stars and orchestra leaders. His few records as a leader prove him to be very capable in that capacity, and it is a shame he was not "discovered" and recorded more. Hailing from the old section of Havana, he first started there with the Gilberto Valdes Orchestra. During 12 years in Mexico, he played with most other orchestras, including those of Esquivel, Luis Arcaraz, Armengol, and Marroquin. He travelled with Maria Antonietta Pons for seven years before becoming the backbone of the Perez Prado organization. Although Perez Prado once claimed there was no real difference between the cha cha cha and mambo, it was Duran's three-count beat that gave mambo a unique identity and changed the face of Latin music. Moving with Perez Prado to the U.S. in 1953, he worked with Sonny Burke, Don Swan and Russ Garcia, as well as singers Eartha Kitt, the DeCastros, Lena Horne, Herb Jeffries, and Harry Belafonte. That's Duran on Belafonte's famous, first Calypso album. A musician's musician, Duran had tremendous influence on other conga players and Latin aficionados, mainly by being on all the right albums at the right time. ~ Tony Wilds, All Music Guide

Modestos "Fabulous Rhytms" LP
Long out of print and obscure.

Conjunto Lira Matancera - Cuba

Conjunto Lira Matancera

Vinyl LP 198?

1. Los rumberos de mi barrio
2. La ultima copa
3. Malanga murio
4. Por que eres todo para mi
5. El papalote
6. Te condeno al olvido
8. Tu te lo pierdes
9. Por tu forma de pensar

3. "Malanga murio"

CUMBRE de Pinar del Rio - Cuba

"¡Si!CD"
'Orq. Cumbre De Pinar Del Rio'
CD released in 1995

1. Eres Picara Para Amar
2 Chana
3. Que Se Vayan Al Diablo
4. La Felicidad
5. Concierto Afrocubano
6. Sabor A Mi
7. Pot Ti Me Casare
8. Conmigo Vas A Perder
9. Los Caminos
10. A La Orilla Del Mar
11. El Tunel
12. Son De La Loma
13. Yo Me Quedo
14. Timbalero
15. Makuta

'Cumbre' are from the most western tip of Cuba, a band with a very hip unique sound.

Recorded in Pinar del Río the 15 tracks show Cumbre's versatility in playing Cuban "contemporary" music to classic Cuban son & Cha Cha Chá as well as Afro-Cuban rhythms.

1. "Eres Pícara Para Amar"

"Eres Pícara Para Amar"
(Live version not on this CD)

5. "Concierto Afrocubano"