Jesús Peréz y Sus Tambores Bata - '56-'57 - Cuba

Five songs featuring Jesús Peréz and his Batá group.

Recorded back when Batá still had that bit of mystery in the way they sounded, especially the beautiful sound of the Enú on the Iyá, unlike these days the way they are tuned way to high.

1. Yeyé..Oh..Oh Guama 
(With Celia Cruz Live Radio Progresso Cuba 1957)

2. Changó Y Loro

(With Celia Cruz Live Radio Progresso Cuba 1957)

3. Eleguá-Inkio
 Comp: 'Eduardo Davidson'
(Studio recording with Gina Martin Cuba 1956)

4. Ochun Del Cobre 
Comp: 'Eduardo Davidson'
(Studio recording with Gina Martin Cuba 1956)

5. La Fiestona
(Studio recording with Gina Martin Cuba 1956)

Manuel Martinez Olivera "El Llanero" y "Los Afortunados" N.Y.C. Rumba 1985

Manuel Martinez Olivera "El Llanero"

Born: 1930 La Habana, Cuba
Died: Jan. 29th 2010, N.Y.C.
*** Iba ayé ba yé t'orún ***
R.I.P.

An important figure in the post 1980 and well into the 1990's N.Y.C. Cuban rumba scene, Manuel Martinez Olivera known as "El Llanero" or simply Manolo, came to the U.S. from La Habana via the mass exodus out from the Port of Mariel in Cuba that took place in 1980.
Manuel Martinez Olivera was the person responsible for creating the term "Guarapachangueo", as applied to a particular style of Cuban rumba first created in 1975- ‘76.

He quickly became a respected singer within the N.Y.C. rumba scene, specifically in the Sunday rumbas that had been taking place in Central Park since the early 1970's.

In the N.Y.C. Central Park Rumba "after 1980", Manuel Martinez Olivera was one of the first to "sing and phrase correctly within the rumba Clavés musical time signature"...
something that the "Newyorican" & "African American" rumberos and drummers were unaccustomed to "pre 1980".

(Many other changes took place during the "post 1980" time period, two important other changes being placing the Clavé on the "other side" of the 'Tres Dos' drum rhythm & vice versa, as well as playing the 'Quinto' drum as to "mark/marcado" the dancer as opossed to playing 'Quinto' and making it/phrasing it to come out sounding like a timbale solo.)

During the mid 1980's a rumba group formed in N.Y.C. and was called "Los Afortunados".
Manuel Martinez Olivera was the principal lead singer. The band also included several others that I can remember: 'Paula Balin', Gina Schwartz & Elio "Yeyito" Flores singing coro, as well as Felix D. Sanabria (Quinto & Bata) and Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez (second voice), both respected drummers/rumberos. (Both to later play with and become musical disciples of the Orlando "Puntilla" Rios group.

Manuel Martinez Olivera, a.k.a. "El Llanero" never attained the "celebrity/notoriety" of a "Puntilla" or a Pedro Pablo Martinez, however.... "El Llanero" became and remains a much loved and respected figure in the history of the N.Y.C. rumba scene.

In 1985 a studio recording with 12 songs was done by Manuel Martinez Olivera y Los Afortunados, but never commercially released. These are from that recording session.

Personnel:

Manuel Martínez Olivera

Felix Sanabria - Dir.
Abe Rodríguez

Rocky Causcut

Ricky Soler

Mirta Masonet

Susan Sanabria

Paula Ballan

Junito Martínez

Reiko

1. Los Afortunados
Manuel Martinez Olivera: 
vocal and two drums

2. Habana
Manuel Martinez Olivera: lead vocal.
Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez: 2nd voice.

5. Ya No Hay Sol
Manuel Martinez Olivera: lead vocal.
Abraham Rodriguez: 2nd voice.

6. Ay Nena!
Manuel Martinez Olivera: lead vocal.
Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez: 2nd voice.

7. La Loma De Belen
Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez: lead vocal.
Manuel Martinez Olivera & Abraham Rodriguez: coro.

8. Beny Moré
Manuel Martinez Olivera: lead vocal.
Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez: 2nd voice.

10. Imbalayé
Manuel Martinez Olivera: lead vocal.
Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez: 2nd voice.

11. Igual Como Mabo D' Oriente
Manuel Martinez Olivera: vocal

Unfortunately, the later years did not fare well for Manolo as he had to enter a "home for the aged and infirm" in the Bronx, N.Y.
A photo of my friend Tito Sandoval a great N.Y.C. rumbero, dance teacher and drummer taken during a visit to him.

2008
Tito Sandoval visiting Manolo and 
playing rumba for him through an Ipod.

1982-'83
In the Bandshell, Central Park, N.Y.C.

Drummers left to right:
Cecil Carter: Tumbadora. R.I.P. Iba ayé ba yé t'orún
Elio "Yeyito" Flores, Tres dos.
"Pablito de Mariel": Quinto.
Manuel Martinez and Abraham "Abe" Rodriguez singing right side.
Tito Sandoval in red shirt.
My father playing Chekeré. Iba ayé ba yé t'orún

Manolo in Central Park, N.Y.C.
Photos from a video I shot.

Cantando junto con "Tao La Onda"

"El Llanero"
Manuel Martinez Olivera
Born: Jan. 1, 1930 La Habana, Cuba
Died: Jan. 29th, 2010, N.Y.C.
80 years old
*** Ibayé bayé tonu ***
R.I.P.

"Cancionero Rumbero" 2002 Rumba lyrics in a PDF file

This is the "Cancionero Rumbero", put together by 'Barry Cox', the N.Y.C. based singer and web master of the Cuban Rumba blog: esquinarumbera.blogspot.com
These are the lyrics meticulously translated into Spanish from 175 of the most historically important songs within the Afro-Cuban 'Guaguancó', 'Rumba Columbia', Yambú and Abakúa music of Cuba.

Before this, there did not exist "in this detailed form" anything like it.

The download is the complete "Cancionero Rumbero", 42 pages in a .PDF file.

"Cancionero Rumbero": Here

Juan Pablo Torres - '72, '73, '74, '77, '80, '82, - Cuba

Yamina
LD-4142 - 1980
6. "Hay Hay"

Algo nuevo 
LP - 1973
6. "Rumba De Cajon Opus 1"
 

Grupo Algo NuevoLP - 1982

3. "Chimbombo"

 

"Aerobios"
Vinyl LP
Early 1980's
"Y Aparecio El Trombon"

Con todos los hierros
Vinyl LP - 1977
Reissued on double CD set together with 'Super Son'

Super Son
Vinyl LP - 1974
Reissued on double CD set
together with 'Con todos los hierros'

Y viva la felicidad
LP - 1972-'75
LD-3489
6. "Viva La Felicidad"

"Descargas En Kawama Varadero" 

En vivo / live
Juan Pablo Torres: trombone

Born in Puerto Padre, Cuba 1946.
Died: Apr 17, 2005 in Miami, Florida of an inoperable brain tumor at age 58.
Five LPs recorded in Cuba.

In the late 1990's I played Bongoes & Chekere in the New York City band "Los Jovenes Del Barrio", we recorded a segment for a T.V. show called
BET on Jazz, Juan Pablo Torres played with us for that show and a few other gigs.
He was not only a Trombone master & arranger, he was a really great person.

Ibayé bayé tonu:

• Generoso "Tojo" Jimenez
• Pucho Escalante
• Juan Pablo Torres

Trio Mocotó - 1971, '74, '77, '01, '04, '05 - Brasil

"nereu, mocotó e swing - samba power"
2005 CD

"Beleza! Beleza!! Beleza!!!!
2004 CD

"Samba Rock"
2001 CD

"Trio Mocoto" 
1977 LP

"Trio Mocoto" 
1973 LP

"Muita Zorra" 
1971 LP

Trio Mocotó, I'm sure everyone knows the story, originally formed in 1968 in the 'Jogral nightclub' in São Paulo. In 1968 started working as 'Jorge Ben's' backup/touring band, breaks up in '77 or '78, gets back together 24 years later in 2000 then records "Samba Rock" in 2001, followed by "Beleza! Beleza!! Beleza!!!!" in 2004.

The group was influential in forming the musical style that became known as "Samba Rock" or "samba soul".

Group members:'João Parahyba', vocalist and drummer, creator of playing the Brasilian "Timba ", a sort of drum kit which was him sitting on top of a "Timba drum" under his legs, using a wire drum stick brush in one hand, while his open hand played surdo parts on the head of the Timba drum, also using a hi-hat with his left foot.)
'Nereu Gargalo', vocalist, Pandeiro & percussion. (released his own CD in 2005)
'Luiz Carlos Fritz', vocalist and guitarist.

'João Parahyba' solo on Timba - Trio Mocotó

Solo on Cuica - Trio Mocotó

Wilson Simonal - "essencial" collection / Brasil

2004 - Rewind

2004 - Singles, Lados B's e Raridades(singles, side B's & Rarities)

1985 - Alegria Tropical - Wilson Simonal1977 - A Vida é So Pra Cantar

1975 - Ninguém Proibe o Amor

1971 - Joia, Joia1970 - Wilson Simonal - Promo EP

1970 - Simonal1969 - Alegria, Alegria-Vol. 41969 - Alegria, Alegria-Vol. 31968 - Alegria, Alegria-Vol. 21967 - Alegria, Alegria-Vol. 11967 - Som Tres - Show em Simonal1966 - Vou Deixar Cair1965 - Wilson Simonal1965 - Simbora
1964 - A Nova Dimensão do Samba1963 - Tem Algo Mais

For me, Wilson Simonal is "The Man", my favorite singer in the 1970's Brasilian "Pop" idiom, and his early Samba/Bossa Nova recordings really swing hard!
His 1970's style reflected his love for African American "Soul/funk" and "Gospel" music.
His ballad singing is lush and romantic.
And his musicians...... the best!
I was 18 years old when I first heard him.

The late Wilson Simonal had a controversial history with his alleged involvement with the Brasilian govenment, accused of being a police informant in the 1960's and early '70's.
He was blacklisted for years after that.
He died in 2000 at the age of 62.
He has a son that looks like him and has a similar voice, you can find several videos on YouTube of both of them. There's a few videos of Wilson singing with Elis Regina.

"Cai Cai" 
(From 1968 Alegria, Alegria - Vol 2)

"Ecco Il Tipo/Che Io Cercavo"
(An obscure cut of Wilson singing in Italian)

"Miñha Namorada"  
(Beautiful ballad from his 1966 Vou Deixar Cair LP)