Los Papines - Their "BEST" LP -1961-'62 Cuba

"Fantasia En Ritmo"

Above is the original '61-'62 cover on the Areito Egrem label.
With "all 12" original songs.

"Con To' Los Hierros"

This was the 1970's "Bootleg" LP on the Manopla label, 
poor sound and missing 2 songs: "Vacilaguanco" and "En Un Avion" from the original LP.

This is a recent "Japanese import" bootleg vinyl LP,
includes all 12 songs of the original LP,
It sells for $99.00 on Ebay.

It's really impossible to pick a "best" record by the four 'Abreu' brothers "Los Papines", as all their recordings are superb. However these three are among my favorite Los Papines LP's.

1. "Fantasia En Ritmo" on Areito from 1961 or 1962. The four Abreu brothers together with a large orchestra, the interplay between them and the orchestra shows their virtuosity not only in their drumming, but their vocal harmonic sensibility. The original LP "Fantasia En Ritmo" included two tracks which were not included on the bootleg LP "Con To' Los Hierros" that was put out on the Manopla label, "Vacilaguancó" and "En Un Avion" that los hermanos Abreu sang "A cappella", with no instruments other than the Tympani roll at the beginning and then again at the end of the song.

It must have been an amazing recording session in that there was no multi-tracking/overdubbing. The four brothers played together with the whole orchestra live in the studio, if you listen to the incredible arrangements...... not an easy recording to do. The Abreu brothers were born in Marianao, Cuba (Chano Pozo was also born Marianao).

"Oye Men Listen... Guaguanco!"

2. "Oye Men Listen... Guaguanco!", my second favorite Papines LP given to me by my father when I was 14 years old. This is a real gem by them that includes the classics: "Quimbombo" (composed by Luis "Lilí" Martínez Griñán), "Hipocresia Y Falsedad", "Buenas Noches Che Che", "El Escapulario", the Abakúa "Eron Gri efó", "Los Beodos" and of course the classic original "Mi Quinto" writen by both Pascual Herrera and Ricardo Abreu.... Pasual Herrera singing and Ricardo showing his superb and very "musical" Quinto style.

"Retorno A La Semilla"

3. "Retorno A La Semilla", my third favorite Papines LP which featured guests Papi Oviedo on Tres guitar as well as the late Lazaro Ros singing one song, the late Saldiguera & Viruilla singing one song, Pascual Herrera also singing and two great compostions by two legends: Gonzalo Asencio Hernandez a.k.a."Tio Tom" and 'Calixto Callava'.