Saturday, January 31, 2009

Los Muñequitos De Matanzas late 70's Live en vivo - Cuba

Photo:Jesús Alfonso Miró : Tres dos (murió).
Gregorio "Goyo" Diaz: Tumbadora (murió).
Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa: Quinto (murió).

Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa: Quinto

Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa: Quinto
 
This post will close out the last day of the first month of the new year Jan. 31st 2009.
'Los Muñequitos De Matanzas', recorded live in 1978-'79.
These recordings are not on any LP or CD.


These for me... are "the best live Muñequitos" recordings.
The Quinto player was the late
Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa and on the Tumbadora, the late great Gregorio "Goyo" Diaz, back then Jesús Alfonso Miró played Tres Dos, not Quinto.
For me, "Tití" was "the Man" within this particular style.
His very individualistic style and sound made him a creative "marker", something not easily "learned" in an academic setting. There are no better examples of "Tití's" style then these.
"Tití" played with Los Muñequitos for ten years, before commiting suicide in the early to mid 1980's.
(For me, the most literally "musical" Quinto player was the late Ricardo Abreu - "Papine")

On # 5."Canto a Angola", they start the song singing the melody for "Stranger in Paradise" which is a popular song from the 1953 American musical "Kismet", the melody was based on the original music by Russian composer *'Alexander Borodin', the "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from 'Alexander Borodin's "Polovetsian Dances". (*1833-1887)

The early 1970's recordings by "Los Munequitos De Nuevo" and the later 1970''s LP's with "Titi" are my favorites.

I'm not into the new "tap dancing, chair hopping", "dancing infants", "Cirque Du Soleil" version of the group.

The "best" 'Los Muñequitos De Matanzas' en vivo.
Late 1970's recorded live.

"Titi": Quinto. "Goyo": Tumbadora # 1-16

R.I.P. / Ibayé bayé tonu

1. Amalia


2. En La Tierra De Hatuey


3. Los Beodos


4. Lo Que Dice Abacúa


5. "Canto a Angola"*

6. Los Muñequitos


7. Los Muñequitos - 2nd version*

8. Canto Para Ti*

9. Viente Solito*

10. Chacho*

11. La Columbia - Tocororo*

12. En La Calle*

13. La Cuchara*

14. El Tonelero*

15. Nicolasa*

16. La Viola*

Friday, January 30, 2009

Vamonos Pa'l Monte guaji' !

"Yo No Quiero Salir De La Montaña"


"Allá En El Monte"


"Quejas De La Montaña"

Baden Powell & Vinicius de Moraes "Os Afro Sambas" - Brasil

"Os Afro Sambas"
'Baden Powell', 'Vinicius de Moraes'
with 'Quarteto em Cy'
With 'Alfredo Bessa' on percussão.
The original 1966 LP

"Os Afro Sambas"
'Baden Powell' with 'Quarteto em Cy'
differently "Re-done" in 1990

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Antología De La Musica Afro-Cubana 10-CD box / & Original LP covers


A few years ago, E.G.R.E.M. reissued the 10 LP's as a 10 CD box set titled "Antología De La Música Afrocubana" beautifully designed and excellently remastered with liner notes by 'Maria Teresa Linares'. These are the covers from the box set, followed by the original vinyl LP front and back covers on Egrem/Areito.

The 10 CD reissued Box set:

CD 1 - Viejos Cantos Afrocubanos


CD 2 - Oru De Igbodú
(Matanzas style Batá)


CD 3 - Música Iyesá


CD 4 - Música Arará


CD 5 - Tambor Yuca
(the players in this recording are drunk, one guy even threatens to hit another guy in the head with the Guataca)


CD 6 - Fiesta De Bembé


CD 7 - Tumba Francesa


CD 8 - Toque De Güiros


CD 9 - Congos


CD 10 - Abakuá


The original LP covers below:

"Viejos Cantos Afro Cubanos"
Vol - 1

Recordings: 1948, '50, '55, '62, '64, '65, '67
Vinyl LP

"Oru Del Igbodu"
Vol - 2

(Matanzas style Batá)
Recordings: 1977
Vinyl LP

"Musica Iyesá"
Vol - 3

Recordings: 1977
Vinyl LP

"Musica Arará"
Vol - 4

Recordings: 1981
Vinyl LP

"Tambor Yuka"
Vol - 5

Recordings: 1978
Vinyl LP
 The drummers in this Vol. 5 recording are drunk, you can hear one
guy threatening to hit another guy in the head with the Guataca.


"Fiesta De Bembé"
Vol - 6

Recordings: 1981
Vinyl LP

"Tumba Francesa"
Vol - 7

Recordings: 1976
Vinyl LP

"Toque De Güiros"
Vol - 8

Recordings: 1987
Vinyl LP

"Congos"
Vol - 9

Recordings: 1988
Vinyl LP

"Viejos Cantos Afrocubanos"
The "original" Egrem Vol -1 LP cover
Recordings: 1948, '50, '55, '62, '64, '65, '67

Antología De La Música Afrocubana CD BOX vol-1-10

Rumbatá De Camagüey - 2008 - La Rumba Del Siglo 2012 Cuba

Rumbatá De Camagüey
2008 EGREM CD

1. Rumba Y Batá


Superb vocals, great coros and nice drumming,
but for me
after 3 or 4 songs the drum "formula" can get boring.
Nice addition of a Pello El Afrokan Mozambique.
First class production mixed very well with
great sound in a nicely designed digipak
Now alternatively, this for me never gets boring.


 La Rumba Del Siglo
Rumbatá
2012 Bis CD

4. Homenaje A Ricardo Abreu Papin
 

Roman Díaz & Pedro Martínez "Rumbos de la Rumba" - 2008


A nice project, all 11 songs can be downloaded as MP3's for $8.99 on the net.
Or you can find it free on a few file sharing sites if you know how to look for it.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Okan Layé" - "Strings & Rumba" with Steve Kurmann 1997 & 1999 Swiss

"Strings & Rumba"
With 'Los Muñequito De Matanzas'
Live - 1999
(((Strings & Rumba)))

"Okan Layé"
Live - 1997

Bassist 'Steve Kurmann' with his "Okan Layé" & "Strings & Rumba" projects.
Both recorded live in Switzerland.



Monday, January 26, 2009

Ernán López-Nussa "From Habana To Rio" - "Habana Report" - Cuba


Cuban pianist Ernán López Nussa with his two works:
"From Habana To Rio" & "Habana Report".
Everyone kills on these: Ernán López-Nussa, Tata Güines, Changuito, Emilio Del Monte & Pancho Terry y su Chekeré.
The arrangement of "Mack The Knife" swings, starting as a Danzón, ending with New Orleans dixieland roots.

"From Habana To Rio"
2000

Ernán López Nussa
A perfect chemistry of Jazz, Cuban rumba,
Brasilian baião & samba
.


"Habana Report"
2001
Ernán López-Nussa

1. Amén
2. Esto no tiene nombre
3. Bye bye blackbird
4. Mack the knife
5. Tin tin deo
6. Wendy´s blues
7. Blues de Marieta
8. Tierra mía (Jazz de la tierra)
9. Archipiélago

Musicos:
Ernán López-Nussa (Piano, Director, Areglista, coros)
Tata Guines (Tumbadoras)
Changuito (Timbales, batería)
Pancho Terry (percusion afrocubana. Voz en Tierra mía)
Alexander Brown (Trompeta)
Jorge Alexander "Sagua" (contrabajo)

Musicos invitados:
Julio Padrón (Trompeta en tierra mía)
Joaquin Oliveros (Flauta en Amen)
Orlando Sanchez (clarinete en Mack the knife)
Haydee Milanes, Eduardo Ramos (coros)

"Cervantes Cuatro Pianos" - Cuba


'Ignacio Cervantes'
b; Havana, 31 July 1847 – d; Havana, 29 April 1905

A beautiful tribute to the
legendary Cuban virtuoso pianist and composer, 'Ignacio Cervantes'
*Four outstanding Cuban pianists interpreting the compositions of 'Ignacio Cervantes'.
Antonio Carbonell
Ernán López-Nussa
Ivet Frontela
Ulises Hernández
Along with the 'Camerata Romeu Orchestra' under the musical direction of Conductor Zenaida Castro Romeu. (granddaughter of 'Antonio María Romeu')

43 compositions