Lou Peréz - Pianist, flautist, composer & arranger -N.Y.C.

Lou Peréz was born in New York City in 1921, his father was Cuban, his mother Puerto Rican.
He and his parents moved to Cuba when he was four years old, then moved back to the the U.S. when he was 12 or 13 years old.

A "masterful musician and arranger", 'Lou Peréz' wrote between 300 and 500 compositions, played drums and vibraphone, his main instruments were flute and piano. He also sang.
As a young musician, he was involved in the bands of Gilberto Valdés, Noro Morales and Belisario López among many others.
He wrote music for T.V. commercials and films as well.

'Lou Peréz' very sadly died in N.Y.C. in 2005, the result a car accident. He was 77 years old.
One of his sons, 'Ron' is a V.P. of a computer corp., his other son 'Louis A. Perez Jr.' is a professor at the University Of North Carolina and author of the following books:
"Cuba: Between Reform and Revolution" - 1988
"Cuba and the United States" -1990
"Guide to Cuban Collections in the United States" - 1991
"Cuba" - 1995
"On Becoming Cuban" - 2001
"Cuba: Picturing Change" - 2002
"To Die In Cuba" - 2005
(all 7 books available on Amazon.com)

I never had the good fortune to play with Lou Peréz , although I met him several times near the end of his life. He was a true gentleman, very personable... with great soul.
This is not a definitive discography or biography, just twelve great recordings by him.
I really like Lou's music and his playing, and that he chose to have 'Marcelino Guerra' singing on several of these LP's.

"Para La Fiesta Voy" - 1961
(Reissued on CD)
Rudy Calzado vocal & coro

"Bon Bon De Chocolate!" - 1962
(Ajay vinyl LP)
Rudy Calzado: vocal

7. "Asi Se Baila Mi Son"

"Que buena está... Elena!!"

Elena Madera was from N.Y.C. with a Cuban mother & West Indian father.
Her singing style and voice was brusque, harsh & screechy ("torrid"?)... but Lou's arrangements and band sound great .
Early 1960's vinyl LP, nothing really special.

6. Hermosa Tierra

11. Canto Karabali

"Tamboleo"
1964?
Marcelino Guerra: coro
(Reissued on CD but they took everything from vinyl)

6."Mamá, Mamá, Mamá"

10. "Bodas De Oro"

11. "Oye Tu Veras"



Lou Peréz and his Orq.
Recorded in N.Y.C. - 1966
Lou Peréz: flute & vocal, Cachao: acoustic bass,
Marcelino Guerra: vocal & coro, "El Negro" Vivar: trumpet,
Alberto Fajardo & Pupy Legarreta violins.
(possibly obscure rough mixes)

The odd thing about this is that the songs are the same as on the LP "Of Latin Extraction".. but the mixes are different. For example, on "Adios Amor", Lou Perez is singing... but the same song on the LP "Of Latin Extraction" below, there is no vocal.
I have listened to both recordings closely, these are the same songs, but perhaps these may be the original 'rough mixes' before the actual LP "Of Latin Extraction" was released.
Marcelino Guerra is definitely singing, but there is no mention of his name and no mention of Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar on trumpet or Alberto Fajardo & Pupy Legarreta on the LP.

3. "Adios Mi Amor"
Vocal: Lou Peréz
(version with vocal)

6. "En Carne Propia"
Vocal: Lou Peréz
Trumpet: Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar

"Of Latin Extraction"

Vinyl LP on the Madrid label

Marcelino "Rapindey" Guerra sings on several songs as well as in the coro and Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar plays trumpet on one song, but their names are not listed on the LP.
"Cachao" plays his ass off!!

4. "Guantanamo"

6. "Martina"
(Lou's great composition in 5/4 & 3/4)

7. "El Palo Tiene Curujey"
Vocal: Marcelino Guerra

12. "Guantanamera"
Vocal: Marcelino Guerra

"Barrio"

1972 Parnaso vinyl LP

3. "No Tienes Gandinga"
Vocal: Marcelino Guerra

"¡Que Calor!"
Lou Peréz y su Conjunto Tipico1974
(Originally on Parnaso, this is a Seeco pressing)

Leader, conductor & Flute: Lou Perez

Vocal on several songs: Roberto Torres

Piano: Larry Kiviat
Bass: Israel "Cachao" López (Ibayé bayé tonu)
Timbales: Nicky Marrero
Conga: Ray Mantilla
Bongoes: Manny Oquendo (Ibayé bayé tonu)
Trumpets: Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros & Alberto "Panama" De Mercado

2. "El Reloj De Pastora"
Comp: Arsenio Rodriguez
Vocal: Marcelino Guerra

"Fantasia Africana"

1975 CD
Javier Vazquez: piano
Virgilio Marti: tumbadoras
Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez: Güiro

"Nuestra Herencia"
1976 Tico vinyl LP

With Edy Martinez: Piano.
Israel "Cachao"Lopez: bass.
Julito Collazo, "Cachete" Maldonado & Steve Berrios: Batá drums.

1. "Our Heritage" (mini suite)

5. "No Hay Nada Como El Son"

8. "Mi Matanzas"

"De Todo Un Poco"
1977 Vinyl LP
With Edy Martinez on piano,
Julito Collazo, Batá.

"Lou Perez And His New York N.Y. Sound"
197?
3. "El Miri Miron"
Vocal: Marcelino Guerra

"Lou Peréz Live At The Palladium N.Y.C."
Sacodis label - 1979
(thanks to "Odara" for the photo)

'Louis Armstrong' & 'Lou Peréz'

Roseland Ballroom N.Y.C. 1966

The late Sonora Matancera guitarist Rogelio Martínez, the late Lou Peréz and the late Israel "Cachao" Lopez. 1970's

R.I.P.

*If anyone knows how to make a page in 'Wikipedia',
Lou Peréz should have his own page!