Pacho Alonso - with Mariano Merceron, Bebo Valdes, Los Bocucos, Los Pachucos, Enrique Bonne, Juanito Marquez - '51 '59, '70's, '80's - Cuba

Pascasio "Pacho" Alonso Fajardo

b; Aug. 22 1928 Santiago de Cuba
d; Aug. 27 1982 La Habana, Cuba

His father was Cuban, his mother was Puerto Rican.
Pacho Alonso was 54 when he died.

Pacho Alonso

'Pacho Alonso' with Orq. 'Mariano Merceron'
in Santiago De Cuba.

"Aguanta Mulata"1951
Pacho Alonso con la Orq. De Mariano Merceron.
Vocal.: Pacho Alonso
Coro: Beny Moré and Fernando Alvarez.
(from 78rpm)

"Una Noche En El Scheherezada"1958 & 1959
His first LP backed by Bebo Valdes and Orq.
(in 1959 after Cuba "nationalized" RCA Victor it became"Discuba")

(((Here)))

"Que me digan feo"
1960The "South Florida" pressing" above.Enrique Bonne on Timbales & kickdrum.
'Ibrahim Ferrer': coro.

Includes his big hit.... "Que Me Digan Feo"

And six killer ballads: "Jugete", "Soy Tu Ley", "llorar Es De Hombre", "Tu Has Vuelto", "Niebla Del Riachuelo" and "Este Amor Nunca Lo Podre Olvidar" that in my opinion, are his best!
My faviorite version of "Sorpresa De Harina Con Boniato", with Juanito Marquez on electric guitar.

Pacho Alonso was a "masterful" bolerista (bolero-ballad singer) with a lot of jazz inflections in his style.

I know Pacho liked listening to 'Billy Eckstine' and'Johnny Hartman' in the 1950's & 60's, I was told that when I lived in New Orleans in 1980 by two musicians that played in his band, both of them came to New Orleans via "the Mariel boat lift" in 1980.

The CD reissue of this LP is missing 2 boleros from the original 12 songs on the LP.

2. "Juguete" - Bolero

3. "Sorpresa De Harina Con Boniato" - Ritmo Pilón
'Enrique Bonne': comp.

4. 'Soy Tu Ley' - Bolero

8. "Tu Has Vuelto" - Bolero

12. "Este Amor Nunca Lo Podre Olvidar" - Bolero

The original 'Discuba' LP cover below.
The front and back cover of an E.P.
With Ibrahim Ferrer in the yellow shirt, standing in front.
"A bailar con Pacho Alonso"1961
With Juanito Marquez on electric guitar.
'Enrique Bonne' on Timbales & kickdrum.
Enrique Bonne wrote 9 of the 12 songs.

The CD reissue is missing 2 songs from the original LP
11 & 12, I added them from the original LP.

7. "Con Los Pies Camino" - Ritmo Pilón
'Enrique Bonne': comp.

10. "Bajo Kum Kum Kum" - Ritmo Pilón
'Enrique Bonne': comp.

11. "Billy The Kid" 
Enrique Bonne': comp.
Enrique Bonne's great composition with a brief
sectionof "Be-Bop" that seems to come from nowhere.

12. "Niña Hipocrita"
'Felix Reyna': comp.


"Pacho Alonso Y Sus Bocucos"
1964
Vinyl LP on Barclay
Enrique Bonne on timbales & kickdrum.
Ibrahim Ferrer: coro & güiro.

An obscure 1964 LP with a killer band,
A version of the Pilón "El Bajo Cun Cun Cun", but here without Juanito Marquez who played electric guitar on the original version in 1960.
And also a version of "Sorpresa De Harina Con Boniato", again here without Juanito Marquez who played on the original 1960 version.

2. "Si Hable" - Bolero

6. "El Bajo Cun Cun Cun"  
Ritmo Pilón'Enrique Bonne': comp
.
8. "Sorpresa De Harina Con Boniato"
 Ritmo Pilón
'Enrique Bonne': comp.

"Pacho Alonso y Sus Bocucos"
1966
'Enrique Bonne' : Timbales & drum set.
'Miguel Bridón': electric guitar.
'Ibrahim Ferrer': coro.

Excellent recording with Vibrafono (Vibes) used in several songs.
Nice photo of the band showing 'Enrique Bonne' in dark "eyeglasses" and 'Ibrahim Ferrer'.
The "rhythms" written next to several of the songs on the back of the LP are not exactly correct.
I've included a more accurate rhythmic interpretation below.

2. "En Guayabero"
Son-Pilón

3. "Ocupate De Mi"
Guaracha-Pilón

4. "En El Rincon Del Olvido" 
Guaracha-Pilón

7. "Cancion De Mi Habana" 
Cancion-Rumba

9. "Cemento, Ladrillo y Arena"
Son Montuno

"Pacho Alonso Y Sus Pachucos"1971
('Enrique Bonne' on Timbales, 'Jesús Pérez', drum set)

A great early '70's LP with several
songs using Pacho's "Ritmo Simalé"

1. "Divertido simalé"
Ritmo Simalé
'Pacho Alonso': comp.

6. "Portobelo"
Ritmo Simalé

7. "Simalé a lo Bonne"
Ritmo Simalé
'Enrique Bonne': comp.

12. "Cuando Llegue el tren"
Ritmo Pilón'Enrique Bonne': comp.

"Pacho Alonso Y Sus Pachucos"1971

The same 1971 LP, but a pressing from Chile, with an excellent photo of the band, with Enrique Bonne in front right kneeling down, wearing "The Eyeglasses".
Also in this photo, is a Tumbadora that had "two additional heads built into the sides" of the drum. "Un invento" that I've only seen in one other photo of it on another LP by Pacho
.

Another photo of "the drum".

"Ritmo a lo Pacho"
1976
Enrique Bonne on timbales

1. "Que Tiene Tana"
Ritmo Upa Upa
Enrique Bonne: comp.

4. "Ven Ae Ae"
Onda Areito Funketeo
Comp. German Pifferer & Senen Suarez

6. "A Santiago"
Son-Onda Areito Funketeo
Comp. Juan Almeida (yea, the "Commie")

7. "El Upa Upa Del Chambelon"
Ritmo Upa Upa
Comp. Pacho Alonso

12. "Cubano Cubano Cubano"
Ritmo Upa Upa


"Upa Upa"
1977
Pacho Alonso Y Sus Pachucos

Pacho LP with Ritmo "Upa Upa".

1. "El Upa Upa Tiene Mendo"
Ritmo Upa Upa

5. "Que Cosa Es Mendo"
Ritmo Upa Upa

6. "Dame Upa Upa" 
Ritmo Upa Upa

8. "No Me Critiques" 
Ritmo Upa Upa

10. "No Muere Nuestro Son"
70's Cubania Contemporanea


Pacho Alonso
1979
His son "Pachito" director & keyboards.

3. "La Chica Nica"
Ritmo Pilón

6. "En Casa De Pedro El Cojo"
Ritmo Pilón


12 Éxitos Románticos
Pacho Alonso backed by 'Orq. Egrem'
(an "excellent" compilation of Bolero ritmicos & ballads '70-'79)
 (((Here)))

"Pacho Alonso"1980

The LP says this is "Orq. Egrem" accompanying him, but that's incorrect, it's Pacho Alonso's band with his son, "Pachito" playing keyboards & arranging. Vinyl LP, 3 of the 4 tracks are a medleys of songs. (*LP incorrectly left out the titles of track #2)

1- "El Guayabero" Pt.1
+ "Yo No Se Como Baila Usted"
+ "Que Roña Me Da" 10:43
 
2- "Yo No Quiero Piedra En Mi Camino"
+ "Se Tambalea" 4:56


3- "El Guayabero" Pt.2
+ "El Batachón" 11:42

3- "El Manisero"


"Pacho y Pachito Con El Mendo De Cuba"
1980

This was Pacho Alonso's last LP before he died in 1982.
His son "Pachito" Alonso' on keyboards
& 'Calixto Oviedo' drums & Timbales.

"Orquesta Pacho Alonso"1984
Came out two years after Pacho died, led by his son Pachito.

Rolo Martinez and another uncredited singer on vocals."Pachito" Alonso Director, arranger, keyboards.

5. "El Cuarto De Petrona"
 
7. "Xiomara Quiere Un Retrato"
 
 
A nice retrospective of 'Pacho Alonso' music.('Enrique Bonne' on Timbales)
Collection released 1991 on Artex CD.
(((Here)))

A nice retrospective of 'Pacho Alonso' music.
But they listed several ritmos incorrectlyCollection released 1995 on Egrem CD.
(((Here)))

Below are several Videos of 'Pacho Alonso' with his '60's "Bocucos" & '70's "Pachucos"
with 'Enrique Bonne' playing Timbales along with 'Ibrahim Ferrer' singing coro & playing Guiro. 'Las D'Aia' singing coro.
One of the first two Pilóns to be released on record by 'Pacho Alonso' was "José Ramon", the other was "El Bajo Cun Cun Cun".
In the first video you can see the musician making believe he's grinding coffee in a giant "Pilón" which is where the dance got its name from.
A "Pilón" is a 'mortar' and 'pestle' used to crush, grind, and mash ingredients, herbs and seasonings. They can be made of ceramic, metal, or traditionally wood.

"José Ramon" - 1964
'Pacho Alonso y Sus Bocucos
Ritmo Pilón
'Enrique Bonne' on Timbales and kickdrum. 
Coro: Ibrahim Ferrer, Carlos Querol and Pedro Pon.

"Maria Cristina" - 1965
'Pacho Alonso y Sus Bocucos
Comp. ''Enrique Bonne' - Ritmo Pilón.
'Enrique Bonne' on Timbales and kickdrum.

"Que Rico Esta Eso" - 1965
'Pacho Alonso' y Sus Bocucos
Comp. ''Enrique Bonne '- Ritmo Pilón
'Enrique Bonne' on Timbales and kickdrum.
'Las D'Aia' singing coro, 'Ibrahim Ferrer' coro and Güiro

"Que Rico Pilón" - 1965
Pacho Alonso y Sus Pachucos
'Enrique Bonne' on Timbales.
Ibrahim Ferrer, Carlos Querol,
Pedro Pon and 'Las D'Aia.



"Lo Mismo Al Drecho Que Al Reves" - 1970
'Pacho Alonso' y Sus Pachucos
'Enrique Bonne' on Timbales.
(**Pacho comes out dancing Pilón)

"Juana y Pilón"
Art work by 'Arturo Cisneros'

Juanito Marquez - "Pa' ca" 1964 & '71 Cuba

Juanito Márquez Urbino

Composer, arranger, guitarist
and creator of the Cuban ritmo "Pa' ca".
Born in Holguin Cuba on July 4, 1929

"Arrimate Pa' ca"
The "Original" 1964 LP cover on Egrem.
With sessions at the correct speed.

"Arrimate Pa' ca"
The "reissue" CD on 'Caney'

Unfortunately everything on this "remastered/reissue" is at the wrong speed.

With additional materiel taken from the original 1964 Egrem LP and from several LP's that Juanito Marquez played on with 'Pacho Alonso' y Los Bocucos.
(includes "Billy The Kid", composed by 'Enrique Bonne')

"Marquez" - early 1970's
Out of print.

2. "Que Cosa Es Esto" 

5. "Clap Clap Pa' Ca" 

7. "Ohe Le Le" 

8. "Melao"

9. "Barahunda" 

This is one style of playing Pa' ca

 Juanito Marquez with his Orch.

The rhythm is Pa'ca which he created.

The Conga plays Pa'ca while the bongo

player plays an Okonkolo Batá drum part.

A video of 'Orq. Aragon' with guests Elena Burke, Los Zafiros and at the beginning, Juanito Marquez comes out and plugs his guitar into his amplifier.

The song is "Pituka La Bella" writen by Juanito Marquez - Ritmo Pa' ca

Orq. Aragon playing "Arimate Pa' Ca" 
written by Juanito Marquez - Ritmo Pa' ca

'Juanito Marquez' - "Sax Cha Chá"

Vinyl LP on Velvet

"Juanito Marquez y Su Combo"Areito vinyl LP
1960's
Tumbao N°. 11

"La Mejor Guitara De Cuba"
Vinyl LP on Duher