Fidels Eyeglasses: February 2010

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Anacaona - Septeto, Octeto & Orquesta '37, '53, '54 - Cuba

Anacaona 1937-'38
Alberto Socarras on the left.

Anacaona in Paris.

The Castro sisters.

Nice photo, but ridiculously titled:
"The Buena Vista Sisters Club"
and "Cuba's forgotten girl band"
No one I know has ever "forgotten" Anacaona.

Anacaona, 27 songs released on a German CD import in 2008, nicely remastered.
Mostly as an Orchestra, in 1950's live radio performances at Radio CMQ in Havana, as well as other radio performances on tour in Colombia, Venezuela and Rio De Janeiro.

There are a few 78rpm recordings included by the original band when they were a Septeto (1937-'38) and had Graciela singing and playing Clave, before she left Cuba for New York City.
Anacaona was led by the Castro sisters who were of Chinese and Afro-Cuban decent, all superb musicians. The band was directed by El Maestro Alberto Socarras.

Ondina Castro took trumpet lessons with Lázaro Herrera (trumpet player with Septeto Nacional).

Argimira Millo Castro takes several very tasty bongó solos.
Yolanda Castro sings "You'll Never Be Free" in English as a blues and she also sings "My Foolish Heart" in English.
They do a great rendition of "Después que sufras" a composition by Marcelino Guerra, sung by Graciela.
I prefer the early 1937 sessions, but the later 1953-'54 big band sessions are nice.

4. You´ll never Be Free - 1953
Yolanda Castro: vocal

5. Oh! Marambé Maramba - 1937
Graciela: vocal, clave
Argimira 'Millo' Castro: bongó solo

Algo Bueno - 1937
Graciela: vocal, clave
Argimira "Millo" Castro: bongó solo
(not on this CD)

Saturday, February 20, 2010

La Gloria Matancera 1955 - Cuba

"Ritmo y Alegria"
La Gloria Matancera
vinyl LP
With Florencio *"Carusito" Hernandez
(*the high voice singing coro)

This is a bootleg on the MFR label,
the original cover was on Columbia, pressed in Cuba with a different cover.

1. Madeja de ensueños
2. Óyeme Antonio
3. Lo que fuimos ayer
4. El son Borombon
5. Azúcar mami
6. Quinto llamando
7. Como siempre soñé
8. En la claridad
9. El lorito y el carbonero
10. Mejor no vuelvas
11. Se fue conmigo
12. La mulata guarachona

5. "Azúcar mami"
1955

6. "Quinto llamando"
1955

"Quinto llamando"
Gloria Matancera
1937 version

Gloria Matancera 1955
"Carusito" standing first on left.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

"Professor Longhair" (Roy Byrd) photo - New Orleans

This is a large poster size photograph of "Professor Longhair",
taken by New Orleans photographer 'Barry Kaiser', he gave it to me when I left New Orleans and moved back to New York City in 1986.
I have it in a large frame on my living room wall.

"Mardi Gras in New Orleans"
Original 1949 version
Professor Longhair: piano and vocal

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Happy Mardi Gras New Orleans! "Fat Tuesday" 2010

Happy Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras
New Orleans 1965
Me, my Aunt Dell and my Mother.

Mardi Gras
New Orleans 1965
Me.

Mardi Gras
New Orleans 1965
My Uncle Joey, Me and Willey, in Banana leaves

Mardi Gras
New Orleans 1974
Me, standing on the balcony of my apartment.

Mardi Gras
New Orleans 1976
Roberto Tametta, Maria, Lindoya, Me.

Mardi Gras
New Orleans 1976
Me.

I took this photo last time I was in New Orleans.
This is a wall on the side of a grocery store,
with a hand painted advertisement for "Big Shot" soda.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Lobo y Melon - Veracruz, Mexico

"Lobo" y "Melón"
Carlos Daniel Navarro (Lobo)
Luis Angel Silva (Melón)

Best Known for incorporating style of singing called
"Chua-Chua", that was developed and used by Francisco Fellove when he was living in Mexico during the 1950's.
(A form of "Be-Bop" derived scat singing)

Lobo y Melon led a swinging band, playing Cuban Guaracha, Son Montuno, Cha cha chá, Bolero, Conga/Comparsa and Guaguancó.

These are four original RCA LP covers.
My father gave them to me in the 1970's,
I sold them on Ebay seven years ago.

"Amalia Batista"
Their first LP 1959
RCA Victor vinyl LP

1. "Africa"

2. "Coge Pa' La Cola"

"Escapatibria Vol.V"
RCA Victor vinyl LP

4. "No Critiques"

"Gógela..!"
RCA Victor vinyl LP

6. "La Sitiera"
Comp: Rafael López

8. "Guaguancó En Mexico"

10. "Tierra Cubana"

"Rumbeada Vol. II"
RCA Victor vinyl LP

1. "Rumbeada En Pueblo Nuevo"

2. "Dispensame"

5. "Blen Blen Blen"
Comp. Chano Pozo

7. "La Pena De Memo"

Many of the songs on these can still be found
reissued on various CD's.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Francisco Fellove - "El Gran Fellove" 1957

"El Gran Fellove"
Francisco Fellove

RCA Victor - 1957
Recorded in Mexico
with Lobo y Melon singing coro

3. "Azul Pintado De Azul"
(Volare)

8. "Decidate Mi Amor"

(((Reissued on CD in Jan. 2010)))

Nice collection of 21 songs by Fellove originally recorded in Mexico. They took the 21 songs from various vinyl LP's by Fellove... used this original RCA LP cover, changed it a bit, the reissued CD "is missing 5 songs" from the RCA LP.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Conjunto Universal '67, '68, '73, '74, '75, '76, '78, '79 - Miami

Conjunto Universal in Cuba

(with Manuel "El Guajro" Mirabal and Jaime Garcia)

1967
Jaime Garcia: piano, Rolando Rivero: tumbas.
Edy Gual: vocal (sin peluca).

Conjunto Universal, the Cuban band that was based in Miami, Florida.
Their most prolific period was during the late 1960's through the 1970's.
A swinging band with a very unique "Cuban" sound.
Arguably the best Cuban band to come out of Miami in the 1970's.
Directed by pianist and arranger 'Jaime Garcia', with lead vocalist Edy Gual.
On their late 60's and early 70's LP's 'Rolando Rivero' played tumbadoras, he would later run the "Do-Re-Mi" music store on SW 8th street in Miami for years, it closed in April of 2009.

On several of their 70'S LP's they included songs originally done by Conjunto Rumbavana, Conjunto Roberto Faz, Los Latinos, Senen Suarez and Pacho Alonso.