Saturday, May 29, 2010

In memoriam: Dennis Hopper dead at 74

Dennis Hopper and daughter Galen Grier Hopper
1936 - May 10, 2010
Died of prostate cancer.
R.I.P.

Havana Central - music this Wednesday.


I'll be playing music this Wednesday June 2nd.
at 'Havana Central', if you are in town come by.
8:00pm-11:00pm
17th st bet. Broadway and 5th Ave.
http://www.havanacentral.com/home.php



Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Mongo Santamaria - LP covers & photos

"Mongo Santamaria's Afro-Cuban Drums"
1952 SMC-Pro-Art LP592
With original cover artwork by
David Stone Martin


1955 Tico vinyl 10' inch LP-137

This was originally supposed to be a Silvestre Mendez' LP, but at the time Tico felt Mongo Santamaria's name was better known.
Silvestre Mendez wrote five and sings most of the songs on this LP.

"Chango"
Mongo Santamaria And His Afro-Cubans
featuring Silvestre Mendez
1955 Tico vinyl 7' inch 45rpm EP



"Our Man In Havana" - 1959
Original vinyl LP on the Fantasy label.
(Beautiful shiny high gloss cover & red vinyl)


"Mongo In Havana"
Original 1960 vinyl LP on the Fantasy label.
(Beautiful shiny high gloss cover & red vinyl)

Great photo of Mongo on a Havana hotel balcony.
This original 1960 cover photo is impossible to find anywhere on the internet.
Both '59 & '60 recording's reissued on one CD several years ago.

Close up of Mongo Santamaria's hand while playing. 1970s
Born in 'Jesus Maria', La Habana April 7th 1917
 Died in Miami, Florida Feb. 1st, 2003

A young Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Gladys León "Juegos De Amor" 1964 - Cuba

Gladys León "Juegos De Amor" - 1964
Egrem vinyl LP

Many people are familiar with 'Elena Burke', 'Omara Portuondo' 'Gina León' and the great 'Doris De La Torre', but not familiar with 'Gladys León', all great vocalists along with others in the musical "filin" (feeling) movement of the late 1950's into the 1960's.
"Many of the "filin" songs were interpreted as boleros with excellent orchestral arrangements including vanguard concepts and harmonization."

On this rare Egrem LP,
'Gladys León' sings beautiful lush "filin" boleros with a full orchestra with absolutely "superb" orchestrations.
There is a great interpretation of the Beny Moré classic, "Y Hoy Como Ayer" and several uptempo songs that were popularized by Pacho Alonso.
As the great 'Doris De La Torre' was able to sing in several languages including Russian, French, Italian and even Yidish...
'Gladys León' sings "Boccuccia Di Rosa" here in Italian.

The condition of this vinyl LP was not great, I used 'Goldwave V.5' to remove a lot of the surface sound (pops, clicks etc.).
A great recording, very hard to find.

1. Juegos De Amor


2. Boccuccia Di Rosa


5. El Santo Del Encargado


7. Y Decidete Mi Amor


9. Y Hoy Como Ayer


10. Si Tu Me Quieres Como Yo


11. Cemento Ladrillo Y Arena


12. Solamente Un Adios

Monday, May 10, 2010

Sunday, May 9, 2010

In memoriam: Francisco Aguabella dead at 84



Oct. 10, 1925, Matanzas, Cuba.
May. 7th, 2010 Los Angeles, California.
*** Iba ayé ba yé t'orún ***
R.I.P.
"Agua Limpia Todo" - 1959
Composer: Francisco Aguabella
Francisco con Mongo Santamaria
Canta: Carlos Embale

"Agua Limpia Todo" - 1962
Francisco Aguabella y Su Orq.

"Agua Limpia Todo" - 2002
Francisco Aguabella y Su Grupo
Vocals: Fabio Miranda, Eric Ortiz, Francisco Aguabella

"Mi Congo Te Llama" - 1978
Francisco: vocal + bata: Osain + tumbadoras & solo
with Eddie Palmieri (abbreviated version)



Francisco y Su Grupo "Oriki Ara Oko"

Francisco y Su Grupo "Oriza"