In memoriam: Pandit Ravi Shankar - Dead at 92

 

 Pandit Ravi Shankar

Born: April 7, 1920, Varanasi India

Died: December 11, 2012, San Diego Calif.

 Homage to Mahatma Ghandi

 Full Circle - Carnegie Hall 2000 (Live)

 At the Monterey International Pop Festival

Feliz cumpleaños Ṣàngó

Ebay auction: JUNIOR TIRADO Congas

Tony Tejera y su Conjunto cantando Manuel 'Manolo' Furé

  Tony Tejera y su Conjunto 
cantando: Manuel 'Manolo' Furé

Panart vinyl LP/LD

Que Voy A Gozar

Cuidado Con El Gato

Si, Si, Yo Quiero Un Pollo

Tirando Tiros

Cuba Correos

Cuba Correos   

(Instrumentos Musicales Folkloricos)

Cuba Correos  

(Fernando Ortiz)

Cuba Correos

(Orisás)

Video: Chucho Valdes & Archie Shepp Afro-cuban project - Jazz a Porquerolles Live 2011

Video: Chucho Valdes & The Afro-Cuban Messengers - Jazz à Vienne Live 2010

El Campo

In memoriam: World Trade Towers, Manhattan, N.Y.C. - 2001-2012

World Trade Towers
Manhattan, N.Y.C.
September 11
2001 - 2012

Orq. Cubana De Musica Moderna - Rafael Somavilla In Memoriam '69--'70 Cuba

 Rafael Somavilla 

"En Memoriam"

 Orq. Cubana De Musica Moderna

Taka Taka Ta

Comp: Al Vernale
Keyboards: Chucho Valdes
Electric guitar; Carlos Emillio Morales

 

A Santiago

Comp: Juan Almeida Bosque
Keyboards: Chucho Valdes
Electric guitar; Carlos Emillio Morales

Orquesta Cubana De Musica Moderna

Tribute to Rafael Somavilla:

Born: Matanzas, Cuba 1928

Died: Havana, Cuba January 20, 1980.

Prolific Pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. 

He was one of the founding directors of the Cuban Modern Music Orchestra in Havana in1967.
Using conventional Cuban musical elements, he incorporated newer sounds into Cuban popular music during the 60's 70's.

Author of many musical works, including "Requiem". 

An important figure in contemporary Cuban music during the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's.

involved in studio recordings, radio and television.

Juan Pablo Torres - "Aerobios" LP 198?

 "Aerobios"

Juan Pablo Torres
Vinyl LP
Early 1980's

Y Aparecio El Trombon

Conj. Tutankamen & Orq. I.C.R.

 Conjunto Tutankamen

Areito EP

A Cortar Mucho Mas Caña
Tres and 2nd voice: Isaac Oviedo

 

Orquesta I.C.R.
Areito EP

Con Plus Trabajo
Cantan: Pio Leyva
 

Happy Birthday Arsenio Rodriguez! - 102

Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull

 Born: Aug. 30th 1911 Gúira de Macurijes, Matanzas, Cuba.
Died: December 31st 1970 L.A., Calif.
Feliz cumpleaños!  
Happy Birthday! 102

Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso
Arsenio Rodriguez 1957

Sobre El Arco Iris
Arsenio Rodriguez 1955

Buena Vista En Guaguancó
Vivo-live radio air check 1948 Cuba
Comp: Luis "Lilí" Martínez Griñán

In memoriam: Gore Vidal - "A true American"

Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012

R.I.P.

A true "American", Gore Vidal once said the U.S. Constitution is a "Peculiar and dismal document" in "desperate need of revision", he said "the states should call a constitutional convention before the nation is bankrupted by short-sighted big business and military leaders".

Photo: Orchestra Brothers 1930's La Habana, Cuba

Orchestra Brothers

 Jazz  band circa 1930's

La Habana, Cuba

Photo: Howard Levy, my Father and myself 1975 N.Y.C.

 1975 N.Y.C

Howard Levy, my Father and myself .

Playing for the Syvilla Forte dance class.

Howard is playing his 1970's Gon Bops quinto,

my Father is playing a drum he made and carved,

 I'm playing my drum made by Natalio 'Junior' Tirado Ruiz

Ebay auction: Candido Requena 1950's Cuban Quinto

Candido Requena 1950's Cuban Quinto

Most likely made of Cedro (ceder) beautiful old quinto, 

unfortunately not the original crown or lugs.

Ebay auction: MATTHEW SMITH CUBAN CONGA QUINTO 9 3/4"

Overhaul of New Orleans Police N.Y. Times article

New Orleans Police Agree to

Plan for Sweeping Overhaul

N.Y. Times article by John Schwartz

Published: July 24, 2012

Los Amigos 1964 - Cuba

"Los Amigos"
1964 LP

Lower left: Guillermo Barreto (drums)
Middle: Federico Britos (violin)
Lower right: Cachaito Lopéz (acoustic bass)

Vinyl LP recorded in Havana at the Egrem studios, mid '60's.

Mostly bossa novas and sambas.

Long out of print, rare and obscure.

Tristeza

La Patica

In memoriam: Frisner Augustin, Haitian Vodou Drummer, Dies at 63

Frisner Augustin
1948-2012

Master Haitian Drummer, Dies at 63.

N.Y. Times article

Sadly, I only heard of Frisner's death 2 days ago.

1976 Brooklyn, N.Y

L-R: John Amira, my Father,

Howard Levy, Frisner Augustin.

After playing a Haitian ceremony from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., we came up from the basement and it was snowing.

My Father, Howard Levy, John Amira, playing
a Haitian ceremony in 1976 Brooklyn, N.Y,
with  Frisner Augustin.

Playing for a dance class in Manhattan, 1976
L-R: John Mason, Frisner Augustin,
John Amira, Howard Levy.

Playing for a dance class in Manhattan, 1976
L-R: Myself, my Father, Frisner Augustin,
John Amira, Howard Levy.

Frisner Augustin in videos YouTube

Frisner Augustin Google

Video Cuba - Changüi

Senator Marco Rubio... Vice President? ...vete pa' carajo

South Florida worm and bullshit artist.

Vice President? Or God forbid President?... no fucking way.

http://cubajournal.blogspot.com/search?q=marco+rubio

La Herrería de Sirique (1966) Dir. Héctor Veitia

Graciano Gomez & Isaac Oviedo of the Septeto Tipico Matancero.
Sindo Garay.
Manolo Pla of the Sexteto Boton de Rosa.
Nico Saquito (wearing "the Eyeglasses").
Luis Peña.
Jesus "Chuchu" Aristola of the Terceto Yoyo.
Agustin Gutierrez of the Sexteto Habanero playing the cajón and dancing with Grupo Clave y Guaguancó.
Ciro Rodriguez & Rafael Cueto of the Sexteto Matamoros.
Enrique "Chungo" Enriso & Rafael "Nene" Enriso of the Sexteto Enriso.

Al compas de Cuba (1960) Dir. Mario Gallo

A very young Mario Dreke Alfonso a.k.a. 'Chavalonga' dancing, Carlos Embale singing.

The "Classic Cuban shape".

Mongo Santamaria y su Charanga La Sabrosa live @ Birdland 1961

Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria y su 'Charanga Sabrosura'.
The band he formed in 1961.
Live radio broadcast at Birdland in N.Y.C. 1961-'62.
Symphony Sid introduces the band.
They play 'Manilla', 'Rolando Lozano' on flute, Jose 'Chombo' Silva' and Pupy Legarreta violins.

Manila
Live - en vivo

Photo: Bodega China - La Habana, Cuba 1940's

Video: Cuba - Sexteto Habanero 1930

Sexteto Habanero
1930 Ybor City Florida
Andrés Sotolongo: bongoes.
He heats (tunes) his bongoes up
in the first few seconds of the film.

The full movie:

Orq. Sabor De Cuba "A Bailar Con Sabor" - (sin Bebo Valdés) 1961

Orq. Sabor De Cuba - "A bailar con sabor"
1961 vinyl LP/LD

This is 'Orquesta Sabor De Cuba', which was formally Bebo Valdés' band, after Bebo left Cuba, the band kept the same name.
With 'Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar' in the band on trumpet and 'Pio Leiva' singing on several songs.

1. Sans Souci Cha cha chá
2. Las claves
3. Todo tuvo que cambiar
4. Que locura
5. Jekete
6. Palo
7. Colapso
8. Cha cha cha del panadero
9. Sabor cubano
10. Improvisando cha cha cha
11. Francisco Guayabal
12. Sin caña y platanal

From originl vinyl LP.
It took me an hour and a half to "clean" up the sound and balance the left and right audio tracks on all 12 songs using 'Goldwave V.5'

1. "Sans Souci Cha Cha Cha" 

2. "Las calves" 

3. "Todo tuvo que cambiar" 

4. "Que locura" 

5. "Jekete" 

7. "Colapso" 

8. "Chachacha del panadero" 

9. "Sabor cubano" 

11. "Francisco Guayabal" 

12. "Sin caña y platanal"
 

Septeo Nacional - En Vivo - Live La Habana, Cuba

"Septeto National"

Photo courtesy Barry Cox
Pictured above in an early 1980's photo:
 Florencio "Carusito" Hernandez: coro y maraca
Lázaro Herrera: trumpet
Carlos Embale : vocal

Rafael Ortiz: guitar

Recorded live/en vivo in La Habana.
Purportedly recoded in 1979.
His voice is superb on these six live recordings.

1. Esas  no son cubanas  - Todo - Échale Salsita

2. Tu mi afinidad - Bururú Barará

3. Maria Antoinetta

Turma da Gafieira - 1956 & 1957 - Brasil

"Samba Em Hi-FI"
Turma da Gafieira - 1957

Altamiro Carrilho (flute)
Zé Bodega (sax)
Raul de Souza (trombone)
Jorge Marinho (bass)
Edison Machado (drums)
Cipó (sax)
Baden Powell (guitar)
Sivuca (acordeon and voice)

((((Here))))

"Musicas De Altamiro Carrilho"
Turma da Gafieira - 1956

Altamiro Carrilho (flauta)
Zé Bodega (sax)
Raul de Souza (trombone)
Jorge Marinho (bass)
Edison Machado (drums)
Nestor (guitar)
Britinho and Paulinho (piano)
Santos (trumpet)
Sivuca (acordeon and voice)

((((Here))))