Wednesday, December 12, 2012

In memoriam: Pandit Ravi Shankar - Dead at 92

 

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

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

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

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Cuba Correos

Cuba Correos   
(Instrumentos Musicales Folkloricos)

Cuba Correos  
(Fernando Ortiz)

Cuba Correos
(Orisás)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

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

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




Saturday, September 8, 2012

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


 Rafael Somavilla 
"En Memoriam"

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

Saturday, September 1, 2012

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


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
 

Thursday, August 30, 2012

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


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

In memoriam: Gore Vidal - "A true American"


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".


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Photo: Orchestra Brothers 1930's La Habana, Cuba

Orchestra Brothers
 Jazz  band circa 1930's
La Habana, Cuba

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

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

Tuesday, July 17, 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

Sunday, July 15, 2012

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

Frisner Augustin
1948-2012

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.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Friday, June 22, 2012

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

South Florida worm and bullshit artist.
Vice President? Or God forbid President?... no fucking way.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

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".

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

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"

 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

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


Saturday, June 9, 2012

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))))

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