Wednesday, March 14, 2012

In memoriam: Cecil Carter

Cecil Carter
(Photo taken by me)
Born in New York City
Died in San Francisco, California March 13 2012
R.I.P. / D.E.P
Iba ayé ba yé t'orún mi hermano.

We were friends since we were teenagers.
Cecil Carter.. a great Rumbero, a humble wonderful person.
Will be very much missed by all of us who knew him, played
Rumba with him, both here in N.Y.C. as well as San Francisco and actually..... all over parts of the U.S.

Those of us who knew Cecil well, knows that he was a master at "riding" freight trains all over the United States, from N.Y.C. to California, New Mexico, Tucson Arizona, Florida, the Carolinas, practically everywhere!
During the years I lived in New Orleans ('73-'86), Cecil came to visit me many times in the 1970's and 1980's.
In 1985, there was a large and dangerous hurricane coming close to New Orleans... it pouring heavy sheets of rain with lightening and thunder.... 70 mile an hour winds outside.... at about 12 midnight I heard someone knocking at my front door...
I opened the door and there was Cecil.... soaking wet literally down to the bone!!!
He looked like a soaked street cat.... I let him in and we smoked some good herb and laughed about it for the next 25 years!
I really will miss him very much.

Central Park Rumberos
1982 N.Y.C.
Cecil Carter on the left wearing the black shirt.

Cecil Carter playing Tumbadora.
Central Park 1981-'82

Grupo Erékusú.
1976 - New Orleans
A rumba group I put together in New Orleans.
L-R: Humberto "Pupy" Menez, Rubén González,
Cecil Carter
& Myself.


Central Park, N.Y.C. 1974-'75
Cecil Carter playing his Chekere made for him by my dad.

3 comments:

taza said...

Thanks for the stories and the pictures of Cecil as a young man! I was part of his Tucson "family" and was happy to know him, sad to say goodbye.

African Birth Collective said...

Cecil took me off the Santa Cruz streets when I was 17. He took me to a communal house, fed me and got me a job the next day packing sauerkraut for a local company. He kindness has brought me into the light on more than one occasion. I am grateful for his music, humility and graceful way of living. Thank you CC...

CongaDr said...

Thank you for the post brother, I saw and hung out with Cec nearly every weekend for ten years.. more than anything, I will miss our conversations on the drum, and the speechless looks of amazement we gave eachother when finishing eachothers statements.. I learned how to die from Cecil, so peaceful, loving, thankful and calm. All of the brothers here, were able to tell him exactly how much we loved and respected him... And he would grin skinny ear to skinny ear and say..."really?" ... Yes Cecil, really.

a>