Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Sexteto Occidente - Cuba

Sexteto Occidente
1926
"Miguel, Los Hombres No LLoran"

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.

Friday, March 2, 2012

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