Profiles in greatness: Agustín Gutiérrez (selected bongó solos)

1925
Agustín Gutiérrez a.k.a. "Manana"

(pictured with Abelardo Barroso playing Clavé)
Born: La Habana 1900 - died: ?

It's often thought that Agustín Gutiérrez created
the "Cuban" rhythmic form called the "Martillo"
which is the basic pattern played on the bongoes.

Agustín Gutiérrez was a member of the Abakúa in
La Habana and is often thought to be one of the first
bongoceros to introduce the technique of using the
thumb and middle finger to produce a glissando effect
by running the finger across the skin, producing a
low pitched "braying" or "mooing" sound, which in
actuality was derived from the highly secretive
Ékue drum which plays a major role in Abakúa
rites, never leaves the Fambá (temple) and is rarely
ever heard by non Abakúa societal members.
The sound is meant to replicate the call of a Leopard.
(originally rooted in the Calabar region of Nigeria)

Agustín Gutiérrez - 1927

Agustín Gutiérrez - 1928


Agustín Gutiérrez third from left.

El coro dice:
"Agustin el bongocero, que tiene fama mundial 
ahora le va a repicar hasta que se rompe el cuero"
 Cuarteto Caney -1936 
Panchito Riset: vocal
"Sabrosito bongó"
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

 

*************

"Loma De Belén"
Sexteto Habanero 1925
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

"Yo No Tumba Caña"  

Sexteto Habanero 1926  

Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

"Elena La Cumbanchera"

Sexteto Habanero 1927  

Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

 
"El Bongó Del Habanero"  
Sexteto Habanero 1928
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

 

*************  
Septeto Nacional recorded in Madrid,1929

Bienvenido León: voc.

Juan De La Cruz: voc.
Lazaro Herrera: trumpet. 

Ignacio Piñeiro: bass.
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes.
Eutimio Constantín: guitar. 

Francisco Solares González: tres.

"El Que Siembra Su Maiz"
Septeto Nacional 1929
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

"Bururún Barará"

Septeto Nacional 1929

Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

 

"A La Loma De Belén"

Septeto Nacional 1929
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

"Aurora"
Septeto Nacional 1929
Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes

"Maruxina"  
Septeto Nacional 1929 

Agustín Gutiérrez: bongoes 

 *************

Agustín Gutiérrez with Conj. Clave y Guaguancó -1967

3. "Tumba La Caña"

Agustín Gutiérrez: quinto-cajón

 

 5. "Cuando Me Toca Mi"

Agustín Gutiérrez: quinto-cajón

7. "Sarabanda Kimbansero"

Agustín Gutiérrez: quinto-cajón

8. "Coco Mondanséré" 

Agustín Gutiérrez: quinto-cajón

Conjunto Nasako

Agustín Gutiérrez playing Chekeré
Luis Santamaria (Mongo Santamaria's cousin) singing.
Jesús Pérez playing el hierro (guataca).
Sonia Calero dancing.
(3 drums made by Candido Requena)

"Ochun"

The drummer on the left in the photo below on the classic

Panart 'Guaguancó Afro-Cubano' LP is in the video above.

The drummer on the left is playing a tumbadora made by

Candido Requena... and the other drummer on the right is

playing my absolute favorite Quinto for the last 45 years.

I'd kill for a drum that exact shape and size.

(Nicolás Mauro: quinto)

Video: Cuba - Conj. Nasako "Ochun"

Conjunto Nasako
Luis Santamaria (Mongo Santamaria's cousin) singing.
Agustín Gutiérrez playing Chekere.
Jesús Pérez playing el Hierro (guataca).
And Sonia Calero dancing.
(3 drums made by Candido Requena)

"Ochun"

Candido Requena bongoes hecho en Cuba '50-'55

These were made in Cuba, by Candido Requena

sometime between 1950 and 1955.
I've had them for about eight years and I
sent them to Matt Smith to have them
refinished and to have a crack repaired.
I got them back last week.
Matt did a great job, as I knew he would.

"Before and after" photos:


This is how they look now after being refinished,
re-stained, crack repaired, new center post,
new bolts and back up plates.
The hardware is the original except for the lugs.
I put new skins on.
6½ Macho 7½ Hembra

Drums made by Candido Requena in La Habana, Cuba 1950's 10½ inch oak

Candido Requena made bongoes and tumbadoras, he was the bongocero who played with Orq. Casino De La Playa in the late 1930's, he also played with Conjunto Kubavana.
( before Armando Peraza)
Candido Requena was one of two Cubans said to be the first to create and add a "metal tunable system" to the bongoes. (the other is said to be the bongocero "Severino")

Two drums originally made in La Habana, Cuba in the 1950's by Candido Requena.
Both drums have been beautifully restored and have an elegant "classic Cuban" shape.
One is owned by 'James' in Berkeley, California.
The other is owned by 'Juan Ramirez' in Covina, California.

A 10½ inch oak Candido Requena drum.
Hecho en los 1950's, en La Habana, Cuba.
Owned and restored by 'James' in
Berkeley, California.

Photos: 'James'.

A 10½ inch Ceder (Cedro) Candido Requena drum.
Hecho en los 1950's, en La Habana, Cuba.
Owned by 'Juan Ramirez' in Southern California.
Restoration by Matthew Smith in PA.
Hardware re-chromed in California.

Before

Crown before and after re-chromed.

Plates & hardware before and after re-chromed.

Photos: 'Juan Ramirez'.
The excellent re-chroming job was done by
'Universal Metal Plating' in Azusa, California.

The now classic 1950's LP cover by
"Los Mejores Musicos De Cuba",
with a drum made by Candido Requena
on the cover.

Photos: My drums

My first drum made by Natalio "Junior" Tirado Ruiz.

My father bought it for me in 1973, this photo was taken in 1973, when I was 20 years old.
Sitting on a bench in front of Lake Pontchartrain
in New Orleans.

He bought a second one for me in 1974

(My father and I playing in my apartment in New Orleans)

21 years old,
Central Park, N.Y.C.

Three Mahogany drums made by  
Natalio "Junior" Tirado Ruiz.

An 11½' inch Tumbadora made in 1973, a 10¼' inch Tres Dos made in 1981 and a 9' inch Quinto made for me in 1994. The 10¼' Tres Dos was originally stained black, as Junior sometimes used stave's where the colors of the wood didn't match and he would stain the wood so the "off colors" wouldn't show. (As he also did with the Bongoes he made below)
I took it to 'Jay Bereck' and had him remove the black stain and re-finish the drum, which allowed the true beauty of the Mahogany wood to show.

My 11½' inch Tumbadora made in 1973  
by Natalio "Junior" Tirado Ruiz.
I used to have another like this one, but sold it to a student of mine.

"Junior" Tirado in his early drum making days made the "V" in his hardware very wide, a full ½' inch.

A 12' inch Oak Tumbadora made for me by 'Jay Bereck' in 1980.

Jay Bereck's Oak 12' inch Tumbadora,
"Junior" Tirado's 9' inch Quinto and 10¼' inch Tres Dos.
 This is a drum my father bought in Havana for $35. in 1957.

Made of Cedar wood (Cedro). With a 10½ inch head. The lug plates look like stars with six points. The original bands were replaced with "brushed" aluminum bands.

Bongoes made of Mahogany by Natalio "Junior" Tirado Ruiz.

These were originally "painted" red not stained, to conceal the different color stave's he used. I used paint remover to take the red off, then sanded them and gave them a very light coat of wood sealer. 7½ inch Macho and 8½' inch Hembra.

These are my favorite bongoes, made in Cuba in the early to mid 1950's by drum maker and bongocero Candido Requena. Made of Cedar (Cedro). 6¼' Macho and 7' inch Hembra.
I recently sent them to master drum maker 'Matthew Smith' to have them re-finished.

I prefer to use only natural or white (bleached) "Cow" skin, which is impossible to find here in New York City.

I prefer the sound of "Cow" skin, very different than Mule. I don't like skin that you can see your hand through (opaque skin). The majority of skins (hides) sold commercially now are mostly inferior bull hide, steer hide, deer hide, horse hide, mule hide, and the cheap shitty "honey colored" skin (that you can read a newspaper through) that comes on every drum made by *Lp®.
(*Don't "trust the leader")

Los cueros - Cuba.
(Pancho Quinto; Iya - Martha Gallaraga; singer)
No "honey colored crap" for this young drummer!
Ni plastic synthetic shit either.

Los Mejores Musicos De Cuba - 1960 Cuba

"Los Mejores Musicos De Cuba"

The LP cover of Los Mejores Musicos De Cuba showing a tumbadora made by the great Cuban drum maker 'Candido Requena' with a painting of Santa Barbara on it.

The 1960 classic compilation of previous different music sessions featuring the masters:
Peruchin, Cachao & Orestes Urfé on acoustic bass, Tata Güines, Walfredo De Los Reyes, Richard Egües, many others including the saxophonists Osvaldo Peñalver & Emillio Peñalver along with Estrich all three of them playing their ass's off.
Originally out on the Cuban 'Gema' label which was owned by Alvarez Guedes, then reissued on the 'Rumba' label, and again reissued in 2004 on CD.

Batakun
(Senén Suárez; electric guitar)