The earliest recordings of Cuban rumba

The earliest recordings of Cuban rumba:
A comprehensive summary

by Barry Cox.
(Esquina Rumbera blogspot)

Special mention: Kasinopro's YouTube channel

Kasinopro's channel on YouTube.

Mostly all audio files, but what I like is how he put
together the nice "photo montages" on each of them.

Senén Suárez blogspot.com

http://senen-suarez.blogspot.com/

Santiago de Cuba: 4,687 photos - Trinidad / Sancti Spiritus: 7,782 photos - La Habana: 56,562 photos

4,687 imágenes fotográficas de
Santiago de Cuba
"4,687"


7,782 imágenes fotográficas de
Trinidad / Sancti Spiritus
"7,782"


56,562 imágenes fotográficas
de La Habana
"56,562"

"Along The Malecon Blogspot"

http://alongthemalecon.blogspot.com/

Special mention web site "Blogs Sobre Cuba"

((( http://blogssobrecuba.blogspot.com/)))

Special mention web site: "Cuba Journal" web blog Jorge Gonzalez

"Cuba Journal"

News, Opinion and More About Cuba

Web blog by 'Jorge Gonzalez'
This is consistently my favorite (Cuban) blog out of the state of Florida.
The only one out of Florida that's realistic, makes any sense, has a sense of humor and.... not obsessed with Fidel dropping dead in the next 5 minutes.

Cuban style Tumbadoras & Bongoes made by Matthew Smith

Matthew Smith master drum maker's web site.
http://www.ritmostudios.com/default.htm

"These are my own personal opinions,
I am not telling you what to buy, or what not to buy"

In my opinion, these are the best Congas "made anywhere in the United States, even the tumbadoras currently made in Cuba can't touch 'Matt Smiths' drums.
The shape of the drums are excellent, with the "belly" of the drums in the correct place.

Unfortunately, since the death of Nataly "Junior" Tirado Ruiz, the only place to find a drum made by "Junior" is either once a year on Ebay, or at a yard sale/garage sale (If you're lucky). Jay Bereck' master drum maker of "Skin On Skin" is still making drums, located now in upstate N.Y., though there is a waiting list as is expected for any "custom made" musical instrument of high quality.

I have played Matthew Smiths Congas and have a student who owns four of them. They sound great and look immaculate. Truly "custom made" drums.

My own views and "personal experience" with other drums:
Congas made by "J.C.R." (Bronx, N.Y.) to me are based on "Junior" Tirado drums.
"Junior" Tirado used the back area of Cali's shop to make his drums during a period when he had no other place to make his drums, Cali learned how to make tumbadoras using some of Junior's techniques. Cali Rivera' of J.C.R. is a great metal worker who makes a nice line of cowbells, timbales and bongoes, makes repairs, re-glues, flesh hoops, crowns, lugs etc. and is a very friendly and humble person.

My personal experience with drums made by "Isla" (Hollywood, California) is the crown tends to bend out of shape after only six months to a year and have an unattractive and horrible looking weird "ridge" in the belly of their drums.

Tycoon Percussion = incredibly ugly assembly line crap... made in Bangkok, Thailand by workers who are paid bull shit wages.

"Moperc" (Canada) , ridiculously priced "designer" drums that weigh a ton and look nothing like the "classic Cuban" shape which I personally prefer. I love Canada and Canadians, but not these drums.
"Sol" (San Francisco) and "Volcano" (Hawaii) exotic, but visually...no thank you.

"Bauer" (Brasil)... bloated bowling pins, visually unattractive and look like they need to be on a low fat diet.

"Meinl" (germany) assembly line drums that look, feel and play like a child's toy drum to me.
I recently found these two videos on YouTube... I feel sorry for this guy who bought "Meinl" drums that were complete garbage. Video 1 - Video 2

"Lp" Matador / CP's aren't even worth mentioning unless you're a "beginner" or own a summer camp for kids. And "Lp"..... plastic and fiberglass sounds just like "plastic and fiberglass".
The "Lp" so called "Palladium model"... crap made in Asia by workers who are paid bull shit wages. Visually unattractive drums "roughly stylized" after Jay Bereck's "Skin On Skin" and "Junior Tirado's" drums. But musicians who get them for "free" ("endorse") will never complain.
Some people will play rubber, plasic, fiberglass and "mystery materiel" (composite), if it's "given" to them free.

In the world of the "classic acoustic violin"... there is the 'Stradivarius'... in the world of the "tunable acoustic Cuban tumbadora" there was Gonzalo Vergara , Candido Requena then "Junior" Tirado then Jay Bereck's "Skin On Skin" and now Matt Smith's "Ritmo".

Both Natalio "Junior" Tirado and Jay Bereck's drums have "roots" that relate back to the "classic gold standard" shape, size and look created by Gonzalo Vergara in Cuba "over 50 years ago".
Sadly, most "young" drummers have never even seen a Gonzalo Vergara drum, or one made by Candido Requena, another Cuban classic drum maker.
This is still the shape that Matthew Smith's drums continue to retain the "roots" of in his exceptional "custom made" drums.
Matthew Smith's company is called "Ritmo".

"The classic"

Below are two drums made of Oak, the one on the left belongs to a student of mine and made by Matthew Smith ("Ritmo"). The one on the right is one of mine made by Jay Bereck ("Skin On Skin").
You can see that the "belly" of the drum made by Jay Bereck ("Skin On Skin") sits slightly lower than on Matt's drum, and Jay's drum has thinner bands that are not highly chromed, instead have a "clean looking" brushed finish.

Special mention web blog - blog by Patricio

"La rumba no es como ayer"
Pequeña Enciclopedia de la Rumba Cubana.

Blog project dedicated to Rumberos past & present.

By Professeur Patricio.

(((HERE)))

"Fotos De Cuba" web site / blog

I came across a web site/blog (not sure what to call it) in my travels on the web yesterday.
I don't know if there's a political agenda going on or there isn't and I don't really care.
But every so often I come across a site with so much interesting "stuff" that it takes a week to look at everything.

The web site is called "SecretosCuba / Fotos De Cuba! Solamentes De Antes Del 1958!"
It is heavily graphic intensive, meaning pictures, postcards, documents, old advertising and photos of bands, musicians and much more.. all obscure and vintage relating to Cuba.
Many things I've never seen before and didn't even know existed.
Many things posted by collectors.

I thought I'd give it a mention here.
There are 34 pages, start at page one and scroll.
I 'm very into photos and there are so many, that it will take at least a week to see everything.

Here: secretoscuba.cultureforum page 1

On page 24.... scroll down until you see the old photo of
'Orq. Anacaona' taken in Paris, the Man in the middle is 'Alberto Socarras' who managed the band.

'Orq. Anacaona' 1937
'Alberto Socarras' standing on left.

"Algo Bueno"
1937
Vocal: Graciela before she left Cuba
Bongo solo: 'Argimira "Millo" Castro'