Abelardo Barroso with Gloria Matancera, "El Negro" Vivar, "Chocolate" Armenteros, "El Nino" Rivera - 1957 Cuba

Above, the original 1957 LP on the "Gone" record label.

6. El Guajeito

12. Guajira Guantanamera

A recent reissue on the Egrem label,
*missing six songs* from the original LP sessions.

"The Sprit Of Cuba" LP featuring Abelardo Barroso with Conjunto Gloria Matancera.
The legendary Severino Ramos did the arrangements and plays piano on this LP.
Also featuring Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar and Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros on trumpets, with Andrés "Niño" Rivera Echevarria on tres guitar.
Recorded in 1957 in Cuba.

This is the original LP on the "Gone" record label which was owned by the music producer, impresario and record company mogul George Goldner who in 1948 started "Tico" records and more than a dozen other very important record companies during the 1950's, '60's including the "Cotique" label. (Born 1918, N.Y.C. Died 1970, N.Y.C.)
(the story of 'George Goldner' & Tico records)

This was a special project put together in 1957 by both 'George Goldner' and 'Sidney Trott'.

Orq. Hermanos Peñalver LP' "Instrumental" 1964 - Cuba

"Instrumental"
Emilio Peñalver - 1964

Egrem vinyl LP/LD

7. Y De Vedado Qué

11. Descargón Peña

12. Mambo Rhapsody

Emilio Peñalver standing next to José "Chombo" Silva.

Emilio Peñalver between "El Negro" Vivar and "Peruchin".
(The above photos of musicians are not from this LP)

The 'Peñalver' brothers: Emilio Peñalver tenor Saxophonist and Osvaldo Peñalver alto saxophonist were just two of several first call studio session players in Havana in the 1950's especially during the era of the "Cuban Jam Sessions" / "Descargas Cubanas", as well as many other recording sessions. Emilio Peñalver played on the classic "Panart Cuban Jam Sessions" LP's as well as on Cachaos "Jam Sessions In Miniature" also on Panart. Both brothers played together on Walfredo De Los Reyes classic "Los Mejores Musicos De Cuba" LP.
The Hermanos Peñalver together in this big band.
(Tipo jazz band)

Video N.Y.C. - "Mambo Madness"

"Mambo Madness" filmed at "The Palladium",
"Home of the Mambo".

With Tito Rodriguez &' his Orq.
Manny Oquendo & "Little Ray" Romero in the band.
"Killer joe" Piro, "Cuban Pete" & Barbara Craddock
& Tito Rodriguez dancing.

Orq. Sensacion All Stars -"Tributo a Barroso" - Cuba

"Tributo a Barroso"
Orq. Sensacion All Stars

Guantanamo
Canta: Israel Nuñez Barroso

Bruca Manigua

Changui Monte

Tiene Sabor

Mulata Rumbera

Sensacion
Guantanamo
Canta: Israel Nuñez Barroso
Violin solo: Eladio "Pancho" Terry

In memoriam - 911- Manhattan, N.Y.C. Sept. 11, 2001

Francisco Fellove - "El Gran Fellove" 1957

"El Gran Fellove"
Francisco Fellove

RCA Victor - 1957

3. Azul Pintado De Azul (Volaré)

8. Decidate Mi Amor

Reissued on CD in Jan. 2010, nice collection of 21 songs by Fellove originally recorded in Mexico. They took the 21 songs from various vinyl LP's by Fellove... used this original RCA LP cover, changed it a bit, the reissued CD "is missing 5 songs" from the RCA LP.

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)))

Alfons Wonneberg y Su Grupo with Chucho Valdes & Juanito Marquez 1960's Cuba

Alfons Wonneberg y Su Grupo 
Vinyl on Egrem 1960's

Alfons Wonneberg: Sax, Eddy Gaytán: acordeón with Chucho Valdes on piano and Juanito Marquez, electric guitar. The best three are "Rico Pilón", "Arrímate Pa' Ca" and "Mozambique".

1. Rico Pilón
Comp: Pacho Alonso

7. Arrímate Pa' Ca
Comp: Juanito Marquez

12. Mozambique
Comp: Pedro Izquierdo a.k.a. "Pello El Afrokan"

Carusito "El Ultimo Sonero Mayor Su Vida Musical" - Cuba

Florencio "Carusito" Hernandez
singing with:
Septeto Favorito - Sonora Nacional
Gloria Matancera - Cheo Belen Puig
all nicely remastered from 78rpm's
"Superb"
(((Here)))

Grupo Afro Cuba - Jazz band - 1980 & 1982 Cuba

Of all the several recordings by 'Grupo Afro Cuba', these two LP's for me, are their best.

On their 1980 LP, Ernán López-Nussa is on keyboards.

With Oriente Lopez playing and arranging on the 1982 Egrem LP.
(Oriente Lopez left Cuba and came to N.Y.C. in the early 1990's)

'Grupo Afro Cuba' - 1980
Vinyl LP

During one of the New Orleans Jazz festivals in the mid 80's, I played this 1980 LP for the Jazz Soprano Saxophonist 'Dave Liebman'... he made me "promise" to make him a copy before he left to go back to N.Y.C.
This 1980 LP has one of only two instances of the sacrad 'Abakúa' drum called 'Ékué' played in the intro on "En' Lloro Mi Nañkwe".
The only other time I've ever heard it recorded on vinyl is on Silvestre Mendez' 1957 LP: "Bembé Aragua"

En' Lloro Mi Nañkwe

'Grupo Afro Cuba' - 1982
Vinyl LP

1. Si Pregunta Por Mi, Dile Que Vuelvo

3. Ya Puede Empezar La Dicha De Los Dos
 
4. Que Sensacion Quando La Vi 

Silvestre Mendez "Bembé Araguá" 1957, '58 - Cuba

"Bembé Araguá"
Silvestre Mendez

RCA Victor vinyl - 1957-'58
Never reissued
Ripped from the original vinyl LP.
"Cleaned" and "trimmed" with GoldWave v5.23

2. "Recuerdo A Roncona"

3. "Nañigo"

9. "Juventud Del Presente"

The classic Silvestre Mendez LP, "Bembé Aragua".
In my opinion, his best LP, other than his major participation on the "Mongo Drums And Chants" LP. which was supposed to be his LP, but somehow it was put out as a Mongo Santamaria LP, he sings on almost every song and the majority of the songs are Silvestre Mendez' compositions.

Bembé Aragua:
Silvestre Mendez: composed nine songs on this LP, sings lead vocals and plays the Quinto solo on "Recuerdo A Roncona" (on a tack head drum!).
Silvestre also plays an *Ékue drum for 7 seconds at the intro on the song "Nañigo".
The *Ékué drum is a friction drum, a sacred drum kept hidden behind a curtain inside the 'Fambá' (Abakúa temple).
The only other time I've ever heard an 'Ékue drum recorded on any LP is by the Cuban Jazz band 'Grupo Afro Cuba', on the song titled "En' Lloro Mi Nañkwe".

¡A Bailar! - Con Jorrin y Chappottin - 1962 Cuba

"¡A Bailar! - Con Jorrin y Chappottin"

1962 - Sierra Maestra label

The six Chappottin cuts are great, the arrangements, tempos and extended solos are all interestingly VERY different then the original versions, these were recorded specifically for this LP, they were not taken from any other LP's.

Cienfuegos
Conj. Chappottin
Recorded for this 1962 LP


Cienfuegos Tiene Su Guaguancó
Conj. Chappottin
**The original 1950's version**


Quimbombo Que Resbala
 Conj. Chappottin
Recorded for this 1962 LP


Quimbombo Que Resbala
 Conj. Chappottin
**The original 1950's version**


Vamos Al Central
Enrique Jorrin


Solfeando Cha-Cha-Chá
Enrique Jorrin


El Alardoso
Enrique Jorrin

Orq. Estrellas Cubanas 60's, '70's. '80's - Cuba

"Despierta Viejo"
Original LP pressing on the Cuban Rosy Label
(reissued on CD with different cover)

"Estrellas Cubanas"
Egrem vinyl 45 rpm -1964

Cha cha chá Samba

No, No Me Critiques

4. Bamboleando

10. Telefono Frio

11. El Niche

12. La Escoba Baranderra

1. El Lapiz No Tiene Punta

5. Como Hermanos En La Tierra

7. Rosario La Llorona

Orq. Estrellas Cubanas
"El Zipizapi"

"Pero No Juegues"

"Mis 25 Años"
Estrellas Cubanas
1981 vinyl LP/LD

2. La Botija

4. Pa' Bailar

5. Tu Vela No Tiene Mecha

8. Zoraya

"Estrellas Cubanas"
Egrem vinyl LP 1980

Video:
Orq. Estrellas Cubanas

"Es mi onda asi"
1981

"Soraya"
1981

"Tiene vida limitada"

Rosemary Clooney and Peggy Lee 1960

Peggy Lee and Rosemary Clooney go Cuban.

"A Touch Of Tabasco"
Vinyl LP

'Rosemary Clooney' backed by 'Peréz Prado' in 1960.
This was hard to find until it was reissued on a Japanese CD import that sold for $22.00, but now even that is not easy to find.

Here

"Latin ala Lee!"

Peggy lee with unknown back up musicians 1960.
Also reissued on CD with another similar LP she did with Cuban flavor. ("Olé ala Lee!")
I find "Latin ala Lee!" to be a much better LP than "Olé ala Lee!".

Here

Roberto Borell & Conj. Tipico Cubano "Son Of Corazon" - Cuba-N.Y.C.

When drummer, dancer, teacher "Roberto Borell" arrived in N.Y.C. in the early 1980's he became involved in several projects, this was one of them, his group "Conjunto Tipico Cubano". The late 'Juan Irene Peréz' on Tres guitar.

(((Here)))