"Los que saben ... saber" - Jay Bereck and Matthew Smith

Jay Bereck and Matthew Smith are in my opinion, the only two Master drum makers that are currently making traditionally styled "Cuban" percussion instruments in the U.S.A. that literally have "Soul" in them.

The "Soul" of both Jay and Matt go into every "organic" wood drum they make.
Drums made of fiberglass and plastic are absolutely "soulless".

Their drums do not look like they belong in a circus,
nor do they look like: "novelty salt and pepper shakers"

These are photos of Jay Bereck and Matthew Smith.
The very definition of Master "Artists-Artisanos"
"Los que saben ... saber"

Jay Bereck - "Skin On Skin"®
Made in the U.S. not cheaply made
on an assembly line in Thailand.

1986 - Brooklyn, N.Y.

I took this photo of Jay Bereck in his workshop with his drums around him. The drum in the middle in front was made by Natalio "Junior" Tirado, it had been stained black by Junior, I had Jay refinish the drum to show the natural grain of the Mahogany.

1994 - Brooklyn, N.Y.
I took this photo of Jay Bereck in his workshop
with four of his Oak drums around him.
The small drum in the front was a 8½ inch
'Requinto' I asked him to make for me.

Oak 8½ inch 'Requinto'
with plain black oxidized bands.

1994 - Brooklyn, N.Y.
At Jays workshop, picking out skins to buy.
This was when the quality of skins were much better than the
"overly processed" skins that are currently available.
No two skins looked alike.

Jay Bereck's "Skin On Skin"® Oak tumbadoras.
With thin "clean looking" brushed steel bands.
Photo: Juan in California

Jay Bereck's "Skin On Skin"® Oak tumbadora.
With thin "clean looking" brushed steel bands.

Jay Bereck's "Skin On Skin"® Oak tumbadora.
With thin "clean looking" brushed steel bands.
Photo: James in California

Jay Bereck's clean looking "V"
Photo: James in California

Jay Bereck "Skin On Skin"® tumbadoras.
"Economy line" made of Cherry wood with
plain black oxidized hardware.

Jay Berecks "Skin On Skin"® Oak bongoes
Photo: Dario, Miami

Jay Berecks "Skin On Skin"® Walnut bongoes
Photo: Dario, Miami

Jay Berecks "Skin On Skin"® Batá drums


Matthew Smith - "Ritmo"®
Made in the U.S. not cheaply made
on an assembly line in Thailand.

Hecho de Walnut, Matt Smith - "Ritmo"®


Matt Smith - Tumbadoras de Oak

Matt Smith - Tumbadoras de Mahogany - "Ritmo"®

Marca "Ritmo"® por Matt Smith

Marca "Ritmo"® por Matt Smith

Marca "Ritmo"® por Matt Smith

Marca "Ritmo"® por Matt Smith

Matt Smith's "V"


Matt Smith's bongoes - "Ritmo"®
Tres variedades de madera.

Matt Smith's bongoes - "Ritmo"®

Matt Smith's Mahogany bongoes - "Ritmo"®
Photo: Dario, Miami

Matt Smith and Jay Bereck
both made of Oak, the one on the right is mine.
"Que viva la memoria del gran Gonzalo Vergara "
Y el gran Natalio Tirado Ruiz a.k.a. "Junior"

Interview / article from Modern Drummer Magazine '92

This was a profile and interview with my Father
that was printed in Modern Drummer Magazine

in June, 1992, writen by Adam Budofsky.

Tunable set of Bata in Cuba

Early tunable keyed set of Batá in Cuba

In memoriam: Olga Guillot dead at 86

Olga Guillot
Santiago, Cuba - Oct. 9, 1922
Miami Beach, Florida - July 12, 2010
R.I.P. / D.E.P.

Una leyenda.. una verdadera Diva.
Olguita recorded 14 gold LP's and 10 platinum LP's!
Acted in more than 20 movies!
(I will post one here soon)

A photo of me on tour with Olguita Guillot
in South America, 1975-'76, I was 23 years old.
From a newspaper my Mother has saved for years,

Olga Guillot - Wikipedia

In memoriam: Gerardo Portillo Scull

Gerardo Portillo Scull

Matanzas, Cuba Sept. 24 1929
La Habana, Cuba June 15 2010
R.I.P. / D.E.P.
Iba ayé ba yé t'orún

Sometimes I read comments and email sent to me a few weeks late.
Roberto Garcia in Miami sent me news of the death of Gerardo Portillo Scull who sang with Senén Suárez in the early 60's.
Also with Orq, Cubaney and here with Orq. Revé.

"Bocumba"Gerardo Portillo Scull: vocal
(Senén Suárez: electric guitar y "scat" vocal)
"Guapachando"
Gerardo Portillo Scull: vocal

"Caramba, Que Nena"
Gerardo Portillo Scull: vocal

"No Huyas De Ti"
Gerardo Portillo Scull: vocal


You can read Roberto Garcia's very nice post about
Gerardo Portillo Scull here:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=394249998

And a nice article
here on Habanaradio.cu

Juan Almeida Bosque - Cuba

Juan Almeida Bosque

Feb. 17, 1927 - La Habana, Cuba
Sept. 11, 2009 - La Habana, Cuba
Died of a heart attack at age 82

Raul Castro, Juan Almeida and Fidel Castro

Despite being despised by most residents of South Florida and Union City N.J., Juan Almeida Bosque having been the Commander of The Cuban Armed Forces was also a music author/ composer/writer.
While maybe not considered as "hip" as composers 'Gonzalo Asencio' ("Tio Tom"), Bienvenido Julián Gutiérrez, Arsenio Rodríguez, Ignacio Piñeiro, María Teresa Vera, Ñico Saquito or Faustino Oramas Osorío ("El Guayabero"), Juanybe Almeida Bosque is said to have composed more than 300 songs, many of them boleros.
His compositions have been recorded by various and many different musicians and groups.

5. Este camino largo
Comp: Juan Almeida
Grupo Clave y Guaguancó

Dame Un Traguito
Comp: Juan Almeida
Grupo Sierra Maestra

Que Le Pasa A Esa Mujer
Comp: Juan Almeida
Conjunto Rumbavana

Te Canta Mi Tambó
Comp: Juan AlmeidaLos Papines

Photo: "on a break" - N.Y.C.

The band and friends outside between sets.

Left to right:

Elio "Yeyito" Flores, Eddie Bobé, Myself, Matt Dillon,
Tito Sandoval, Bernardo "Chino" Poun, Unknown,
Eddie "bongó" Valentine, William "Tresero Dulce" Ash,
Toso "Tresero De Oro" Hettinger.

Conjunto Lira Matancera 45rpm - Cuba

"Conjunto Lira Matancera"

two songs on a 45rpm
RCA - U.S. pressing.

I've never seen A1. reissued, but B2. was
reissued on a Tumbao CD.
A1. Guasabeo

B2. El Baile De La Babosa


Downloaded from Yoyo's music blog:
'Listen To Your Ears'

Chappottin y Su Conjunto '77-1980 - Cuba

"Chappottin y Su Conjunto"

A compilation released on CD in 1999, now out of print.
Mostly sessions from 1977-1980, and a few from the '60's.
Several with Miguelito Cuní before he died,
others with Eugenio "Raspa" Rodriguez.
(Chappottin died in '83, Cuní died in '84 )

Many not commonly heard on other CD compilations.
Felix Chappottin taking several excellent solos,
Cesar "Nene" Pedroso (Pupy's father)
takes numerous tasty piano solos,
Campeon: tumbadora, Alberto: bongoes, Arturo: tres
Several interestingly "different versions/arrangements"
of Chappottin standard's.

The photo "used" on the CD was originally
from a poster that was inside the LP cover
of Tipica '73's 1979 "Intercambio Cultural" album,
showing Tata Güines and Chappottin, Tata does
not play on any of these songs.

1. Digan me La Hora
2. Georgina
3. Guaguanco Sabroso (Alberto: bongó solo)
4. A Mi Cuba Le Toco
5. Mi Muerta Ilusion
6. Rico Mozánson
7. Agramonte (Alberto: bongo soló)
8. Lo Gozán Mas
9. Recordando A Los Soneros
10. Donde Esta Lo Que Te Pedi
11. Entongando Azucar
12. El Quimbombó
13. Cimarron
14. A Ti, Benny Moré

Photos of Chappottin y Su Conjunto
1977-1980

Indian music in N.Y.C.

http://kalavant.org

Tar balls from Gulf disaster reach Lake Pontchartrain, shores of Texas

New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- Tar balls linked to the worst oil spill in U.S. history have reached into Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain and hit the beaches near Galveston, Texas, authorities in those states reported on day 77 of the disaster.

Rolando La'Serie con Bebo Valdés y Su Orq. Sabor - Cuba

Photo: myself and my Father in a Cemetery in Old Algiers, New Orleans 1975

1975
Old Algiers, New Orleans, LA.

Photo of myself and my Father in a Cemetery in Old Algiers, New Orleans. Old Algiers is the second oldest neighborhood in New Orleans.
This was in 1975, when I was living there, my Dad came to visit me, a friend of his asked him to bring back some "Goofer Dust" from New Orleans.

So I took him across the river to the Algiers Cemetery, he brought some "dust" back to N.Y.C. in a jar.

Old photos here relating to New Orleans

Dom Salvador '66, '67, '69, '71, '84 - Brasil

"Tristeza"

Dom Salvador Trio
1966 LP
((((Here))))

"Dom Salvador Trio"
1967 LP

"Dom Salvador"
1969 LP
((((Here))))

"Som, Sangue e Raca"
Dom Salvador e Abolicao
1971
((((Here))))


"Rio Claro Suite"
Dom Salvador Quartet
((((Here))))

Edison Machado - "O Mestré Baterista" - Brasil

"Edison Machado e Samba Novo"
1964 LP

1. Nanã (Moacir Santos / Clóvis Mello)
2. Só Por Amor (Baden Powell / Vinicius de Moraes)
3. Aboio (J. T. Meirelles)
4. Tristeza Vai Embora (Baden Powell / Mário Telles)
5. Miragem (J. T. Meirelles)
6. Quintessência (J. T. Meirelles)
7. Se Você Disser Que Sim (Moacir Santos / Vinicius de Moraes)
8. Coisa Nº 1 (Moacir Santos / Clóvis Mello)
9. Solo (J. T. Meirelles)
10. Você (Rildo Hora / Clóvis Mello)
11. Menino Travesso (Moacir Santos / Vinicius de Moraes)

Edison Machado - drums

Tenorio Jr. - piano

Sebastiao Neto - bass

Paulo Moura - sax alto

Pedro Paulo - trumpet

Ed Maciel - trombone

Raul de Souza - valve trombone

J.T. Meirelles - sax tenor

"Obras 1"Edison Machado
1970 LP

Edison Machado - drums
Alfredo Cardim - piano
Ion Muniz - sax & Flute
Ricardo - bass
Wheads Brito da Fonseca - guitar

"Obras 2"
Edison Machado
1971 LP

1. Enydra
2. Liu
3. O Pulo do Gato
4. Mr. Maciel
5. Sarah
6. Asa Branca
7. Mr. Machado

Edson Machado - drums
Haroldo Mauro Jr. - piano
Ion Muniz - sax tenor and flute
Ricardo Pereira dos Santos -bass
Ed. Maciel - trombone

Dance promo: 1935 "Sociedad Jóvenes Del Vals"

Four Orquestas including Neno González... plus
Septeto Nacional, Septeto Bolero, Septeto Cauto
and Septeto Supremo only .60 centavos to get in
for Men and .10 for Women.

Discuba promo "Notche De Harlem" con Beny 1960, La Habana