In memoriam: 'Germán Piferrer' Jan. 2009

'Germán Piferrer' directing the
“Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna.”
1968 Cuba

Died of Cancer, Miami, January 24, 2009.
71 years old.

R.I.P. / Ibayé bayé tonu

'Germán Piferrer', arranger, composer, singer, director of the “Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna.” during the 1960's.

He had been living and working in the United States since leaving Cuba from the port of Mariel in 1980, producing, arranging and directing in New York City, Miami Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.

One of Cubas finest arrangers, along with 'Rafael Somavilla', 'Armando Romeu', 'Tony Taño' and 'Rembert Egües'.
'Germán Piferrer' arranged and produced this LP by 'Armando Miranda'.

In memoriam: Jillian Omsberry - Los Jóvenes Del Barrio

'Jillian Omsberry'
R.I.P.
Ibayé bayé tonu

Vocalist, voice teacher, has died after a long fight with Cancer, January 2009

In the 1990's, I played Bongoes, & Chekeré for a short time in the N.Y.C. band 'Los Jóvenes Del Barrio', 'Jillian' was one of the three vocalists in the band.

These are from a show we taped at the television studios of B.E.T. in Washington D.C.

"Telephone"

"Stop, Slow Down"

Carlos Embale - 4 LP's 2 CD's - Cuba

"Guaguancó"
1975
Vinyl LP/LD

In 1977-'78 I went to L.A. for a gig, I stayed at Luis Conte's house (the old house). While I was there, he played these first two 'Carlos Embale' LP's for me and I remember the sound of the wood block they used and how "fresh" and different they sounded to me, after years of listening to the "older" styles of 'Grupo Guaguancó Matancero'/'Los Muñequitos', 'Los Papines' 'Mongo' & 'Patato' y 'Totico',
For me, these two LP's are 'Carlos Embale's' best.
(In the last two years, these two LP's have started to turn up as CD's, copied from the original vinyl, in Miami record stores)

"Carlos Embale"
1977, '78
Vinyl LP/LD

"La Voz Del Guaguancó"
1984
Vinyl LP/LD

"Todavia Me Queda Voz"
Vinyl LP/LD
Recorded August 1985.
Released 1988.

"Rumbero Mayor II"

In 2002 'Barry Cox' made this CD compilation from the above LP's and he created the front & back covers, he called it "Rumbero Mayor II".

"Rumbero Mayor"

1992 Egrem CD
Compilation CD of songs from some of his previous LP's.

Video: Carlos Embale Y Los Roncos

"El Ojo"

"El yambú no se vacuna"

My two favorite Yambú's:

1- "Ave Maria Morena" - Yambú
Conj. Folclorico Nacional De Cuba -1963

2- "Yambú"
Canta: Esteban "Saldiguera" Lantri
Grupo Afro-Cuba -1985

'Omi Arabbi' "Somos Omi Arabbi" - Cuba 2003

"Somos Omi Arabbi"
2003 CD

Another CD brought back from La Habana in 2003, done by Grupo 'Omi Arabbi'.
A very "no frills" production without even any song titles listed.
The cover scan was so bad... I had to work to get it to look this good.

Very nice nonet (9) Rumba/Batá group.

1. Con Tres Tambores Batá Un Quinto y Un Tumbador (Guaguancó)
2. Homenaje A Chano Pozo (Guaguancó)
3. Bilongo (Batá-rumbita)
4. Locas Por El Mambo (Guaguan-Pachagangueo)
5. Rumba Columbia
6. Ki Kiri Ki (Yambú)
7. Tawiri (Guaguan-Pachagangueo)
8.Tata (Guaguancó)
9. Somos Omi Arrabi (Batá-Guancó)
10. El Quimbombó (Guaguancó)
11. Compay Galletano (Batá-Guancó)
12. Title ? (Batá-Guancó)

4. "Loco Por El Mambo"


5. Columbia


6. "Ki Kiri Ki"


9. "Somos Omi Arrabi"


10. "El Quimbombó"


11. "Compay Galletano"


12. ? - Bata-Guancó

Iroso Obá "En Vivo Callejón Hamel" 2002 Cuba

"En Vivo Callejón De Hamel"
'Iroso Obá'
La Habana, Cuba 2002 CD

1. La soga
2. Por un beso
3. Detras de la ventana
4. Echalé salcita
5. Si quieres conversar
6. Que tal
7. Malanga
8. Popuri de boleros
9. Columbia

4. Echale Salcita

7. Malanga

8. Popuri de boleros

Recorded live.
Brought back from Cuba on a CD they sold at their gigs.
Their BEST RECORDING... long before anything on Envidia started showing up, where they don't sound at all as good as this.

Video-N.Y.C. - Rumba street festival.

Vocals:
Barry Cox, Max "Wax" Valdez, Izzy Santiago, Felix "Tortuga" Cano, C.C.
Drums: Barry Duke, Evans and myself.
Chekere's: C.C., Izzy and myself.
Dancers: Yamille (from Conjunto á Nacional De Cuba) and a student of hers, Ernesto.
I can't remember everyone's names.

Summer street festival in the East Village, Manhattan.

Toque Güiro - Elegua


Yambú


Guaguancó

Video: Cuba - Conjunto Chappottin 1979

'Felix Chappottin' trumpet solo, "Campeon' on tumbadoras.
The singer is 'Ignacio "Mazacote" Carrillo'. "Oyá Oyá Ho Heché".

Grupo Afro-Cuba with 'Changuito' & 'Giovanni Hidalgo' sitting in - live Cuba 1980's

Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas with 'Changuito' & 'Giovanni Hidalgo' sitting in, recorded live in Cuba 1980's,
'Francisco Zamora Chirino' "Minini": Singer.
'Regalao' is Afro-Cuba's Quinto player who plays first for about 9 min. then 'Changuito' plays, then 'Changuito' & 'Giovanni Hidalgo' take turns on Quinto.

My favorite Quinto players who have had influence in my playing are:
"Chachá" - 'Esteban Domingo Vega'. (Los Muñequitos)
"Tití" - 'Victoriano Espinosa.' (Los Muñequitos)
"Regalao" - 'Pedro Aballi Torriente' (Grupo Afro-Cuba)

Rumba Columbia - 16:00 minutes

Andrés Chacón y Iré-Iré - en vivo Cuba 2001

'Andrés Chacón' y Iré-Iré

The late master Olu Bata & drum maker, 'Andrés Chacón' plays Lucumi, Abakua and Arara styles with his group Iré Iré.
Recorded live at his home in La Havana, Cuba in 2001.
'Andrés Chacón Franquiz' "Pogolotti" was born on the outskirts of Havana near the Toledo sugar factory. Andres learned from the master drummers of his day, many of them raised by grandparents born in Africa, who in turn had learned from earlier masters.Musicians:Tambores Bata/Tambores/Chekeré/Percussion:
'Andrés Chacón'
Alian Valdes
Adrian Valdez Martinez
Yenier "Zurdo" Estevez Chirino
Lazaro "Lachi" Leyva Martinez
Jimiel Estevez Chirino
Jesus "Corto" Zayas La Barrera: Lead singer
Pedro Israel Gonzalez-Junco: Lead singer
Naibi Angarika
Lazaro Aguiar Cairo: Coro
Lucia Tapia: Cpro
Ivon Rodriguez: Coro
Yulexis "Yuco" Asan Trujillo: Coro

CD-1
1. elegua
2. ogun
3. ochosi
4. babaluaye
5. obatala
6. olokun
7. chango
8. elegua

CD-2
9. ogun
10. omolode
11. osain
12. ibeji
13. oba
14. ochun
15. odua
16. oru seco

CD-3
17. güiro-elegua
18. güiro-ogun
19. arara-asojano
20. abakúa

CD1-6. Olokun


CD3-3. Güiro-Ogun


CD3-5. Abakúa

Grupo Oba-Ilu - Santeria "Songs For The Orishas" La Habana, Cuba 1997

"Songs For The Orishas"
Grupo Oba-Ilu

Grupo Oba-Ilu, with 'Mario Jauregui Francis' (bata Iya)
'Pedrito Pablo Martinez Campos' (bata itotele)
'Maximo Duquesnes Martinez' (bata okonkolo)
Akpwons: 'Lazaro Hernandez Junco',
'Pedro Pablo Martinez Campos',
and 'Marta Beatriz Galarraga'.
(Havana style toque de Santo)

Circuit City to liquidate remaining US stores

The nation's second-biggest consumer electronics retailer, reached an agreement with liquidators on Friday to sell the merchandise in its 567 U.S. stores after failing to find a buyer or a refinancing deal.

30,000 employees to lose jobs.

In memoriam: Ricardo Mantalban

'Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán Merino'
Born: November 25, 1920 – Died: January 14, 2009)
R.I.P.

La Nueva Trova Cubana en Vivo 1976 - Cuba

La Nueva Trova Cubana en Vivo 1976

Concert recorded live "La Nueva Trova Cubana" in 1976.
Two tunes with the late pianist 'Emilliano Salvador' playing with 'Grupo De Experimentación Sonora Del Icaic'
(G.E.S.I.)
With a great "live version" of his "Son in 7/4".

G.E.S.I.
8."Ekúe"
Emilliano Salvador: piano

G.E.S.I.
16."Son En 7 Por 4"
Emilliano Salvador: piano

"Son En 7 Por 4"
(the studio version)

1.Los Caminos [Pablo Milanés] - 3:28"

2.Qué Dice Usted [Sara González] - 3:58"

3.A Salvador Allende En Su Combate Por La Vida [Pablo Milanés] - 4:22"
4.Canción Por La Unidad Latinoamericana [Pablo Milanés] - 5:22"
5.Programa Del Moncada [Sara González] - 2:19"
6.La Pupila Insomne [Pablo Milanés] - 5:25"
7.Por Siempre Puerto Rico [Amaury Pérez] - 4:43"
8.Ekúe [Grupo De Experimentación Sonora Del Icaic] - 7:49"
9.La Vida No Vale Nada [Pablo Milanés] - 3:25"
10.De Padres A Hijos, Juntos En La Revolución [Sara Gonazález] - 3:21"
11.Yo Pisaré Las Calles Nuevamente [Pablo Milanés] - 2:54"
12.Cuando Miro Tus Ojos [Sara, Pablo Y Amaury] - 3:36"
13.Báilalo Si Puedes [Grupo De Experimentación Sonora Del Icaic] - 6:13"
14.Hombre Que Vas Creciendo [Pablo Milanés] - 3:20"
15.Andes Lo Que Andes [Amaury Pérez] - 4:21"
16.Son En 7 Por 4 [Grupo De Experimentación Sonora Del Icaic] - 6:36"
17.Playa Girón, La Victoria [Sara González] - 7:14"
18.Canción De Todos [Pablo Milanés] - 4:18"

Saludo cubano - live concert - en vivo 1971

"Saludo cubano" - 1971

Live concert Recorded in Chile,1971 with various artists.

3. "Tasca Tasca" 

('Los Papines')

9. "Pare, cochero" 
('Orquesta Aragón' & 'Los Papines')

www.radiocubana.cu/

Portal de la Radio Cubana en Internet

Vitico y Su Güiro - El Güiro Cubano

'Vitico' y Su Güiro

This is 'Vitico', he is from La Habana and he came back last month after visiting his family and being away from Cuba for 30 years.  
Vitico brought back a Güiro, a set of Maraca's and a set of killer Clave's made out of dark solid hard "Caoba" wood... not like those shitty "hollow" tourist Claves's that everyone brings back from Cuba.
Viticos Güiro is a great looking gourd and sounds like "it means business"!
About 16' to 17' inches tall, with the "bell" or "mouth"(boca) very slightly curved backward, with some type of "white wash" inside as well as inside the grooves of the designs, It has great geometric designs "subtly" burned onto the outside shell of the instrument.
Vitico often shows up at gigs, though he's not in the band... he likes to stand off to the side and play his Güiro. 
A real nice guy, very humble without any kind of bullshit ego trip.  
I took these photos at a gig I played that he came to.

The Güiro below is mine.
Originally, it was not a musical instrument, it was given to me by my Aunt (un regalo a mi de mi tia) who brought it back as a "tourist thing" from either Ecuador or Costa Rica, I don't remember which.
It had a design burned into the shell to look like an 'Armadillo'.
I cut of the face and nose of the Armadillo, took out the seeds (semillas) cleaned out the inside, then cut the grooves along the playing surface.
It's 10½ inches long, a very hard gourd, a perfect size for me and the sound cuts through any band. 
Most Cuban Güiro's generally have a rectangular hole cut out in the back, which the musician puts his four fingers inside with the thumb outside (pistol grip). 

I use the "football grip" as opposed to the
"fingers in the hole" grip with no hole cut in the back.

Cuban Güiro player La Habana, 1947

A classic Cuban Güiro with a hole cut in the back.
Musician using the football grip.N.Y.C. Cuban musician Ernesto "Chico" Alvarez
using the pistol grip.Enrique Lazaga musical director of La Ritmo Oriental.
Playing a long slim Güiro, football grip.

The Güiro player from the Cuban group 'El Monarca Del Son' with his Güiro showing very interesting cuts at the top, I've never seen cuts like these before.

Jobless rate jumps to 7.2 percent - Reality is real

Jobless rate jumps to 7.2 percent in December

WASHINGTON – The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs, capping one of the worst years in modern history for American workers.

And the worst is yet to come.

Candomblé - Brasil / 1964 - '66 -'74 -'76 -'77

"Rei Do Candomblé" - 1964
Joãosinho Da Gomé

3. Sou Da Minha Do Santé


 7. Bombogira


'Mae Menininha do Gantois'

3. Oxumarê
"Gravão vivo in Bahia" - 1974
 


'Luiz Da Muriçóca'
"Candomblé Da Bahia" 1966

1. Babolorixá


2. Saudacão A Exú

'Luiz Da Muriçóca'
"Canticos De Terreiro" 19??

1. Saudacão Aos Orixás"- Ritmo Alujá 

 Grupo Korin Nagô
"Shiré Orishás Èdé Yoruba" - 1976

5. Oxumarê


14. Oshalá


Candomblé - 1977

Produced & directed by Djalma Correa