Orquesta CMQ 1950's - Cuba

The CMQ studio-house band.

Joaquín Mendível Guerra at the piano, Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar: trumpet, Oscar Valdés Sr. playing a 10½ inch tumbadora made by Gonzalo Vergara'.

(I like the baritone sax players sneakers)

1. Fiesta En El Aire-C.M.Q. Presentacion

"Here Comes...el Son" - 'Songs Of The Beatles With A Cuban Twist' 2000 - Habana, Cuba

"Here Comes...el Son" - 2000

It has been almost ten years ago that this project was first recorded in La Habana, Cuba in 2000. A musical tribute to the Beatles with superb arrangements, the first recording to have been made in Cuba sung completely in English by Cuban musicians.
Recorded at the Sono Caribe studios in Havana, which was originally the "CMQ" studios.

4. "Here There And Everywhere"'Marlén Rodríguez'

6. "Hello Goodbye"'Los Papines'

15. "Because"'Vocal Sampling'

Rosendo Ruiz Jr. (Orq.Estrellas Cubanas) 1960 - Cuba

 

Original vinyl LP cover on TICO

"Havana Bound"

Rosendo Ruiz Jr. & His Orchestra
(Orq.Estrellas Cubanas)
CD reissue out of print, with 12 additional
songs I added from an other source.

The following was a review written by the respected Cuban music historian 'Luis Dequesada' on August 13, 2001 on Amazon.com.
His information is excellent.
(I corrected only a few misspelled words)

"Definitely one of the most rare and sought after of all Cuban Charanga orchestra albums.
This compilation was recorded in Havana, Cuba in 1959 or 1960 and was first issued then as a 33rpm vinyl Lp by 'Tico' Records.
Unfortunately it was discontinued by Tico around 1964 and since then it has become an elusive, hard to get and sought after recording, especially by connoisseurs of this genre.

This excellent Cuban Charanga directed by the great composer and pianist Rosendo Ruiz, Jr. was none other than maestro 'Felix Reyna's' "Orquesta Estrellas Cubanas", which was 'José Fajardo's' original orchestra until Reyna's takeover in 1959.
This great orchestra was nicknamed "Rosendo Ruiz Jr.& His Orchestra" for these recordings.
These recording sessions were made at the legendary CMQ Radiocentro's Studio #1 in Havana, Ruiz made one addition and one substitution. He added the famed violinist 'Miguel Barbon', aka "El Niño Prodigio" of 'Orq.Melodias del 40', to enhance the orchestra's strings section and substituted 'Julio Guerrero', aka "El Distinto" for 'Gonzalo Fernandez' then of Orquesta America de 'Ninon Mondejar' as flutist, the latter change became a controversial topic among experts and fans, then and in subsequent years.

This is a superb CD, the Charanga chorus, the musical arrangements, the tunes and the band are just exquisite. "Flor de Amor", "ChaChaCha del Diablo", "Lloraras"(my favorite), "El Pregon del Amor","La Vida Es Corta","El Borracho y El Bodeguero","La Combinacion", "Cha Cha Cha Loco", "Salsa Negra", "Guapacha en La Luna", "Pan Con Timba" and "Mambo Sideral" will simply delight you. I highly recommend the acquisition of this rare Cuban musical gem.
Definitely Rosendo Ruiz Jr.'s best lifetime work.
Recorded in Cuba during the famed and flavorful "Guapacha era", 1955-1960.

The original CD reissue has 12 songs, I added an extra 12 songs from another 'Rosendo Ruiz Jr.' recording. 24 songs total.
The remastered CD recordings have excellent sound.

Live radio broadcasts radio CMQ - Vivo La Habana, Cuba 1953-1958

Radio CMQ
La Habana, Cuba 1953-1958

"Fefita"
Fajardo y sus Estrellas
Elio Valdés' violin solo, Tata Güines, tumbadoras

"Tiene Sabor"
Abelardo Barroso with Orq. Sensacion
Juan Pablo Miranda: flute

"Pare Cochero"


"Cosas Del Alma"
'Raúl Planas' with Orq. Kubavana, two boleros:

"No Me Pidas"

Celio Gonzales with Sonora Matancera,
killer timbalito solo in the middle, by
José Rosario Chávez "Manteca"

'José Rosario Chávez' ("Manteca")
(playing timbalito)

Anacaona - Septeto, Octeto & Orquesta '37, '53, '54 - Cuba

Anacaona 1937-'38
Alberto Socarras on the left.

Anacaona in Paris.

The Castro sisters.

Nice photo, but ridiculously titled:
"The Buena Vista Sisters Club"
and "Cuba's forgotten girl band"
No one I know has ever "forgotten" Anacaona.

Anacaona, 27 songs released on a German CD import in 2008, nicely remastered.
Mostly as an Orchestra, in 1950's live radio performances at Radio CMQ in Havana, as well as other radio performances on tour in Colombia, Venezuela and Rio De Janeiro.

There are a few 78rpm recordings included by the original band when they were a Septeto (1937-'38) and had Graciela singing and playing Clave, before she left Cuba for New York City.
Anacaona was led by the Castro sisters who were of Chinese and Afro-Cuban decent, all superb musicians. The band was directed by El Maestro Alberto Socarras.

Ondina Castro took trumpet lessons with Lázaro Herrera (trumpet player with Septeto Nacional).

Argimira Millo Castro takes several very tasty bongó solos.
Yolanda Castro sings "You'll Never Be Free" in English as a blues and she also sings "My Foolish Heart" in English.
They do a great rendition of "Después que sufras" a composition by Marcelino Guerra, sung by Graciela.
I prefer the early 1937 sessions, but the later 1953-'54 big band sessions are nice.

4. You´ll never Be Free - 1953
Yolanda Castro: vocal

5. Oh! Marambé Maramba - 1937
Graciela: vocal, clave
Argimira 'Millo' Castro: bongó solo

Algo Bueno - 1937
Graciela: vocal, clave
Argimira "Millo" Castro: bongó solo
(not on this CD)