Los Muñequitos De Matanzas late 70's Live en vivo - Cuba

Photo:Jesús Alfonso Miró : Tres dos (murió).
Gregorio "Goyo" Diaz: Tumbadora (murió).
Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa: Quinto (murió).

Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa: Quinto

Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa: Quinto
 

This post will close out the last day of the first month of the new year Jan. 31st 2009.

'Los Muñequitos De Matanzas', recorded live in 1978-'79.
These recordings are not on any LP or CD.

These for me... are "the best live Muñequitos" recordings.
The Quinto player was the late Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa and on the Tumbadora, the late great Gregorio "Goyo" Diaz, back then Jesús Alfonso Miró played Tres Dos, not Quinto.
For me, "Tití" was "the Man" within this particular style.
His very individualistic style and sound made him a creative "marker", something not easily "learned" in an academic setting. There are no better examples of "Tití's" style then these.
"Tití" played with Los Muñequitos for ten years, before commiting suicide in the early to mid 1980's.
(For me, the most literally "musical" Quinto player was the late Ricardo Abreu - "Papine")

On # 5."Canto a Angola", they start the song singing the melody for "Stranger in Paradise" which is a popular song from the 1953 American musical "Kismet", the melody was based on the original music by Russian composer *'Alexander Borodin', the "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from 'Alexander Borodin's "Polovetsian Dances". (*1833-1887)

The early 1970's recordings by "Los Munequitos De Nuevo" and the later 1970''s LP's with "Titi" are my favorites.
I'm not into the new "tap dancing, chair hopping", "dancing infants", "Cirque Du Soleil" version of the group.

The "best" 'Los Muñequitos De Matanzas' en vivo.

Late 1970's recorded live.

"Titi": Quinto. "Goyo": Tumbadora # 1-16

R.I.P. / Ibayé bayé tonu

1. Amalia


2. En La Tierra De Hatuey


3. Los Beodos


4. Lo Que Dice Abacúa

5. "Canto a Angola"*

6. Los Muñequitos


7. Los Muñequitos - 2nd version*

8. Canto Para Ti*

9. Viente Solito*

10. Chacho*

11. La Columbia - Tocororo*

12. En La Calle*

13. La Cuchara*

14. El Tonelero*

15. Nicolasa*

16. La Viola*

Los Muñequitos LP's '77-'79 - Cuba

Two Muñequitos LP's from the late 1970's.

It was these sessions that were reissued on CD by
Qbadisc in 1992 and 1994.
However there were "two songs that were not included" (missing) on the 1992 CD reissue, most likely due to Qbadisc being too "politically intimidated" to include them.

"Canto a Angola" and "Protesta De Chile"
These LP's included the late masterful quinto player,
Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa.

"Los Muñequitos De Matanzas"
The original Vinyl LP 1977

On "Canto a Angola", they start the song singing the melody for "Stranger in Paradise" which is a popular song from the 1953 American musical "Kismet", the melody was based on the original music by Russian composer *'Alexander Borodin', the "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from 'Alexander Borodin's "Polovetsian Dances". (*1833-1887)

6. "Canto a Angola"

9. "Protesta De Chile"


"guaguanco columbia yambu"
The original Vinyl LP

"Cuba Humanidad" Tribute to Carlos Embale 1999 - Cuba

"Cuba Humanidad" - 1999

A Tribute To Carlos Embale 1999.
Various artists pay tribute to the late 'Carlos Embale'.
A Superb well produced studio recording of mostly Sones along with three Rumbas featuring Diamela Del Pozo, "El Nene" and Mario "Mayito" Rivera singing with
Los Muñequitos De Matanzas.
Rolo Martinez sings a very nice version of Suavecito.
Excellent tres playing , true "Son" bongó playing.
Great arrangements of classic tunes that Carlos Embale performed.

2. Echale Salsita
Voc: Coco Freeman

3. Esas No Son Cubanas
Luis Rios y Efrain Rios

7. Rosina Y Virginia
Voc: "El Nene" con Los Muñequitos

8. Por Que Me Guardas Rencor
Mario Rivera y Manuel J. Denis

10. Suavecito
Voc: Rolo Martinez

Carlos Embale y Septeto Nacional (de nuevo)
video with Omara Portuondo.

Los Munequitos De Matanzas "D'Palo Pa Rumba" 2009

"D'Palo Pa Rumba" - 2009 CD

'Los Munequitos De Matanzas'

With 'Freddy Alfonso' playing Quinto, the son of the late 'Jesús Alfonso Miró' who died June 3rd, 2009.

1. Homenaje A Cha Chá 5:35
2. Ta' Julián 6:47
3. Macorina 4:29
4. Para Titi 5:23
5. Inés Mesa 7:03
6. El Tren De Los Muñequitos 9:34
7. Boddugüe 3:21
8. Muñequitos Tiene Algo Que Me Ata 4:21
9. De Palo Pa' Rumba 3:51
10. Lo Que Tiene Mi Grupo 4:13
11. Bantú 7:33

A very nice tribute to the late 'Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa'
my favorite quinto player.

4. "Para Titi"

El 'Tocororo'

El 'Tocororo'
La bandera de Yara

"Tocororo"
Los Muñequitos De Matanzas
Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa tocando el Quinto

"Tocororo" (live-vivo 1979)
Los Muñequitos De Matanzas
Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa tocando el Quinto

Video: Cuba -: Esteban Vega Bacallo "Chachá" and Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa - Cuba

"Grupo Guaguancó Matancero"
1955
With The late Esteban Vega Bacallo a.k.a. "Chachá"
A great photo showing three early 1952-'53 "tunable"
(with hardware) Tumbadoras.

Video:

"Chachá" Esteban Vega Bacallao: Tumbadora
"Tití" Victoriano Espinosa: Quinto

"Chachá": Quinto player for Grupo Guaguancó Matancero mid 1950's & Los Muñequitos late 1950's, singing & playing Tumbadora and Victoriano Espinosa a.k.a. "Tití", my favorite Quinto player for Los Muñequitos in the late 70's & early to mid 80's. He later committed suicide.

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

"Carnival A Santiago De Cuba" LP - 1959 Cuba

"Carnival A Santiago De Cuba"

1959
Viny LP on French 'Le Chant Du Monde' label

1. El Macuquillo Oriental
2. Conga Santiaguera
3. Suavecito - Septeto Nacional
4. Improvisation De Comparsa
5. Piruso Y Su Boina - Rolando Aguilo
6. El Manisero
7. Carabali - Burundanga
8. La Reforma Agraria - Grupo Guaguancó Matancero*****
9. Ecue Ecue - Cachao
10. Carnival song in street
11. Improvisation De Comparsa
12. Organo Oriental
13. Mi Pueblo Esta Contento - Grupo Guaguancó Matancero*****
14. Glorie A Cuba - Grupo Guaguancó Matancero*****

The now classic vinyl LP "Carnival A Santiago De Cuba" on the French 'Le Chant Du Monde' label.

There were "two" different versions/pressings of this LP.
The first one had no "spaces" between tracks, just one continuous track on side A and on side B. Each song just went right into the next one and the record had a horrible fake ("overdubbed") sound track of a live street crowd "yelling and screaming" throughout EVERY SONG.
The first pressing had three (3) songs by 'Grupo Guaguancó Matancero'.
(who later changed their name to 'Los Muñequitos De Matanzas').

The second version/pressing of this LP was much better... each song was a separate track with no fake overdubbed yelling and screaming crowd sounds, so each song was much more enjoyable to listen to.
However.... the second pressing only had two (2) of the songs by 'Grupo Guaguancó Matancero', as for some reason the third song never was put on the second LP pressing!

I have taken the missing 3rd song from the first LP (which has the fake overdubbed yelling & screaming crowd) and added it to the second pressing. #14."Glorie A Cuba "
I have also "cleaned" and "trimed" each song from the vinyl using 'Goldwave V.5' software.

This is a great LP that I remember first hearing when I was 13 years old, as my father used to play the LP a lot, he loved it.
It's really a collection, potpourri, mosaico of several different genrés of Cuban music.
All great.
For me, the "standouts" are "Piruso Y Su Boina" by 'Rolando Aguilo' with 'Juanito Marquez' on electric guitar.
The "Carabali - Burundanga" which is a Santiago style Carnival song originally dating back to well over 100 years ago.
'Ignacio Piniero's Septeto Nacional' doing "Suavecito" and 'Israel "Cachao" Lopez' doing "Ecué, Ecué" with 'Tata Güines' on Tumbadoras.
And of course the three great tunes by 'Grupo Guaguancó Matancero' featuring "Saldiguera" y "Virulilla" on vocals when they were in their "prime".
14."Glorie A Cuba" has "Chachá" playing Quinto and unfortunately has the fake overdubbed crowd sounds.
(references to Fidel, Ché & the Agrarian Reform - La Reforma Agraria)

2. Conga Santiaguera

5. Piruso Y Su Boina

8. La Reforma Agraria

13. Mi Pueblo Esta Contento

14. Glorie A Cuba

Video: Cuba Frank Fernandez piano con Los Muñequitos De Matanzas

Omelé - Los Muñequitos De Matanzas & El Goyo + Papi Oviedo - Cuba

Two versions of Omelé, the original version by Grupo Guaguancó Matancero and a re-worked version by Gregorio Hernández Rios "El Goyo", from his 2001 CD titled; 'La Rumba Es Cubana'.. El Goyo".Gregorio Hernández used the same tresero as the original version; Papi Oviedo (de Matanzas)
(I like the original version best)

Omelé
Grupo Guaguancó Matancero
 The original version
Papi Oviedo; tres guitar

Omelé
Gregorio Hernández 'El Goyo'
 Papi Oviedo; tres guitar
The re-worked 2001 version

"La rumba de Matanzas a La Habana" CD 2008

"La rumba de Matanzas a La Habana"

Egrem CD 2008

This is a CD Egrem produced in 2008, 18 early 1960's and 1970's songs that Egrem has remastered by 'Los Muñequitos de Matanzas', and Los Papines.
Many of us already have them on either LP's or CD's, but this is an excellent release because it puts all the "classics" together on one CD, especially for "younger" rumberos who are not familiar with this material, or the original group.
This also has several things by Los Papines, Roberto Maza & Carlos Embale and Merceditas Valdés, so it's not only Rumba "Matancera".
(No Guarapachangueo here)

http://www.egrem.com.cu/catalogo/undisco.asp?codigo=CD-0919-1&detalles=1#repertorio

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

LP cover: Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. "El Guaguancó de Matanzas"

Photos from the Barry Cox archives

1988 vinyl on E.G.R.E.M. - Areito
Brought back from La Habana by Barry Cox 2010
LP has two versions of songs never released on CD.
Download from link below:
('Canto Para Ti' and 'Mayeya')
Cover photo of beautiful "Cuban" tumbadoras,
before they were "given" foreign made crap.