Electo "Chepin" Rosell, Bernardo "Chovén" Villalon - Orq. Chepín Chóven - Santiago, Cuba

\

Orq. Chepín Chóven - 1930's
Electo 'Chepín' Rosell (Director, violin)
b; Santiago de Cuba 1907 - d;1984.

Bernardo 'Chovén' Villalon (co-director, piano)
b; Santiago de Cuba 1910.- d;1999

The singer standing in the back used
a 'megaphone' to sing through.
Photo via Daniel Chatelain. 

Orq. Chepín Chóven - 40's

Drummer Hesmerido 'Lolo' Ferrera credited as the true creator of ritmo "Pilón" is standing next to Chepin.
'Lolo' and Enrique Bonne actually played two slightly different style's.

Hesmerido 'Lolo' Ferrera, older with Grey hair.
Playing timbales, kickdrum and floor tom.
Photo via Daniel Chatelain

Composer,band leader,Violinist Electo 'Chepin' Rosell and pianist Bernardo 'Chovén' Villalon form their big band called Orq. 'Chepin Choven'.  
After 'Bernardo "Chovén" Villalon' leaves the band, it becomes 'Orq. Chepin'.

Three killer big bands came from the Eastern provence's: Santiago, Holguin, Oriente, being Mario Patterson Y Su Orq. Oriental, Orq. De Mariano Merceron, Orquesta Hermanos Aviles and Orq. Chepin, with their "distinct and unique" horn section and rhythm section.
(Those were commonly referred to as "Cuban Jazz Band's" / "tipo Jazz band".)

"El Merenguito"
Orq. Chepin Chovén
1942-1945
Tumbao CD from 78rpm's

"Mi Oriente"

Orq. Chepin
1956, '60 & '61
Tumbao CD taken from LP's

In the photo above, Hesmerido "Lolo" Ferrera is #6, standing next to 'Chepin'.This is an excellent killer recording, where 'Lolo' can be heard playing 'Pilon' on tracks 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 16 and 18.

6. Monte Adentro
Ibrahim Ferrer: cantando.
Hesmerido 'Lolo' Ferrera playing
 ritmo Pilón on timbales.

"Danzon A Lo Chepin"
Early 1960's
Orq. Chepin - vinyl LP
Ibrahim Ferrer: coro

 Original Cuban pressing on Corona

2. Cogele El Gusto
Violin solo: 'Chepin'

8. Caridad
Violin solo: 'Chepin'


12. Canta El Contrabajo



"Chepin Chepin Chepin"
Orq. Chepin - 1964 vinyl LP

1. El Palo Tiene Curujey
Andrés 'Niño' Rivera Echevarria: tres solo


"El Platanal De Bartolo" -
1960's
Orq. Chepin - vinyl LP

1. El Platanal De Bartolo
Hesmerido 'Lolo' Ferrera playing
 ritmo Pilón on timbales. 

This record actually has three different bands, but they don't tell you that.
And the song order and the titles are almost all incorrect.
While there are four songs by 'Orq. Chepin' on here that are not found on other LP's, the other two bands on here are Manuel "Puntillita" Licea singing five songs with an early 1960's big band and the third band is the Charanga group 'Orq. Julio Valdes' that plays three songs.
It's common to find LP's on the 'Maype' and other south Florida record labels that "add" several bands on one LP, but show only one artist as being on the LP.

Here is the correct song list:

1. El Platanal De Bartolo - Orq. Chepin.
2. La Rumba Se Formo - Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea and big band.
3. Acércate más - Charanga Orq. Julio Valdes.
4. Compay José - Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea and big band.
5. Tremendo Guateque - Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea and big band.
6. El Dandy - Orq. Chepin.
7. El Guateque De Compadre Juan - Orq. Chepin.
8. Café - Manuel 'Puntillita Licea and big band.
9. Bolero Ritmico - Charanga Orq. Julio Valdes.
10. Santiago Tu Guapacha - Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea and big band.
11. Danzón-Chá - Charanga Orq. Julio Valdes.
12. Maria Antonia - Orq. Chepin.

"El Regreso De Chepin" 
1973,' 74
Orq. Chepin - vinyl LP

1. El Regresso De Chepin

6. Palma Soriano

10. Chepineando


"Saludo Cubano"
1970's
Orq. Chepin - vinyl LP

5. El Cacahual

4. Que Bueno Está


Below, two retrospective CD "collections" .
One from France, the other I don't know the label.

"Colección Diamante N°. 13"
CD "collection" of past works.

10. Mayari Arriba


"La Bayamesa"
CD "collection" of past works.

"El Que Rie Ultimo Rie Mejor"
Ibrahim Ferrer sings on several songs.

12. Mi Catalana


"Arco Iris Musical"
Vinyl LP

3. Viene El Tamalero

9. Lo Que Quieras
Hesmerido 'Lolo' Ferrera playing
12. Carolina
Hesmerido 'Lolo' Ferrera playing
ritmo 'Pilon' on timbales
.

"Carnaval" LP - 1967 Cuba

"Carnaval"
Egrem/Areito LP

The Cuban 'Egrem/Areito' record label produced many records during the 1960's specifically directed towards markets outside of Cuba.
Commonly with a "variety" o sea "potpourri" of bands and styles of music.
Sometimes tunes by these artists & bands would only appear on these "sampler" LP's.
Actually, except for the cover photo & the last song by 'Los Hermanos Bravo', there's nothing that has to do with "Carnaval" on this LP.

1. "Tiene Dinamita" - Orq. Aviles - Ritmo Pa' ca'
Juanito Marquez: electric guitar

2. "Los Años y El Pilón" - Pacho Alonso
Ritmo Pilón

Juanito Marquez: electric guitar, Enrique Bonne: drums

4. "Si Quieren Bailar" - Orq. Riverside
Onelio Pérez: vocal

5. "Regreso Feliz" - Combo Senén Suarez
Senén Suarez: electric guitar

11. "Muriendome De Risa" - Los Papines

"Cuba Alegre" - (Egrem-Areito sampler) LP - 1967 Cuba

"Cuba Alegre"
Egrem/Areito LP

Another 'Egrem/Areito' record released during the 1960's specifically directed towards markets outside of Cuba.

Commonly with a "variety" o sea "potpourri" of bands and styles of music.
Sometimes songs by these artists & bands would only appear on these "sampler" LP's.

LP album cover has a photo of 'Ricardo Abreu' playing Quinto (a 'Vergara') on stage at the Tropicana club with his brothers ("Los Papines")

With a 1960's killer original version of 'Enrique Bonne's' Pilón; "Pepe Cabecita".
'Enrique' with Pacho Alonso & 'Ibrahim Ferrer' in the coro.

3. "Que Vivan Los Titis" - Orq. Aviles
'Juanito Marquez' Comp. (Ritmo Pa' ca)

5. "Llegaron Las Glondrinas" - Celeste Mendoza
Danzonete

6. "Pepe Cabecita" - Pacho Alonso y sus Bocucos
'Enrique Bonne' on drums, 'Ibrahim Ferrer' coro
'Enrique Bonne' Comp. (Ritmo Pilón)

8. Dengue En Faz - Conj. Roberto Faz
Roberto Faz Comp. (Ritmo Dengue)

Orq. Hermanos Aviles - 1975 - Holguín, Cuba

1. Mi querido Holguin

2. No hay como el son
3. Que tienes tu que me enamore de ti
4. Banes
5. Comay comay
6. Ausencia de sueños
7. El guaguanco ligado al son me gusta
8. La mama de Juana
9. Que tira la jala
10. Son del 105 aniversario
11. El reflejo de vivir
12. Y me dejaste de medio lado
13. Mi son al amanecer

Ripped from the 1975 original vinyl.
2. No hay como el son 

7. El guaguanco ligado al son me gusta 

Orquesta 'Hermanos Aviles', from the town of 'Banes' in the provence of Holguín, Cuba.

'Banes' comes from the Indian word "Bani" which means "valley", o sea "valle".
(The dictator Fulgencio Batista was born in 'Banes')