Oscar Valdés Jr. "Leyenda Viva" 2010 - Cuba

I took this photo of Oscar Valdés
in Venezuela 1978

Oscar Valdés con Diakara, Cuba
2005

Valdés Jr. and Sr.

For me, this is one of the nicest recordings out of Cuba for 2010. Featuring El Maestro... Oscar Valdés Jr., former singer with the seminal band Irakere, here with his band, Diakara.

A very nicely designed 2 CD digipak, with great photos.

Every one of the 10 songs are excellent.

(Least expensive at Museo Del Disco in Miami)

Dáme Bombón

Africa

Mi Habana Vieja

Mogün Maribó



3 videos of a younger Oscar Jr.
Aguanile Bonkó - 1978
"throwing down" con Irakere.

Mami Damé Caramelo - 1981
"throwing down" con Irakere.

El Cimarron - 1982
"throwing down" con Irakere.

Antobal's Cuban All Stars 1957 & 1959 LP's

Antobal's Cuban All Stars

Cuban jazz arrangements by

 Chico O'Farril, Obdulio Morales,
Rene Hernandéz, Rafael Somavilla,
Alberto Iznaga and "Peruchin".
With many of the "first call" studio musicians
in Havana during the 1950's and early 1960's.

"Ay Caramba!"
1957
Antobal's Cuban All Stars

Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar: trumpet
Nilo Argudin: trumpet
Leonardo Timor Jr.: trumpet
Generoso "Tojo" Jimenéz : trombón
Antonio Linares: trombón
Amado Valdés: alto saxofón
Santiago Peñalver: alto saxofón
Emilio Peñalver: tenor saxofón
Pedro Chao: tenor saxofón
Oswaldo "Mosquitin" Urrutia: baritone saxofón
Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz: piano
"Felo" Hernandez: bajo
Marcelino Valdés: bongoes & Guiro
Guillermo "Barretico" Barreto:Drums & timbales
Girardo Rodriguez: tumbadora
"Justico" Antobal: maracas
Raul Azpiazu + Gina Martin: vocals

5. Este E' Mi Mambo
 (Piano solo: "Peruchin")

12. Ya Empezó
 

"Agua! Agua!"
1959
Antobal's Cuban All Stars
(cover photo with "Killer Joe" Piro in front of the girl)

Obdulio Morales: director
Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar: trumpet
Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros: trumpet
Domingo Corbacho: trumpet
Generoso "Tojo" Jimenéz : trombón
Antonio Linares: trombón
Santiago Peñalver: alto saxofón
Amado Valdés: alto saxofón
Emilio Peñalver: tenor saxofón
Emilio Chao: tenor saxofón
Oswaldo "Mosquitin" Urrutia: baritone saxofón
Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz: piano
"Felo" Hernandez: bajo
Guillermo "Barretico" Barreto: drums & timbales
"Oscarito" Valdés (Jr.): bongo y Güiro
Giraldo Rodriguez: tumbadora
"Justico" Antobal: maracas
Roberto Cordero: vocales

1. Agua! Agua!
(Piano solo: "Peruchin")

7. Los Timbales
(Guillermo Barreto: timbal)

Mango Mangüé
1959
Antobal's Cuban All Stars
(Cover art by Alarcón)

Obdulio Morales: director
Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar: trumpet
Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros: trumpet
Domingo Corbacho: trumpet
Generoso "Tojo" Jimenéz : trombón
Antonio Linares: trombón
Edilberto 'Eddy' Escrich: alto saxofón
Rafael Quesada: alto saxofón
Emilio Peñalver: tenor saxofón
Emilio Chao: tenor saxofón
Emilio Peñalver: flute
Oswaldo "Mosquitin" Urrutia: baritone saxofón
Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz: piano
"Felo" Hernandez: bajo
Guillermo "Barretico" Barreto: drums & timbales
 Oscar Valdés Sr.: tumbadora
Oscar "Oscarito" Valdés (Jr.): bongo y Güiro
Roberto Garcia: quinto
"Justico" Antobal: maracas
Roberto Cordero: vocales

 CD Reissue with  'Mango Mangüé' LP
plus second additional Antobal LP added.
Excellently remastered, great sound.
(Out of print)

"That Latin Beat"
Antobal's Latin All Stars
Vinyl LP on the Dot label

Video: Cuba - Orquesta Cubana De Musica Moderna 1966 de

The late 'German Pfferrer' directing the band.
'Oscar Valdés Sr'. and 'Oscar Valdés Jr.' on *Tumbadoras. (*Made by 'Gonzalo Vergara')
Roberto Garcia bongoes
'Erique Pla' on Tympani.
'Guillermo Barreto' on drumset.
'Carlos Emilo Morales' on electric guitar.
'Paquito D' third Sax from left.
The trumpet player who stands & sings 'Jorge Varona'?
("La dinastía de los Valdés")

"Pepe Cabecita"
 Enrique Bonne comp.
(Ritmo Pilón at the begining and middle of song) 
Orquesta Cubana De Musica Moderna

Tumbadoras made by Gonzalo Vergara - Cuba

Tumbadoras (Congas) made during the 1950's and 1960's by the Cuban master drum maker Gonzalo Vergara are the "gold standard" which the two best American drum makers; the late 'Nataly "Junior" Tirado Ruiz' and 'Jay Bereck' of "Skin On Skin" based their drums on in both style and shape.

(The major difference between "Skin On Skin" and "Junior" Tirado's drums is that Jay Bereck "steams" the wood into shape, and Nataly "Junior" Tirado Ruiz used horizontal "cuts" to bend the wood into shape, which is what Gonzalo Vergara did.
The third American drum maker currently making drums with "root retention" going back to Gonzalo Vergara is Matthew Smith of "Ritmo".
(though his drums are more an "excellent hybrid" of both "Skin On Skin" and "Juniors")

Two Drummers playing three tunable tumbadoras made by
 Gonzalo Vergara. Photo in the Panart recording studios
in Havana with José Fajardo on flute,1950's.

"Jabuco" de Conjunto Roberto Faz,
playing a 10½ inch Vergara.

Fajardos drummer playing a 10½ inch Vergara.
 Oscar Valdés Sr. playing a 10½ inch Vergara.
(Father of Oscar Valdés Jr. ex Irakere singer)

Rogelio "Yeyito" Iglesias
Posing with a 10½ inch Vergara 1950's.

The late Luis Abreu
with a 10½ inch Vergara 1963.

A young Beny Moré playing
a 10½ inch Vergara Mid 1950's.

Beny Moré with two Vergara's in the car.
The original RCA LP cover 1960-'61.

A Vergara on a Celina y Rutillio LP cover.

A 10½ inch Vergara on the cover of Sensacion's LP.

Enrique Lazaga from 'Ritmo Oriental'
posing with a Vergara 1959 or '60.

Juan Claro Bravo from 'Ritmo Oriental' playing 
a Vergara (and wearing "The Eyeglasses")
 Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria playing 
his Vergara's 1950's with Tito Puente's band.

Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria playing 
his Vergara's with his band 70's.
 

Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria in his house,

his two Vergara's behind him on the right.

Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria with Tjaders quintet

'59-'60 with his two Vergara's.

 

Mongo with his two Vergara's
  Mongo with his two Vergara's, the red
one he had covered in fiberglass in the U.S.

Cuban drummer Marcelino Valdés
playing two Vergara's, early 60's.

Ernesto Tito Puente,
posing with a 10½ inch Vergara.

Ray Baretto

With his two "old beat up" drums made by Gonzalo Vergara.
They were given to him by Mongo Santamaria.
(Info via 'Dario' "El Rey de las tumbadoras Cubanas" en Miami)

Ray Baretto
(con "Los Espejuelos" de verdad)

An Oak wood Vergara, restored by
master drum maker, Matthew Smith. 

Photo: Matthew Smith, Ritmo Drums.